Rottweilers are often the go-to choice for police, military, and search and rescue teams. They are known to be intelligent, fearless, strong dogs that are protective of their owners.
But do rottweilers make good search and rescue dogs? Let’s take a look at some of the skills needed for this particular type of canine profession:
Why are rottweilers so popular as search and rescue dogs?
As rottweilers were used historically as herding and guarding dogs, they tend to be more intelligent than other breeds. They are also large and strong enough to handle difficult terrain. Their fearlessness makes them suited for search missions in dangerous areas such as earthquake sites or war zones. And they are protective enough to work closely with their handlers.
What should I look for in a search and rescue dog?
You will need to find a trainer who is experienced with this type of work, as rescue dogs have special characteristics that set them apart from other types of working dogs.
For example, they must be able to work quietly alongside their handler without drawing attention to themselves or becoming distracted by people around them.
And they must be able to pick up their own scent trail rather than follow the smell of their handler.
A trainer can help you determine if your rottweiler has the skills to be a good search and rescue dog, rather than just being a pet.
Rottweilers are known for their intelligence, but this is not enough to make them good search and rescue dogs.
They need discipline and lots of positive reinforcement in order to keep their minds focused on finding people in disaster zones. Rottweilers also need ongoing health care because they are prone to many hereditary conditions, such as elbow dysplasia and cataracts.
You probably already know that Rottweilers have a reputation for being protective of their families. This makes them suited for work with law enforcement or security agencies where they must defend their handlers from attackers.
But this same instinct can work against them in disaster areas. If a rottweiler is too concerned for its handler’s safety, it may not be focused on finding potential victims.
This can be a problem if their instincts take over and they try to hide under rubble with their owners rather than searching for survivors.
Why get a search and rescue dog instead of just any dog?
Search and rescue dogs are distinctive from the other types of dogs in that they not only must be “cleared” for their intended purpose, but also have to have it written into their certification that they cannot be used for anything but search-and-rescue work.
The reasons individuals will select a SAR dog over just any dog are generally for one of the following reasons:
A person will select a SAR dog for this purpose because he wants to help people. It is an opportunity to literally give of oneself, time, energy and resources in order to benefit another. Further, it can be very rewarding emotionally as well as personally satisfying.
There are no schools that currently offer training in search and rescue as a career to those wishing to become SAR technicians; therefore, individuals who want to try their hand at search and rescue must take it upon themselves as an avocation or as something that they like to do in their “spare” time.
There are no jobs available for those without extensive experience, so people who wish to become involved in search and rescue must begin by doing searches on their own.
Search and Rescue Dogs have also been used for avalanche, terrorism, cadaver searching, disaster response, arson investigation, avalanche forecasting (no longer allowed in the United States), kidnapping investigations, and wilderness rescue operations, and more.
SAR dogs are trained at home by the owner/handler as opposed to being trained at a kennel or school.
How are Rottweilers suited to search and rescue work?
In general, rottweilers’ intelligence makes them particularly suited to working as both search and rescue dogs as well as guard dogs.
They have an innate sense about the people around them and how they should respond, so rottweilers will not forget who comes first when it comes to rescuing.
You can find rottweilers that have been specifically trained as search and rescue dogs by organizations such as the United States Search Dog Foundation (USSDF).
Their job is very different from other types of service dogs such as guide dogs or hearing dogs since the pets don’t just help their handlers but also take direction from their owners using special hand signals and commands during a disaster mission.
For example, a dog might be sent to pick up an object dropped by its handler and bring it back to safety. This could be something like a glove or a person’s cell phone as well as supplies necessary for completing a search mission.
Other types of search and rescue dogs may be trained to join their handlers in situations where people are trapped under rubble, submerged vehicles, or landslides.
They can also be used to find missing people at night when visibility is low or during a high heat scenario that could affect the health of a person who needs rescuing.
Rottweilers can become very attached to their owners, so they will grieve if they lose their handler during a disaster situation.
This makes them unsuitable for dangerous search missions where they must stay focused on finding survivors rather than worrying about how many times a day their owner calls home.
What is the best way to train a Rottweiler for search and rescue work?
Rottweilers are trainable, obedient, and protective of their owners, making them a popular choice as rescue dogs.
However, rottweilers thrive on regular exercise and social interaction with people and other animals. A bored dog may become destructive or develop behavior problems that could interfere with his ability to perform search missions successfully.
To prepare a rottweiler for search and rescue work, you must first find a trainer who is qualified in the field of disaster response involving animals. This person will be able to assess your pet’s abilities as well as provide training specific to the task at hand.
She should also have experience working with large breeds such as German shepherds or rottweilers if you have one of these breeds.
The trainer should work with you and your dog on the basics first, such as basic obedience training.
She should be able to prepare you for a variety of scenarios that might come up during a search mission as well as ways to assist you in using the command signals that will allow your rottweiler to understand what he is being asked to do.
