Mantrailing Bloodhound History

Bloodhound History

My Sammy 1 yr old Bloodhound Mantrailer
all rights reserved Amber Higgins

Not long ago, the bloodhound was the only breed in the USA that was a Mantrailing dog. Which is a trailing type of hunting dog that is used for find living human beings who are on the move and not animals.

A Mantrailing dog follows the person's scent as the person moves and leaves a trail of scent. The dogs will go anywhere the person or scent has gone until the end of the trail or they find the person. Many times the person may no longer be living but the bloodhound will find the body because of the scent trail the person created. If a recently deceased body is moved the bloodhound will continue to follow the scent.

Other breeds are and were known as tracking dogs. And, the bloodhound was the only breed of dog that was allowed to be used to prove a person’s identity in a court of law.

Photo by A. Higgins all rights reserved

The phrase Mantrailing was first used by bloodhound handlers because the breed was used to trail people. Over time training standards and methods developed to be used to train newcomers how-to handle the breed. In the past, the breed was rarely only a pet and not long ago there were not many breeders across the USA, we as breeders either worked to find missing persons or to preserve the breed in the show ring. The breed was then considered a rare breed.

Here in America, the breed was first used to find runaway criminals and yes, runaway slaves back when the breed came with our founding fathers to build the USA. When Search and Rescue became an organized volunteer effort, the bloodhound and other breeds were used as search dogs.

Today in the USA, the incredible nose and stamina of the bloodhound continues to be used for “Mantrailing” with police and trained volunteer Search and Rescue teams.

In the last decade the breed has become more popular as a pet, although they are difficult to train in obedience and manners, and often are called stubborn because of the determination that has been bred into the breed to continue on a trail to find a missing person.

They really are not stubborn but very willing to please when they are not following their nose which they often do constantly because a good mantrailing dog is bred to do just that.

Photo A. Higgins-all rights reserved

Pictured above is my bloodhound Gus who I rescued last year after him and brother Sam were abandoned during very cold weather. They are young and still growing in these pictures

The bloodhound will follow a scent off a high mountain rock wall, up a train track even with a train coming at them because they are so focused on the scent its as if they are wearing blinders blocking out the surroundings.

The breed gets lost easily which is rather ironic because they find person but will get lost themselves. For this reason it’s always recommended to keep them leashed because once they find a scent they like to follow, away they go and many do not back track and find their way home. They will run for miles and finally when they stop they do not know where they are.

The name bloodhound is often thought to be given to the breed because they track or follow a blood trail. This is not true. The dogs are actually named a bloodhound because they were one of the first breeds of dogs that had a pedigree, Therefore it was a blue blooded hound or purebred.

The bloodhound was originally bred in a monastery in Belgium for over 700 years and the monks kept a pedigree of the dogs they bred, those dogs were called Saint Herbert Hounds. Back then the dogs were solid white. 

When explorers and travelers found the monastery, the monks would often give a pair of hounds to the travelers to take back to their own countries.

Consequently, the white hounds were considered quite sacred coming from the monks. When the dogs arrived in the other countries they were bred with local hounds and they lost their white coats. Slowly over time the breed became black and tans, liver and red in color. They also became known as the Bloodhound because they were a pure blooded hound.

If you would like to learn more about mantrailing, have a look at my books on the book page, I hope you enjoyed this post.

Happy trails to you in the new year, 

Amber Higgins

Founder and author of Family Disaster Dogs

Coming soon to Family Disaster Dogs Online-weekly posts to Train a Dog to Find People

 Hey everyone, 

Here's hoping your 2022 is off to a great start!

Over the next couple of  months I will be posting weekly about how to start training a dog to find people for the fun of it, for sport and for search dog work.

The upcoming posts will be a great way to have a fun activity to do with your dogs! 

Plus, friends and family will be amazed at how quickly your dog can find them !

Some dogs need an activity that helps them to destress and relax just like people do. The upcoming posts will give you and your dog a great way to do just that!

Reactive dog? Hyper Dog? The skills you'll learn are a great way to redirect that energy in a safer calm controlled situation. 

Here's my dog and I getting ready to track a hidden person down!

Copyright A.Higgins

Did you know there are dog sports that use the skills search and rescue dogs do? 

In the sport of K9SAR, dog and owner/handler teams practice and have fun finding hidden people with a dog. Here's a cool site to learn more about the sport which is slowly gaining interest in the USA and much more popular overseas. If you would like to get involved in the sport, feel free to contact me. I can help you train and participate. 

