Service dogs and their handlers working for the Russian Emergencies Ministry held a demonstration on Thursday to show off the skills of the four-legged rescuers. The event was hosted by the Russia EXPO international exhibition at the All-Russian Exhibition Center (VDNKh) in Moscow.
The demonstration featured elements of obedience training and obstacle course exercises. It also showed how sniffer dogs look for explosives or missing persons, and showcased the equipment used for the tasks.
According to the handlers that took part in the demonstration, training a search and rescue (SAR) dog takes between one and two years. Upon completion of the training, the canines undergo a three-stage examination that tests their obedience, ability to sniff out people trapped under rubble, and tracking down those lost in the wilderness.
“People often get lost in forests, especially older people and children. Emergency services use Labrador Retrievers because these dogs never display aggression. Sometimes people may be afraid, some may be in shock after being lost for a long time, others want to hug the dog. The dog must be ready for that,” said Evgeniya Solovyova, the handler of a three-year-old trainee Labrador named Kira.
The event on June 20 marked 28 years since the service was established within the Russian Emergencies Ministry.
The Russia EXPO launched in November 2023 and will run through early July of this year. The forum has hosted numerous cultural, scientific, and political events, its main objective being to present the achievements of the Russian people in a wide variety of sectors within a single venue.