Search and rescue Beagles can track a human scent amongst other scents.
The Beagle is a scent hound, widely believed to originate from Great Britain. All dogs have strong scenting capabilities, but Beagle's gift for this ability is amongst the strongest. This is due to its large nose and loose skin, the folds of which carry scent particles when it is tracking face down. This and a high intelligence level make them ideal search and rescue dogs.
Behavior
Beagles are pack orientated dogs, bred originally to hunt hare and rabbit. Because they are pack orientated, Beagles are more likely to perform tracking in the presence of other scent hounds. Beagles are not normally aggressive. Even as hunters they will typically chase down their quarry and corner it and leave it to the hunter to kill.
Tracking
Once they pick up a new scent, Beagles will follow it to the source. This is the most valuable skill they have as it enables the handler to locate the missing person and carry out the rescue.
Training
Training a Beagle to be a search and rescue dog is a long and challenging process that begins when the dog is about 6 months old. The dogs need to be trained to identify new scents and follow them, rather than simply following any scent they detect. Search and rescue work is often carried out in dangerous locations, such as earthquake sites, isolated wilderness and on mountains. Only the most intelligent and obedient Beagles can be selected for such work. Search and rescue units typically have at least one Beagle in the canine team.
Function
Beagles can’t physically rescue the lost person on their own, so they are trained to find the person, return to the handler and indicate where the lost person is. In the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, a search and rescue Beagle located a trapped hotel owner who was successfully rescued.
Other Use
Beagles are also used for other types of scent detection. The United States Department of Agriculture uses Beagles at airports to detect drugs and other contraband.
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