All breeds and age of dogs are welcome.  

Mainly though, I will be posting because with the increase in natural disasters we are seeing worldwide I want to help everyone learn an easy way to find family or friends in the event anyone was to go missing.  

Also I want to encourage and help anyone interested in learning how to volunteer for Search and Rescue get started. 

Although the posts will give everyone a fun way to spend time with dogs, family and friends additionally, those who wish to advance into dog sports and search dog work will learn how to get started. 

Let's have some fun this year, and follow our dogs!

Be sure to sign up for the newsletter and upcoming posts at the pop-up window. (reload page for pop up). Feel free to use the contact page above in the page menu to learn more. You can find Family Disaster Dogs on Facebook with a simple search to follow, like the page and join the group.

Stay safe out there,

Amber

Founder and author of Family Disaster Dogs

Welcome to the Exciting New K9 Search and Rescue Sport in America

K9 Search and Rescue Sport

K9 Search and Rescue is quickly becoming a popular fun sport to do with all breeds of dogs.

We welcome you to learn more about how to get involved and train your dog to compete with other dogs as a fun and challenging sport to find a hidden person via mantrailing, tracking and area search plus more with The American Rettungshunde Sport Association. (click to learn more and join)

The ARSA is dedicated to the search and rescue sport. It is incorporated as a non-stock (not-for-profit) corporation in the State of Virginia and is a member of the American Working Dog Federation.  

About Search and Rescue Sport (IPO-R)

Are you looking for another sport that’s compatible with your current interests? 

IPO-R is an FCI sanctioned sport that has many similarities to IGP (Schutzhund) and is an ideal supplement to not only but also AKC tracking, obedience, and agility. Trials consist of two phases – a search phase and an obedience with a dexterity phase. 

The sport has 3 levels, an introductory level (V) and the more professional levels, A and B. 

At each level, you can trial and earn titles in all the different search options. Furthermore, you can do only search work or only obedience and dexterity at a trial if you prefer. 

Search Phase 

track 

area search 

rubble search

mantrailing 

avalanche search 

water rescue

Obedience and Dexterity  

heeling with changes of pace

closed tunnel

down stay

changes of position at a distance

carry your dog

heeling over a difficult surface

Get more detailed information about these and other exercises in the international rules at ARSA

Trial levels

 Introductory level (V)

Levels A and B.

At each level, you can trial and earn titles in all the different search options – for example A-tracking, A-area search, A-mantrailing, and so on. 

You can do only search work or only obedience and dexterity at a trial if you prefer. 

Look at the ARSA website for a trainer near you or contact them for how to get started.

As a member and trainer with ARSA , I'm available to help train you and your dog via online, phone and email with in-person training workshops starting in the spring of  2022 so feel free to contact me via the contact page here at Family Disaster Dogs. 

The Sport of Mantrailing Train a Dog to Find People

Welcome to 

The Sport of Mantrailing

Train a Dog to Find People

Hey everyone, 

How about a fun activity and sport to do with your dog?

Have you thought of learning how to find people with a dog? 

Pictured is my dog being rewarded for finding the boy 

Does your dog need a way to use to burn off extra energy or something to do? 

Would you like to give your dog a job to do? 

The sport of Mantrailing may be a perfect match for you.

Mantrailing ...is a search and rescue skill set that is quickly becoming popular with all dogs as a really fantastic sport to be involved in.

You and your dog learn to work together as a team .. to find a "missing person" who is well hidden from you!

Friends and family will be amazed with how fast your dog can find them.

Mantrailing is a great fun rewarding sport where dogs love showing us how well they can use their nose.

Here's my dog Mantrailing to find a hidden person

I have been writing about mantrailing for many years on this site although I have seldom mentioned the actual term of Man Trailing because I was writing to families and the public about training family dogs to find family in disasters, along with other dog skills. 

The dog training lessons in Family Disaster Dogs book train family dogs to find friends and family using Mantrailing skills and the lesson in My Puppy Can Find Me children's book uses the same principle of training a dog to find people.  

I will be posting upcoming training opportunities, workshops and seminars from different organizations and dog clubs that are welcoming the public to train with them.

Follow Family Disaster Dogs on Facebook or come back often to stay updated on events you may want to attend. 

Sign up for updates to this site using the pop up window.

