Use a Pet Dog to Find Lost and missing Children, Seniors and Friends

Copyright  2024 Amber Higgins

Use your dog to find Family and Friends, especially disabled and special needs loved ones 

This articles explains how-to use your own family dog to find a lost or missing loved ones. I hope this article and book will be helpful in finding missing persons and special needs children or adults who may of wandered away from home or an outdoor event. Our country has an incredible amount of missing person cases, each day more and more people disappear. We all need to help people be found and every little effort may one day save a person's life. Thank you for visiting my Family Disaster Dogs site, reading this article and sharing so others may learn.

Intro

Did you know all dogs are Family Disaster Dogs ? I created this site and wrote the first book after having worked as a professional dog groomer, dog trainer and breeder for 30 years, along with volunteering with my bloodhounds and shepherds for Search and Rescue for 15 years, I trained in all aspects of emergency response, and trained many other dog handler  teams during that time. 

I realized one day that pet dogs can help their family in emergencies and disasters. Dogs do not need to be a certain breed or trained as skillfully to find a person or other pet that wanders from home or gets lost while camping. Every dog tries to follow whoever leaves the area, if the dog does not appear to try to follow they are still very much aware of the person or other pet leaving the room, house, camp or area. 

So it makes perfect sense to me and most people I mention this bit of logic to, that our own dogs can find us if we get lost. That yes, the dog wants to go with us every time we leave the house but we shut the door and lock them in. So if a toddler happens to wander out of the house and is missing I always suggest to allow the family dog out of the house (on leash or off) and follow the dog who will naturally try to follow the person who left before the dog. 

Dogs naturally follow pack members. We only need to take advantage of this natural instinct and ask the dog to find the missing pack member. Including other household pets and dog or cat friends. So if your cat or other dog goes missing, use the other dog to find them or a friend's dog that the animals know.

Small dogs, giant dogs, young dogs and old dogs....can locate missing loved ones like search and rescue dogs do. They can also help you evacuate, fetch survival items if your trapped and go get help upon command. 

Let’s look at a few of the ways a pet dog can help locate a disabled child or adult in an emergency. 

Keep in mind that a dog always know where people are in the house or yard. They find you for food and play or to go for a walk. Dogs pay very close attention to where each family member is and what is happening. We, humans, seldom notice the dog doing its job of watching over us.

The Family Pack

Your own dog is one of the most valuable assets to have available for finding a known person who wanders off while hiking or camping and goes missing. If an earthquake, flood or storm separates members of the household, most likely the family dogs will be with one of the persons or nearby attempting to reach the family pack. 

As part of the pack the dog depends on us surviving too. Dogs live with us as family members and as part of the pack, they live to please us. They are always by our side and follow us around waiting to give us a helpful paw when the time comes or just to be near.

This natural pack instinct in the dog is very easy to take advantage of to find a missing pack member, such as our child or elderly parent who are missing or trapped unable to reach us or to get help. 

When a favorite family member leaves the room the dog often follows, when the person settles to stay in one place, the dog often lays at the person’s feet waiting for what will come next. The dog is always nearby, willing and ready to participate in what we are doing so let’s take advantage of the dogs’ natural desire to help us.

If you watch your dog, you will notice that the dog realizes when a child is missing from the family pack. Also, think about how many dogs cry and have separation anxiety when a favorite family member leaves them. Does your dog get upset when you leave them alone in the house or car?  Separation anxiety results from our dogs wishing to go with us. The anxiety is from the dog wanting to stay with its pack and not be left behind. 

This proves the dog is very much aware of each person in the family and where that person is. When one leave, if they do not come back to join the dog or family pack the dog will look for them. It’s the nature of the dog. 

If we allow the dog to go find the person, the dog will do just that !

Consequently, if the child or person has wandered away from the house and is lost or missing, it makes sense that their own dog can find them faster than a search dog who does not know the person. Even without any search dog training, a family dog is already on the job seeking to find its lost pack member. 

You can use this to your advantage if a family member is ever lost by simply asking the family dog to take you to the missing person. 

Here's How 

How-to Ask a Dog to Find a Lost Child 

• First, put your dog on a leash so they do not run into traffic because the dog will be excited that you finally asked for its help. 

Remember dogs find us every day when they are hungry. The dog already knows how to find people, we as dog owners only need to learn how to ask the dog to help us.

