Sunday, October 2, 2011

BSW Day Two "What to do before you go"

NOTE: At the end of todays Post, I will answer, to the best of my ability, yesterdays posted Question from Pip.


OK, Lets get started

 Because we all love our humans, we want them to be safe.  We are watching out for them all the time and they don't even know it.  Sometimes though, they take off without us and don't even realize the dangers that await them.

So in todays post, lets teach them some things that will help us, should they ever get lost.

Every dog ready?

Here we go.....
 Before we ever let them leave (without us) on say a camping trip where heaven forbid, doggies can't go.  We need them to leave behind a few very important things.

A.    A Tin Foil Shoe-print.   This is very easy to do for kids and adults to.   (Did you know that the people who get lost the most are "adults")  so it is our job to teach them too.
       To make a tin foil shoeprint, place a piece of foil on the floor. (best to use carpet) 
       Then step onto the tin foil.  Lean onto your toes and then back on your heels.....then carefully step off.  Tah Dah....There you have a shoeprint.

That way if you get lost, the trackers and searchers can watch for the same pattern in the dirt that is on your foil.   Pretty Coolllllllll.....
B.  Also, especially for the youngins......a recent photo.   Since we all take so many photos this shouldn't be a problem.

You see, what happens is:  when or if you get lost and your a wee one....your family is very nervous and sometimes they have a hard time describing what you look like.   Thus...the photo.....


C.  Next we need a "Scent Article" with something that has your smell on it.  You know, like what we talked about yesterday.   Within 30 seconds of putting on a clean shirt, or socks....they become saturated with YOUR smell.....

Thus a "Dirty Sock"

D.  And Finally You need to "Leave a Note" behind.....It should tell your family:
1.   Where you are going
2.   When you will be back
3.   What you are wearing
4.   And make sure you are wearing the same shoes you used to make the shoe-print
Now take all those things, the tin foil shoe-print, the dirty sock, the photograph and the Note and put them all in a brown paper bag and give it to a family member to keep safe.

Good Job every doggie.
Lets keep those humans safe.  

See you tomorrow
Bert


ANWER TO YESTERDAYS COMMENTS:

Question was from Pip

Wow, I learned a lot. I loved the analogy of chocolate cake. Any idea how long a dog's scent memory is? Just curious how long they remember smells/people.

Well Pip,  My Vickie cannot give you exact proven answers to that question, but she can tell you of one search She and My Jamie went on where the search lasted for more than two months.

After the first week of searching, the dog handlers stopped having to carry the "Scent Article" around with them and just used the missing mans name.

The dogs knew exactly who they were looking for. 

Question from Luna

Luna said...


Do you know if I have more of those hairs cause I'm a Beagle? Or is my nose just stronger?

Hey there little Luna....I can look up the prejected amount of hairs for you but I gotta tell you, Beagles, houndogs and Bassets have a balancing tool that makes up for any lack of hairs in their noses.  You have your ears.  Those special ears, especially on hounds and bassetts help with the scent that is on the ground cause they cause an extra air draft with thier longness.

While it is true the bigger the dog, the more scent receptors they have, like up to 250 million of them.....and the smaller dogs have a few million less, YOU still have those wonderful ears.

28 comments:

Scooter said...

Hey Deputy Bert!
Wow, another pawesome, informative post! I'm so glad to have been included in this one. Great tips for those peeps who like to be outdoorsy without their pooches. This is such a cool series!! Great job!
Grr and Woof,
Sarge, COP

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

Awesome tips. We never knew you could do that with foil. A wonderful idea for teachers too when taking kids on a field trip.

Woos ~ Phantom, Thunder, Ciara, and Lightning

Boondocks Love Shack Pack said...

Absolutely wonderful tips!! We learned during camp that dogs with real wrinkly face like blood hounds, also hold the scent in their wrinkles. You SAR dogs are the bomb!!

We also wanted to comment on your models - absolutely beautiful children and dogs. Where do you find such awesome models?? (There were two in there we especially like. ;-))

AROOOOF!
Boondocks & The Love Shack Pack

Arran, Arthur and Mum said...

Wow Bert you is one clever dog! They is great tips and very useful for our peoples!
~lickies, Ludo

rottrover said...

Bert, you are the smartest dog that we know!! Thanks for the great info!!

Road Dog Tales said...

This is such an awesome lecture series! We're gonna take really good notes! Our Dad trained for search & rescue with a couple of our Shepherd siblings, so he might know some of this stuff, but we're betting he didn't know that tinfoil trick! That's cool! Thanks for working so hard to bring us this very informative post!

Hey, is that Sarge in the second pic?! Cool!

The Road Dogs

Elaine Pritchard said...

That's a host of really useful tips there. We wouldn't have thought of all of those. Thank you

Love and licks, Winnie

Sophie said...

That's another great, informative post, Bert! I'm loving this series in informative posts, I've got to say.

