Rescue dogs: the last hope in a terrible moment. The Brave St. Bernard, or the Stories of the Alpine Rescuers

Rescuer is not a breed, it's a calling!

No, they can't provide the first medical care, cannot give a person life-giving moisture and will not relieve pain. But rescue dogs are able to give more - life, by finding the victim in a timely manner and notifying people about it. Representatives of what breeds can engage in such a necessary and important activity, and what skills and abilities should they have?

Rescue dog breeds

In general, history keeps a lot of evidence of devotion and fearlessness of our four-legged friends. They showed remarkable courage and ingenuity during hostilities, saved people during floods and other weather disasters, sacrificed themselves for the sake of children. Moreover, these heroic deeds are sometimes not at all connected with the breed of the dog.

But still, to work in harsh conditions and in connection with the specifics of the activity, certain innate qualities are required from the dog, which the following breeds possess:

• - this breed has long been intended for rescue work in highland areas, it is not for nothing that they can anticipate an avalanche in a few hours and notify people about it. The second name of this breed is "avalanche dogs". They can dig out a person buried under the snow and drag him to a safe place, or lead rescuers to this area.
• - these representatives work in the conditions of another element - water. Their anatomical structure and physiological properties are designed to allow the animal to stay in water, even icy water, without harm to health. This is the third eyelid, paws and auricles of a special structure, interdigital membranes and not wet hair. Newfoundlands have incredible diving and swimming abilities, as well as an amazing instinct to rush to the rescue at the slightest sign indicating that a person is in trouble.
• - for a long time protecting livestock from predators, and living in harsh conditions, representatives of this breed have acquired a lot of qualities necessary for survival. Naturally, one cannot do without developed intellectual abilities in this matter. Having become an almost universal dog, the German Shepherd showed itself in rescue work.
• - the history of the breed is such that from its very beginnings, dogs have already been rescuers. They helped fishermen catch fish and also looked for people during storms. In addition, due to their strength and endurance, they were draft animals and helpers during the hunt. Modern intellectual abilities allow these dogs to memorize two hundred commands!

Of course, this is not the whole list, and representatives of other breeds often participate in rescue operations. But in these dogs, whatever you say, the rescue instinct is in the genes.

Among the skills required from rescue dogs, two main ones can be distinguished - this is to find a person who is in trouble and inform his fellow people about it. Of course, some strong dogs are able to get the victims out of the rubble, dig them out in the snow, but more often they still need the help of specialists. In addition to a subtle scent, physical strength and a desire to work, a number of requirements are imposed on the dog:

• Stable psyche. A working dog should not react to what is happening around, but be completely focused on the task at hand.
• Kindness and benevolence. The four-legged rescuer should be glad to see the victim he has found, and not growl and grin, frightening. In addition, usually during an emergency, the scene is filled with many people - doctors, rescuers, etc., and the dog should not show alertness or aggression.
• Ability to make decisions independently. In critical situations, when a person is not around, the dog must be able to act without waiting for a command.
• Obedience. Dogs that like to run away when they sense freedom or see another dog are absolutely not suitable for the role of rescuers. This work requires strict discipline and the fulfillment of the task at any cost.

Is it worth saying that a dog can be the only chance for salvation, risk yourself and not demand anything in return? These smaller friends can perform heroic deeds, which once again confirm their selflessness and fearlessness.

Loyal to humans, representatives of the canine family by their nature are called to serve their owners in exchange for their warmth, care and affection. This has been the case since the time when a wild animal, akin to and about the size of, relentlessly followed a primitive hunter to feast on the leftovers from his prey.

And getting tidbits, it became more and more useful to him, cleaning people's homes from food debris, freeing the environment from the disgusting smell of rot.

The descendants of the tamed beast, becoming attached to the owners with each generation, gradually took on the appearance and acquired the features of modern dogs. Millennia have passed. Since then, wild dogs have proven to be not only loyal allies, but also hardy, strong guardian angels. This is how the first appeared rescue dogs.

Using the four-legged servant, at first, for the successful hunting of wild animals, the ancient people, seeking security and comfort, eventually found other uses for the domesticated beast. scared away uninvited guests, licked the wounds of the owner and warmed him with the warmth of his body in severe frosts.

Later, representatives of the human civilization became pastoralists and farmers, but the descendants of wolves continued to live together and brought more and more benefits. And the use for dogs was easily found, because they played the role of shepherds, guards and faithful companions.

Pictured is a German Shepherd rescue dog

Small dogs are perfect for searching for people in the rubble after earthquakes and during fires, as they have an excellent sense of smell and can even crawl through narrow cracks. They are hardy, efficient, and extraneous odors are not an obstacle for them in search of a goal.

the best rescue dogs on the water are rightfully considered to also bear the well-deserved name "divers". They are resistant to cold and even feel great in icy water.

The membranes between the paws, the device of the ears and eyes allow them to swim tens of kilometers without getting tired and dive to great depths. They, without hesitation, in the blink of an eye rush into the water, even at the slightest suspicion that a person is drowning.

Pictured is a Newfoundland diver dog

A very hardy dog, extremely smart, easily trained and obedient is a retriever. Such dogs not only serve as rescuers, but also as guide dogs.

dog rescue labrador

They specialize in searching for people in difficult conditions, helping in case of extreme situations. - service dogs and wonderful sappers. There are many other breeds with amazing rescue qualities.

Today, like many centuries ago, man and dog need each other. There are many known cases where rescuers rescued a dog, for various reasons, abandoned and become an unnecessary burden for the owner.

And such dogs, in turn, were successfully trained and carried out many years of devoted service, returning to life the most different people, became talented rescuers, receiving medals and promotions.

Doberman rescue dog

Rescue dog training

Rescue dog training requires patience and understanding from the owner. And from animals to successful learning obedience and patient work are needed to develop technical skills in searching, detecting and rescuing people. Four-legged warriors are taught to overcome obstacles, climb ladders, and also develop skills safe movement among the ruins.

There are many areas of study. The guide also has to learn how to provide first aid to the injured, how to handle a map and a compass. He learns the rules of conduct, learns to quickly assess the situation at the scene of disasters. And during the course of training, an annual exam is taken.

