Canine lessons learned

By Susann Brown

As canine handlers in the US&R system, we are required to pass a test certifying our skills, prior to being able to deploy. These tests are an excellent measure of our trained ability, but the most accurate accounting of our skills comes when we go on actual missions. This is where we determine how prepared we are for the unpredictable search environment and how well our canine partners are ready, not only for the work but also for the stressors of traveling and living with our team members. Multiple deployments over the years have enabled us to incorporate lessons learned into training scenarios.

Victims are not always entombed:
It is critical during the training process, while preparing to test, that victims are entombed so that our dogs must give their bark alert without actually reaching a victim. But, of course, that’s not always realistic, especially if we’re on scene soon after an event. Sometimes dogs are reluctant to bark when they can access a victim. Setting up a few training problems, with knowledgeable victims who can illicit or command a bark if the dogs hesitates, will quickly eliminate this problem. Plus, these are really fun for the dogs and the victims. However, be careful in the selection of your volunteer victims for these problems. Some people don’t appreciate having a big, barking dog in their face!

It’s not all collapsed structures:
Although the training and testing process is devoted to this specific scenario, US&R teams continue to be all-hazard search teams. For canine handlers, that means not only training in the collapsed structure environment but including ‘wilderness’ searching as well. Once certification testing is completed set up situations where your victims are unconcealed in wooded areas or in debris by buildings or rubble. The previously mentioned training scenarios will ensure that your dog will alert on reachable victims and a big plus of adding wilderness problems is that you can increase your dog’s search time. Most of our rubble search problems last less than 15 minutes. Dogs learn to expect that all searches should end that quickly. Set up wilderness problems so that your dog will have to work up to an hour before locating a victim. Wilderness problems also teach handlers how to use wind and terrain to their advantage to locate victims efficiently.

We have to get along:
The vast majority of the time, handlers and their canine partners are not searching but are traveling, waiting, working with their fellow Task Force members. Some dogs and handlers are not prepared for spending so much time in close quarters and in limited mobility. Handlers have to be advocates for their dogs as well as considerate teammates. Take the time to exercise your dog, allowing them to play and relieve stress away from your teammates. This will help them to relax while crated for long periods. Keep them away from group eating areas and find a quiet place for them to sleep so they are not disturbed by teammates getting up for the bathroom or shower. Have a plan for crating your dog as soon as you arrive at the BoO so that you can assist in setting up. A little consideration by handlers goes a long way to making their canine partners a well-liked team member.

Incorporating these lessons learned into our training program helps us achieve what we all aspire to be: a valued search team resource that can function effectively, regardless of situation, from the time we leave home until we return.