WEBVTT - How Do Search-And-Rescue Dogs Work? 0:00:01.840 --> 0:00:07.800 Welcome to Brainstock, a production of iHeartRadio, Hey Brainstuff Lauren 0:00:07.840 --> 0:00:13.080 bogobaum here. In the wake of disasters like earthquakes, when 0:00:13.200 --> 0:00:16.560 people may be injured and trapped by debris, there are 0:00:16.600 --> 0:00:23.400 often international search and rescue efforts. Teams include structural engineers, doctors, 0:00:23.560 --> 0:00:30.440 logistics personnel, technical search specialists, and dogs. Today, let's talk 0:00:30.440 --> 0:00:33.720 about how search and rescue dogs and their human handlers 0:00:34.120 --> 0:00:39.640 trained to help these teams save lives. Experts estimate that 0:00:39.720 --> 0:00:42.200 a single search and rescue dog can search the same 0:00:42.240 --> 0:00:45.400 area as about fifty people on foot could, and in 0:00:45.520 --> 0:00:49.480 far less time. Time is always an issue in search 0:00:49.520 --> 0:00:53.440 and rescue. In an avalanche, for instance, statistics show that 0:00:53.520 --> 0:00:55.840 more than ninety percent of people buried in snow can 0:00:55.880 --> 0:01:00.480 be rescued alive if they're dug out within fifteen minutes. However, 0:01:00.600 --> 0:01:03.600 after forty five minutes, only twenty to thirty percent of 0:01:03.640 --> 0:01:07.200 victims will be found alive, and after two hours almost 0:01:07.200 --> 0:01:10.840 no one will. That means search and rescue dogs are 0:01:10.880 --> 0:01:15.720 invaluable in locating people alive when time is critical. A 0:01:15.760 --> 0:01:18.240 trained dog can locate a human being within a five 0:01:18.319 --> 0:01:22.080 hundred meter radius that's some sixteen hundred feet find a 0:01:22.240 --> 0:01:26.080 dead body underwater, or locate evidence like a human tooth 0:01:26.319 --> 0:01:29.160 or an article of clothing at crime scenes, all by 0:01:29.200 --> 0:01:33.520 focusing on the smell of a human being. We humans 0:01:33.600 --> 0:01:37.880 are smelly creatures. We're constantly shedding a combination of dead 0:01:37.880 --> 0:01:42.520 skin cells, molecules of hygiene products, dried sweat, the bacteria 0:01:42.600 --> 0:01:46.600 and fungi that live with us, and various hormones and enzymes. 0:01:47.600 --> 0:01:51.880 This combination makes up tiny flakes called rafts, which smell 0:01:51.960 --> 0:01:57.920 distinctly human. Everyone's skin rafts smell unique, which is how 0:01:57.920 --> 0:02:00.160 a search and rescue dog can smell an items of 0:02:00.200 --> 0:02:03.600 clothing and look specifically for the last person who wore it. 0:02:04.720 --> 0:02:07.920 While some dogs exhibit a stronger desire to track scent 0:02:08.000 --> 0:02:11.240 than others, every canine out there has a powerful sense 0:02:11.240 --> 0:02:15.320 of smell. Some handlers have a breed of choice, but 0:02:15.480 --> 0:02:18.160 any medium to large dog in good physical health, with 0:02:18.280 --> 0:02:22.200 decent intelligence, good listening skills, a non aggressive personality, and 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:25.880 a strong play or prey drive that is an intense 0:02:25.880 --> 0:02:29.480 and enduring desire to retrieve a toy can potentially go 0:02:29.560 --> 0:02:33.920 into search and rescue. Search and rescue dogs need to 0:02:33.960 --> 0:02:37.520 be big enough to successfully navigate treacherous terrain and push 0:02:37.560 --> 0:02:40.280 debris out of the way, and yet small enough to 0:02:40.400 --> 0:02:44.880 transport easily. German Shepherds are a popular search and rescue breed. 