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Search and Rescue Dogs
Dogs in the snow
Labradors at work: Dog A.I.D.
Prize winners!
Search and Rescue Dogs
The origins of dogs being used to find missing persons can be traced back to Bernard of Menthon who built a Monastery and Inn at the summit of the Great St Bernard Pass in the Swiss Alps. The monks were called upon to help find lost travellers, often in very severe conditions such as after an avalanche. Dogs (which we now know as the St Bernard) were introduced to the Monastery as guard dogs in the 17th Century. These dogs started to accompany the monks on rescue missions and became valued assistants when they were found to be able to guide the search party and locate a body even in adverse weather. The beneficial use of dogs in a search team was re-enforced in the 1930s and 1940s when the success of the dogs accompanying rescue missions in Switzerland, brought about the establishment of numerous dog training centres in the Alps. Dogs were also used in World War I by the Red Cross where they were trained to locate the injured using air born scent. Dogs played a significant role during the London blitz too as they were able to find many people buried under the rubble.
In 1965, the Search and Rescue Dog Association (SARDA) was formed in Scotland after Hamish MacInnes of the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team travelled to Switzerland for the International Red Cross Search Dog course. On his return, Hamish trained two German Shepherds called Rangi and Tiki. Throughout the UK & Ireland today, regional SARDAs are responding to hundreds of call-outs every year to help find missing persons in all sorts of different environments. For example, dogs may be deployed to help find a missing hill walker in a remote rural area, or a missing child, elderly person or victim of crime in an urban conurbation. In such situations, SARDA may work alongside the Police or Mountain Rescue. Each SARDA is a voluntary organisation and is part of The National Search and Rescue Dog Association (NSARDA). NSARDA have over 90 qualified dogs of various breeds (e.g. Collies, German Shepherds, Spaniels, Terriers and of course Labradors!) on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Search Dogs have a greater chance of finding a missing person the sooner they arrive at the search area. The Royal Air Force and Navy Rescue squadrons frequently provide help by transporting the dogs and their handlers by helicopter or aircraft to save time. Dogs have over 200 million scent receptors in their nose (humans have 5 million) and in good conditions, they can pick up a human scent in the air from 500 metres away. Dogs can also work well in poorer visibility using their heightened smell and hearing senses. Together with their natural agility, this makes dogs very efficient aids in a search and rescue situation as they can cover large areas quickly in adverse conditions or in areas of awkward accessibility. One dog can do the work of between 15 to 20 human searchers and in poor visibility that number doubles.
Search Dogs begin their training as soon as the handler purchases their puppy. At around 6 months of age, the more formal training begins. Handlers who wish to train a Mountain Rescue Search Dog need to be a member of a Mountain Rescue team for at least one year and have experience working in difficult environments before beginning training with a puppy. Puppy classes help to socialise the dog and teach them obedience before commencing the first main stage of training which is teaching what is known as the ‘find sequence’. This is where the dog is rewarded for using their scent to find a body (a volunteer hiding) then returning to their handler, indicating the find (e.g. by barking) and taking the handler back to the body they have found.
The next stage is where the dog has to work over a larger area and overcome distractions (e.g. obstacles, farm animals) before finding the body and completing the ‘find sequence’. It is important dogs do not interfere with farm animals and learn to ignore them otherwise farmers would not let Search Dogs on their land. Dogs are therefore given a ‘stock test’ to be sure that the dog remains under their handler’s control amongst livestock. After a dog and handler have worked a large area and found the volunteer without being sidetracked, they are ready to be formally assessed.
The dog and handler team will take part in assessment weekends (in unfamiliar and often unfavourable environments) where external assessors from a different SARDA group will examine whether the dog and handler can reach call-out status. The Search Dog team will be expected to pass assessments in four areas over the weekend, each area the team will work for about two hours and have to locate the hidden volunteer bodies. Once found, the dog must return to the handler to indicate the find. If a dog finds a volunteer body and does not return to the handler and indicate the find, the dog will not pass the assessment and must go back to training until the find sequence is perfected. It cannot be permitted for a dog to find a volunteer body without indicating the find to the handler as it could prove fatal to the casualty. Within twelve months time, the Search Dog team will be reassessed and have to pass the same number of search areas. It is then that the Search Dog is called a Full Search Dog. It can take up to three years before a dog is ready to attend call-outs.