The execution of commands by the rescue dog is brought to automatism with a gradual transition from simple to complex. And soon the acquired skills turn into a conditioned reflex. Methods of behavior are first developed, then fixed in accordance with strict rules training.

The wonderful scent and amazing endurance of thoroughbreds, inherited from nature and as a result of thousands of years of artificial selection, are by no means the only qualities that four-legged rescuers must possess.

Specially trained dogs learn properly give a voice that serves as a signal to people when searching for victims and detecting suspicious odors. And it's not that easy. First of all, it is necessary that the animal be appropriately socialized, even if it is distinguished by good-natured disposition and complaisance.

What can a rescue dog do?

Bloodhounds specialize in finding missing people and rescuing them in critical situations. They are obliged to perfection, even in pitch darkness and with bad weather, V short term search various territories, including moving over rough terrain; to carry out a search in the rubble and ruins arising from dam breaks, fires, explosions due to gas leakage, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters.

The rescue dog must be able to work without a collar and leash in difficult terrain, equipped with special devices. A trained animal cannot be frightened by the smell of gas, fire and smoke, or react to noise.

To search for drowned men, brave dogs need to be able to act independently, moving by swimming; and also, being with people in the boat, to locate the victims under water.

Natural strength is also extremely important, strong physique and physical fitness. The rescue dog should not be embarrassed by frosts and unbearable heat, extreme stressful situations and psychological burden associated with the suffering of people and their grief.

A rescue dog is not just a profession, it is a noble cause, to which the animal and the owner must devote a lot of time and effort. Wherein four-legged heroes they just do their job, not even suspecting that if it were not for them, then there would be much more broken destinies, destroyed families and cut off lives in the world! Igor Voilokov, Chief Coordinator of the Russian Cynological Search and Rescue Society of Volunteers ROSSPAS-kv, told us about how such employees are trained and what difficulties await them in their work.

Animal.ru: In what areas do you train rescue dogs?

Igor Voilokov, ROSSPAS-kv : We train dogs in four areas:
- search for living people (mainly children and the elderly) in the natural environment (forest, rugged terrain, swamps, sparsely populated areas);
- search for living people in the man-made environment (buildings and structures destroyed as a result of explosions, man-made and natural disasters);
- search for living people as a result of avalanches and mudflows;
- search for explosives in public buildings and structures.

A: At what age can you start working with dogs?

I.V.: Training starts from puppyhood.

A: The dog is being prepared for work with specific person, or after training she can work with different people?

I.V. : As a rule, in Russia the owner prepares the dog under the guidance of an instructor. This is in particular due to the fact that in Russia one of the most high levels rescue dog training.

A: To become a volunteer in your organization, do you need to be a professional cynologist, or is it enough just to have experience working or communicating with a dog?

I.V.: It is not necessary to be a professional cynologist. It is enough to love your pet and sincerely desire to work in this area. However, it must be borne in mind that all work on the preparation of rescue dogs and the search for living people by our organization is carried out free of charge, so to speak, at the behest of the soul. Of course, a professional dog handler can quickly reach desired result when training a young dog.

A: What breeds are considered the most suitable for rescue work. Are there breeds designed for a specific type of rescue (on the water, under rubble, in the mountains)?

IV: All breeds are good! The main thing is that the dog should have a calm disposition (be socialized), have a strong constitution and mental organization. It also requires resistance to physical stress. Sometimes you have to work in very difficult conditions, and sofa dogs can not cope.

A: What qualities should a dog have to be suitable for such a service?

I.V.: The main qualities of a rescue dog: good health and endurance, a strong nervous system, socialization (a kind attitude towards a stranger, the absence of all types of aggression). The suitability of a puppy for such work is detected already at the age of 1-3 months with the help of simple tests. But there are exceptions.

A: If a dog at the training stage quite often makes mistakes and misses - does not find a person, do they continue to work with it or recognize it as incapable of such work?

I.V .: Most often these are mistakes not of a dog, but of a cynologist. Of course, there are animals with more or less talent, everything here is like with people. The inability of the dog to find a person (this is rare) is determined by special tests before the start of training.

A: The canine department of the EMERCOM of Russia developed the standards for this service, what are they? And do dogs pass periodic certification?

IV: Of course, all volunteer dogs pass the annual state certification in class "A" and "B", just like the dogs of professional rescuers, without concessions! The list of standards and requirements is very extensive! First of all, this certain time search, finding all conditionally affected (bookmarks), and most importantly - the absence of false designations, for this disqualification !!! I hope there is no need to explain what a false designation in real vast rubble after an earthquake can mean! Colossal efforts and means are required to get a living person out of the rubble, and if you dig in vain, then somewhere a person who is waiting for help may die.

A: What are the conditions for training dogs that are trained to search for people in deserted areas?

I.V.: Conditions are always close to real ones. We conduct search analytics in a real situation, study errors and draw the attention of volunteers to them, improve search tactics and strategy. Often we conduct training together with the structures of the Ministry of Emergency Situations (Centrospas, Mosoblspas), with European search and rescue organizations both in Russia and in Europe.

A: Are there competitions in your organization?

IV: There are - internal and open. They invite professional calculations of cynologists from Russia and Europe. As a rule, they are equated with state attestation.

A: Did you have to provide your specialists for some major disaster or accident?

IV: Yes, of course. Our crews participated in the search for living people during the collapse of buildings on Sadovnicheskaya embankment in Moscow, where 9 people were rescued from the rubble, during the collapse of a house on Starokonyushenny Lane. And also during the infamous terrorist act in 1999, when a residential building was blown up on Guryanov Street.

A: Previously, St. Bernards were mainly used to search for missing people in the mountains, but what breeds are used more often for this today?

I.V .: Probably, modern St. Bernards have degenerated for this business. Suitable for all pedigree and non-pedigree dogs.

A: While searching on an ordinary horizontal surface, the animal uses its sense of smell, but what if a person simply fell in the mountains and was swept away by an avalanche? Indeed, in such a situation, the smell thread is interrupted.

IV: Nothing is interrupted! The ability of a dog to detect the smell of a living person is colossal and has not been fully studied! Experienced old cynologists even talk about the sixth sense!

