6 Types Of Tracking Dogs In Search And Rescue Operations

YOGYAKARTA - Tracking dogs have become an important part of various search and rescue operations around the world. Their extraordinary ability to detect scents makes them very effective in various conditions.

Each type of sniffer dog has special skills that are adapted to certain situations. So what types of sniffer dogs are commonly used in search and rescue operations. Check out the following article.

Tracking dogs are dogs that have been specially trained to find humans through abandoned scents. They are able to identify and distinguish human odors, both those who are alive and those who have died. With these capabilities, sniffer dogs are often used by the SAR, military, and police teams.

Tracking dog training is carried out strictly and sustainably. They are taught to focus on certain tasks, such as following in tracks, detecting smells, or finding bodies. In addition to technical training, sniffer dogs also require discipline and a strong relationship with their handlers.

In the search process, sniffer dogs work based on environmental conditions and techniques that have been studied. For example, some dogs work by breathing air, while others follow the smell on the ground. Differences in this technique make each type of dog have different functions in rescue operations.

Reporting from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, here are 6 types of sniffer dogs that are often used in search and rescue operations.

Airscent dogs work by relying on the smell of humans carried away by the wind. They do not follow in the footsteps of the ground, but rather capture the "hot" aroma or new aroma that is in the air. This technique is very effective in finding victims in wide and open areas.

This type of dog does not require a starting point (last seen) or special flavour traces to start the search. They can move freely without rope and focus on the designated search area. After finding the victim, the airscent dog will return to the handler to give a sign and guide the handler to the victim's location.

The tailing dogs are trained to follow the smell of humans left on the ground as someone walks. They work from the point where the last victim was seen and follow in the footsteps of the left behind. Their ability depends on the smell that sticks to the ground and the surrounding objects.

Trace-tracking dogs can follow someone's smell even though the trail has been around for days. They are even able to distinguish traces of the aroma from many people and stay focused on the smell of the target. This makes them very effective in forest, swampy, or other difficult areas.

Body detection dogs or Human Remains Detection (HRD) are trained to find a dead human body. They are able to detect various body shapes, ranging from intact bodies, rotting bodies, or small fragments such as blood and bones. This level of sensitivity makes them very important in criminal operations or search for disaster victims.

These dogs work both on land and in water. They can find buried or drowned bodies by utilizing the smell of decay coming out to the surface. Their existence helps speed up the process of identifying victims.

Disaster rescue dogs are a variant of airscent dogs but are trained for extreme conditions. They work in disaster areas such as collapsed buildings, landslides, floods, and earthquakes. Additional training is needed for dogs to be able to move on unstable debris.

These dogs are trained to search for buried and invisible victims. Handlers can specificly direct them to suspicious areas to make searches more effective.

The landslide dogs are specially trained to detect humans buried in snow. The smell of humans will come out of the snow gap, and dogs can recognize it even if the victim is well below the surface. This technique allows victims to be found faster than manual searches.

Snowy terrain is very difficult for the human team. Landslides are able to reach large areas in a short time, so rescue opportunities increase. Intensive training is needed for dogs to be able to dig and tag the location of the victims.

Water dogs are trained to detect human scents under the surface of the water. The body's aroma in the water will rise to the surface, and dogs can identify them from above the boat or riverbank. This technique is very important for search operations for drowning victims.

Water dogs are often part of the body's detection dogs, but get additional specializations. Handlers must be able to read fine signals from dogs, because small movements can also be an important sign. Training is carried out in various water conditions, including lakes, rivers, and reservoirs.

This is an explanation of the types of sniffer dogs in various search and rescue operations, follow other interesting articles on VOI.ID. So that we don't miss the news of the updated follow and monitor our social media accounts!