Contact me at contact@familydisasterdogs.com if you want help to train your dog. I train in person, over the phone or internet

The book features actual working search and rescue dogs from North Scotland Response Rescue International and a multi-talented USA Sport Dog Champion, plus dogs I have trained. A share of sales is donated to help RRI North Scotland aid in the search for missing persons.

Click the book to see a preview

Family Disaster Dogs Updates fall 2021 New Emergency Links, Guides, Books, K9SAR

 Hi everyone, 

I've been busy updating the site, getting the new book published and more as everything opens up again after the last year and half of lockdowns. I hope everyone is doing good as Covid19, Delta and current events continue to affect everything. 

Here's some updates to the site's emergency links page.

The emergency links page is a long page full of helpful links-check it out at the link above and keep scrolling once there.

Keep scrolling this page has many resources and helpful sites to see!

Click the Blue links to be taken to that web site, thank you for visiting  Family Disaster Dogs...if you want to be added here or to advertise with us email me from the contact page in the menu 

Other books by the author of Family Disaster Dogs

Nov 2019 The children's book "My Puppy Can Find Me" with UK dog cartoonists Scotty King artwork teaches children and family how to train their puppy to find mom or the child.  

Sept 11, 2021 New book released "Start Mantrailing" Step by Step for fun, sport and work. Here's the full cover.  Featuring photos from RRI North Scotland search and rescue dogs plus USA K9sport top dog, Super Kludde and dogs I have trained for mantrailing.

Cover dog RRI K9 Amber  (For UK K9SAR training and response look for RRI North Scotland on Facebook)

The paperback is available at Amazon worldwide and the eBook as a direct download from my new store below. 

 See all my dog books at my author page click here

New Family Disaster Dogs store has the books and eBooks available for those who do not shop at Amazon.  I will be adding a few dog training items and more in the future. 

Visit the new store here at FDD K9 Books Shop

Please leave me reviews on my books at Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes Noble, facebook and wherever you happen to see them. Reviews really help other people find the books. Thank you  

"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.






Be sure to visit our home page at Family Disaster Dogs FamilyDisasterDogs.com

We are now part of the Missing Persons Center  (click blue name ) please have a look  and join if you would like to help find missing persons.

I'm also a member of the American Mantrailing, Police & Work Dog Association.

Although I will not be attending the event, I want to share with everyone who is interested that they will be awarding the Fall 2021 "United States National Champion Mantrailing Team" in Sept 2021 to each division upon completion of the AMPWDA Fall National K-9 Search & Rescue Seminar.

The participating Team with the highest score on a Level 1 Certification, the Team with the highest score on a level 2 Certification and The participating Team with the highest score on a Urban Certification will be named as "United States National Champion Mantrailing Team" in their category. For information about training and seminars click here.

Here's another great resource for Search and Rescue dog handlers and those looking for a missing loved one. K9 trainer, handler and author Harry Oakes has over 49 years experience working to find missing persons. He is well known and liked by many but not by some which happens when you have been active in any field for so many years. His expertise and his track record speaks for itself. Read his books at his site.

Here's a great Article about a Dog's Nose from Your Dog Advisor website. They just published an updated, comprehensive guide on dog nose. It is completely free and you can find by clicking here

Here is equipment I use when training a dog to find people. (We do make a few cents from amazon when you purchase through the links, all proceeds are used to help cost of publishing the site and free lessons. Thank you for your support)

In Dogs We Trust

Mantrailing for Fun, Sport and Working Dogs from Family Disaster Dogs

Coming Soon...a new book that shows everyone how Mantrailing is a great activity to do with all breeds of dogs!

What is Mantrailing? 

Mantrailing is using a dog's natural hunting ability to find one person in a crowd.

Mantrailing is a bloodhound specialty that all breeds of dogs can do too!

Mantrailing dogs smell what we cannot see!

In my Family Disaster Dogs book I tell people how any breed of dog can find its family and friends who go missing. As a Mantrailing dog trainer for many years I use this type of training in my book and in person for family disaster dogs of all breeds. 

More recently, dog trainers, dog clubs and pet owners everywhere are starting to find out that this is a great activity not only for Search and Rescue dogs but for all dogs to learn as a fun play day outside or as a sporting event.

As I noticed Mantrailing becoming popular outside of K9SAR and after talking with a few trainers and SAR dog handlers/trainers, we realized there is a need for a book and step by step lessons to help show everyone how to do Mantrailing with all breeds. 

