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There are few things cuter than dogs with jobs. From pups that patrol the beaches and assist newbie surfers to dogs that dawn goggles and keep geese off busy runways, there are thousands of tasks only our four-legged friends are fit to do.
Rescue dogs, in particular, continually amaze people with their abilities to sense danger and respond appropriately, employing their incredible hearing and sensitive nose in emergency situations.
In 2019, a man in the United Kingdom captured one daring dog’s special ability on camera. In the video, the man is completely buried in heavy snow, unable to see daylight or his surroundings and is effectively trapped, unable to move. The volunteer has assumed this unusual hiding spot as part of a training exercise designed to teach rescue dogs how to perform a snow rescue.
On this occasion, the canine rescuer tasked with locating and freeing the frosty volunteer was a black and white border collie named Flo.
Prior to test day, Flo had spent her days working with rescue teams all over the United Kingdom, particularly in the rocky, windswept peak district of the rescue organization’s usual range. Notably, Flo had spent 100 days training with the Edale Mountain Rescue Team.
The volunteer crew operated mainly in the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, a busy hiking spot with dramatic stone ridges and moors which attract visitors of all skill levels. Shifts in weather, improper gear, and sometimes just bad luck occasionally strand or injure hikers- which is when talented dogs like Flo step in.
Pups like Flo are trained to use their nose to locate people who are out of sight for their human handlers. Whether they’ve fallen behind an outcropping of rock or become entombed in snow, Flo employs her powerful nose to find these unfortunate hikers.
Specifically, she and her other four-legged colleagues are trained as “non discriminatory air scenting” search dogs. This means Flo is trained to detect any human smell. Unlike the bloodhounds of crime dramas and cartoons, which are given an item of clothing with which to track the smell of a specific person, these dogs simply sniff for any person.
In the case of wilderness rescue, this means Flo can be deployed to find anyone lost in the park, just by following their smell. Due to her natural abilities, Flo “can pick up the scent…from ¼ of a mile away, or more from a person, and with the right training, can guide their handler back to the source of the smell.”
The training exercise, which is captured in the video, shows Flo eagerly unearthing the source of the smell she’s been following– a buried hiker. Flo passed the test easily, which mimicked an event like an avalanche burial, proving why she works with the rescue team.
Videos like this are important because they help teams to plan future rescues. Moreover, the footage allows wilderness rescuers see the perspective of the trapped person as well as the sweet, excited face of her canine rescuer. Clearly, this pup knows the exercise was a job well done.
With her characteristic ears and keen capabilities, the rescue team is sure future success given Flo is at their side. After her frozen but friendly rescue dig, Flo is well-deserving of her favorite post-rescue treat: her Wubba Kong toy.
What do you think of this cute and accomplished pup? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family, as well as any fellow dog lovers!
