Crosswords International n11 - Rescue-dog Unit

International Version N°11

Dear Reader, This eleventh International edition of Crosswords magazine focuses on the Red Cross's dog section that celebrates its 15th anniversary this year.

We wish you a great week!

International Section Contact details for the International Section and further information: T: 661 56 74 52 - section.internationale@croix-rouge.lu

The Rescue Dog Service, a different kind of help Retrospective on the work and missions of the past 15 years In the autumn of 1995 some people had the “crazy” idea to connect dogs with the Rescue Service of the Luxembourg Red Cross. They managed to convince the first-aiders and the Luxembourg Red Cross management of the usefulness and effectiveness of dogs in the field of search and rescue of people.

Following this positive feedback, the first training sessions were held in "Birelergronn" in close collaboration with the Rescue Dog Service of the German Red Cross in Cologne-Porz. Three dogs began their training: Mira, Taiko and Sam. As a dog can be involved in a wide variety of situations, it thus became a new member of the Service helping to save lives in various areas. The foundations for the future Rescue Dog Service were laid.

The first steps Hans-Dieter Vey, the No. 1 dog trainer in the German Red Cross, who died during a dog-training/dog-handling exercise in Germany early in July 2011, brought rapid changes to the Service.

Thus, the Rescue Dog Service was formally established by a decision of the Executive Committee of the Luxembourg Red Cross on 26 April 1996. It has been operational since 1 January 1998, following the first successful ability tests under the supervision of Hans-Dieter Vey. Since 1998 the Rescue Dog Service has taken part in many search and rescue operations in Luxembourg. In 2003 the Service met its first global challenges, especially during the earthquakes in Algeria and Iran, followed by Morocco in 2004 and Haiti in 2010. These operations have enabled the Rescue Dog Service to become a permanent fixture within the Red Cross.

Rescue Dog Service: a completely voluntary activity Members of the Rescue Dog Service are exclusively volunteers and work directly with their own dogs. The Service is linked to that of the Luxembourg City First-Aiders and Paramedics team. From the beginning, the Rescue Dog Service was given the task of rescuing people and was led by a technical committee of four people with different functions; direction of the unit; SEPTEMBER 2011 www.croix-rouge.lu

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education in dog training and first aid training (dog and owner). Currently, the Service has 23 people and 22 dogs; ten teams are dedicated to working above ground, of which five also work under debris. There are twelve teams currently undergoing training.

With the aid of highly specialised dogs, the Service’s missions include, on one hand, the search and marking of missing people above ground, and on the other hand the location and marking of living victims who are buried under debris following an explosion, earthquake or other natural disasters, both at home and abroad.

Dog training Being involved as a volunteer with the Rescue Dog Service To become a member of the Rescue Dog Servcie and take part in its activities, two routes can be followed; as a dog trainer, or as an assistant doghandler. Training consists of several phases. Firstly, the candidate must complete a probationary period of six months which, if successful, leads to full admission. Six months after this, the new member must take the assistant dog-handler examination.

This examination includes a theory test and practical tests on first aid, field orientation and knowledge of emergency vehicles in the Rescue Dog Service. If the test is successful, the new member may attend activities as an assistant dog-handler. From then on, he/she can take courses in dog-training, or train as an activities coordinator, loadmaster or in other specialist fields within the section.

The volunteer receives basic and ongoing human and dog first-aid training, training in the use of radio-communication, field orientation, abseiling with a dog, concepts of canine behaviour, emergency response and the theory and nature of debris.

Training the dog to become a rescue dog The dog’s training within the Service is based solely on its innate sense of prey and play. From the age of 8 to 9 weeks, the puppy learns to play with people other than its "master". During its training, real situations are reproduced as a game. The dog has to locate and mark (usually by barking) a person who has gone off to hide. If the dog succeeds in finding the person, it receives its "prey" (ie a toy), as a reward.

An initial test for a new dog entering the Service will determine whether or not it can be trained as a rescue dog. Repetitive training sessions using smell and marking, throughout the training period, will motivate a dog effectively to search for and locate a potential victim. As a result, the dog will be able to react in difficult or extreme situations over rough terrain or in hostile environments, such as the debris caused by earthquakes.

The basic training, which lasts about two years, ends with a theory and practical ability test certifying that the team is operational. This test should be repeated every two years.

SEPTEMBER 2011 www.croix-rouge.lu

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Group training in the field with German colleagues "Wolperding 2011" training week in Neuendettelsau (Bavaria) Each summer, for a dozen years, the Rescue Dog Service of the Luxembourg Red Cross has organised an international training course. This course takes place at the Dog Training School of the German Customs in Neuendettelsau (Bavaria), in collaboration with the German Red Cross’s various dog training teams. For a whole week, volunteers are able to focus exclusively on the behavioural technique training of their dog as well as their own training, in a different environment.

An ideal environment for the master/dog partnership The school environment provides ideal facilities to house the dogs and their masters. This course gives them the benefit of getting to know instructors other than those with whom they work throughout the rest of the year. A platform for a healthy exchange on various aspects of canine behaviour is created. Another advantage: varied training grounds are available which are different and unknown especially to new members, allowing training both above ground and inside a wide variety of constructions. Hence, master/dog cooperation is put to the test and the master has to learn to "read" his dog in the most difficult situations in terms of smell. The week of training concludes with a kind of rally that gives each dog a chance to show off its skills and the progress it has made in the various fields that were targeted during the course.

Teamwork during a week such as this promotes group cohesion and provides an opportunity to assess the development of the dog teams at the end of the course.

SEPTEMBER 2011 www.croix-rouge.lu