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I did search and rescue training with dogs in the army and we always had to start things off with a toy to get the dogs "into it", even in "sharp" situations. B

I did search and rescue training with dogs in the army and we always had to start things off with a toy to get the dogs "into it", even in "sharp" situations. But once they were started everything was like a game for them, they'd run ("play") until they couldn't anymore. You'd have to stop them. If you're ever in a SAR situation and a dog finds you, you should be prepared for a little rough treatment from it. It'll likely jump all over you, be up in your face and all that. It's just looking for the toy, and when it find out you don't have it, it'll move on, calm down or go back to the owner. And it'll bark a lot. Like a lot. It's not out of anger or anything, it's just what it has been told to do when it thinks it has found what it was supposed to find. I've had a dog tear my entire goretex uniform to pieces looking for the toy when we were both trapped deep under snow. Good times!

Lewton 7y ago
What would happen if you coincidentally had a dog toy on you? Maybe that’d be good for avoiding accidental mangling, but if it means it skips the barking and alerting step then maybe it’s not the best idea
- vegardx 7y ago
  They're looking for a few very specific toys, so that won't really be a problem.
- Bartweiss 7y ago
  For the most part, SAR dogs (and similar working dogs) are trained to view specific toys as incredibly high-value. For whatever play they really enjoy - fetch, tug-of-war, etc - they'll have a particular toy which only comes out in connection with "work" and always heralds praise and a play session with their trainer. Since SAR breeds are smart, high energy, and a bit intense, their reaction to that toy/event can be startlingly strong. The goal is essentially to avoid this issue: a dog toy is unlikely, but maybe the subject has a peanut butter bar in their pocket, and that shouldn't derail the rescue. So ideally the desire for the work reward will outweigh basically anything found during work (squirrels, food, other toys, or even bad stimuli like loud noises), even if those things would be awesome to the dog when they're not "on the job".
mseidl 7y ago
I have 2 dogs, Sissy the older lab mix, who loves playing fetch all the time, and is in general possessive of the balls. But she'll chew them up. My other dog Melkor, who's a lot younger. I have to get him wound up before he'll like to chase the ball. But he's not that good at fetch. One thing I found he likes if he's on the dog bed, and I throw the ball up towards him, he'll catch it, let it go and I'll have to get it. I should train him more.
- dirktheman 7y ago
  Who's playing fetch with who, then...?
  - mseidl 7y ago
    The dogs trained me quite well ha.

Lewton 7y ago

What would happen if you coincidentally had a dog toy on you? Maybe that’d be good for avoiding accidental mangling, but if it means it skips the barking and alerting step then maybe it’s not the best idea

vegardx 7y ago
They're looking for a few very specific toys, so that won't really be a problem.
Bartweiss 7y ago
For the most part, SAR dogs (and similar working dogs) are trained to view specific toys as incredibly high-value. For whatever play they really enjoy - fetch, tug-of-war, etc - they'll have a particular toy which only comes out in connection with "work" and always heralds praise and a play session with their trainer. Since SAR breeds are smart, high energy, and a bit intense, their reaction to that toy/event can be startlingly strong. The goal is essentially to avoid this issue: a dog toy is unlikely, but maybe the subject has a peanut butter bar in their pocket, and that shouldn't derail the rescue. So ideally the desire for the work reward will outweigh basically anything found during work (squirrels, food, other toys, or even bad stimuli like loud noises), even if those things would be awesome to the dog when they're not "on the job".

mseidl 7y ago

I have 2 dogs, Sissy the older lab mix, who loves playing fetch all the time, and is in general possessive of the balls. But she'll chew them up. My other dog Melkor, who's a lot younger. I have to get him wound up before he'll like to chase the ball. But he's not that good at fetch. One thing I found he likes if he's on the dog bed, and I throw the ball up towards him, he'll catch it, let it go and I'll have to get it. I should train him more.

dirktheman 7y ago
Who's playing fetch with who, then...?
- mseidl 7y ago
  The dogs trained me quite well ha.