In search and rescue circles it is said that the breed is not critical, but that the attitude is! It is the hovawarts attitude which helps make him suited to search and rescue work.

Hovawarts were, amongst other breeds, used in the search for survivors after terrorists bombed the federal building in Oklahoma City, and they are still used worldwide. Hovawarts can easily track and search large areas, collapsed buildings, in snow after an avalanche or in water, all with great enthusiasm.

Hovawarts have a strong play drive and a sound temperament which are preferred characteristics, most have a strong prey drive too. They have excellent scenting abilities and are large and strong enough to cope with what can be a very physical job. They enjoy games of 'fetch' and will work for rewards of play or food according to the individual. They love tracking and can be taught to follow 'the scent' in different terrains and weather conditions. Their skills are easily honed through regular training sessions and by thier owner with daily training at home.

The hovawarts' nose is far superior to yours, a large proportion of his brain is devoted to the sense of smell, whilst yours is more devoted to thinking. Tracking dogs are trained to follow a human scent and crushed vegetation using their nose to follow scent producing particles that fall from our bodies such as dandruff, tiny pieces of skin etc. Whilst a dog searching for living persons under rubble seeks out breath and sweat vapor and preferably not flaked skin or dandruff; there is the risk that he will 'hone in' on clothing, recently used beds and so on. There is even a special training for the task of searching for bodies amidst the debris of collapsed buildings. Search and rescue teams may work in large wilderness areas or on mountainsides, they may work disasters such as the aftermath of earthquakes, hurricanes, avalanches and others. Conseqeuntly you must be prepared to come across the seriously injured and the dead.

You will need to make a choice about what kind of 'work' you want to train for. Search and rescue handlers are usually volunteers who are fit, enjoy the outdoors, have time for training and searches, and above all take pleasure in training and communicating with their dogs. One of the most crucial aspects is your ability to 'read' your hovawart. Every dog has different cues that inform you, the handler, that the quarry is close, or that it is confused or unsure, or that it is tired. You must understand and trust the cues to know when to proceed and when to stop. As a search and rescue volunteer you will learn and keep uptodate with first aid, you may need to learn how to 'preserve a crime scene', and probably need to attend sessions in other aspects of search and rescue work.

Equipment costs can add up; working harnesses, long lines, and vests for the dogs; handlers need appropriate clothes for the weather and terrain, radios, torches and spare batteries, food if the search is likely to take days in remote terrain, a hard hat, a compass, and a rucsac to carry things in, and so forth. You might need to raise money or get grants for equipment, seminars, and travel. However, you will often spend your own money in maintaining your own readiness and the dogs.

Search and rescue dogs (S.A.R. dogs) need to be obedient and under control at all times

The training involves obedience, agility, tracking, retrieving, and you will both need to learn how to operate individually and how to work together with other teams, when often only hand signals are used. Agility training  may be regarded as an extension of obedience, it helps develop the hovawart physically; preparing him to deal with strenuous tasks often encountered in rescue operations. An agility course usually consists of a number obstacles including jumps about one meter high, a window jump, a vertical wall, suspension plank, balance beam, and an "A" frame ramp. The dog must successfully negotiate the course off the lead with you at a moderate jog and be on your lefthand side at all times. The equipment for the tracking dog consists of a non-restrictive harness and a 10 - 12 meter long line. To be successful he must complete an old track ( at least a 45 minute old track) set by one person in a rural environment. He will be taught to retrieve a variety of articles such as leather, wood, cloth, as well as glass and metal objects since he must be able to retrieve articles found on a 'track' belonging to the person he is to find, and he should be able to sit at your side and stay while a dumbbell is thrown 10 meters. Then on the "fetch" command, pick up the object, return to you, sit in front of you and hold the article for 30 seconds; and on command give you the article and then go to the heel position, again on command.

Searching involving 'air scenting' to locate a missing person is different to tracking where the dog's head is low, near the ground, following the scent left by a person's footprints. With an 'air scenting' search you must pay attention to the wind direction when searching, as the scent from a lost person or article will be carried to the dog by the wind. So it is beneficial for you to work into the wind. To achieve this you and your dog will need to train hard and of course pass the test.

The work and training involved in search and rescue is exactly right for the hovawart, capitalising on his inherent instincts. It provides wonderful opportunities for him to exercise his intelligence and his energetric body. The correct approach to training a hovawart is important, they are capable of working independently and consequently require a thoughtful approach. As the hovawart prefers to work with you rather than for you, you both have the chance to develop a magnificent partnership and to contribute to society.

Find out more about Search & Rescue.

 

Disaster & Wilderness
Search & Rescue

Flynn van de Hoevemeester, training as a Search and Rescue dog

 

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