• Next, show the dog an article of clothing from the missing person that only that person touched, let the dog smell the object and then ask the dog to find the person, encourage the dog to go forward and look. 
• Follow the dog even if it does not look like the dog knows what they are doing or where they are going because scent particles float everywhere we cannot see but the dog can smell. 

Just follow the dog to the person, let the dog do the work, do not make any suggestions or guide the dog because it will only confuse the dog. 

Trust your Dog

• At first you may wonder if the dog is really looking for the person. 
• Do not stop working the dog on the trail or give up on the dog. 

Working search and rescue dogs often look like they are just going for a walk, they may go slow smelling here and there like nothing is important as they work the many hundreds of scent particles that mingle together with the lost person’s scent. 

These scent particles are everywhere and blown by the wind, affected by the natural environment. Only a dog knows how to understand and puzzle though. We humans do not have that nose work skill. We are not equipped to use our sense of smell to discriminate scent particles like animals do. 

Trust your dog.

The dog is always right. 

The nose knows.

Practice makes Perfect

Practice by playing hide and seek with your dog and family members, especially special needs children.

Here’s a few ways to play and learn together with the family dog. If you have more than one dog, it’s easier to do this one dog at a time or the dogs may be more focused on each other than finding the person.

1. Hold the dog 

2. Have a family member hide behind a open door or piece of furniture indoors 

3. Let the dog go and tell the dog to “find them” use the person’s name 

4. Follow the dog to find the person

5. Encourage the dog as they look for the person

6. Everyone make a big happy fuss over the dog finding the person

7. Lots of praise and happiness

8. Repeat with the person hiding in different places

Hiding spot suggestions

Indoors

Under blankets on the floor or bed

Behind open doors

Behind furniture

Under big cardboard boxes

Lay on the floor in another room

Outdoors

Do not let the person who hides go too far to hide at first. Gradual, over days and weeks, add distance to how far away they go to hide. Start off only hiding within easy sight of the dog and person holding the dog. Keep this game simple for the dog so they grasp the idea to find the person when asked. 

Trust your dog, in a real emergency the dog will use its natural drive and instinct to reunite with the missing pack member when asked. 

Keep in mind, you are not training the dog to find the person, the dog already knows how to do that. You are going to teach the dog a word you will use to ask them to do what is natural for them and the use the word is what you are actually practicing. 

Otherwise the dog does not know what the word means or what you ask and you do not have a way to tell the dog to act on its natural instinct.

Here's my children's book that tells the whole family a fun way to train a dog to find family and go to another person by name. 

Believe it or not our dogs do know our names because they hear everyone else call us by the name. 

Summary 

With very little time spent and a whole lot of fun practice you will see how easy this is to do and then you will feel reassured that if your child or loved ones ever go missing or get lost you can start searching while waiting for the police who often will not respond to a missing person case until 24 hours has passed to give time for the person to return on their own.

In my books and on my website, I explain how easy it is to teach the average family dog how to come to our rescue like search dogs do and how to use your own dog to help you evacuate during emergencies and disasters.

Visit www.familydisasterdogs.com to learn more about me and how your dog can rescue you!

Here's a page full of DIY dog training lessons I wrote for everyone to do in the comfort of home. 

Family Dog can Find Missing Loved Ones-watch video to learn how easy

Here is a video of my family dog, "Washee" learning to look for a family member. 

The wind is blowing very hard making the scent trail blow around also.

Training note: Sand surfaces hold scent differently than dirt or grass surfaces. By watching and reading the dog on each different surface, the handler learns with the dog what to expect on those surfaces. Every surface type should be worked in training to gradually and eventually learn how scent behaves in each type of surface and environment.

Keep in Mind

Our family dogs can find lost or missing friends and family they know. Our dogs do this every day when they want attention, food or to go outside, they find us. So why not ask them to find mom, or whoever is missing from the pack?

I can show you how,...just ask or read my books or visit the Family Disaster Dogs site.

You can look us up on Facebook and Twitter, too!

Facebook Family Disaster Dogs

Twitter URDogCanRescueU

Washee

I Did It! I Found Her!

Follow us on Facebook too!

Free Dog Training Lessons

The author's Daisy

The reason for the Family Disaster Dogs site and free lessons listed below.

Is to train as many Family Dogs as possible to be able to assist every family in the World when emergencies strike. 

In doing so, time can be spared waiting for response from other rescue teams who upon arrival can work to further aid the family in the situation.