0:02:45.240 --> 0:02:49.000 They're typically smart, obedient, and agile, and their double layered 0:02:49.000 --> 0:02:53.880 coat insulates against severe weather conditions. Hunting and herding dogs 0:02:53.960 --> 0:02:57.160 like labrador and Golden retrievers and border collies tend to 0:02:57.160 --> 0:02:59.320 be good at this work too, because they have a 0:02:59.440 --> 0:03:03.560 very strong prey drive. Many people consider bloodhounds to be 0:03:03.560 --> 0:03:07.120 the best breed for tracking. Their giant ears and facial 0:03:07.120 --> 0:03:10.880 folds collect and concentrate scent particles right at their nostrils, 0:03:11.120 --> 0:03:15.839 making their sense of smell extremely discerning. But not all 0:03:15.840 --> 0:03:18.880 search and rescue dogs perform the same type of searches. 0:03:19.919 --> 0:03:23.280 Some dogs are tracking or trailing dogs, and others are 0:03:23.400 --> 0:03:28.040 air sent or area search dogs. Tracking dogs work with 0:03:28.080 --> 0:03:31.040 their noses to the ground. They can follow a trail 0:03:31.160 --> 0:03:34.960 of human scent, typically heavy rafts that fall quickly to 0:03:35.000 --> 0:03:38.240 the ground or onto bushes, through any type of terrain. 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:44.440 These dogs are not searching, they're following. Tracking dogs need 0:03:44.520 --> 0:03:47.840 a last scene starting point, an article with the person 0:03:47.880 --> 0:03:51.400 sent on it to work from, and an uncontaminated trail. 0:03:52.840 --> 0:03:55.080 They work best when called in to follow a person 0:03:55.160 --> 0:03:58.520 sent immediately after a disappearance, say that of a child 0:03:58.600 --> 0:04:01.680 from a school playground, before other search groups and law 0:04:01.760 --> 0:04:06.480 enforcement personnel contaminate the scent trail. Air scent dogs, on 0:04:06.520 --> 0:04:09.400 the other hand, work with their noses focused toward the air. 0:04:10.720 --> 0:04:13.680 They pick up human scent anywhere in the vicinity. They 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:17.760 don't need a starting point where tracking dogs follow a 0:04:17.800 --> 0:04:21.120 scent trail. Air sent dogs pick up a smell carried 0:04:21.120 --> 0:04:24.400 in air currents and seek out its origin the point 0:04:24.440 --> 0:04:28.640 of greatest concentration. Air sent dogs might be called in 0:04:28.680 --> 0:04:31.679 to find a missing hiker located somewhere in a park, 0:04:32.160 --> 0:04:36.480 or someone trapped an avalanche or a collapsed building. Different 0:04:36.520 --> 0:04:39.680 air sent dogs can be trained with different specialties, like 0:04:39.880 --> 0:04:44.480 urban rescue or evidence finding. Dogs can also be trained 0:04:44.480 --> 0:04:48.480 to search specifically for human remains and even drowning victims. 0:04:49.440 --> 0:04:53.320 When a body is underwater, skin particles and decomposition gases 0:04:53.440 --> 0:04:56.200 rise to the surface, so dogs can smell a body 0:04:56.400 --> 0:04:59.919 even if it's completely immersed. Due to the movement of 0:05:00.080 --> 0:05:03.320 water currents, dogs can seldom pinpoint the exact location of 0:05:03.360 --> 0:05:06.799 a body. Instead, a more than one search and rescue 0:05:06.800 --> 0:05:09.880 team will search an area, and divers will use each 0:05:09.920 --> 0:05:13.640 dog's alert point, along with water current analysis, to estimate 0:05:13.640 --> 0:05:17.200 the most likely location of the body. No matter what 0:05:17.240 --> 0:05:20.600 their specialty, both search and rescue dogs and their handlers 0:05:20.800 --> 0:05:25.239 must train extensively. On average, a search and rescue handler 