So I have been busy the last couple of months putting the knowledge I gained from 15 years of training and working with Mantrailing dogs and teaching others into a book with pictures and step by step instructions to help start dogs and owners/handlers on this amazing journey into the world of  finding hidden and missing persons with a dog. 

I'm writing the book in more or less three section, the first part covers a little history and what makes a mantrailing dog team. The second section gets everyone started in a very short time finding people with your dogs and pet dog owners who want to use this type of dog training as a fun game and outdoor activity will learn all they need in this second section. From there, you can go on to the next section to dig deeper and advance training for sport and competing in events or become a working search and rescue dog team. 

I will be posting more information soon. 

Be sure to follow Family Disaster Dogs on social media or sign up for the newsletters at the pop-up by refreshing this page. 

On Twitter you can find us under URDogCanRescueU 

Facebook there is a group and a page connected to each other and here is one link 

https://www.facebook.com/familydisasterdogs/

My author page on Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmberHiggins/

The Nose Knows! That's my bloodhound Daisy (RIP)

Below is me working my current dog partner Washee on a trail to find a hidden person. 

We are mantrailing 

Here's some of the dogs featured in the new book

Mark and Bella training to Mantrail

Here's Super Kludde 

who has so many titles from sport and working dog events to list 

He actually paints on canvas with a paint brush held in his mouth 

He's learning Mantrailing, as one of the first dogs to compete in 

Mantrailing as a sport in the USA

Here's a team from RRI-Scotland learning Mantrailing

Now on Audible- The Family Disaster Dogs and Evacuate with Your Dogs Help Books

 Now on Audible 

Hear the lessons while you train your dog!

Listen anywhere! 

Best of all, as a new Release preview, I'm giving you the books for Free to hear and download to your audible account on any device. If you do not have audibles click here to get a Free Trial on Audible to Listen to the Family Disaster Dogs Book  

Please share this page with friends and family so others can learn how dogs are willing to help us. Thank you 

 

If you Do Not use Amazon and would like a paperback or ebook copy of any of my books listed below. Contact me to buy one directly from the author and I will mail the books to you. Thank you!

⬇⬇ click the blue titles to go to Amazon Book Page

Available in Paperback, Kindle (free) and Audible (free) Free offers are for a limited time, visit the page soon. 

The Family Disaster Book  

Evacuate with Your Dogs Help

Both are available as Kindle and Paperback...

click the book cover above for more info 

I'm available for speaking at retail outlets, pet rescues, shelters, community groups and events at no cost to the group or event. I advertise, set-up and promote your cause, business or event. Contact me at contact@familydisasterdogs.com

Coming in 2021 a new Scent Dog Book, New Family Disaster Dog Site and more

 Coming in 2021

Welcome to the New Year 2021! 

With the start of the new year, I want to wish everyone the best in the coming months. 

I want to say Thank you for the support the last year, for the many visits, shares and comments to my articles and the Family Disaster Dogs blog, Facebook page and group. (look FB up)

Thank you for following me on Twitter at #UrDogCanRescueU   

It's come time to update this blog and make a few changes that will benefit you, me and dogs. 

copyright 2020

Here's what I'm working on for 2021 

A New Dog Training Book 

I hope to have this new dog training book available by spring 2021. As the book comes together I will share more news about what type of training. Be sure to sign up for newsletters in the pop-up window when you go to another post or first visit this post or join from the email box below this post. You can follow me on social media links below to get updates too!

A Whole New Family Disaster Dogs Website 

I've started to built a main FDD site several times over the years and the main reason I didn't is that this blog worked well. 

The page you are reading right now is a page of a blog that grew to look like a site. This way of getting information to everyone around the world has worked well for many years and grown to over 250 pages of articles I have wrote with a whole menu of pages. There are many daily visitors seeking more about search dog training and scent dogs.

In order to continue sharing a whole lot more information about dog training for disasters and missing persons plus make the info easy to find. I'm working on a new website that will include dog training courses, books, lessons, newsletters, a member's area, and more. I will making my books available directly from me, the author and dog trainer not only Amazon for those of you who would rather buy directly. I'm tired of the middle person web places making more than I do on my hard work. The books will stay on Amazon, Google and sites but also be available for download and purchase from my new site. All my courses will be available as direct download from me too. 

Once the virus is under control and life back to allowing me to have in-person events I will post updates for book signings, public speaking at community gatherings and dog training.

Feel free to contact me to talk dogs.