When a large scale disaster strikes, such as tornadoes, Katrina and the tsunami earthquake in Japan, time is critical to survival. Search teams have their hands full with a large number of call outs. 

The trained Family Disaster Dog can help rescuers by saving time because the dog is on location at the time of the incident.

Additionally, at least one family member is trained in the basic Search And Rescue techniques so they can help their own family and friends while awaiting outside response. Learn how-to find a person with your dog.

Another benefit  of having your dog trained to help you in an emergency is that if your neighborhood is cut off from outside help (which happens) then you can help your own loved ones and neighbors. 

Just think, if all the neighbors have dogs then you can form your own search and rescue team just like a neighborhood watch group.

This site will help you in all areas of setting up your own dog and friend's dogs to assist in any disaster or missing person incident.

If a grandmother or child wanders away and gets lost, you can help. If your family is camping, take your dog. 

Very few people get lost with dogs with them and if anybody wanders off the trail then you can ask your Family Disaster Dog to go find them. 

All you have to do is read the lessons pages, work with your pet and email if you need any advice. 

Note: These lessons are for family dogs and are not how-to train a professional working dog which is much more complex. Although working dog trainers may find some useful tips here as well. For professional working dog lessons contact me from the contact page.



Here is the page with a long list of survival items you need to pack and how-to pack them

In the Page Menu on familydisasterdogs.com

Find what Equipment is needed page on the Equipment Page

There is a Glossary and Terms of Words Used Page

Learn why a Scent Article is the easiest way to find a person, on this The Scent Article Page

Learn How-to Evacuate with a Dog's Help 

Full Free Lessons listed on the Lesson Page and in the blog date list at the bottom of this page are over 200 dog related training and care articles..click a date to see more.

These are some of the lessons on the link page with links to the most popular

Lesson 1: Taking scent and scent articles above link on the Scent Article Page

Lesson 2: To Leash or Not to Leash

Lesson 3: Start Searching for a lost person is included below in #4

Lesson 4:  "Find it!" Start looking for a lost person or object

Lesson 5: How to use a Tracking Leash part 1

Lesson 6: More Leash Work  part 2

Lesson 7: Tracking Leash part 3

Lesson 8:  Avoiding Burn Out

Lesson 9:  How to stop bad behavior

Lesson 10: How to hide from a dog

Lesson 11:  Scent Behavior

Lesson 12:  How to Read a Dog

Lesson 13:  How to Train your dog to do a Building Search

Lesson 14:  Train your dog to do an  Air Scent and Area Search

Lesson 15: How your dog will be  Indicating and Alerting a Found person

Lesson 16:  Is the dog collar on right?

Lesson 17:  How to use a Choker Chain Collar properly

Lesson 18:  How to use a leash

Lesson 19: Finding Evidence and Objects with your dog

Lesson 20: Planning Dog Training Courses and Routes   part 1

Lesson 21: Planning Dog Training Courses, Laying Trails  part 2

Lesson 22 : Advancing in Search Dog and Survival Training

Lesson 23: Aging Tracking Dog Training Courses and Trails

Lesson 24:  Learn Area Search Basics

Lesson 25: How to do Area Search Training

Lesson 26: How to do Cadaver Dog Training

Lesson 27: How a dog can Alert to Danger

Part 1: Teaching your dog to alert you to danger  Part 1 Alert to Danger

Part 2: Teach your dog Part 2 Alert to Danger

Lesson 28:  Dog learns how to come back to you after they find somebody or thing
which is called Teaching Refind or Return to Handler or Recall

Lesson 29: Your dog brings you items you need Retrieve and Go-Get Object

Lesson 30: Dog learns item by name to bring you Retrieve Object by Name

Lesson Test: How your dog will help you evacuate -What To Do when Alarm Sounds

Lesson 31: How to Find a Lost Person with Your Dog

Lesson 32: Training a Dog To Do Tracking

Lesson 33: Training a Messenger Dog -Go between 2 people

See a video of my family dog finding a person for the first time

Go to the Lesson Page in The Page Menu (top right sidebar) for links to each lesson.

Amber working a Bloodhound pup

You can also find these pages

Dog Bug-out Go-Bag Survival Backpack List and How-to

Links to Family Disaster Dogs Lessons

Emergency Links

K9 CPR –Emergency Breathing Technique For Pets

Good Luck and Be Ready !

