There’s a lot to consider when you bring a rescue dog into your life. How should you handle training him, what to teach him, and which training methods to employ? This article contains general tips on dog training tactics, training routine, dog-training discipline, staying in control, supervision, walking on lead, and alone time with the dog. The basic training steps are:
When you train a search and rescue dog, you are basically training him to be search and rescue dog, and that’s it. Search and rescue (SAR) dogs are highly intelligent, sensitive, loyal, and determined. They are also outgoing and can be a bit curious. This is the main concept behind many dog training tips.
Training your SAR dog begins by being patient and understanding. You don’t have to be super strong or have a dog training degree to train your dog; you just need to have patience. SAR dog training usually begins with using simple, short hand signals, called the “here” and “here too.” For example, if the dog goes to the spot you teach him to go to, say “here” and give him the command to search. He needs to find the “here” before he gets to another area or another person. It’s important not to yell at him or reward him for finding a scent – it’s not good dog training.
When your SAR pup finds his “here” and returns to you, give him a reward. A dog must learn that he’s only getting a treat when he has done the correct behavior. The reward does not need to be anything fancy – just something that will make him happy. Keep it simple and short, like giving him a doggy treat for finding you. This doesn’t have to be anything elaborate – the idea is just to keep rewarding your dog when he performs the right behavior.
Search and rescue dog training takes a lot of patience, commitment and consistency. Your dog will not learn to search quickly; in fact, he may not learn at all. So, be prepared to train your dog on your own. It can be frustrating at times, but if you keep your dog’s motivation high and the right dog training techniques in use, your search and rescue dog training efforts will pay off.
A dog that understands the “sit” command will sit calmly while you give him a treat, so keep that in mind when starting your dog training. Your dog wants to please you, so give him a treat and a command to sit, and then share affection with him afterward. Eventually, he will learn to sit on command, no matter where you put him. If he does not sit immediately, try giving him the treat and command to sit again and see if that makes him sit. Also, you can try giving him a treat when he jumps on you; this is one of the most effective training techniques there is.
One of the most effective techniques to teach search and rescue dog skills is called house training. Search and rescue groups advocate house training because they believe it teaches a dog to respect his owner’s home and to respond when called. House training is more effective if started when your dog is still a puppy because most puppies are naturally house trained, although older dogs can be house trained as well.
While searching for a lost person, the dog will encounter many distractions such as ringing phones, barking dogs, car horns, barking children and many other things that can distract him from learning his next lesson. To alleviate these distractions, teach your dog to ignore them and listen to you by repeating a verbal cue. The next time your dog hears that cue, he will come to you can reward him with a treat. This will reinforce your instruction and help him learn quickly.
