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Rescue Dogs


We have all grown up with at least one hero in our life, but how many people can call their hero Duke or Spot? The answer- anyone who has had their life saved by a rescue dog.

Whether it is a house fire, tornado rubble, leftovers from an earthquake, or flowing water behind a hurricane front, these specially trained rescue dogs rush in with no concerns for their own welfare, pulling out victims, some dead and some still alive. They do this time and time again.

With a powerful snout and the ability to smell things a human may not, rescue dogs are hard-working and very loyal to doing what is expected of them. And what do they ask for in return? A hug, a treat or a little one-on-one play time. Not a huge reward, however for these special dogs, it is very satisfying.

There are different types of breeds who make better rescue dogs than others. For example, bloodhounds have a talent for prowess and are known for uncovering criminals. Newfound lands are good avalanche rescue dogs and Labrador Retrievers are good cadaver dogs. Any dog can become a rescue dog as long as they can concentrate on tracking scent, such as German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and Golden Retrievers.

Before being allowed to track, each rescue dog is put through extensive evaluations. Scent detection training is then started and their skills are developed through regular sessions. In order to track, the dog will pick up on the odor of the person's skin cells that flake off the body. These skin cells float in the air and hit the ground as a person moves along, and they float to the surface of the water if the victim has drowned.

The men and women behind these furry heroes are all volunteers who are fit, enjoy spending time outdoors, and take pride in training and communicating with their rescue dogs. These men and women may also belong to rescue teams such as SOSARD or SWOSAR, who are called out by the police department and may travel several hours to reach a search site. Along with their rescue dog they search in all different types of weather and terrain for lost children, missing fishermen and hunters, accident victims and injured hikers.

There is yet another type of rescue dog, who can sniff his trail from the air. Air-scenting rescue dogs work directly and specifically from aircraft, tracking the air and searching for victims. These dogs specialize in structural collapses and drowning victims. Because these air-scenting rescue dogs work on scent trailing above the ground and away from handlers, they become very useful in areas that have been contaminated by human searchers, after it is allowed to be aired out for awhile.

In many survivors' eyes, these furry canines, which make wonderful family pets, make the best heroes of all!

Eric Shannon is a freelance author who also publishes the Dog Lovers Report, which is a biweekly newsletter with a very large readership. He also runs Beds For Doggies, which carries a large selection of Dog Beds, Dog Couches, and Dog Furniture.


MORE RESOURCES:
familypets - Google News
Family pet dies in frozen Macclesfield pond as fire crew wait for help - Manchester Evening News

Family pet dies in frozen Macclesfield pond as fire crew wait for help
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A family watched their dog dying in a frozen pond while Macclesfield firefighters stood by ? because they didn't have a raft or water rescue training. The Oldfields lost their beloved King Charles spaniel Alfie, pictured, after he fell through the ice ...

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A Beloved Family Pet Dies. What Does a Mother Tell Her Children? - Voice of America

A Beloved Family Pet Dies. What Does a Mother Tell Her Children?
Voice of America
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House fire kills family pet - This Is Cheshire

House fire kills family pet
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'She killed the family pets': Frances Bean Cobain slams mum Courtney Love's ... - Daily Mail

Daily Mail

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Family's pet mauled by pit-bull type dog - Lake County News Sun

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BY DAN MORAN dmoran@stmedianetwork.com February 7, 2012 8:02PM Diane Hewitt gets a kiss from her bichon maltese Cindy, 9, in their driveway on Rice Street in Waukegan. Cindy has scars on her neck and other areas from being attacked by a pit bull.

Francis Bean Cobain Says Courtney Love Killed Their Family Pets - RTT News

RTT News

Francis Bean Cobain Says Courtney Love Killed Their Family Pets
RTT News
(RTTNews) - New legal documents have been leaked in which Francis Bean Cobain accuses her mother Courtney Love of killing their family pets. In 2009, Fancis filed for a restraining order against her mother and claimed in the documents that Love's ...

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Family pet recovers from mauling - The Daily Iberian

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Watching 4-year-old shih tzu Sophie jump around the kitchen and living room of her New Iberia home, it's hard to imagine the horror she and her owners faced only months ago. Roger Snyder took Sophie, whose full name is Sophia Marie Snyder, ...

Coyotes kill family pets - WSB Atlanta

Coyotes kill family pets
WSB Atlanta
Channel 2's Michael Buczyner went to the Riverside subdivision on Smith Street, where one resident described his close encounter with a coyote. Barry Batts said he took his dogs and cat out in the morning when a coyote stared him down.

Family Pets Killed in Keller House Fire - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Family Pets Killed in Keller House Fire
NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
Most of the family's pets, two cats and a dog, died from smoke inhalation. A second dog, a golden pomeranian, is missing. The fire is believed to have started in the living room, though investigators have not yet determined what started the fire.
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