Stay safe and well out there!

 

Amber Higgins 

 

The Story Behind the Family Disaster Dogs idea, books, blog and lessons

Interview With Author Amber Higgins on NFREADS.COM

Please introduce yourself and your books!

Hello,

I’m Amber Higgins, the author of three books that tell dog owners how to use the family dog to find missing loved ones and help during disasters. I’ve also self-published a short story called, “A Squirrel Planted an Acorn”.

I always was a writer and dog lover. My work was first published offline in the 1990’s in magazines and newspapers, including a weekly herbal health column that ran two years. I set writing aside for about fifteen years to volunteer with my bloodhounds and German shepherds I raised, trained and placed nationwide for search and rescue work. I’ve worked with pets since 1976 as a professional master groomer, dog trainer and pet business owner until recently semi-retiring to spend more time writing.

What is the story behind your book(s)?

When the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, we were awakened at 3 am by tsunami sirens and evacuation phone calls on the Oregon coast where I was living writing other books. As I was watching the event unfold on television because we lived on a hill and were safe, I looked at my bloodhound Daisy who sat next to me and the idea for the Family Disaster Dog books dawned on me.

All of a sudden I thought of the many ways our dogs can help us! Family dogs can learn how to help their owners like search dogs do! Our own dogs can find us! They do this everyday when they want to play or go outside, our dogs are always wishing to follow us so why not ask them to find people they love who may be lost or trapped after an earthquake or tsunami ? Dogs can carry evacuation bags for young children, seniors and disabled family members who cannot carry the weight themselves!

That night, I began writing the “Family Disaster Dogs” book and lessons tailored to fit any dog’s household and family. Every dog can do something ! One simple skill may save a life. I knew that writing a book and publishing takes time so I started a blog to reach dog owners as I wrote the book. Right away, people online loved the idea!

Today, there are over two hundred Family Disaster Dogs articles online and the site has daily visitors from all over the world. The original Family Disaster Dogs book was published in 2015 by a publisher who went out of business 2016. I added 50 more pages of lessons and self-published the second edition in 2017 along with a small but helpful book called Evacuate with Your Dog’s Help-Survival Bag List.

My children’s book with illustrations by UK dog cartoonist, Scotty King, was recently released by Waldorf Publishing (2019).

What were the best, worst and most surprising things you encountered during the entire process of completing your book(s)?

I was surprised that dogs and owners as far away as Scotland and Australia were learning from what I posted on the blog! This encouraged me to keep the lesson ideas flowing, they were learning valuable skills with their dogs and what to do in emergencies to help themselves and communities. The best thing was that people wanted to know more. The worst experience was my first publisher going out of business a year after publishing the book.

What are your plans for future books?

I have two more children’s books in this genre planned and three other children books in draft I wrote years ago, along with a novel almost completed.

Tell us some quirky facts about yourself

I once lived on a mountain top 4 miles to the nearest electric pole and wrote by the flame of an oil lantern. I wrote my young daughter children books for Christmas on an old royal typewriter under the glow of the oil lamp. One day I will self-publish those books I have carried around in draft for thirty years.

Amazon author page is  https://www.amazon.com/Amber-Higgins/

Twitter is @URdogCanRescueU

Facebook author page is  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmberHiggins/

Facebook Family Disaster Dogs page is  https://www.facebook.com/familydisasterdogs/

Website https://www.familydisasterdogs.com

Books

Evacuate with Your Dog's Help

My Puppy Can Find Me Publisher Page

https://www.waldorfpublishing.com/collections/2019/products/my-puppy-can-find-me

Air Scenting with a Dog's Nose-Train a Scent Dog to Area Search for People

 check out my book on Amazon

Air Scenting Detection Dog

2018 Update: Click for the new "Family Disaster Dogs" book on Amazon from the author and you get all the lessons, dog bug-out bag list and CPR all on your device.

2021 New Book Release "Start Mantrailing - Train A Dog to Find People" Step by Step for Work, Sport and Fun. By Amber Higgins featuring dogs from the USA and UK 

Air Scenting by A.Higgins

In this lesson we will discuss how your family dog can work as an Area Search dog. The area/air scenting search dog is what we most often see on television working in disasters with FEMA rescuers. These dogs are most often called disaster dogs, area search dogs, air scenting dogs. Area search dogs are trained for different jobs. Some look for people, some look for drugs or whatever they are trained to find. In this article we are discussing search and rescue dogs that look for live or recently deceased people in disasters. 