See my Family Disaster Dogs ebooks and paperbacks at Author Page

Training Your Family Dog to Look for a Lost Person

Teach a dog to look for lost or missing persons

Family Disaster Dogs Daisy and Willie

This dog training lesson is easy to do at home and teaches a dog to use an article belonging to the missing or lost person to find that person. 

In dog work this is considered and often called scent discrimination because the dog learns to smell the "scent article" and look only for that scent or person. 

It is very Important to not contaminate the article with your own and other scents. 

Read More (click) and go to the free lesson page for many posts about scent and how-to teach working dogs tracking or pets to help its family locate missing family after a disaster. 

To get Started

Training your family dog to look for a Lost Person

You will need:

1. Your dog
2. 1 person who will hide from the dog
3. 1 sock, or hat or glove the "scent article" from the person who will hide

You can do this lesson indoors or outside with or without a leash, depending on the dog.

Start with a person your dog knows and hold your dog by its collar as the person slowly runs and waves at the dog to a hiding place that is easy to find and with only one turn away right now.

As soon as the person is out of sight,,, 

Hold the scent article, the person's sock, to your dog's nose, say "Smell" and then turn your dog loose and say "Find so and so" use the person’s name, follow your dog to the person.

Your dog, no matter what age will attempt to find them.

If the dog has a hard time at first it is okay for the person who is hiding to call the dog or encourage the dog to find them so the dog gets the idea. Later the person will not speak or move but hide.

You will learn as we get further in training to read your dog's clues, in the meantime, learn to watch your dog's moves and body language for indications and reactions that lead to the trail or person.

If the dog does not go fairly quickly to the person then encourage the dog to go with you and show the dog with excitement how fun it is to find the person. 

When they find the person, praise, praise, praise by you and the person shower this dog with attention and they will be so happy to do this again, you'll hardly be able to hold him. 

Here is Bo taking scent from the scent article in a plastic bag before we start on a wooded trail looking for a person who is hiding. Bloodhounds often put their whole nose in the scent bag.

A leash is not needed at first with your pet dog if you train in a fenced yard or with a dog who is use to free roaming.

Check out the Family Disaster Dog book for all the lessons in paperback and kindle!

Scent Articles for Dog to Find Missing Family Members

Prepare to find loved ones with your dog ahead of time 

by gathering scent articles.

Blue Boy Homer
by A.Higgins

One of the easiest ways to find a lost person is to give a dog the person's scent and watch him find the scent. 

The dog is only looking for the smell and not for the actual person. 

The dog dose not necessarily associate the scent with the person unless the person is somebody they know with that scent. 

To a dog, a scent is a scent.

Therefore, the fastest and surest way to teach or ask a dog to find a person is to use the person's scent to show them who we seek and no two people smell alike. Everybody smells different and we smell different at various times during the day or if we are sick.

To teach your dog to search for a lost or missing family member or friend you have to prepare first by gathering a "scent article".  Click to Read more about Scent and how a dog follows its nose.

It is wise to gather one sock from each person you love or do not want to lose before you start training your family pet and to store these as instructed below for later use in training sessions or if a loved one is lost.

Also you can collect a item from each family pet as well, a old collar or brush would do. Store this item as outlined below use it as a scent article for a dog to find the missing pet

  For now and for training;

       Place one dirty sock from each family member in a one freezer bag each sock. Do Not Mix or touch the sock to anything, only the bag, use a hanger or stick to pick it up.

Warning:

DO NOT touch the sock yourself, have the person drop the sock from their foot to a new brown paper bag (lunch bag size) or a plastic freezer bag ( zip lock natural non chemical bag is best).

You will learn more about scent article collection at a scene in other articles.

This is the most important part of using a search dog. 

Do Not Contaminate that sock.

Reminder, Do Not Put 2 socks from different people together, each sock gets its own bag.

Store sock in the freezer until a few minutes before use.

This is called the "Scent Article"

The “scent article” tells your dog who they are looking for.

Handle with Care.

Keep one for each family member for use if a disaster ever strikes.

Amber and Bo getting ready to train to find a Lost Person.

Bo was 5 months old at the time of this picture in 2001. 

He later went to volunteer in California and then Georgia with his half sister Sambo. 

Side note: 

As a parent I use to remind my teenagers if they stayed out to late or ran away from home, the dogs could find them...smile and ya know,,,it worked too,,, wink to other parents, mine are all grown now.

