K9 Search and Rescue

An unconscious woman trapped beneath the rubble after an earthquake. A backcountry skier caught in an avalanche and buried under tons of snow. A young child lost in the wilderness. In such situations the margin for error is razor thin, and having a well-trained search and rescue dog at the scene can be the difference between life and death.

Resi Gerritsen and Ruud Haak should know. They trained search and rescue dogs for decades and took part in many rescue operations, and from their experience they developed their own unique training methods. This book covers everything from basic training for search and rescue dogs to specific methods for each type of search operation, including wilderness searches and disaster scenarios. They also include information on search preparation, safety, disaster operations coordination, the scent capabilities of dogs, and the history of canine search and rescue.

Dr. Resi Gerritsen and Ruud Haak are world-renowned specialists in the field of dog work and the authors of more than 30 titles on dog training. They train search and rescue dogs for the International Red Cross and the United Nations (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), and they have trained drug and explosive detector dogs for the Dutch police and the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Gerritsen and Haak also act as international judges for the International Rescue Dog Organization.