The dog breeds most commonly used for search and rescue (SAR) during recovery efforts are:
- German Shepherd: Known for their intelligence, agility, and loyalty, German Shepherds are versatile and effective in wilderness, urban, and disaster recovery situations. They are often the first choice for SAR teams.
- Labrador Retriever: Labradors have a strong sense of smell and are gentle, highly trainable, and energetic. They excel in water rescues and cadaver searches and provide public comfort during operations.
- Bloodhound: Renowned for their unparalleled sense of smell, Bloodhounds can track scents several days old, making them exceptional for locating missing persons, especially in wilderness areas.
- Belgian Malinois: Agile, driven, and enduring, Belgian Malinois excel in disaster recovery missions and physically demanding environments, capable of navigating rubble and unstable terrain.
- Saint Bernard: Especially effective in snowy and mountainous rescues, Saint Bernards are historic SAR dogs used for avalanche and cold-weather rescues.
- Border Collie: Intelligent and agile, Border Collies are great for wilderness rescues, navigating rough terrain and working in high-stress situations.
- Newfoundland: Natural swimmers with powerful builds, they are specialized in water rescues.
- Doberman Pinscher: Agile and intelligent, Dobermans are also used in disaster response and missing person searches.
- Golden Retriever: Commonly used in SAR alongside the above breeds for their scenting ability and temperament.
These breeds are chosen for their superior scenting ability, endurance, agility, intelligence, and temperament that suits high-pressure SAR operations across different environments such as wilderness, urban disaster zones, water, and snow conditions.