A: When you need to get to places that are inaccessible to a person, can you count on the mind and resourcefulness of a dog and let it go alone to help the victim?

I.V.: This is part of the mandatory rescue dog training program. Of course, there is no need to humanize even the most talented dog! The dog, unfortunately, cannot apply a sterile bandage or stop the bleeding ... Its main task is to detect a person! And there is the business of rescuers-people! Believe me, if a person is found alive, everything possible will be done to help him.

A: What jobs do water lifeguards use besides beaches?

I.V.: On a mass scale, dogs are not used to rescue drowning people. Of course, a large animal can tow a drowning child to shore, provided that the child is trained to behave properly in the water in a critical situation. But the dog will not be able to physically pull out an adult person or one who has already swallowed water. Have you ever tried to pull a drowning person out of the water yourself? I personally tried it, and, believe me, without stunning the latter, it is very, very problematic ... Our organization specializes in finding living people!

A: What happens to such animals in retirement or after the loss of working qualities, because they do not have owners as such?

I.V.: Our dogs have owners!!! They live quietly in honor, respect and love, serve good examples young dogs.

A: Tell us about the most legendary rescue dogs

I.V .: There are enough cases from the modern period, and this is no less than 15 years, and all of them are unique and border on something unreal.

It all started with my Giant Schnauzer dog named Green. I am sure he is well remembered by those who needed his help or simply knew him. Let me just say that he worked to find living people up to 13 years old inclusive (by dog ​​standards, a very impressive age translated into human means almost 90!) dog sled racing.

For the rescue dog human lives it's not a feat, it's just a job. Often the search for a missing person in the natural environment lasts several days, and the news that he has not yet been found is not always negative!!! So he's probably alive and able to move! The search ends either with a direct finding or with positive news of his being in a safe place. Therefore, the direct presence of a person in the natural environment indicates that the person was deprived of the opportunity to move (injury, illness or frightened children). By the way, when there is a signal about missing children, almost all calculations flock to the call, and we have about 50 of them in Moscow alone!

Notable is the case of our volunteer Natasha Krestinina and her shepherd dog Taina. It should be noted that in training this calculation was no different from the others. But! In just a year of work on real calls, Natasha had two direct visits and first aid to the victims. These are actually saved two human lives.

A: Tell me, do any influential structures or sponsors help your organization?

I.V.: Currently, we do not have a single sponsor or other material and technical support, but we are always open for cooperation and continue to look for sponsors.

We thank Igor Voilokov, Chief Coordinator of the Russian Cynological Search and Rescue Society of Volunteers "ROSSPAS-kv" for the interview and provided photo materials.

It is impossible to imagine how the history of mankind would develop if we did not have a dog - a devoted, courageous, intelligent and strong friend. For thousands of years they have been guarding and protecting, helping in hunting and transporting goods. They are the ears and eyes of those who need it. And if trouble comes, rescue dogs do everything to save the life of a stranger at any cost.

The best are rescue dogs of the Labrador breed, some will say. No, better than a sheepdog no one can do the job, others will object to them. Both are right, but Labradors are gluttonous, and shepherd dogs sometimes show malice towards strangers. Maybe spaniels? Or schnauzers? Collies, terriers?

The main tasks of a search dog are to find a person and mark the find by barking or taking a special “diarrhea” in their teeth. The dog cannot bandage wounds or give artificial respiration. In very rare cases, she is able to get the victim out from under a pile of stones. To help, even the most dexterous and strong rescue dog itself needs the help of a person. Therefore, a keen sense of smell, physical endurance and a passion for work are not the only requirements. The dog must be mentally stable - not distracted by noise and other extraneous stimuli, good-natured - not to frighten the found person, not to rush at strangers (doctors, other rescuers, his "colleagues"). Therefore, there is no strict framework regarding what breed rescue dogs should be. The main thing is that the dog has all the qualities necessary for such a difficult job: endurance in every sense, acute hearing and scent, obedient disposition, the ability to concentrate on the task at hand and act independently if the need arises.

A rescue dog is not just a profession, it is a noble cause, to which the animal and the owner must devote a lot of time and effort. At the same time, the four-legged heroes just do their job, not even suspecting that if it were not for them, then there would be much more broken destinies, broken families and broken lives in the world!

The world is not safe for humans. With frightening regularity, accidents, natural disasters and catastrophes occur in it, sometimes leading to human casualties. It is difficult to find a person covered by an avalanche or a collapsed building. It is even more difficult to do this so quickly that the victim does not suffocate, is not crushed, does not die from blood loss. A specially trained rescue dog is able to quickly find the victim under multi-ton rubble.

Dogs have been helping rescue people in distress for hundreds of years. In the Pamir mountains, a drawing was found depicting a dog that saves a person; The drawing is about 1,500 years old.

In Europe, the first rescue dogs appeared in the 19th century, in the Alpine monastery named after St. Bernard. When a snowstorm began, the monks tied small kegs of rum around the neck of the dogs and sent them in search of people lost in the storm. Powerful animals covered with thick hair were not afraid of frost and, smelling a person in trouble under the thickness of snow, dug him out, gave him a drink from a barrel of warm wine so that the traveler could warm up faster, and brought help. This breed of dog was later named St. Bernard, in honor of the patron saint of the monastery.

It is impossible to count how many people the St. Bernards saved. But the most popular among them was a St. Bernard named Barry. The story of him has long been a legend. Barry felt the approach of a snowstorm intuitively more than an hour before it began, and became very restless. Once he saved a child who was deep under an avalanche, and no one even suspected that trouble had happened to him, except for Barry. Barry found the child and licked his face until the child came to his senses. Barry saved forty people. After Barry's death, a monument was erected to him in one of the Parisian cemeteries.

Even in the very first wars, dogs served as sentries, liaisons and scouts. Later, they brought ammunition, medicine and telephone cable, located mines and found the wounded. During the First World War, gas masks were put on dogs. And modern armies prefer to take dogs into service. German Shepherds, Collies, Dobermans and Rottweilers serve in different armies. For this role, dogs with a white color are not taken, since they are easier for the enemy to notice.

