Search & Rescue

Search and Rescue Poodles

Search and Rescue dogs detect human scent.  Some dogs are trained to discriminate the scent of different people.  These dogs generally track or trail, following the path of an individual; how closely they follow determines which.  They are generally worked on-lead.  Air-scenting dogs are trained to cover large areas and look for any human scent.  They generally work off-lead.  There are other specialist dogs, trained to detect human scent after an avalanche, urban disaster, or drowning.  Human remains or cadaver dogs locate the remains of deceased victims.  SAR dogs are a valuable partner in wilderness searches and natural disasters.

AKC recognizes both Wilderness and Urban Search and Rescue dogs that have been deployed on at least five SAR missions and that have been certified by an AKC recognized SAR certification organization or that are FEMA deployable.  The owner must submit a form with verifying documentation to have the title SAR recorded after the dog’s name.