To find out more about Search and Rescue Dogs or your local SARDA visit, http://www.nsarda.org.uk/
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Dogs in the snow
Most of us will experience some cold and snowy conditions this winter, indeed many of us have already done so! Our landscape can change into a winter wonderland overnight which makes for an enticing environment to go out and enjoy with our dogs. The snow unfortunately also brings with it some perils for dogs and their owners so a little attention and care is required.
Different dogs have varying tolerance to the cold and snow. Labradors are fairly well equipped with their dense, thick and relatively water-resistant coats but they still need to be protected from chilly conditions. In particular, puppies and older dogs are more sensitive to cooler temperatures and dogs with arthritic joints may become more stiff and tender. Dogs with a short coat or thin skin (e.g. Greyhounds), are closer to the ground (e.g. Dachshunds) or have been clipped, are also more likely to feel the cold. One way of providing extra warmth for your dog is to use a dog coat.
Dogs kept outside will most likely need extra insulation, bedding and potentially extra feeding to keep warm in colder conditions. Water bowls need to be checked regularly for ice and placed where they are least likely to freeze over. Dogs kept indoors could get cold on tiled or uncarpeted flooring or areas where there might be a draught. A well positioned bed with blankets will offer them more warmth. If your dog has access to any heat sources such as an open fire or portable heater, make sure that they are not left unattended and an appropriate screen or guard is in place to prevent any sparks that could injure your dog.
Whilst it is important to give your dog exercise, take extra care in icy snowy conditions as it is easy for you and your dog to slip which could prove painful for both of you! A covering of snow may not only hide a patch of black ice but also objects that your dog could run over and get caught or cut on. If you are walking near any frozen water (e.g. ponds, lakes, rivers), it is safer to keep your dog on the lead as they may bound off over the ice and are at risk of sliding and hurting themselves or falling in if the ice gives way. Snow can affect a dog’s sense of smell and direction; they can easily become disorientated and panicked. Dogs should always wear an identity tag with up to date details in case they get lost. Reflective clothing for you and your dog will help in times of poor visibility.
Although less likely in Labradors (due to their webbed toes), snow can become impacted between the pads of dog’s paws. These ice balls are uncomfortable but trimming a little of the hair around the pads will help prevent them from forming. Chemicals and salt used on roads and pavements to melt the ice and snow can also irritate dog’s skin as well as the pads of their paws. On returning from exercising your dog, it is a good idea to rinse off their paws, legs and belly with warm water. This will remove any salt or chemicals that could be licked off making them poorly, as well as melting any ice balls stuck to their fur or in their paws. It is important to dry your dog off properly so that they do not become cold, and check them over for any cracks or cuts in the skin or on the pads of their paws.
During the icy winter months, many of us will use antifreeze on our cars. This has a sweet taste that may attract your dog, but keep any antifreeze products out of reach as the substance contains ethylene glycol which is poisonous. If your dog begins to show signs of ingesting it (such as vomiting, staggering, becoming tired or dehydrated), contact your vet immediately.
If you are travelling by road with your dog during periods of bitter weather, you may wish to keep extra blankets, food and water in your car in case of road delays or if you are caught in hazardous conditions. The temperature inside vehicles becomes cold very quickly once the engine has been switched off. It is best not to leave your dog in the car so where possible, take them with you if you leave the vehicle.
Dogs, like humans, are at risk of hypothermia and frostbite if they are overexposed to an extreme environment (e.g. being out in freezing conditions for too long or falling though ice). Hypothermia is where the dog’s temperature falls below normal as a result of the body loosing heat more quickly than it can replace it. Symptoms include shivering, lethargy, stiff muscles, altered heart rate and breathing and unresponsiveness. Frostbite occurs when areas of tissue are damaged due to cold temperatures. It usually affects the fringes of the body such as the ear tips and tail but can be difficult to spot under their fur. Areas affected by frostbite feel cold and are pale in colour. If you think your dog has hypothermia or frostbite, wrap them in a warm blanket and contact your vet immediately.
