I have always had a keen interest in mountain rescue and the dogs of SARDA (Search & Rescue Dog Association) in particular. In the early days, the breed of choice was the GSD - and, in fact, Hamish McInnes (the famous mountaineer) was the first person to train mountain rescue dogs in the UK and his were GSDs named Rangi and Tiki, in the late 1960s. A few photos taken from the book Rangi - Highland Rescue Dog by Ernest Dudley Tiki & Rangi The magnificent looking Rangi The home of Hamish, Catherine (his wife) and the dogs - the cottage at the foot of the Three Sisters It seems that GSDs were very much the breed of choice in the beginning and especially in Scotland and Ireland, but not so much in England. Of course now the border collie is the more popular breed UK wide (and also ESS more recently) and it got me wondering why it was that the GSD fell out of favour. I spoke to a friend in a MRT in England. He has had two fully trained and operation search GSDs in the past but now has a BC. He told me that in his view the demise of the GSD within SARDA England was possibly due to the influence of sheep farmers - particularly in the Lakes about 20 years ago. His own personal circumstances are that GSD are still his breed of choice, but the most important thing for an operational search dog is "independent drive" - which causes them to pull on the lead hence a collie is easier to handle for a 60 + year old I also spoke with a friend in a MRT in Ireland who has also worked GSDs in mountain rescue and also drowned victim search dogs and he thought the breed had declined in search work in the UK mainly due to the fact that collies are so fast and can work for many hours without tiring as well as being extremely agile. He didn't believe that GSDs have the same level of prolonged fitness and agility (a view which I would dispute when considering some of the small, athletically built WLs). That said, he acknowledged that GSD are still extremely popular in a SAR role in the USA. Another point that possibly counts against shepherds in a SAR sphere is their built-in protective nature, which can sometimes make the individual a bit sharp for search work.
Lovely photos Kirsty - I just posted a thread about old photos (feel free to add a link in it to this thread if you like) Interesting re GSDs in SAR - I hadn't really thought about it. I wonder if trying to find out why, now, the ESS is becoming more popular might give clues as to why the GSD fell out of favour? Let us know what you find!
I noticed GSD's being used in the recent landslide in Oregon to search through the rubble for signs of life. Strange that they are not used more in the UK
Very interesting article and lovely pics having been there I find it breathtaking. I find it very sad that the GSD is falling out of favour in so many roles, when one thinks back the very first Guide Dog was a GSD and was used almost exclusively as such, hardly see one now especially in UK, though Pathfinder Dogs in Lanarkshire formed in 2003, train purely GSDs as guide dogs .
Walking the dogs in local woodland a couple of years ago, I met a young fellow with what looked to be a sable GSD cross. His van had a lot of doggy travel equipment., and of course I just had to ask. He told me he was a youth worker, and his dog was a SARD based in Leics.
I would agree that the BC is more agile and can probably "Go forever" But the GSD's, i hope can still do so many jobs. Tracking/Trailing, companion Dog. Guide Dog as was said. In war they are impeccable..Eg Parachuting and finding. I saw a program where a US Dog handler said " There may be Dogs who can Bite better, Run bettet and Smell better....But there's Not a Dog, in the World, who can do All Three Better, than a German Shepherd Dog.!! That'll do for me!
I am pleased to say that, although border collies will probably always make up around 75% of the SAR dogs used, that I have recently seen three working line GSD in the role - so the breed still has its fans Here is a friend, John, with his old SAR dog, Biscuit
Great video Malka, that is basically how we taught Kodi. just by playing hide and seek and having fun.
ZAKA en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZAKA also uses GSDs in SAR http://www.zakarescue.org/divisions/ [see under Canine Division] IDF SAR dog
