Dog Search Team.
Dog search teams are a primary requirement for most of our searches.
They are used to explore routes, paths, and large areas quickly as the dog can cover large areas more quickly than a Foot Search Team.
Typically a dog search team can do the equivalent work of 5-foot search teams. Therefore they are a major asset to most searches.
Currently, all of the search dogs in LONSAR are Air Scenting Search Dogs.
Other Dogs can be called in from across the UK including Scent Specific Trailing Search Dogs and Drowned Victim Search Dogs.
It takes over two years of training for most dogs to pass the strict assessment criteria which gives the maximum probability that they will find a vulnerable person in a particular search area. The process of training a dog is one which requires full commitment from their handler.
Unlike Police dogs, Lowland Rescue search dogs are all pets first and are then trained as search dogs by their owners (who must be experienced Lowland Rescue team members).
Our dogs can work in any environment, from farmland to woodland, and they use their incredible sense of smell to detect and then home in on any person in their area.
Our air-scenting dogs will find anyone in an area; their reward is usually a game of ball, chew on their favourite toy or a tasty treat.
All Dog Handlers are required, as a minimum, to be a qualified Search Technician and recommended to be a qualified Team Leader to Lowland Rescue national standards.