Hero dogs are now called those who helped people during the hostilities. The dogs were full-fledged fighters and took part in the search for missing people under the rubble, cleared mines, and worked as messengers. They have saved thousands of lives. Many four-legged warriors have gone down in history. Stories about their exploits have survived to this day. Here are some of them.

A medical orderly dog ​​named Mukhtar pulled out more than 400 wounded soldiers from the battlefields during the war years. Shepherd Dina was trained in sabotage and took a course in destroying enemy tanks. During the days of the defense of Leningrad, the Nazis reported that "the Russians released mad dogs into positions." In the famous "rail war" in Belarus, Dina derailed an entire echelon, dragging explosives right under the wheels of a steam locomotive. Dog Dick of the collie breed was trained in mine-detecting business. In his personal file there was such a record: “Called for service from Leningrad. During the war years, he discovered more than 12 thousand mines, took part in the demining of Stalingrad, Lisichansk, Prague and other cities. But Dick accomplished his main feat in Pavlovsk. He discovered in the foundation of an ancient palace a mine of two and a half tons with a clockwork, an hour before the explosion. After the war, Dick participated in many exhibitions. He died of old age and was buried with full military honors, as befits a hero.

The Search and Rescue Dog Service was established in Russia in 1972, and one of the best rescue dog training methods in the world has been developed.

IN Lately more and more advanced technology comes to the aid of rescuers, but the dog's nose is still indispensable for searching for people under rubble or avalanches - because it is able to distinguish the smell dissolved in the air in a ratio of one to ten million! One rescue dog saves the labor of dozens of people. After all, in a dog's nose there are 500 million cells that can capture the smell, and in a human there are only 10-20 million. Therefore, the most modern devices will not replace the dog's nose and ear.

A specially trained dog is able to capture even the faintest odors and distinguish them from thousands of unnecessary ones, is able to find a person under an 8-meter layer of snow, dirt or debris from a collapsed building.

Once, the mountain rescue service conducted an experiment - on an area of ​​10,000 square meters, a “victim” was buried in the snow to a depth of 2 meters. A rescue team of twenty people, armed with avalanche probes, searched for him for four hours, and the dog found him in twelve minutes.

Many are interested in the question - what breeds are the best rescue dogs? There are certain working qualities that a rescue dog must possess without fail. First of all, it is controllability, physical strength (needed to overcome obstacles), and, of course, excellent flair. Initially, she should have a loyal, non-aggressive reaction to people. In general, anger is a sign of cowardice, a dog fit for service should be self-confident and calm. Also, when selecting candidates, attention is paid to the dog's ability to endure the climate in which it will have to work. Having collected statistics from all over the world, cynologists have identified the five most capable dog breeds.

5th place went to Doberman Pinschers. The appearance of this breed of dog dates back to 1800, when there was an urgent need for a protector dog, which, if necessary, could attack the offender. Some people consider this breed stupid, but such a judgment is erroneous. Dobermans need to be trained and educated, otherwise there is a very high chance that from a small funny puppy an uncontrollable dog will grow up, who will do only what he himself wants.

Dobermans are very active dogs that are capable of fighting for their master for life.

The Golden Retriever was in 4th place in the dog rating. He is very kind and gentle by nature, he is great with children. They are able to learn quickly and easily, understand commands literally the first time and literally grasp everything on the fly. Often they can be seen in the service of the police, in the rescue service, at customs and as a guide dog. Due to their patience, they can be good nannies for children and excellent companions for the elderly.

Honorable 3rd place went to the German Shepherds. German Shepherds are very smart and trainable, they can be used as guards, and as bloodhounds or policemen. Representatives of this breed have proven themselves well as pets.

The second position is occupied by Poodles. They are able not only to jump and perform various tricks in the circus, but they can also be good observers and serve in the rescue service. Poodles swim well and are ready to save a drowning person. Of course, there are a lot of poodles, both small and large, beautiful and not very beautiful, but they are all excellent comrades and guards.

Champions intellectual ability among the dogs were representatives of the Border Collie breed. Cynologists of all countries of the world unanimously recognized this breed as the smartest. These dogs are real hard workers, they do not like to mess around, and are ready to work almost around the clock for the benefit of a person. They even say about the border collie, this dog lives in order to work.

They remember the rules of behavior very easily, learn commands easily, are friendly and simply adore children. In general, this is a unique dog that can be used in a wide range of ways - from a guard dog to a nanny, or just as pet with good mental ability.

Even very good innate qualities of a dog can only be fully manifested when proper upbringing and initial training from puppyhood. The growth and development of the organism of animals occurs more intensively in the spring-summer period.

While raising a puppy (providing good growth and physical development) and education (formation of a healthy nervous system and certain type behavior) are independent concepts, they are inextricably linked and cannot be implemented in isolation. In the process of normal development and life of the organism, the physical and mental principles are closely connected. Practice shows that from a dog that is poorly developed physically, one cannot expect a strong nervous system, a balanced psyche.

To the necessary qualities of the PSS dog, which should be developed from the very early age, relate:

• * interest and perseverance in finding the source of human smell;
• * courage in overcoming natural obstacles;
• * activity at work;
• * sense of orientation in an unfamiliar area;
• * indifference to wild and domestic animals;
• * unpretentiousness to food and maintenance;
• * the ability to work at any time of the day, in severe weather conditions.

The general principles of training and raising a puppy are as follows:

• 1) what an adult dog should not do, a puppy should not be allowed to do;
• 2) this period is the most crucial because the "early experience" acquired in puppyhood affects the behavior and work of the dog throughout its life;
• 3) the mistakes made by the trainer when growing and educating are almost impossible to correct later;
• 4) “lounging” and overloading with classes should not be allowed. Constantly maintain and develop the dog's interest, passion for finding FROM a person - exercises for the search skill to give "not enough", to make stimulating intervals.

The search for a hidden or buried source of human smell (burrow) should always and everywhere end with its finding. It is better if in the very first lessons the growing dog finds 1-2 difficult digs than more simple ones. But if the dog cannot find them on his own, the trainer must help him in this by pointing or in another way. When found, the trainer encourages her to a much greater extent than when performing any other technique. Only under these conditions does the dog develop interest and perseverance in the search. If the digging is not found or it is too easy to find, interest in the search work disappears.