0:05:25.320 --> 0:05:29.120 spends about one thousand hours to become field ready. They 0:05:29.200 --> 0:05:31.840 learn how to properly train a dog to find an alert, 0:05:32.160 --> 0:05:35.920 and train themselves in things like land navigation, weather patterns, 0:05:36.040 --> 0:05:40.760 radio communications, map and compass skills, wilderness survival, advanced first aid, 0:05:41.000 --> 0:05:45.960 and various physical fitness certifications. Most search and rescue dogs 0:05:46.160 --> 0:05:48.680 live and train with their handler and will spend about 0:05:48.760 --> 0:05:53.080 six hundred hours to become field ready. Sometimes search and 0:05:53.120 --> 0:05:56.320 rescue associations adopt dogs from shelters to be trained at 0:05:56.320 --> 0:05:59.920 a special facility and then paired with a handler. The 0:06:00.240 --> 0:06:03.000 central job of any search and rescue dog is to 0:06:03.120 --> 0:06:06.720 find a human scent, that is, find it an alert 0:06:06.760 --> 0:06:10.200 to its location, no matter what weather conditions or other 0:06:10.240 --> 0:06:14.839 distractions there may be. Depending on the dog's specialty area, 0:06:15.160 --> 0:06:18.680 their core training may also include the recall, find or 0:06:18.920 --> 0:06:21.640 show me, in which they find an objective of a search, 0:06:21.880 --> 0:06:24.359 return to their handler, and lead the handler back to 0:06:24.360 --> 0:06:28.880 the objective, or what's called victim loyalty, in which the 0:06:28.880 --> 0:06:31.760 dog stays with a found person and alerts their handler 0:06:31.880 --> 0:06:35.960 by barking. The general approach to training a dog for 0:06:36.000 --> 0:06:39.400 search and rescue is no different from any other dog training. 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:42.600 The first step is to figure out what reward the 0:06:42.640 --> 0:06:46.320 dog will work for, perhaps a treat or playtime with 0:06:46.400 --> 0:06:50.920 a favorite toy, and then always immediately reward the dog 0:06:51.160 --> 0:06:55.080 for correct behaviors. The training starts out with very simple 0:06:55.120 --> 0:06:58.520 tasks and gets progressively more complex as the dog completes 0:06:58.560 --> 0:07:03.839 each level. Obedience, focus, and confidence are crucial. Search and 0:07:03.880 --> 0:07:06.359 rescue dogs must be able to think for themselves, a 0:07:06.360 --> 0:07:10.240 working off leash and away from their handlers in chaotic conditions. 0:07:11.440 --> 0:07:14.239 The ideal search dog can solve problems on their own, 0:07:14.640 --> 0:07:18.800 but also always be aware of their handler. Search and 0:07:18.840 --> 0:07:22.480 rescue teams are on call all day, every day. Dogs 0:07:22.520 --> 0:07:25.440 often accompany their handlers to work and on vacation in 0:07:25.520 --> 0:07:29.800 case a call comes in from law enforcement authorities. Typically, 0:07:29.880 --> 0:07:32.280 a law enforcement unit will alert a search and rescue 0:07:32.360 --> 0:07:35.640 organization to a case, and the organization then alerts its 0:07:35.680 --> 0:07:39.560 team members. The case might be a missing child, a 0:07:39.600 --> 0:07:42.680 group of hikers who never arrived at their campsite, a 0:07:42.720 --> 0:07:46.000 collapsed building, an earthquake, or a new tip. In a 0:07:46.040 --> 0:07:49.760 crime investigation, the places a victim's body in a particular lake. 0:07:51.000 --> 0:07:54.040 The team loads up its equipment, which may include severe 0:07:54.120 --> 0:07:58.679 weather gear, ropes and harnesses, radios, compasses, maps, food, and water. 