Selective aptitude tests

It has been observed that the most appropriate age to submit a dog to a new evaluation process is around one year. This will allow us to become oriented with the dog's aptitude and see if the dog will develop the necessary functions to work in disaster rescues. The most important thing for a dog to have in order to do this job is the following:

• Sociability
• Impulse level
• Search instinct
• Response to heights
• Resistance to sound impact

Any aspiring rescue guides must need to be able to overcome a big list of specific aptitude tests related to different aspects such as:

• General strength
• Cardiovascular resistance
• Psychophysical resistance in extreme situations and confined places
• Stair climbing skills while having to hold onto the dog
• Aquatic rescue
• Rigorous theory exams as well as aptitude and basic special knowledge.

It is very important that the dog become used to sharing this "game" with other strangers and that he learn to bark consistently by straightforward impulse that originates a resulting excited state. Conditioning the dog's bark should be avoided as much as possible to the visible person as a resource of valid demand, which, would then be used as generalization in other situations with harmful consequences. Some people are also against conditioning the emission of the dog's bark to the pronunciation of an order.