For the development of flair: during daily walks, let the dog off the leash; do not interfere with the sniffing of various objects, except for sewage; mask and bury fetching items.

Do a 20-30 minute cross with your dog every morning. During it, the dog is sent at least 20 times for a far-thrown fetching object, which gives it the opportunity to run during this time a distance 5 times greater than the trainer runs. This is a great exercise for the whole body. In the future, they teach the dog not to bring the object, not to run with it, but, having raised a voice, return to the trainer.

Take long walks at least once a week: in winter - on skis, in summer - with an overnight stay in the field. During walks, the dog makes high and long jumps, overcomes forest blockages and other obstacles. She must do all this not under compulsion, but on the basis of a natural desire for movement, which is constantly stimulated and encouraged by the trainer. With this technique, the dog develops the activity and courage necessary for work. To harden the body, the dog must swim in any weather (only in a clean reservoir), spend the night in a snow hole in winter, and in summer under a tent wing.

Although the sense of orientation in dogs is much stronger than in humans, it, like any sense, is improved through exercise and training. To this end, you should constantly change the routes of walks, take the dog with you on multi-day trips to new places with a variety of terrain.

All means of physical development and hardening of the young body of the dog should be used so that there is no physical overload and hypothermia, which can cause various diseases. Care must be taken with mental stress. Overloads lead to disruption of nervous activity, neuroses. Methods and techniques for preparing a young dog for OKD, sampling the smell, searching the area are generally accepted.

It is important both for the work and the maintenance of the dog itself that it is taught not to show an aggressive attitude towards domestic and wild animals. It is necessary to teach this from puppyhood, since it is almost impossible to wean a dog with a “manifested” instinct to chase a fleeing animal from this. The dog, by virtue of its instinct, cannot not react at all to animals that are a strong odor and visual irritant. It is enough that, having sniffed at him at a distance, she immediately turned away from him and approached the trainer at the call.

Dog training scheme contrast method on a long leash like this:

• 1) the dog is led several times past and around a herd or a single animal (cow, goat) so that it gets used to the new smell and appearance of the animal;
• 2) approach him at a distance of 10-15 meters, stop and start playing with the dog. When a dog tries to approach the animals, it is called to itself, encouraged with a treat; if she does not obey, pull the leash;
• 3) approach the animals so much that they begin to move away. If the dog tries to chase, distract its attention with commands, pull the leash;
• 4) train the dog to calmly pass by and follow the receding animals until it can perform this technique without jerking the leash.

The suppression of the persecution of cats and game is carried out by the same methods: distraction, physical impact, encouragement when approaching a trainer. In no case should a dog be punished after it, having run after the animal, independently returned to the trainer.

It is best to keep both growing and adult dogs in an open aviary or in a fenced yard with a warm booth. This content is very importance in order not to pamper the dog and preserve its undercoat, without which it will not withstand prolonged work in the cold. It is more rational to keep dogs in an aviary not individually - one at a time, but all together - a team of 3-5 pieces. This group content has the following advantages:

• 1. With the same size of the plot and the consumption of the net for the aviary, each dog receives a "living area" 3-5 times more.
• 2. Living together, they do not get bored, frolic, play (especially important for young people), get used to each other.
• 3. The problem of keeping the dog when the trainer is absent from home for a long time disappears - feeding and care is carried out by another guide of the team.
• 4. Feeding and care can be carried out alternately by one of the trainers.
• 5. Dogs do not need to be specially walked.
• 6. Puppies in a large aviary receive excellent conditions for physical development and hardening.
• 7. The aviary can simultaneously serve as a training ground for young animals, for this a boom, barriers and other projectiles are installed in it.

Inside the aviary, food is prepared in a warmed change house, food and equipment are stored. For temporary isolation, each of the dogs can be placed in a section of the enclosure. This "enclosure-group" type of content at the rate of 20 m 2 for each dog has proven itself in practice in all respects.

The dog's undercoat is preserved even if it is kept in an unheated part of the house or on a veranda or loggia. With sufficiently long classes and training of the dog in the cold season, the undercoat can be preserved even when kept in an ordinary apartment. This is facilitated by the location of her place in the coldest part of the apartment, but not in a draft. The bedding of the dog should not be too warm - burlap is quite enough, under which, if the floor is cold, a wooden shield is placed.

Feeding rules, sufficiently covered in the literature, for dogs PSS should be supplemented with the following: use natural food products including raw meat on the bones - weekly, fresh vegetables - daily at least 10% of the feed ration, vegetable fats - no more than 25% of the total fat. Feed concentrates, which are very easy to handle, should only be used in rescue operations and in other necessary cases. Feeding them constantly pampers the dog's digestive apparatus, after which the usual roughage is poorly eaten and digested.

In the morning after a run-walk, when the dog performs several exercises, she is given 2-3 dryers or crackers to “awaken the stomach”. Lunch after training sessions - 40% of the daily diet, dinner - 60%. A good trainer eats at the same time as the dog, nearby or nearby so that he can see each other. Norm day feeding such that the bowl after it was cleanly licked, a well-fed dog would move away from it without asking for more. It is better if the dog is thin, because excess weight, like in humans, leads to a decrease in efficiency and premature aging.

The PSS dog eats always and everywhere only from his bowl, the hands of the owner, members of his family, and an assistant. Instinctive picking up food from the ground, which is difficult to overcome in some dogs, leads to a decrease in the quality of its search, since there is plenty of food in the ruins of the emergency zone. Eating any "appetizing", but contaminated with toxic substances products leads to poisoning and death of the dog.

rejection

To assess the fitness of an adult dog for PSS, the following techniques are used. The dog learns within a few days to flawlessly find a fetching object disguised in grass or snow with the smell of its trainer. Then, in a plot measuring 10 x 10 m, an object with the same smell is buried in the ground to a depth of half the bayonet of a shovel, in the snow - to a bayonet. A few meters from it, in order to distract, they dig up the surface with a shovel (false digging). If the dog, after several attempts, cannot find the source of the smell, this indicates a defect in its senses - temporary or permanent.

To test hearing at a distance of 5-10 m from the dog, the trainer, approaching and moving away, utters her nickname several times in a whisper. These simplified methods of checking in the field make it possible to detect the most gross defects in flair and hearing and in no way give an accurate assessment of them in any points.