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Labradors at work: Dog A.I.D.
Dog Assistance in Disability (Dog A.I.D.) is a charity that helps people with physical disabilities to train their own dog to become of assistance to them. A trained instructor from Dog A.I.D. will supervise the owner whilst they teach their dog. The instructor will give the owner the skills to train their dog to carry out specific tasks according to the owner’s disability. Suitable dogs are good natured with a consistent temperament and have the ability to handle stress and different environments. Many Labradors have these qualities and can therefore make very good assistance dogs.
Dog A.I.D. began in the early 1990s, based on an American model called ‘Top Dogs’. John Rogerson helped Dolores Palmer to set up a pilot scheme based in the Midlands. In 1994 the first two teams were qualified to Assistance Level. The official launch of Dog A.I.D. took place at Crufts in 1996. Dog A.I.D. became a registered charity in 2003 and full members of Assistance Dogs (UK) in 2009. Today, Dog A.I.D. has 24 qualified dogs and 60 trainers throughout England, Wales and Scotland.
There are three levels of training, each with an assessment at the end that must be passed before moving on to the next level. Before training commences, dogs must have basic obedience, the ability to concentrate as well as being well socialised.
Level 1 teaches basic control exercises to begin with. Once these have been accomplished, more specialised tasks are introduced. These specialised tasks are tailored to the owner’s needs and are designed so that the dog can help their owner in their home environment. The Dog A.I.D. trainer will carry out an assessment of the owner and their dog at the end of Level 1. Once the owner and dog partnership have passed this, they are ready to move on to Level 2 training.
The training for Level 2 requires more advanced control exercises. For example, the dog must avoid the temptation of food in different situations. The dog and owner familiarise themselves with different environments during Level 2 training and the dog’s behaviour in public places (e.g. on public transport and in shops) is assessed. An independent assessor from Dog A.I.D. (i.e. not the trainer) will examine the dog and owner on reaching the end of Level 2 training. Some partnerships may find that they either have the skills they need at this stage or the dog is not suitable to become an Assistance Dog and decide not to proceed to Level 3.
The final stage of training is Level 3. This is where the dog is considered as a potential Assistance Dog. The dog must be well socialised with an excellent temperament and cope with different distractions and stress. Dogs at this level must also be neutered. Advanced control exercises and specialised tasks will be built on in that dogs must be able to carry these out in the home and in public places as well as being able to work well in new environments (e.g. unfamiliar buildings). At the end of Level 3, an independent assessor from Dog A.I.D. will look for an owner that has superb handling skills and a dog that is exceptionally trained and socialised. If the dog and owner partnership pass Level 3, they acquire full Assistance Dog status. This allows the owner full access to public areas that would not otherwise permit a dog giving a new found freedom and sense of independence. The partnership must have Public Health and Liability insurance and will be re-assessed annually. The dog requires an annual health check too.
For more information on Dog A.I.D. please visit, http://www.dogaid.org.uk/index.html
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Prize winners!
….and finally congratulations go to the winners of the second Dogslife prize draw!
The first prize, £100 of Pets at Home vouchers, has been won by Mrs C from Lancashire. The second prize winners, each receiving £50 of Pets at Home vouchers, are Mr S from London and Mrs B from West Midlands. Mrs T from North Somerset, Mrs W from Wiltshire, Mr N from Gwynedd, Ms Y from Hampshire, Mrs B from Aberdeenshire, Mrs F from Staffordshire, Mr B from Shropshire, Ms C from Dorset, Ms S from Kent and Mrs F from Cleveland have each won £10 of Pets at Home vouchers.
Don’t forget, for each month in which you update your dog’s health record you are automatically entered into the prize draw. So keeping your dog’s record up to date increases your chance of winning! The next prize draw will take place in April.
Thanks go to everyone who continues to support the Dogslife project. In 2011, we hope to find out more about what keeps dogs healthy!
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM EVERYONE AT DOGSLIFE!
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Don't forget to come back to Dogslife to update your dog's record www.dogslife.ac.uk
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