These dogs are trained to pick up and follow human scent that is floating on the air, buried in rubble or concentrated in one location.  When scent is released from a person or source object (examples of a source odor-drug, bomb, person, human remains) the particles are dense and form a type of invisible cloud that slowly moves away from the person in a cone like pattern. The scent particles drift further apart the further away from the point of release or person. Therefore spreading from a narrow cloud the at the person to a wide cloud. See the illustration below.

As you can see by the illustration the scent dissipates and spreads out 

further from the person. 

The Air Scenting / Area Search dog is trained to find any human scent floating in the air and to follow the scent cone to the person.  As the dog works the scent cone closer to the person the area the dog works becomes smaller and smaller indicating that the person is near.

For instance, when a air scenting dog is ask to search a large meadow the dog will go back and forth crossing the area seeking scent particles. This is called Casting. As the dog moves across the field the dog encounters the human scent on the wind and continues smelling the scent until they reach the edge of the scent cloud.

The dog then naturally turns at the edge of the cloud

to stay in the scent cloud and works the scent to the 

other side of the scent cloud where the dog turns again 

into the cloud. As the dog moves back and fourth casting and working

the scent cloud in this cross back pattern the dog moves

towards the subject into a smaller and smaller area 

until they reach the person. 

A dog when allowed to work the scent on their own will use the wind to their favor. You can learn to read your dog by watching how they react when working a scent cloud. Watch how your dog finds the wide side of the cloud and works less and less land until they reach the person. 

Because the dog is looking for any human scent in the area they will find any human beings in the area regardless if the person is lost or not. This accounts for air scenting dogs not finding a lost person in a heavily populated or contaminated area. The area should be cleared of all human beings before training a dog to air scent on command. Otherwise you will spend all day going from one person to another until the dog has found every person in the park for you.

To train your dog to do air scenting all you really have to do is watch the dog while they work a scent then you will know what to look for. Dogs are working scents even in their sleep, they know what each scent means and it is up to us to learn how the dog is working the scent so we can follow them to the person. This is what's meant by reading a dog.

When working with your dog on Air Scenting the location is important in order for your dog not to become confused. School yards and parks that are empty along with wooded areas where people seldom travel are best for beginning dogs and owners.

Depending on your dog. you can do this lesson off leash or on a long tracking lead. Many trainers today use shock collars and training collars which I do not believe in using these. I believe in using teamwork, taking my time to establish the lesson, and a leash if need be until taught to work off-leash.

You will not have to have the person make a trail or course like in the tracking or trailing lessons.

Instead, have the person talk with your dog while you hold your dog. Then have the person run away from the dog and hide in the large indoor or outdoor area. As soon as they are hidden turn your dog loose and say “Find them” or “Seek”. 

As your dog moves off to look for the person watch how the dog works the air with its nose. The head will go up when they find a scent and the nose will go to work. Follow your dog to the person and pay attention to how the dog works the scent cone so you will know next time.

If your dog does not go right away to look for the person then encourage your dog to go find them by going yourself.  Talk to your dog and ask them to go find the person with you. When you find the person have them pet and praise your dog. It’s okay for the person to offer the dog a little treat so next time your dog really wants to look for that treat.

Repeat this 3 or 4 times each time you go out to work with your dog a couple of days a week. This is a good lesson to end a training session with because the end result is the dog finding a person on their own to receive praise and attention. A happy moment to be remember by the dog which encourages your dog to do this again for you when you ask.

Use different people and as your dog gets faster at finding them then have the person hide for 5 minutes, then 10 minutes and 15 minutes making the time longer each week until your dog can find somebody who has been hiding for 1 hour on a few acres of land.

Use different areas and surfaces but do use care with traffic and public places where you or your dog can get hurt. You can do these lessons inside a large building such as a multi unit parking garage or warehouse. The larger the area the better but at first do not have the person go to far away from you and your dog.

These lessons are not made to fool the dog or to make finding a person any harder for a dog to do. After all, a dog already knows how to use its nose. It’s you who is learning how to find people not your dog. You are learning to trust your dog.

You can read about the different types of Search Dogs in my Start Mantrailing book.

Get my children's book that shows your young child what to do if lost and how the family dog can find mom! It's a fun activity book with games the whole family can play with dogs to learn how to find lost or missing family members! Art from UK Dog Cartoonist "Scotty"

 Kill Ticks that spread Lyme disease, fleas and mosquito all summer with one collar. 

