The dog's nose knows

On land and on water, they always follow their nose. That's how they save people's lives.

In an emergency, the missing or buried person must be found as quickly as possible. Nobody is better at this than the super snoopers. Their distinct sense of smell, but also their speed and agility are valuable qualities that neither hu­mans nor modern technology can match.

Dogs have about 40 times the number of ol­fac­tory cells as humans. This ol­fac­tory ability enables avalanche or rubble search dogs to locate and indicate peo­ple at depths of several metres. Trained area search dogs can detect human scent up to 500 metres away.

We need you!

The next generation of search and rescue dogs is lined up and you can support them.

Donate now

What defines search and rescue dogs?

Outgoing character

They are attentive, obedient, and friendly towards both people and other dogs.

Passion to work

The search work is fun for them, and they can be well motivated by food or play.

Nerve strength

They are not afraid of anything and are unaffected by loud or sudden sounds.

Incredible stamina

Search and rescue dogs sometimes com­plete up to 600 hours of training per year.

Physical fitness

They have to be healthy, agile and resilient for the de­mand­ing op­era­tion­al work.

Great faith

A good relationship between human and dog is characterised by a solid base of con­fi­dence.

From puppy to hero

How to become a lifesaver?

Golden Retriever Ray of Light showed early the disposition to be a search and rescue dog. Through intensive training, the talented pup became an expert in just a few years.

Read the full story