A bond forged for life-saving missions

"The bond between a handler and a dog isn’t built overnight – it's earned through trust, dedication, and countless hours of teamwork." This is how Jurgen Vliegen describes the secret behind his unwavering partnership with Labrador Fjiero.

With their exceptional performances in the toughest trials, they are among the best in the world. After winning the World Championship in Area Search in 2024, they passed the IRO Mission Readiness Test in Rubble Search just a few weeks later – the ultimate challenge for any search and rescue dog team. Only those who pass this test are qualified for deployment.

Their success is rooted in a simple yet powerful philosophy: train consistently, but keep it short and engaging. "When Fjiero was young, we trained several times a day, but only five to ten minutes each time. That way, he stayed motivated and learned in diverse situations without losing interest," shares Jurgen.

At the beginning of their training, they focused on Area Search – searching for missing persons in rough terrain or forests. In their home country of Belgium, there are many forests, but no rubble sites. However, from the very beginning, Jurgen's plan was to also teach Fjiero to search for buried people. 

The path to successful Rubble Search was long and demanding. Fjiero’s barking at the victim was not perfect at first, but once he got the hang of it, he passed the final exam required for the mission readiness test. "It was important to me that he reliably mastered the alert, and in the end, persistence paid off," Jurgen grins proudly.

Whatever you do with your dog – as long as he loves it, it will only make him stronger.

Looking ahead, Jurgen has two big goals: to defend the World Championship title and create a rubble training facility in Belgium. "I was impressed by the rubble site at the IRO Mission Readiness Test in Tritolwerk. That’s why I am currently in discussions with the authorities in my home region to build something similar here." 

However, what matters most to Jurgen is seeing Fjiero doing work that fulfills him. "Whatever you do with your dog – as long as he loves it, it will only make him stronger."