Dogs learn rescue skills

PONDERAY — Dogs might be man’s best friend, but in search and rescue situations, they can also be a lifesaver.

That’s the philosophy of Search Dog North Idaho, a Ponderay-based organization dedicated to training reliable search dogs able to handle any situation a rescue might require.

 On Oct. 22, SDNI teamed up with U.S. Air Force 36th Rescue Flight personnel at Fairchild Military Base for helicopter training. The six-hour seminar tested both human and canine savvy as trainers reviewed collaboration methods between military and local organizations while dogs acclimated to helicopter rides. Because of the extreme noise and wind accompanying helicopter rides, dogs can often become too frightened to perform their duties. The training at the Fairchild combated the problem by helping SDNI’s dogs become accustomed to the experience in a safe and non-threatening environment.

“Landing is probably the worst part,” SDNI member Diana Carlson said. “The noise and  the wind gets really intense at that point, so getting your dog out of the helicopter can be tricky.”

But helicopter training is only a small part of the many skills a dog needs for a successful career in search and rescue. To help their pets hone their noses, SDNI meets weekly for several hours to run search exercises. Members also log hours of their own time for training to keep their dog up to snuff. A good search dog needs to be able to track down specific scents by smelling articles of clothing. They also need to know a general human scent to search for multiple people in a single location.

“I think the reason I’ve kept search training up is that it’s an absolute joy to see my dog work,” Carlson said. “The whole process is really fun and really challenging.”

Scent searching is the search dog’s core skill, but it requires training in a number of variations based on different situations. For example, Carlson said they recently completed a cadaver training program.

Dogs also need to undergo agility training in order to handle the rough terrain that searches often involve. They need to be able to climb over or duck under obstacles and push through dense foliage.

“Swimming also ends up being a really important ability,” Carlson said.

Finally, dogs undergo some behavior training to ensure that they keep on task. They need to ignore other people and animals and remain focused on their search.

 “Search dogs need to know the command “leave it,” Carlson said. “It tells them to ignore whatever they’re after and stick to the search.”

Dogs prove their competency every week at SDNI meetings by completing a short search for one of the groups members. All that practice culminates in tests to become fully-certified search dogs.

SDNI training is free and meetings are open to the public. Although the group is in the process of some restructuring and may change their name to Kaniksu Search Dog, they remain committed to transforming dogs into quality public servants. Those who think that their pet has the makings of a good search dog are encouraged to call the group at 265-0239 or 304-2441.

“The training can have a positive effect on a dog’s everyday behavior,” Carlson said. “I tell friends I put my dog in search and rescue because she needed a job.”