This really works! 

Here's a good book I recommend. 

All purchases help support the Family Disaster Dogs Free Dog Training Site

A very small commission from ads on this site help maintain the site and keep these lessons free to the public. I really do not make much money on book sells after publishing cost, plus I offer all the books free on Kindle Unlimited and Audible discounts to help everyone interested to be able to train Search and Rescue Dogs worldwide. 

If you would like a signed paperback directly from me, the author, visit the Family Disaster Dogs book page

Stay safe out there!

Follow us on Facebook 

Twitter @URDogCanRescueU

How to Find a Missing Person with Your Dog- Find a Family Member with Your Own dog

How to Find a Person with Your Dog

In the event of a lost and missing loved one or friend your family dog can be your best resource for a swift recovery. 

Why? Because your dog is closer to the location then official search dogs who have to be called in which takes anywhere from 1 hour to 3 days.

Do you want to wait this long to start looking?

I don’t think you should either.

Your dog is fast and has a very good nose. Regardless of their age or breed all dogs have very good scenting ability and they know where we are when we don’t even consider they do.

A dog keeps track of the pack in ways we haven’t even thought of. They know where everybody in the pack is at so why not ask them to find a missing pack member?

I see no reason why not to try to help with your own dog during this type of incident. While you wait for officials ask your dog where the person is then follow your dog.


1 dog on a search equals 100 police doing a line search over an open space so which do you think has better odds.

If you’ve followed any of the family search dog lessons on this site then if a loved one is missing you will know what to do.


Here are the steps to find a missing loved one with a dog

1. Read about the scent article  at that link 

2. Give your dog a scent article and follow your dog...That is all there is to it.

Keep these points in mind

1. Do not try to out guess or think for your dog, do not think at all about where or what the person may of done. 

2. Your thinking interferes with the dog’s work because you do not have a nose or the 7th sense to know where pack members are like a dog, you will never know how this dog is doing this incredible feat so let them do what they know by only following them without giving them any direction at all.

3. Thinking for the dog is the biggest mistake search dog handlers make and this is why the dog will come up empty handed and this is the only reason.

4. When the dog is following the handler’s directions instead of their own nose they end up off course because the handler has no idea where the person is and does not trust the dog to do as they are asked.

5. Trust your dog and follow your dog to the missing person.

Here is an example of lost person incident where your dog can help you

Let’s say you’re at a playground with a young child who wanders away. You can’t find the child anywhere and remember your dog can.

You either call home for somebody to bring your dog or you go home as you call police and get your dog. Maybe your dog is as close as the car in the parking lot.

Remember 

LKL: The very last place you saw the child standing or the exact location or object they touched is the most important aspect of a successful rescue.


Guard and Save the LKL and Scent: You can use a tissue paper or paper towel to wipe the scent of your lost person from the equipment or bench when you are waiting for your dog.


If you have to wait for your dog, guard the last known location or the spot of scent with your life. Do not let anybody or thing contaminate the last thing your child touched on the playground.


If you have to go get your dog, ask somebody at the playground to keep other people and animals away from the place the child had been sitting or playing.

As soon as your dog arrives at the scene, the playground, take your dog to the LKL or  the exact location a person went missing from, such as- the last piece of equipment or bench your child was playing or sitting on.


1. Give your dog a smell of a scent article (the paper tissue) from the person or point to the bench the person was sitting on.


2. Let your dog smell the bench, equipment or the tissue paper that has only your scent and your lost child’s scent on it.

3. Once your dog has had time to smell the scent then ask them to find the person and follow your dog.




Many dogs do not look like they are doing much in the way of trailing; they kind of wander around a bit.

Trust your dog.
There is no rush because if you had not tried you would be waiting, doing nothing for others to come to the rescue.

The time following your dog is well spent even if your dog looks like they are not working. As long as they are moving forward they are on the move doing what you asked the best they can.

Every dog works its own way and if you allow them to do so, all you do is follow them around as they work the scents which are drifting all over on the air currents.

You would be wandering around aimlessly too if you were following scents drifting all over mixed in with millions of other scents.

Let your dog do this incredible feat and find that child before officials arrive, you can be safe and sound back at home with your dog and child.

I believe with the cutbacks nationwide in our community service branches, including law enforcement, fire and rescue that this is a very important lesson for you and your dog to learn.