Get all the lessons in the Family Disaster Dogs Books

Click the book cover below for a Free Copy and preview

If you would like a signed printed copy from the author use the contact form or sign up for new lessons, articles and events at www.familydisasterdogs.com 

Gathering Scent Articles 4 Your Dog 2 Find You !

Gathering Scent Articles 

Items to use to find your family members with a dog

It's best to fully understand how a dog uses its nose.

The author asking a Bloodhound pup to "smell" the bag
with the Scent Article of who to look for (more below)

To a dog, A Scent is a Scent !

Therefore, the fastest and surest way to teach or ask a dog to find a person is to use the person's scent to show the dog who we want to find. This makes the job easier for the dog because no two people smell alike.

To teach your dog to search for a lost or missing family member or friend, you have to prepare first by gathering the "scent article". This is easy to do but care must be taken.

It is wise to keep these scent articles stored as directed below in case an actual search ever occurs.

Gathering Scent Articles
It's best to gather one dirty sock from each person you can think of who you might ever have to look for before you start training your family pet.

Each sock should be handled and stored as outlined below for later emergency use. In case you ever have to call officials in with search dogs tell them you have a scent article which will save valuable time.

For now and for training; you should...

Place one dirty sock from each family member in a freezer bag after reading below.


Warning: IMPORTANT


DO NOT touch the sock yourself, have the person drop the sock from their foot to a new brown paper bag (lunch bag size) or into a new plastic freezer bag.


( new brown paper put in a zip lock natural non chemical bag is best )


You will learn more about scent article use during lessons.


The most important part of using a search dog is;


Do Not Contaminate that sock.


Do not touch it.



Do Not Put 2 socks from different people together, each sock gets its own bags.


Store socks in the freezer until a few minutes before use.


This is the so-called "Scent Article"


The “Scent Article” tells your dog who they are looking for.


Handle with Care.


Keep one for each family member for use if a disaster ever strikes.


When gathering "Scent Articles" of missing people during an incident, you will follow the same rule of Do Not Contaminate the article or location.A scent article can be any item or object the missing person is known to of touched recently, such as a piece of clothing, bath items, pillow case, smoking items include butts of cigars or cigarette, hankie, tissue paper, a cup or glass or steering wheel in the car and the seat or bed the person was last in.


Preservation and Collection of the item is critical to avoid another person's scent from getting on the item and contaminating it. the dog will disregard its handlers scent but it is still wise for the handler to take special care when handling the scent article.


Always try to pick up and deposit the scent article into a clean bag by using a stick laying nearby or coat hanger from the subjects home to keep the item clean of other scents.


Ask the family who touched what and do not use any item others have touched if possible. If the missing person and others have touched everything then ask the people to stand by when you start the dog to look for the missing person.


For instance, if a person is missing from a parked car where other people had been in the car with them, ask these people to stand by and take your dog to the car where the lost person sat and ask your dog to smell the seat then find the person.


Your dog will use a missing member search technique of eliminating the people who are on the scent article (the car) and go to the people who are standing by then set off looking for the missing person. But if the people are not there for your dog to eliminate them then your dog will look for all the people in the car.


This is why it is important to find out before you start your dog who touched what that the missing person touched and where was the person last standing,laying or sitting.


Who was with them and how long have they been missing are also critical to a successful search because of possible contamination of the scent article.


A contaminated scent article will lead you on a wild goose chase, take care.


Only you, your dog and the person who is missing should come in contact with the item or location used as the scent article or starting point.

Family Disaster Dogs author and Bloodhound pup Bo

Amber and Bloodhound pup Bo getting ready to train how to Trail a Lost Person.

Bo was 5 months old at the time of this picture in 2001.

He later went to volunteer with sheriff depts in California and then Georgia with his half sister Samathia (Sam)

Sign up for the newsletters and new articles at familydisasterdogs.com

Go there to Get The Family Disaster Dogs Book for all the lessons and lists of needed items so you can be prepared !

Click the link under the book cover to see a free preview or buy 

Amazon USA or UK

Family Disaster Dogs Book

Coming soon "My Puppy Can Find Me" picture book will teach your children, you and dog how to work together if they are ever separated from you ! 

Follow me on Twitter @URDogCanFindU

See a free preview and get my new book below

My Puppy Can Find Me

Coming soon and it's exciting !

My children's book 'My Puppy Can Find Me" using photos of my former Bloodhounds for the pictures in the books. I can't wait to see the dogs as cartoons, Bloodhounds can be such clouds.

