Conditions
The prerequisites of a dog to be trained as a rescue dog depends on a central question:
Is the primary goal to exercise and occupy the dog or is it to train the dog to be a mission-ready rescue dog and the owner as a rescue dog handler?
Is the primary goal to exercise and occupy the dog or is it to train the dog to be a mission-ready rescue dog and the owner as a rescue dog handler?
- If the goal is to exercise and occupy the dog, then organisations and training associations which now widely incorporate rescue dog activities into their general training programs as a hobby are advisable. The physical and mental requirements of the dog handler are considerably less demanding at the recreational level than for mission-ready training programs and the time commitment is also considerably less at hobby level: generally once or twice a week at a fixed location.
- If the goal, however, is to train a mission-ready dog and dog handler for humanitarian missions when disaster strikes, it is imperative to be aware of the very high commitment of time and great physical requirements necessary, as well as regularly changing training areas. Independent training apart from group activities is also necessary and the ability to get time off from work at short notice when disaster strikes has to be established.
Due to the intensity of training, anyone interested in becoming a dog handler should carefully consider exactly what his/her goals are and decide accordingly whether to take the path to a “recreational rescue dog” or to a mission-ready rescue dog.
