My name is Firefighter Margaret Stewart and I would like to introduce you to my search and rescue dog, Bo. Bo is one of several search and rescue canines on FEMA CA-TF 1 run by the Los Angeles Fire Department. Watch video of Bo in action in this pre-deployment training exercise!
Search dogs are an integral part of the Urban Search and Rescue mission but most of the general public are not familiar with how a cute little pup grows up to be a search dog. Bo and I will write several articles give you a glimpse into her life and journey as a search dog.
Not all dogs will make good search dogs; they need to have the right kind of personality. They have to have what is called high “toy drive”. Their whole world revolves around finding and playing with their toy. This is really important because when they are searching for a person buried, trapped, or lost, they are essentially playing “hide and seek” to find their toy. They will not give up until they find it. That is the most important trait in a search dog, never giving up!
Bo’s training began with the basics….Obedience!Search dogs have to be able to work on their own but they also must respond to the commands of their handler. While still a puppy, Bo learned all the basic commands; sit, down, stay, here (come). Once she mastered these, it was time for directional control. If I need Bo to search a certain area, I have to be able to direct her there with my voice or hand signals. Platforms are used to teach the dogs to go “over” or “back” and hup (jump) onto the platform, following voice and hand signals. This takes a lot of practice for the dogs to learn but as they get better, the platforms are spread further apart. Eventually, those same commands are used on the rubble pile to control the direction of search.
While Bo was learning all her obedience commands, she also had to learn how to climb up and over all sorts of obstacles. Search dogs have to be able to work in difficult environments. They may need to climb rubble, walk on wobbly surfaces, crawl through tight spaces and even climb ladders! Bo learned these agility skills by practicing on obstacles designed for dogs. Some of the obstacles are easier for her than others. Climbing a ladder took lots of practice but she never gives up and is get more graceful each time! Any time we have the chance to try a new obstacle, it is really good training for Bo.
Now you have an understanding of the beginning stages in training a search dog, obedience and agility. But where do we go from there? Check back for our next article and Bo will show you how she learned to bark at a “victim” in what we call, an alert tube.
Bark Bark,
Editor's Note: Margaret Stewart is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, was a Blackhawk helicopter pilot, and since leaving the military (Captain), she has excelled in the world of business, and is now a firefighter with the City of Los Angeles. She serves on the board of MySafe:LA and is active with Bo as part of FEMA CA-TF 1.
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