Here's a sneak preview from the back of the book....

Dedicated to Carlos Parker OEM retired

My Puppy Can Find Me
"Does your child know what to do if they are lost? Do you know what to do if they are missing?

My Puppy Can Find Me picture book is your child’s first step on an exciting learning experience that will teach them what to do if they are lost or find themselves alone.

By reading this book with your children, the whole family will learn what to do if they are ever separated or missing and how the family dog can be of assistant during emergencies. Your children will learn valuable lessons by doing these fun exercises that reinforce and teach the pet dog and family to work together during crisis situations."

The book is shaped around three important lessons children who live with family dogs can learn, along with the dog and a parent that show them how to find each other and what the child should do if they ever find themselves lost or alone.

I have taught many children about search dogs. I spent 6 years with my daughter in 4-H, we took the search dogs to 4-H meetings, events and participated in parades. We also went to a couple of schools for demonstrations where I would ask which child wanted to take off a sock they were wearing and hide from a Bloodhound ? You should of seen the hands go up ! It was fun. They would hide and the Bloodhounds would find them. The children learned valuable lessons about what to do if they were ever lost or alone. This book is from those Bloodhound days of slobbers and shy dogs who are most brave.

What is Family Disaster Dogs?

Welcome

The Family Disaster Dog book shows you how to train your family dog to rescue you in disasters and emergencies; like floods,earthquakes and tornadoes; how to find a lost family member or friend with your dog and many other skills, along with how to Shelter-in-Place, pack a bug out bag and evacuate.

This is where you will find  

Free Dog Training Lessons Based on

The Family Disaster Dog Book by Amber Higgins
(This book was first published under Tate Publishing 2015-2016 who went out of business and left us all hanging. The book was published again summer 2017 on Amazon from the author ) as a ebook.
Email the author for a signed original hard copy

2018 the children book 

(2021 update no longer available from Waldorf Publishing)

"My Puppy Can Save Me"
with UK cartoonist  "Scotty"  illustrations !

Ask me for a copy!

In the UK and other countries look on Amazon for
 "Family Disaster Dogs" by Amber Higgins
to get your preview and copies! 

Check out the many articles at the links of this page menu and links on the right side of web page.

Note:

Phone users who are viewing this site from a phone may not be able to see the side bar and other parts of this page, due to formatting on phones.

So...This page is best viewed in a web view format which is at the bottom of the page on phones and all devices. You have to Click the web view button on your phone for more articles and lessons. 

Keep Scrolling for more

Wrinkledpups Daisy Mayham

Check out the many pages above in the menu to learn more

Feel free to email me a comment or ask a dog question

and share these sites so others may learn ! 

 

  Based on 40 years of Professional Dog experience 

All Areas of the Pet Industry Consulting
 All Breeds Show & Pet Grooming, Training, Boarding
Pet Salon Business Owner (retired)
Wrinkledpups Bloodhound kennel and Redi K9Services
Breeder (retired)
1997-2006 German Shepherd Tracking Dogs, SAR K9
and AKC Mantrailing Bloodhounds
1980-90's weight pulling and show T.A's APBT 

Why should we prepare for Emergencies and Disasters ?

By preparing for the worst

You learn what to do 

With practice your actions become habits

And turn the worst into steps you walk to survive

Fear is replaced with the knowledge of knowing what to do

Confidence is restored

Especially when you have a partner, you can count on…

Like your dog

Read on Amazon worldwide
or get a hard copy via contact page
ask for the The Family Disaster Dog Book

.

The Family Disaster Dog book shows you how to train your family dog to rescue you in disasters and emergencies; like floods, earthquakes and tornadoes; how to find a lost family member or friend with your dog and many other skills, along with how to Shelter-in-Place, pack a bug out bag and evacuate.

Family Disaster Dogs Go-Bags are dog backpacks full of human and pet survival items to bug-out with when emergencies, disasters or evacuation hit home.

Thanks for passing this info on and stay safe everyone!

If you would like a signed copy.. email me

Feel free to ask a dog training question !

Look for these books of mine:

1. Family Disaster Dogs by Amber Higgins
2. How-to Evacuate with Pets-Dog Bug-out Bag by Amber Higgins
3. A Squirrel Planted an Acorn by Amber Higgins
4. Mantrailing Book coming out in 2021

Start at the book below for a free preview and remember to rate or review !

Interesting Search Dog Facts

Did you know 1 dog equals 100 humans ?

