Canine Search Specialist Training

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Canine Search Specialist Training

• Unit 1
• 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
• Identify successful canine breeds

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Enabling Objectives (continued)

• Explain the screening process and criteria
• Describe the characteristics of a qualified
  disaster canine candidate
• Describe the quick screening process

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IntroductionSelection 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

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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

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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

• Base on success and quality of both parents
• Base 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

• Drive
• Nerve strength
• Sociability
• Physical screening

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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

• Play drive and toy possession
• Prey drive
• Hunt drive

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Play Drive and Toy Possession Test

• Play with any reward and with any person
• Initially plays with handler and familiar toy
• Plays with handler with unfamiliar toys
• Plays with unfamiliar person with favorite and
  unknown toys
• One minute observation of dog with toy

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Select canine that

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

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Prey Drive Test

• Assesses desire to pursue and capture prey
• Repeated retrieve, toy is thrown 10 times
• Dog is released after toy stops moving
• Dog must hold toy until return to handler
• May be lured back to handler

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Select canine that

• Runs to toy
• Carries toy or returns with toy to handler
• Stays focused on toy, not distracted by
  environment
• Maintains or increases enthusiasm with each throw

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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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Surface Sensitivity

• Unstable
• Rough
• Slick

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Height Sensitivity

• Elevated 12 inch wide platform
• No center support
• Stable

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Confined Space

• Dark
• Lighted

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Sound Sensitivity

• Tools
• Pounding/banging

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Nerve Strength Test

• Helper works dog with handler nearby
• Each test is performed twice to measure recovery
  and reaction

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Select canines that

• Demonstrate no anxiety on each element
• May show some mild anxiety on first experience
  but recover and show none on second pass

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Sociability

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

A Friend in Need by Cassius M. Coolidge circa
1870
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Sociability Test

• Around people
• 1 minute tie out with person walking by
• Stranger retrieves dog
• Around dogs
• Person and handler walks by

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Select canines that

• Attempt to greet or ignore stranger and canine

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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

• Disaster Canine Qualification Screening
• Developed by D. Brownell, M. Marsolais, and P.
  Kaynaroglu
• Successfully used by many federal and state USR
  teams
• 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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Sample scoring criteria
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Necessary Modifications to Set-up and Scoring

• Hunt test is on rubble
• Scores are weighted
• Higher criteria for selection as Disaster Canine
  Candidate. Must meet
• 90 of Drive
• 80 of Nerve Strength
• 80 of Sociability

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Weighted Score Sheet
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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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Not all dogs are Disaster Dogs
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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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(No Transcript)
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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
• Identify successful canine breeds

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Unit Summary (continued)

• Explain the screening process and criteria
• Describe the characteristics of a qualified
  disaster canine candidate
• Describe the quick screening process

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Unit Evaluation

• Please fill out the evaluation form for this unit