Hero Dogs 2023: Here are the 10 breeds of adorable dog that make the best search and rescue dogs - including the loving Labrador 🐕
David Hepburn
·3-min read
Some dogs have the ability to rescue victims trapped in buildings toppled by natural disasters. (Photo: Canva/Getty Images)
Dogs make amazing pets as a huge number of us can attest to, having decided to welcome many new pups into our homes over the last couple of years.
Kennel Club figures show dog ownership soared over the global pandemic and have continued to rise since.
There are a whopping 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds, so there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest addition.
With the most sensitive nose in the dog world, with more than 300 million scent sensors at its disposal, the Bloodhound can follow smells that are weeks old. The dog's long ears help disturb odours from the ground and direct them to that amazing snout. (Photo: Canva/Getty Images)
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
Some dogs also excel in any number of important jobs, having the perfect range of attributes to carry out tasks.
For example, their day jobs can range from herding sheep to guiding blind and partially-sighted people about their daily lives.
What’s more, they are also experts at finding people – whether it’s criminals trying to evade arrest or the victims of natural disasters.
The Black and Tan Coonhound was only officially recognised by the UK Kennel Club in 2018 - making it Britain's newest pedigree dog. Popular in the US, they will happily follow a scent with single-minded determination for miles. It's an attribute that had been used for both hunting animimals (including the racoon it takes its name from) and missing people.
These are the 10 breeds that make the best search and rescue dogs.
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Although they are better known for their animal herding talents, the Border Collie's extreme intelligence and dedication to any task it's given, also makes them fine search and rescue dogs. (Photo: Canva/Getty Images)
The smallest of the best search and rescue breeds, the Beagle's close proximity to the ground helps it track scents. They are also naturally curious - meaning they are as keen to get to the source of the smell as the people they are trying to save. (Photo: Canva/Getty Images)
There's not much that the German Shepherd can't do - being a favourite breed for poliice, army and fire duties. Their incredible urge to please their handler and dedication to their demands, means they are also useful for search and rescue tasks. (Photo: Canva/Getty Images)
The Basset Hound is a close cousin of the Bloodhound and is a similarly great tracker. Running slightly closer to the ground, they have traditionally been used more to track small animals, but are also experts at sniffing out humans. (Photo: Canva/Getty Images)
The Labrador Retriever is the world's most popular dog and are a jack of all trades when it comes to search and rescue duties - being strong swimmers, fast runners, and able to track well. They are particularly good in disaster recovery situations. (Photo: Canva/Getty Images)
Newfoundlands were bred to help out fishermen and can swim in even the coldest waters - making them a top choice to rescue drowning swimmers. (Photo: Canva/Getty Images)
When most people think of a rescue dog it's the St Bernard that they picture - with it's (largely apocryphal) keg of brandy around its neck. Originally used as guard dogs, the monks of a monastery high in the Swiss Alps discovered that they were suberb at rescuing stranded hikers.
Particularly popular in continental Europe, the Belgian Malinois has bags of energy and stamina for even the longest search. Their sense of smell is so good they can even be trained to sniff out cancer and other illnesses. (Photo: Canva/Getty Images)
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