Diana Myers
Rescue dog training is attractive for everyone who wants to employ their dog in a species-appropriate manner and want to use it for a good cause. Bring a lot of time and commitment.
Real heroes
Rescue dogs and their owners are undoubtedly real heroes: they are always there when people go missing and have saved many lives. In doing so, they have often selflessly risked their own. So it’s no wonder that they are met with boundless admiration and that many a dog owner – mostly secretly – dreams of being celebrated as a hero as well.
Requirements for the dog
For people who work with their dogs and want to get involved in charitable work themselves, rescue dog training can actually be an attractive task. In order for the human-animal team to be admitted to training at all, the dog must of course also meet certain requirements. He should be healthy, have a safe and friendly nature, like to search and rummage, be easily motivated, and have a close bond with his owner.
This hobby is real work
A lot is also required of the dog handler: in addition to a social streak and a love of animals, team spirit, a lot of patience, and even more time. Courses in first aid for people and dogs are on the program, as well as lessons on rubble, radio, operational tactics, and how to use a map and compass. You can take your first test at the age of 16, but you can only go on assignment at the age of 18 at the earliest.
You have to invest a lot of time
But boredom will certainly not arise during training: Dog handlers meet at least twice a week in the forest or on a rubble site and train for several hours, sometimes a whole weekend is wasted. So you should think carefully about whether you want to invest so much time and really can. Because the hard training continues even after you have passed the exam. Then there are the real stakes. On the other hand: every rescue dog handler who has saved a human life with his four-legged friend says: it was worth it!