Checking the motor and vestibular apparatus of the dog is carried out during its running, jumping and walking on a log. Often due to some internal factors(disease of the dog) or external (distractions) it may not show its true abilities. If, when checking a dog, the trainer has such suspicions, after 3-4 days they make a second check in a changed environment - place, time of day, weather conditions, and so on.

There is no culling according to the breed principle. For work, a good "mongrel" is better than thoroughbreds with pedigrees and medals.

Age and Service

The highest skill, close to the wisdom of both man and dog, comes only in adulthood. Only in adulthood can the PSS dog perform its complex work, even with some physical weakening of the body. Her work does not require great strength and speed of reaction, as in protective and sentry services. PSS is closer to such "intelligent" services as the work of pointers, shepherd dogs. Therefore, smart and skillful handlers extend the life of their dogs to 12 years or more.

Interest in life, work performed creates mental health in both people and animals.

Major state, mood keep it on long years. Keeping a PSS dog on a leash, block, which is quite normal for dogs of other services, is completely unacceptable. malice, aggressive behavior age the sensitive psyche of the rescue dog. The transfer of an adult dog from hand to hand, buying and selling destroy the complex mental world of the PSS dog.

Requirements for a trainer

The most important quality of a trainer is the ability to observe the constantly changing environment: the strength and direction of the wind; air temperature and humidity; the presence and movement of strangers, pets, transport in the area of ​​​​training with the dog; in a word, behind everything that interferes with classes - smell, sound, visual distracting stimuli. All this should not escape his attentive gaze, all this is necessary for the correct assessment of the situation and the appropriate control of the dog. The trainer should be a kind of tracker and scout, show maximum attention to the behavior of the dog. In all classes and training, he must be self-possessed, patient and persistent in achieving the goal.

The trainer and assistant must have sufficient theoretical training in the field of physiology, psychology, ethology, methods and techniques of training dogs. They must be of high moral character. Deception of a dog, rudeness, lack of will and softness are incompatible with the work of education, training and training. Also incompatible with this work are the two extremes of communication with the dog - only the "language of commands" or humanizing the dog, verbalizing with it. In their coordinated work, the technique - the sequence of introducing and practicing techniques, their duration and the norms of the PSS course - are always inseparable from the technique - the ability in each case to influence the dog in developing the necessary skills so that they are developed quickly and held firmly.

Courage, resourcefulness, determination, self-control in the preparation of dogs - the obligatory qualities of a trainer and assistant are effective only with love for one's four-legged friend, love for their joint noble cause.

The psychogenic impact in the emergency zone on people with physical injuries, only mental ones and those who arrived after the disaster (rescuers, workers of other services) is different. More than others, the psyche of the victims of the 2nd group is disturbed. They experience, in addition to the depressing contemplation of crippled people, striking destruction, a break with outside world, life itself. There is no water, lighting, telephone, radio, television, etc. The psyche is traumatized by the absence of certain information about the disaster that has occurred, its continuation or termination. In predictable disasters, that is, when people learn in advance about the reality of a disaster through radio, animal behavior or other sources, in response to this, various types reactions, up to the breakdown of nervous activity, neuroses.

The most common reactions of the psyche in the latter case are: fear, confusion, erratic actions, loss of orientation, misunderstanding of the situation, euphoria, the spread of panic. In contrast, in people of another type of nervous activity, lethargy, passivity, indifference, a state of stupefaction and stupor are manifested.

This "general psychic atmosphere" prevailing in the emergency zone affects both the handlers and the dogs.

Dog equipment and training area

The dog's special equipment includes a standard harness, lined with red fabric, with zippered pockets. It serves as a safety belt, to which a safety rope is fastened in dangerous places. This harness allows you to see the dog on any terrain from a great distance; deliver notes, medicines, other small items. With its help, a skier, a sleigh with a load is towed.

A long nylon leader, 5-6 mm thick, red, in addition to its main purpose, is used as an avalanche cord, as well as for various auxiliary purposes (insurance, transportation). Special stockings - "shoe covers" with holes for claws serve to protect the paws in areas clogged with sharp objects, hard crust, mountain glacier.

In training sessions, each trainer has the following in their bag:

• * 3 polyethylene labeled big numbers a package where hairpins of a standard volume (undershirt, pants) with various smells are strictly fixed; 1st package - the smell of a dog trainer, 2nd package - the smell of a member of his family or assistant, 3rd package - the smell of a person unfamiliar to the dog;
• * a bag with red patches for marking the area and a centimeter oilcloth tape for exact definition depth of instillation;
• * a package with a treat for the food encouragement of the dog.

These bags are necessary to preserve the smell of burrows, prevent contamination with other odors and for hygiene purposes. If there is no special tweezers, you can take out and put the diggings into bags with a wooden flyer. It is also desirable to have a cellophane film or an old raincoat that protects against wet snow, soil when buried in extras classes. Ordinary bayonet and shovel shovels are quite suitable for burying digs and extras.

A place for training in a special course, in contrast to the training ground, where only a few elementary school, is called the training ground. This is a terrain with rugged terrain, islands of shrubs, groups of trees - all this makes it easier to disguise and bury the sources of smell, bringing the situation closer to the real one. A continuous forest interferes with the observation of the actions of the dog and the trainer, the natural movement of air. The parade ground must have a shelter from which the excavations made on it are not visible.

In the first half of the training course, each dog is given a 30x30 m area for training. From the second half of the course, its size increases to 70x70 m. To prevent any smells from being transferred from one area to another, they are all arranged in a chain across the main wind direction. Thus, the size of the parade ground depends on the number of dogs trained on it and, accordingly, the number of sites. The training group should have several parade grounds, since it is impossible to conduct classes on the same one (taking into account the exchange of sites between calculations) more than 3 times in a row. Dogs develop a habit of searching only in a familiar area, and the area becomes polluted with distracting odors.