Bailey Be Good! said...

I'm really enjoying all your safety tips!! Thanks for sharing them! :)

Happy Sunday woofs & hugs! <3

~Bailey (Yep, I'm a girl!)

snoopy@snoopysdogblog said...

Hey Bert,

That looks like Cory and me in your post, wait, it IS Cory and me - he did a great note! I loved posing to help you out with your post!

You put some great tips in there buddy - do you think I should also do the foil footprint in case I get lost some time when we go on a walk?

You do such amazing work buddy, paws up to you! :)

Your pal Snoopy :)

NanaNor's said...

Hi Bert, What a great series you are doing; great tips for us humans and lots of info to learn about dogs noses. You've taught me so much!!!! Enjoy the cool Autumn air and happy sniffing.
Noreen & Reggie-dog

Just Ramblin' said...

Very informative. Excellent post!

Frankie Furter and Ernie said...

BERT.... this is just AMAZING. I have never seen or heard of the alum. Foil thingy.. BRILLIANT!!

This is the mostest Interesting stuffs about you Search and Rescue Dawgs.

You are doing a GRRRRRRRReat job with the posts!!!
OMD OMD... Blogville is SOOOOOO lucky to have YOU so we can learn all this stuffs.
THANK YOU!!!!!
100% A+ Excellent

STELLA and RORY from Down Under said...

Well Bert, more fabulous advice. This is just so interesting, mum and us are loving it. Thanks heaps. No worries, and love, Stella and Rory

Angels Amber and Max DaWeenie and Mom said...

Very good information. I never would have thought about any of those things.

Like the new header picture!

:o)

♥Mona + Prissy + Angel Weenie♥ said...

Wow Bert!! Your 2 safety posst have been so informative and very good things to know. We gotta make sure Mommy lets so use the computer every single day this week.

Keep up the good work!!

{{{huggies}}}....Mona & Weenie

Mommy said to thank you about the info on Jaime. Fuzzy lived to be 19years, she was born the sane year Mommy was, before she went blind and had to be helped to the bridge. Mommy never had ir wanted another dog until she got Samantha in 1990. She still misses Fuzzy, she was Mom's protector growning up. Boy does Mommy have some stories she could tell about that girl.

{{{huggies}}}....Mona & Weenie

Anonymous said...

OMD Bert that is just the most pawsome info Mom and I have ever heard! Who'd a thunk of the foil???? Amazin!

woos, Tessa

KB said...

What great ideas!! I, however, have a big problem that you searchers will absolutely hate me for. I almost never follow the plan that I made ahead of time (and I love to go where no one else ever goes). Soooooo.....

I bought a Spot so that I can hit that "911" button if something awful happens. And, I often have it in "tracking" mode so that if I end up unconscious, someone can look up my Spot file and see where my Spot is transmitting from.

But, I know that Spot isn't flawless... So, I'm going to take your suggestions to heart.

The Daily Pip said...

Thanks for answering my question. I am learning SO MUCH from your posts! Thanks!

Your pal, Pip

Anonymous said...

A foil footprint! Never would have thought of that! Or putting a dirty sock in a bag. Excellent ideas! The photos with the kids a real smile makers :D Thanks Bert and Your Vickie!

Waggin at ya,
Roo

Molly the Airedale said...

You are so smart, Bert! What a great post!

Love ya lots
Maggie and Mitch

Golden Woofs! SUGAR said...

Woof! Woof! PAWSOME!!! $ Golden PAWS UP!!! Interesting about the Footprint Foil. Lots of Golden Thanks for sharing these great important tips. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar
Oh! LOVE your blog header. Golden Woofs

Backcountry Brodie said...

Nefur heared of the foil footprint afore and wot a grate ideer, but mom has so many different hiking shoes, we would has to buy stock in Reynolds, BOL! So mom found out about this online thingie fur notifying peeples if'n you duss not find your way home. You enter your plan and contact informashun fur furrends and/or fambly and if'n you duss not come home by the time you say you should be home, they get an alert saying DANGER DANGER SHAWNEE DID NOT MAKE IT HOME!!!! Or sumpin like that. It be called trailnote.com

Anonymous said...

Another great post!

Thanks for answering my question! I had no idea that's what my ears were for! :D

I thought they just added to my cuteness! hehe

xo
Luna

Miss Sophie said...

Shawnee the Shepherd -- thanks for the great tip about trailnote.com. That looks like a barking good site! My mom saved it!

Murphy

Adien Crafts said...

Ooooh another brilliant piece of advice there, love the show print on the foil, that is such a good idea. Especially for our Lady who can get lost in the back garden if we don't keep an eye on her. Thanks Bert! dex and Lou xxx

2browndawgs said...

Excellent advice Bert! Especially the show print. Never heard of that suggestion before.

Sagira said...

Never heard of doing a foil shoe print, what a great idea.