Canine Search Specialist Training

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Canine Search Specialist Training

• Unit 1
• Canine Selection and Screening

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Unit Objective

• Upon completion of this unit, students will be
  able to describe the components of canine
  selection

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Enabling Objectives

• Explain why there is a need for a standardized
  screening process
• Identify the pros and cons of choosing a puppy
  versus a young adult
• Describe the characteristics of a qualified
  disaster canine candidate

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IntroductionCanine Selection and Screening
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Purpose

• Select a canine candidate
• Which will train to CE level in least amount of
  time
• With highest likelihood of success
• That can do the job on deployments

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Rationale for Standardized Selection Process

• Improves Certification Evaluation success rate
• Reduces training time
• Is able to be repeated by multiple screeners
• Gives objective basis for selecting or rejecting
  a canine candidate
• Aids in maintaining a viable canine element at
  all times
• Provides a means to support a canine-in-training
  prior to certification

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Puppy Versus Young Adult
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PuppyPros

• More options on breed, sex of dog
• Control of early training
• Early exposure to USR environment
• Socialization
• Drive and reward building

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PuppyCons

• Low prediction of success based on puppy tests
• Intensive training delayed until puppy is 6 to 12
  months old
• Will take longer to train
• Physical and temperamental problems may develop
  when puppy matures

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Young AdultPros

• What you see, is what you get
• High prediction of success
• Reduced training time
• Can screen for physical problems

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Young AdultCons

• Dog must be at least 12 months old
• Limited selection of qualified dogs
• Unknown early socialization and exposure
• May not have access to dogs genetic history
  (pedigree) if wanting to breed dog

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Puppy Selection

• Should be based on success and quality of both
  parents
• Should be based on success and quality of
  previous same parent litters

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Breed Selection

• Working breeds statistically more successful
• Labrador Retrievers
• German Shepherds
• Golden Retrievers
• Border Collies
• Belgian Malinois

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Standardized screening will
select best candidate of any breed
or mixed breed dog
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Screening and Selection Process
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Screening Process

• Dog is at least 12 months old
• In good physical condition
• Performed in an unfamiliar area

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Selection Process Components

• Sociability
• Drive
• Nerve strength
• Physical screening

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Sociability

• Comfort around dogs and people
• Critical for dogs ability to cope with the
  pressures of deployment

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Sociability Test

• 1 minute tie out with handler out of sight
• Person with dog walk by
• Stranger retrieves dog

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Select canines that

• Attempt to greet or ignore stranger and canine

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Drive

• Innate impulse that prompts a canine into action
• The more instinctive, the more reliable
• Desire for the reward

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Measuring Drive

• Independent possession
• Play drive
• Hunt drive

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Toy Possession and Play Drive Test

• Initially plays with handler and familiar toy
• Plays with unfamiliar person with favorite toy
• One minute observation of dog with toy

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Independent Possession Test

• Determine level of internal motivation for
  reward article
• Handler plays with dog on flat ground
• Once dog is engaged with toy, ignore the dog for
  1 minute

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Select canine that

• Plays vigorously with toys, guards or carries
• Maintains focus on toys
• Presents toy to play or self-plays with toy

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Play Drive

• Performed on rubble
• Handler plays with dog using familiar toy
• Hands dog off to stranger

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Select canine that

• Engages with stranger
• Plays enthusiastically
• Never loses interest in toy or play

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Hunt Drive Test

• Assesses dogs willingness to search for
  non-visible toy
• Performed on easy to moderate rubble (FSA level)
• Dog is allowed 15 minutes to acclimate to rubble
  prior to test

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Hunt Drive Test (continued)

• Handler holds dog at base of rubble while helper
  throws toy on rubble
• Process is repeated and dog is released after
  varying delay times, from no delay to 1 minute
• Start point is relocated at least one time

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Select canine that

• Runs up on and navigates rubble with little or no
  hesitation
• Hunts out of sight of handler for at least
  1 minute on at least one hunt test
• Will run directly on rubble from any start point
• Maintains focus on search
• Holds toy until returns to handler

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Nerve Strength

• Emotional stability in uncomfortable and
  unfamiliar environment

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Incorporated into Play and Hunt Tests

• Willingness to traverse different surfaces
• Comfort in moving across a moderate rubble
  environment
• Will retrieve toy from a hole or depression

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Select canines that

• Enter the rubble by the most direct route and
  without delay
• Hunt for toy at a fast pace
• Show little or no hesitation on surface changes
• Search until locates toy or times out (1 minute)

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Select canines that (cont)

• Retrieve toy and carries back to handler
• Stay in search area and maintains focus on search

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Physical Screening

• Screen for
• Hips
• Elbows
• Other breed specific issues (such as cataracts in
  Labradors)

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Other Screening Considerations

• Trainability of dog
• Focus on handler
• Makes eye contact
• Reacts to handler commands

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Specific Screening Tool

• FEMA USR Proposed Process for Screening Canine
  Candidates
• Available on Disasterdog website
  (www.disasterdog.org)

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Components

• Measures
• Drive
• Nerve strength
• Sociability
• Defines
• Specific scoring criteria
• Pass/fail limits

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Other Testing Considerations

• Train screeners to common definitions
• Screen in same location with same props

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Quick Field Screening
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Quick Field Screening

• Advantages
• Performed on-site
• Determines if canine is worth additional time
• Tests
• Repeated retrieves
• Hunt in grass, debris or under objects (vehicles)
• Elevated plank (park bench)

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Good screening eliminates themediocre dog

• Always re-fixing the same problems
• Trainers are working harder than the dog
• Does not want to do the job

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We have NO RIGHT to
train a dog unsuitable for the
disaster environment!
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• They may have another idea about their job!

• A Friend in Need by Cassius M. Coolidge circa
  1870

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Screening does not guarantee success!

• It selects canine candidates most likely to
  succeed in the least amount of time with a
  regimented training program and dedicated handler

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Field Demonstration
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Unit Summary and Evaluation
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Unit Summary

• Explain why there is a need for a standardized
  screening process
• Identify the pros and cons of choosing a puppy
  versus a young adult
• Describe the characteristics of a qualified
  disaster canine candidate

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Unit Evaluation

• Please fill out the evaluation form for this unit