The training ground must meet the following requirements:

• 1) in the initial search training, he should not be exposed to distractions that interfere with the development of the dog's initial skill. These include: odorous - various kinds of smoke, vehicle exhaust gases, household waste, etc.; sound - noise from vehicles, railway, people and pets; visual - any moving objects that fall into the field of view of the dog;
• 2) snow and soil should not be clogged with sharp objects (glass, iron cuttings, etc.), chemicals (mineral fertilizers, industrial waste);
• 3) in mountainous areas, slopes must be safe against rockfalls, mudflows and snow avalanches.

Transportation of dogs to their destination is the most important link in the complex of every rescue work. It is carried out as quickly as possible without harm to the dogs.

The delivery of a dog by car, airplane is the strongest sound, olfactory, visual irritation, a load on the vestibular apparatus, that is, an overload of all receptors, the entire neuropsychic system. An unprepared dog is simply in vain to incapacitate, it will not be able to work. Therefore, PSS dogs must be gradually accustomed to these stimuli, certain rules must be observed during transportation. preventive measures. Delivery of a dog on its own is the easiest, cheapest and most reliable option if the distance does not exceed 10 km. A trained dog does not get tired after such a transition, but it must be given a 10-minute break before the start.

When delivered by road, the dog's sense of smell can be disabled by exhaust gases, the smell of liquid fuel. In the presence of these harmful gases, the dog begins to breathe rapidly, sneeze, strive for a window or a gap, from where clean air enters the cabin. The simplest way avoid poisoning - give the dog the opportunity to stick his nose out the window. The same should be done when transported by helicopter, where the dog, in addition, is affected by a strong sound stimulus. The noise of propellers and turbines during air delivery is more impactful during landing and disembarking than in the cabin, where dogs usually behave calmly. The dog must be prepared for strong sound stimuli in advance, through gradual accustoming. When arousal or oppression and cowardice is manifested, the dog should be distracted by play, a soothing tone, affection and delicacy.

The greatest danger for a dog is not being in any form of transport itself, but approaching and waiting at stations and railway stations (the possibility of poisoning a dog with car exhaust fumes).

When developing PSS skills in a dog, trainers often make the following mistakes:

• 1. Conducting initial search lessons in an area heavily polluted with distracting odors, which makes it difficult to develop a skill.
• 2. A long session with the dog in the same area, as a result of which, having got used to it, she is poorly oriented and searches for a new one, unfamiliar to her.
• 3. The same type of instillation of an assistant and objects - at the same distance from each other, in the same places of the training area.
• 4. Frequent pointing the dog at the source of the smell, that is, unnecessary prompts that are needed only in the first lessons.
• 5. Excessive restraint of the dog by the leash to maintain the correct zigzags of the "shuttle" search. Frequent goading of the dog and distrust of its instincts.
• 6. The use of the same assistant and his things in the classroom, as a result of which the dog gets used to looking for only this familiar smell.
• 7. Burying unworn underwear of assistants or used in the classroom for a long time and lost its smell as things.
• 8. Violation of the sequence of giving commands when developing a complex search skill "Search - dig - voice - lead".

Perhaps, in a global sense, rescue dogs do not create history. But they are undoubtedly part of it, and influence the development of mankind. Irreplaceable, always loyal, intelligent and selfless dogs - one of best gifts that nature has made for us. Saving even one child is a feat. And when on account of tens, hundreds of saved lives? In every major city there are monuments to rescue dogs, in every major city there are people whose fates once depended on a wet leather nose. Thank you, amazing and irreplaceable search and rescue keepers of human lives!

dog rescue training content

Bibliography

• 1. Korytin S.A. Orientation in dogs and other animals // Service dog club. M., 1984.
• 2. Bergman E. Behavior of dogs. M., 1986.
• 3. Karpov V.K. About some factors affecting the sense of smell service dogs// Service dog club. M., 1987.
• 4. Usov M.I. Training dogs for search and rescue service // All about the dog. M., 1992.
• 5. Usov M.I. Training of four-legged rescuers // Military knowledge. 1985. No. 11.
• 6. http://vashipitomcy.ru/publ/sobaki/interesnoe/sobaki_spasateli_poslednjaja_nadezhda_v_strashnyj_mig/24-1-0-334

The St. Bernards have risked their lives so many times to save travelers buried under the snow that they deserve special recognition, says journalist Michael Olmert.

A huge St. Bernard jumping with delight. Powerful paws, powerful chest and sincere joy when meeting a person. No wonder this breed is considered the standard of dog fidelity.

“When my daughter Jenny was very young, I could always tell where she was playing,” recalls Katty Babins of Maryland, who has been a dog breeder for 22 years. St. Bernard, let me know that everything was in order.

One day the police came to Babins' house. Imagine Cutty's surprise when the law enforcement officers, who found the girl next to a busy highway, asked for help to get her out of there. It turned out that some big dog, it was, of course, Mia, just did not let the police near the child. At the same time, the St. Bernard behaved quite correctly: he did not growl threateningly, but as soon as the police tried to approach the girl, he blocked their way.

Similar stories can be heard quite often from St. Bernard owners and kennel workers.

The homeland of the St. Bernards, or "senechs", as these giants were affectionately dubbed in Russia, is the Great Pass of St. Bernard a narrow gorge in the Alps, located between Switzerland and Italy. The first information about St. Bernards dates back to the beginning of the 18th century, but it is possible that this breed appeared much earlier. In the local monastery hotel there is a painting painted in 1695, which depicts a dog that looks a lot like a St. Bernard.

For many, the St. Bernard Pass is a sacred place. But not because Roman legionnaires marched along its mountain steeps about two thousand years ago, and not because everything here is saturated with history from Caesar to Napoleon. Dog connoisseurs revere this place as the birthplace of the St. Bernards. Here is also the most famous nursery in which they are bred.

For the owners of the nursery, the monks of the Order of St. Augustine, this is a good help, providing funds for the maintenance of a small hotel. Here, in the Alps, one of the highest points in Europe, tourists and travelers aspire all year round. True, you cannot call this place a resort: even in summer, on a fine sunny day, it is cold here, and snow falls once a week.

The exposition of the local museum, the only one of its kind, is dedicated to the monastery hotel and the St. Bernards. Strictly speaking, this is not even a museum, but a kind of symbiosis of a museum and a nursery. The kennel contains approximately 30 dogs. And every year the Augustinian monks sell 15 20 puppies for a thousand dollars each.