Interesting Search Dog Facts

Did you know 1 trained search dog equals 100 trained human rescuers?

That's right one well trained search dog can cover more ground in less time then one hundred highly trained and skilled human searchers.

Plus we humans cannot use our nose to help  :)




Did you know a dog can learn to find a person who has enter a car and driven down a highway for many miles ?

Here's how,

*I am writing this in simple terms for an easier understanding as this subject is very complex.

When a person is in a car, the person's scent particles are in the air inside the car.

All cars have air vent systems that recirculate fresh air from outside of the car to the inside of the car.

When the air is recirculated the scent particles are carried out of the car and come to rest along the roadway.

A dog can find the scent particles and follow the trail of the car as easily as if the person was walking

Another Interesting Fact

My "Rea Valley's Incredible Sue" Bloodhound

Search dogs and Bloodhounds in particular will take the shortest route to a person and the way the dog goes may not be anywhere near where the subject actually walked.

How is this possible?

Here's how,

Air currents can carry a person's scent over valleys and hollows, through openings in brush or into impressions in the earth's surface as well as indoors or around a house. Wherever the wind currents can reach so can the scent particles.

A person might walk all the way around a valley or a low spot in the country side because they do not want to climb down and back up the other side and if a dog is sent to find them, the dog might cut across the valley or low spot making a straight bee line for the subject.

Or, a short cut because the person is on the other side, much closer actually to the dog as the fresh scent is coming to the dog across the way or as the crow flies.

One More Great Fact

The fresher the scent the faster a dog will work when trailing or tracking ( yes there is a difference read about it on the tracking page). The closer they get the more excited the dogs are because the scent is fresher, closer and more enticing.


Happy Trails, Amber & Family Disaster Dogs  

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How to Encourage a Dog

Learn to love and watch a dog accomplish what they set out to do. Capture the moment that resides in all of us. The moment of accomplishment of though, focus, action and movement in perfect harmony.

This is what brings into creation the art of being able to put in motion a thought in real life with the joy of the moment. 

Dog love to please us, they have proven time and time again throughout history that they will do for us anything we ask or need with tail wagging joy and total commitment.

They learn early on to come to us and ask us to take them for a walk, to feed them and to love them. They know how to get our attention and we've all heard about how well our dogs train us.

A well trained dog is actually a partnership built on trust and love with its handler.

Dogs that are trained to fear being wrong are not working with their handler as a teammate, as a partner. They are reacting from fear of punishment and have learned that the handler will scare them if they do that behavior again.

They have not learned to think of the performance but of the punishment. Even the slightest punishment puts the dog's attention on what you are doing "to" him and not what he is doing at the moment.

We want your dogs to be thinking of what they can do for you instead of what you might do to them. 

Playing in the water on a hot Ozark dayWrinkledpups Beauregard "Bo"
(1999-2003)

Training dogs with food rewards can bring on a similar response where the dog is only working for the food and not with you as a team member. Food therefore, is only recommended as a way to motivate the dog to begin to pay attention and then the food should be replaced with praise that leads to teamwork.

Miss Lilly and Tammi
2005
We're so proud of these 2 !

Tammi, Lilly and Bert (pictured below) are a team we are extremely proud of. 

Lilly, along with Wrinkledpups Bloodhound Bert and Tammi made an incredible 1st Find after only a short time in training. Tammi got Lilly from us when Lilly was 6 yrs old and Bert when he was 6 months old. 

These were Tammi's first Bloodhounds and after training for only a few months with a local law enforcement trainer in their area, they were called on a search for a missing elderly couple.

The couple's car was found after the couple had been missing for quite a long time. Tammi called me to tell me after she scented the dogs on the car, both dogs led her through the woods to a old empty house. Lilly went to the sofa and got on the sofa then the floor and she did not want to move. Bert scratched at the floor and walls. The house was a mess, full of trash and furnishings everywhere. It looked like nobody had been in the house for years.

Tammy could not figure out what was wrong with the dogs. Lilly did not want to do anything but lay there. Bert ? Well he was young and maybe just wanted to play?

Always trust your dog...I told her to go back and do the same as she did before. Watch the dogs, they are trying to tell her something. She did exactly that and with the police, the elderly couple was found buried in the wall and floor of the house. They had been murdered and missing for months. 

Never underestimate your dog.

Bert and Tammi
Thank you Tammi, Bert and Lilly
for making us proud