If I ask you why you raise dogs, you’d probably reply that I love dogs more than anyone else. Yet, dogs play a vital role in our lives and perform many jobs. It’s not only the love and care you get from them, but also they search for missing things and help you in rescuing them. For example, search and rescue dogs help work with teams to find missing persons after an accident, natural disaster, and more. So, dive into the article and see what dog breeds help search and rescue processes.
What search and rescue dog breeds do?

Search and rescue dog breeds are capable of a wide range of tasks. Dog trainers train them to seek out and find people. You might have noticed that rescue missions use these dogs to discover people buried under rubble. These dogs use their sense of smell to trail people who have wandered away or gotten lost. Search and rescue dogs are ever ready to dig into dangerous situations such as deep waters to get hold of people and bring them safely to the place.
Labrador Retriever – One of the keen search and rescue dog breeds
Labrador Retrievers are all-rounders. They are highly intelligent. You may let it sniff a piece of cloth or any signs of the person to be discovered, it may go after the trails of discoveries they have identified through sensing. They excel in finding people trapped during a disaster or sniffing out someone who has wandered off.
German Shepherd – Well-Known rescue dog used since World Wars
German shepherds have gained popularity as one of the search and rescue dog breeds since the time of world wars. They have helped in finding lost soldiers during World Wars and rescuing people trapped after an emergency. So, their intelligence and drive to please make them fast learners of any task.
Bloodhound – one of the top tracking breeds.
Bloodhounds are very well known for their noses. They are extremely good at tracking. Thus, it ranked among one of the top tracking breeds. They are so sensitive and can find a trail nearly 130 miles away or several days old! You may make a bloodhound to sense the scent of the person you need to find out; To be honest it won’t stop until it reaches the end.
Golden Retriever – One of the eager-to-please breed
Golden Retriever is another eager-to-please breed that loves search and rescue work. As labradors, they are too smart and work ethically, making them a great variety of dog breeds for search and rescue activities. They’ll work tirelessly to find missing people, and they get extra excited when they find someone.
Newfoundland – Search and rescue dog breeds that excelled in work on the water
The Newfoundland excels at search and rescue work on the water. You might have seen that rescue missions use dogs to find people trapped in lakes and other bodies of water. They are none other than the Newfoundlands. Unlike other dog breeds, they have webbed feet and strong muscles which make them powerful swimmers, and they’ll quickly grab and tug the person safely to shore.
Belgian Malinois – A Strong drive-to-work breed
The Belgian Malinois is a breed with a strong drive to work. They are intelligent which makes them well-suited to search and rescue tasks. They pick up the commands easily and are intelligent enough to figure out puzzles to help bring an injured person to safety.
Basset Hound – Find the trails of missing people
The Basset Hound is an excellent dog breed that helps in finding the trails of missing people and tracking them down. Even though the Basset Hound’s power of sense is not as powerful as Bloodhounds, its short legs keep it low to the ground. It helps them easily to pick up the scent.
Coonhound
Coohounds are originally bred for hunting like many other scent hounds. But, you can also use them in search and rescue work as well. Their endurance helps them to track people over longer distances without tiring themselves.
Beagle – Wander away from homes in search of a scent
Beagles are small. And, they have a lot of heart and drive. They wander away from home in search of a scent, irrespective of everything else, until they find their prey. This strong drive works just as well in search and rescue work. The strong prey drive leads them to find the path happily while barking on its way to the prey.
Saint BernardÂ
Saint Bernards helped in finding missing hikers in the Swiss Alps. They have strong muscles and thick coats which make them well-suited for work in mountainous conditions. Their strength makes them capable of pulling sleds and carts. So, it makes it easier to transport an injured person to safety.
Adopt a dog that benefits you in both ways. At times a dog can be your lover but also your rescue.