Dogs in the search for persons
An interview with IRO Classifier, Judge and Trainer Alois Russegger
Alois has been a search and rescue dog handler for more than 40 years and has completed numerous missions in the state of Salzburg as well as three international earthquake missions. Today, his focus is on training and testing search and rescue dogs. We talked to him about education in the field of Mantrailing and the special characteristics of this discipline.
Please explain what exactly Mantrailing is and which dogs are suitable to do it?
Mantrailing is about tracking down missing persons with the help of dogs. In general, trailing should be viewed from two perspectives, one being the sport and the other the deployment. For sporting purposes, a dog with a normal disposition can be trained well. For deployment in a search and rescue dog team, it is not enough to lead the dog in a sportive way, but the dog must also have special character traits such as the ability to work in a team and a strong will to search and find. The breed is secondary, although some dogs certainly have better prerequisites than others. Hunting dog breeds, for example, are particularly well suited for the job as a trailer, as they have basic obedience but often no 'blind obedience'. And this is a very decisive aspect, because when trailing, the dogs should not be distracted by even slight influences from their human. They must be able to make their own decisions and assert themselves, but at the same time react to clear communication from the handler.
What is the difference between Mantrailing and Tracking?
It is not correct to compare the trailer with a tracking dog. The tracking dog should follow the track accurately from the beginning of the track with a deep nose. In doing so, the dog orients itself along the soil damage on natural ground such as meadow or earth. The trailer is assigned an area where the person was last seen. There, it smells the respective scent article and then indicates the direction in which the trail runs. The Mantrailer picks up the scent from where it perceives it. This can be from the ground, but also from the air. Factors such as weather, wind, thermals or road traffic can cause scent particles to swirl around. However, this is not a problem for the experienced trailer, because it can absorb the smell even over long distances.
When dogs are prepared for deployment, which situations are practised?
Working with negative tracks, for example, is important. The dogs are presented with a scent article from a person who was never present. Ideally, the dog will not start the search, but will indicate to its handler, there is no scent here. Situations where people get into a car or train and the scent is lost are also trained regularly.
What do you like most about Mantrailing?
To witness how dogs get excited about searching already at an early puppy age, from about nine weeks, and how they strive to find even the smallest trace - that is something special. The way the dogs build up and develop is absolutely exciting for me personally. It is also nice to observe when the interaction between dog and human works and teams solve complex tasks, such as crossings, and ultimately find the right way. It is also unique that a dog can trail until an advanced age, albeit not in the field, but as a sporting activity it is certainly a beneficial activity for ageing dogs.
The International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation offers a Mantrailing Course for its trainers. What is particularly important in this training programme?
Within the framework of the training programme, it is important to us that the trainers work with their own dogs in order to be able to directly apply the knowledge they have learned in practice and to further deepen it at home. The IRO Trainers will get to know their dogs anew, even if they already actively lead them in another search discipline. To ensure the success of the training, the programme concludes with the IPO-R A nose work test. The A-exam is a tangible goal towards which the participants work in the course of their training. Furthermore, it is important to mention that Mantrailing can be practised as a supplement to other search disciplines without any problems. A Rubble Search Dog will not forget his trade just because he starts trailing. Dogs recognise through certain rituals what task awaits them. For example, in Mantrailing they wear a harness, which is not the case in Rubble Search.
Author: Daniela Rupp, IRO