0:08:00.080 --> 0:08:03.000 Depending on the dog and handler's specialty, they have to 0:08:03.000 --> 0:08:06.840 be prepared to travel by helicopter or boat, or perhaps 0:08:06.880 --> 0:08:10.840 to hike and repel to an area. Once at the scene, 0:08:11.000 --> 0:08:15.560 the dog's training is fully tested. Distractions are everywhere a 0:08:15.680 --> 0:08:21.360 people in dogs, searching reporters, floodlights, bullhorns. The search and 0:08:21.440 --> 0:08:24.560 rescue unit leader is in charge, reporting to the head 0:08:24.600 --> 0:08:28.320 authority at the scene. That leader gives each dog and 0:08:28.320 --> 0:08:32.000 handler team a location to clear. If a dog shows 0:08:32.080 --> 0:08:35.080 interest in a particular spot but doesn't do a full alert, 0:08:35.320 --> 0:08:38.840 the handler will note the location. If the dog gives 0:08:38.880 --> 0:08:44.200 a full alert, everyone mobilizes while human searchers dig or 0:08:44.440 --> 0:08:47.600 dive or clear rebel to find the missing people. The 0:08:47.679 --> 0:08:49.920 dog in their handler may be off to the side, 0:08:50.000 --> 0:08:53.280 playing tug of war or whatever the dog's reward of choices, 0:08:53.640 --> 0:08:56.000 so that the dog knows that they won the game, 0:08:57.240 --> 0:08:59.880 even if the missing person turns out to be deceased, 0:09:00.200 --> 0:09:04.240 the handler will discreetly play with the dog. As long 0:09:04.280 --> 0:09:06.920 as search and rescue remains a game, the dog will 0:09:06.960 --> 0:09:10.200 happily do their job until the handler decides it's time 0:09:10.240 --> 0:09:15.160 for retirement. Yes, search and rescue dogs do retire, often 0:09:15.240 --> 0:09:17.319 when the physical rigors of the work start to get 0:09:17.360 --> 0:09:19.840 to them, when they're around eight to ten years old, 0:09:19.920 --> 0:09:23.880 depending on the dog and its specialty. Urban disaster work 0:09:23.920 --> 0:09:27.200 in particular is hard on dogs and handlers due to 0:09:27.240 --> 0:09:32.520 the physical and mental stress of dangerous, unstable terrain. In 0:09:32.640 --> 0:09:35.640 the saddest news you'll hear today, some of the three 0:09:35.720 --> 0:09:38.760 hundred dogs that assisted in the search following the collapse 0:09:38.800 --> 0:09:41.440 of the World Trade Center on nine to eleven became 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:45.800 too depressed to continue working. So few people were found 0:09:45.800 --> 0:09:48.600 alive and there was such an overwhelming smell of death 0:09:48.840 --> 0:09:53.440 that the dogs were affected. When a search and rescue 0:09:53.480 --> 0:09:56.640 dog does retire, they usually live out their retirement with 0:09:56.720 --> 0:09:59.880 their handler. If the handler can't care for the dog, 0:10:00.280 --> 0:10:04.679 there are organizations that specialize in finding adoptive homes for retirees. 0:10:06.040 --> 0:10:09.280 In either case, the dog enjoys a life of fun, 0:10:09.559 --> 0:10:13.600 games and leisure, a much deserved reward for a career 0:10:13.880 --> 0:10:22.640 of fun games and public service. Today's episode is based 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:25.040 on the article how search and rescue dogs work on 0:10:25.080 --> 0:10:28.319 HowStuffWorks dot com, written by Julia Layton and Sarah g Lyme. 0:10:29.200 --> 0:10:31.679 Brain Stuff is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership with 0:10:31.679 --> 0:10:34.240 how Stuffworks dot Com and is produced by Tyler Klang. 0:10:35.000 --> 0:10:38.280 Four more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 0:10:38.520 --> 0:10:52.120 Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.