Table of Contents

Table of Contents 2

K9 SEARCH AND RESCUE 13

Disclaimer 23

Introduction 25

Buried Deep Under Debris 25

Deployment 27

Team Building 28

The History of Search and Rescue Dogs 35

Red Cross Dogs 35

Bringsel Technique 37

Rescue Dogs in World War II 38

Irma and Psyche 41

Dogs of Exceptional Merit 43

“Knock and Call” Search Method 44

Success in Romania 45

Saving Lives, Recovering Bodies 46

Training the Natural Way 49

The Origins of Our Method 49

New Insights 49

Mechanical Training 50

Is Barking the Optimal Alert? 51

Looking for Solutions 53

What Is a Search and Rescue Dog? 53

Using the Hunting Drive 55

No Aggression 56

The Hunting Drive Complex 59

Aspects of the Hunting Drive Complex 59

Hunting Drive 60

Prey Drive 60

Tracking Drive 61

Search Drive 61

Bring Drive 61

Using the Bring Drive with Replacement Prey 62

Play Drive 62

Pack Drive 62

Prey Sharing 63

Motion and Occupation Drives 63

The Six Phases of the Dog’s Search 64

Alerts with Body Language 66

Alerts with Barking 66

Barking to the Handler 67

The Replacement Prey 68

An Ideal Way to Use the Drives 69

Search Passion 70

Conditioning 70

The Right Drives 70

A Full Partner 71

Training in Three Steps 74

Young Dog Training 74

Adult Dog Training 76

The Learning Process 77

1. Stimulating Interest in the Sock Toy 78

2. Connecting the Sock Toy with Human Scent 79

3. Linking the Search Field and Human to the Sock Toy 80

Individually Adapted Training 81

Stimulating Interest in the Sock Toy 84

Things That Move Are Prey 84

Search and Prey Playing 84

Developing the Search Passion 85

Misunderstandings in Training 86

Interfering with Play 86

Prey Sharing 88

Introducing a Verbal Command 88

Introducing Rubble Walks 90

Let the Dog Set the Pace 92

Connecting the Sock Toy with Human Scent 95

Wilderness Search 95

Disaster Search 97

Reward at the Right Moment 99

Avoid Frustrations 100

Smuggling the Replacement Prey 103

Linking the Search Field and a Human to the Sock Toy 105

Leading the Hunt 105

Releasing to Hunt 106

Handling 106

Frustration 107

Direction-Showing Alerts 109

Importance of Training Helpers 109

Rubble Experience 110

Specially Built Training Centers 111

Disaster Villages 113

Fresh Rubble 113

Training Essentials 114

Searching Without Prey 114

Wilderness Search 123

Search Methods 123

Searching Along a Road 123

Corridor Searching 124

Sector Searching 128

Searching a Slope or Mountain 128

Missing Persons 129

Types of Alerts 130

Barking 130

Bringsel 131

Recall 133

Training the Barking Alert 133

Training the Bringsel Alert 134

Step 1 134

Step 2 134

Step 3 136

Step 4 136

Step 5 136

Step 6 137

Step 7 137

Step 8 138

Step 9 139

Step 10 139

Step 11 139

Step 12 139

Troubleshooting Bringsel Training 141

Training the Recall Alert 142

Training Ranging 144

Step 1 145

Step 2 146

Step 3 147

Step 4 147

Step 5 148

Step 6 148

Step 7 148

Step 8 149

Step 9 149

Step 10 149

Intensive 150

Work Without Stress 151

Best Results 153

Their Secret 155

Rubble Search 158

Trapped People 158

Types of Alert 159

Barking 160

Bringsel 160

Recall 160

Pawing 161

Behavior and Postures 161

Training Rubble Search 162

Step 1 163

Step 2 163

Step 3 164

Step 4 164

Step 5 165

Step 6 165

Step 7 165

Step 8 166

Step 9 166

Step 10 166

Step 11 167

Step 12 167

Step 13 167

Behavioristic Approach 168

Intelligence 168

Knock signals 176

Trapped for Nine Days 179

Austrian Army 180

Maternity clinic 184

Mother Teresa 189

Disaster Deployment Tactics 192

Dangers and Security 192

Signs of a Collapse 193

Call Out 195

The Packed Backpack 196

Preparing for a Mission Abroad 199

Parasites 201

Dehydration in Heat and Cold 202

Ten Basic Rules 204

The Five Phases Method 206

Phase 1: Survey 206

Information for Deployment 207

Phase 2: Hasty Search 209

Phase 3: Comb Out 211

Phase 4: Alerts 213

Alerts for Dead People 213

Double-checking Alerts 213

Phase 5: Salvage and Search Again 216

Dangers and Safety Signaling 217

Life-Saving Treatments 218

Search Again 220

Marking Box 220

Panic and Chaos 223

Practiced and Prepared 224

In the Search Area 224

Showing Directions 226

Family Tragedy 226

Fantastic Results 227

The Solid Wall 228

A Child’s Foot 230

New Opening 231

Over the Limits 232

Heavily Mutilated Bodies 233

Grandma and Child 234

Our Search Winds Down 234

Building Damage Typology 237

Elements of Damage 237

Tooth Gap 238

Damage Crater 239

Doll’s House 240

Swallow’s Nest 241

Half Room 243

Spilled Room 245

Mud-Filled Room 246

With Layers Pressed Room 248

Chipped Room 250

Barricaded Room 252

Slide Surface 254

Layers 256

Debris Cone 258

Fringe Debris A 261

Fringe Debris B 262

On Our Way 264

Alerts 265

Mourning Process 267

Mass Graves 268

Old and New 269

Avalanche Search 272

Dangers 272

Dog Bivouac 274

The Training Hole 275

Safety in the Hole 277

Dog Training 278

Avalanche Probe 280

Use of the Probe 281

Avalanche Transceiver 283

Hasty Search 285

Fine Search 286

Avalanche Deployment Tactics 287

Comrade Help 289

Digging and Locating the Victim 289

Organized Rescue Operation 290

Base Camp Safety 291

Organization 291

Primary Search Area 293

Freshly Fallen Snow 295

Helicopter 296

The Bulldozer 298

Ten Feet Deep 300

The Backpack 302

A Serious Task 305

With Faultless Precision 305

Mutual Confidence 306

Which Dogs Can Become SAR Dogs? 307

Best Breeds 308

Requirements 309

Who Can Become a Handler? 309

And Who Not? 310

Teamwork 311

Reading the Dog 311

Mission Readiness Test 312

Hard Work 313

International Rescue Dog Tests 316

IPO-R 316

More Than Sports 317

Testing Structure 317

Mission Readiness Test—Rubble 318

Mission Readiness Test—Area 320

2 Training the Natural Way 325

3 The Hunting Drive Complex 325

8 Wilderness Search 325

14 International Rescue Dog Tests 325