We may not be able to count on the police if they are all laid off. 

We will have to depend on our own resources as more and more cutbacks occur.

You can be ready with your dog by your side to take care of yourself.

With practice, you can become self reliant instead of overwhelmed until officials arrive.

Visit Family Disaster Dogs online for more lessons and ideas about how your dog can rescue you in emergencies and disasters.

To learn more about searching with dogs, mantrailing and Bloodhounds you can visit one of my mentors, Bloodhound Expert and Mantrailing training method founder, Scent Sleeve inventor, Bill Tolhurst, website Home of the Big T 

Be sure and scroll down the page for a list of his books.

 "Each Step Begins a New Trail" Bill Tolhurst

"Blue Boy Homer"

Found 26 lost persons and 1 mountain lion who was staking the searchers!

The Purpose of the Wrinkles on a Bloodhound

The Purpose of the Wrinkles on a Bloodhound

pictured my bloodhound Wrinkledpups Daisy Mayham (RIP) copyright Amber Higgins

Many people are amazed to see a bloodhound's wrinkled skin in person. This breed of dog is definitely a conversation starter while on a walk with its human companions as every bloodhound or wrinkled dog owner knows-everyone who sees your hound and doesn't know will ask, " Is that a bloodhound?" and "Look at all those wrinkles !" 

Did you know there is actually a purpose behind all that loose skin on these dogs? Let's explore why bloodhounds have really loose flexible skin, loads of wrinkles and long long ears, especially as pups.

Mother nature and intentional breeding methods have created dogs in every size and style of coat imaginable. Especially with the popularity of designer dogs or the mixing of purebred dogs. The bloodhound is one of the oldest breeds of purebred dogs bred exclusively to find people not hunt animals. The loose skin and long ears are on these dogs are for a reason and do serve a purpose which helps this breed excel in its work and be a specialists in what they do. 

This dog breed is Not named a Bloodhound because the dogs track blood trails. They smell much more than only blood !

No, the dogs are named bloodhound because the blood lines were recorded and kept by monks for hundreds of years-so the dogs were first known as "blooded-hounds". They are the first recorded pedigreed dog breed thanks to the monks! Look up the Chien de Saint-Hubert and St Hubert hound for more about the history of this wrinkly pup.

The loose skin and wrinkles falling all over the pups face sometimes is not fun for the dog. Imagine looking down a flight of steps and as you bend your head down, all your hair falls in your face, covering your eyes! This happens with loose dog skin too!

Many bloodhounds are very reserved, wary and can appear shy to people who don't know them. The dogs are known to be reactive sometimes, meaning they may react in strange surroundings by bolting away from what has suddenly drawn its attention. 

The dogs will often spook at loud noises and flashes of objects or movement. Not all Bloodhounds do this but many do and it's actually nothing to do with being shy or scared it’s more about not being able to see when the skin is slipping around on the head, also the dog is being smart and savvy trying to get away from what they cannot see.  

I learned this first hand from Incredible Sue, who would not let anybody touch her unless she had found them in work or lived with them and I for at least six months. She would follow and find anybody and proved to be incredible in many ways.

"Rea Valley's Incredible Sue" My first Bloodhound 1996-2006
Born in Indiana, raised and worked in Arkansas, retired in Oregon

Bloodhounds will look afraid to us when most of them are not, the dogs are only getting the bearings on their surroundings and using their senses to figure out what the noise was or flash of movement was from under a ton of wrinkles and loose skin that gets in the way.

Good trailing Bloodhounds can be very wary and shy of new things because they are always ready to work a scent so they pay attention to nothing but the nose.

When the bloodhound nose is down the eyes are covered by wrinkles and folds of skin that capture and trap scent around the dog's face and nose as the dog moves. The long ears have a purpose to flap side to side as the dog is moving, fanning the air up from the ground into the wrinkled face.

The Bloodhound's amazing scenting abilities rely on the nose and not eyesight so having wrinkles fall over their eyes is natural for them but this does lead to a sometimes clumsy dog and puppies who will accidentally walk into a wall. Going up and down steps can be troublesome for young dogs when the skin on their forehead fall over the face and eyes get covered as they look down steps and from high places.

Read more about How a dog uses its nose >>>>click here to go to the page 

Go to Family Disaster Dogs to learn how any dog can rescue owners and family

Get my Bloodhound books 

 Wrinkledpups Daisy Mayham
2001-2013

Sambo 1999