You may have to adjust your expectations about how long it will take before your pet is ready for deployment since dogs inherently “learn on the job” and put their abilities into practice during actual disaster situations.
This means that a dog who may seem perfect at home could make mistakes when faced with an emergency situation that must be handled correctly in order to ensure the safety of survivors and rescuers alike.
The trainer should be able to assess your rottweiler and give you a fair estimate of how long it will take before he is fully trained and ready for deployment.
If training takes too long, she should also be able to provide alternative methods for helping you prepare your pet including using search and rescue activities such as hiking or agility training that can help keep him in peak physical condition while allowing him to perform the needed skills.
What are the different types of search and rescue dogs?
Tracking dogs are trained to use their sense of smell and follow the paths that people take, such as footsteps. They can also be trained to work with human remains detection dogs since they are able to identify scents specific to humans or animals.
These types of search and rescue dogs must have a keen sense of scent and be able to keep following a certain trail if necessary even in difficult conditions.
This includes heavy rain, high winds, or thick swamps which may obscure the path being taken by those who need rescuing.
Tracking dogs should not be distracted from their mission by loud noises, other animals, or people.
Once they begin tracking someone’s scent, they must continue until their job is completed unless instructed otherwise by their handler.
“Air scent tracking dogs are trained to detect scents that are carried on the wind, such as human scent molecules.”
They should be able to identify both dead and live humans by their scent.
These dogs must have a very acute sense of smell in order to pick up the faintest whiff of scent even while wind currents carry other smells towards them which can confuse or distract them from their task.
Human scents are different than those left behind by other animals so air-scenting dogs must be able to tell the difference between animal and human remains in order for them to make it back to rescue the survivors.
Human remains detection dogs are trained specifically to work with cadaver dogs who search for human bodies that may be buried under rubble or hidden deep within the forest.
These dogs must be extremely brave in order to keep searching even while they are exposed to the decaying corpses of humans.
The scent of death comes from the gasses released by decomposing flesh so these dangerous odors could pose a threat to both human and animal rescuers so it is essential that these search and rescue dogs have the ability to work with the threat of possible exposure.
Avalanche dogs are trained to find people who may be buried in snow. They are also able to detect victims who may have been caught under rocks or other debris which could prevent them from being able to breathe.
These dogs should be very agile and able to move through difficult terrains such as sharp rocks, broken tree limbs, and thick bushes where survivors might be trapped. They must also be full of energy since they will need this to keep burrowing under the snow in order to reach those who need help.
While all types of search and rescue dogs should be able to work in all types of weather, avalanche dogs, in particular, need to be comfortable in extreme cold and hot conditions.
Normal working temperatures for these dogs range from -15 degrees Fahrenheit to 100 degrees Fahrenheit but they must also be able to withstand the extremes found at high altitudes such as thin air, strong winds and freezing rain which can make it hard for rescuers themselves to survive.
Cadaver dogs are used to find human remains both on land and underwater, as long as they have been there for a short time.
These dogs are often brought in after disasters such as earthquakes, landslides or floods which could leave behind many dead bodies.
These dogs must be able to work at night since people who die during an earthquake may become crushed beneath heavy objects that were thrown around by the shaking of the ground.
They may also need to be able to go into very cold water and still keep working even when hypothermia sets in.
Water search dogs have an extremely strong instinct to swim and love to play with toys in the water.
Because of their innate ability to learn how to swim, they are used as a non-destructive way of checking large bodies of water for sunken boats or other objects that may be resting on the bottom.
These dogs should have a high prey drive since they will need this to keep searching for things by scent that are hidden under the murky surface of the water.
They must not be distracted by wildlife even if they can see it swimming around near them.
Search and Rescue – 9-11 and Hurricane Katrina
Rottweilers were used after 9/11 Trade Centre attacks to help search for survivors. This included finding people trapped under rubble of the fallen towers.
They are used after disasters to search for corpses. After Hurricane Katrina, there were many teams of these dogs that searched for victims buried under the rubble of homes, cars, and other debris left behind by the storm.
They were also used in New Orleans to search for survivors still trapped inside attics seven days after the storm.
They love doing this work and many of them show signs of excitement right before they get a chance to go out and start searching.
The bravery needed by these animals to run into dangerous situations in order to save people who are in trouble sets them apart from other animals.
The incredible work that search and rescue dogs do every day is something that not many animals are able or willing to do, but these dogs are born to find missing survivors so they can be brought home safe and sound.
Final thoughts
Among all search and rescue dogs, rottweilers have an incredible history in this area. They are just some of the many kinds of service dogs that help people every day.
They play an important role in keeping people safe by finding survivors who may be trapped under debris, looking for bodies after disasters, or even helping to save people who may be drowning.
The amazing work these animals do shows us how much we should appreciate the assistance they provide to humans when we need it most.