Carl Winter, a search and rescue instructor and a great expert on the St. Bernards, did a special study. He was interested in the characteristics of the habitat and behavior of these animals. In the course of research, it turned out that for centuries the St. Bernards have been using the same routes, where every crack and pebble is familiar to them. Descending with their owners to the Italian side of the pass for oil and wine, and to the Swiss side for meat and milk, the dogs learned the road so well that they would not stray from it even in heavy fog or blizzard.

The pass has always been a deserted place. Most of the year, hiking trails are covered with a crust of ice and snow, and travelers are at risk of dying in an avalanche. The high altitude and deep snow make it difficult to use horses and mules. But monks with dogs feel confident, freely navigating without a compass. The hard school of survival has not changed for centuries: young dogs gain experience by following the old ones, on a leash, and learn to recognize the human smell. Deep snow is not a hindrance to a St. Bernard rushing to the rescue of a person in trouble. The impression is that the dog is swimming in the snow, working with large and strong paws.

According to Winter, each generation of four-legged rescuers operates effectively only in certain places they are familiar with. In unfamiliar conditions, St. Bernard is stewed. In the end, of course, he will orient himself and find the perishing traveler, but for this he will need much more time than the local dog. Good local knowledge important factor in the education of mountain rescue dogs.

Nature has endowed the senechs not only with the ability to find people, but also, which is probably no less important, to endure the hellish cold for hours. Winter was convinced of these abilities of the St. Bernards himself, when a few years ago he was searching for two missing climbers in the Seymour Mountains, which are located in Canada, in the province of British Columbia. These places are famous for sudden and abrupt changes in the weather. St. Bernard, who knows the area well, took part in the search work. And if not for his tolerant attitude to bad weather, the rescuers would not have been able to complete the search. When they finally reached a fork in the high mountain path - one path led further up, the other turned down to the so-called "suicide ravines", it was decided to climb further. But the dog became rooted to the spot and only barked at people until they turned down. St. Bernard was right: less than an hour later, the search party stumbled upon the unlucky climbers.

Until now, scientists do not know exactly what the origin of the St. Bernards is. One of the versions explains the appearance of the breed of broad-boned, strong dogs, capable of living high in the mountains among snow and ice, by crossing the Danish Bulldog with the Pyrenean Mastiff. At first they were called Alpine Mastiffs.

The first Alpine Mastiffs were brought to England at the beginning of the 19th century. A little later, visitors to the British Museum looked with surprise at the huge skin and tibia of one of them exhibited there. These exhibits have survived to this day. The famous animal artist Sir Edwin Landseer, who repeatedly depicted these dogs, also called them Alpine Mastiffs. The name "St. Bernard" appeared only in 1882, when a dog club was opened in England. And five years later, they approved the national standard, which recorded the record achievements of the breed. In America, the St. Bernard Club was founded in 1888.

Senechki have gained extraordinary popularity in our time, although now their fame is waning. And in the 50s, they often became the heroes of films and television series. Kenneth Moore's feature film "Genevieve" and the American television series "Hopper" brought wide fame to the St. Bernards. For the first time, the general public got acquainted with the St. Bernard, seeing him in the role of a nanny dog ​​in the film based on the fairy tale about Peter Pan.

Cattery owners try to give their wards maximum care and attention. And when the puppies grow up, the results are sure to show: the docile nature of dogs and their friendliness towards humans, especially children, are well known. And it's not just the right upbringing. The roots of the behavior of senechka are much deeper they go back to their distant alpine ancestors. Noticing a person lying on the ground, the St. Bernard will certainly make an attempt to lift him or at least turn him over on his side. If he does not show signs of life, the dog lies down next to him and, clinging to the person with his whole body, tries to warm him.

In the past, rescue dogs were trained to work in pairs. The male and the female had to find a skier lost in the mountains and dig him out from under the snow. Then the female usually lay down next to him, and the male hurried for help.

An inborn instinct, even without regular training, does not disappear overnight. Jenny Babins, the same girl who was once accompanied everywhere by St. Bernard Mia, becoming an adult, found confirmation of this more than once, observing the behavior of puppies. Having specially selected a couple of babies, Jenny did the following experiment: she lay down on the snow, and the puppies immediately began to rub their noses against her. If she remained motionless, the female lay down at her side, and the male stomped around with such a preoccupied look, as if he wanted to run somewhere, but just did not know where exactly.

Other undoubted advantages of the St. Bernards include their exceptional diligence and endurance. At one time, Karl Winter acquired a St. Bernard named Far West (Far West). Prior to this, the dog helped protect the territory of the reserve in British Columbia, overcoming up to 70 kilometers a day with foresters. According to Winter, he was a real gem of his breed: an excellent athlete, repeatedly taking first place in competitions. In Canada, competitions are practiced in which dogs demonstrate their strength and endurance, sometimes moving a load weighing more than a ton.

The St. Bernards will not be denied courage. There is a case when in Alaska a dog saved the life of a woman by repulsing her from a grizzly bear. St. Bernard Winter Far West even received a special award for his bravery in a fight with a black bear when he threatened the safety of a child left in the care of a dog. After this incident, Far West made it a habit to follow the bears, watching the clubfoot feast on blueberries.

This breed of dog is also very sensitive to tremors. Winter said that his pets somehow warned of the danger about an hour before the start of the eruption of Mount St. Helen, located 200 kilometers from his home. At the same time, the behavior of the dogs changes: instead of the usual barking, the St. Bernards begin to howl. True sign: Is there something wrong. Probably, they just feel tremors much earlier than people. It is curious that in the mountains of Switzerland, St. Bernards behave in exactly the same way, anticipating an imminent avalanche.

Perhaps these abilities help the St. Bernards to find them by the weak movements of people buried under the snow. According to the priest Jean-Michel Gerard, abbot of a small monastery in the Alps, the dogs saved approximately 2,000 people in total. The most famous lifeguard in the history of the monastery was St. Bernard Barry the First. For 12 years, from 1800 to 1812, he saved four people every year. Today, his effigy is exhibited in the Museum natural history in Bern, and in France they even erected a monument to him.

The most famous episode, which glorified Barry throughout Europe, is associated with the rescue of an unconscious child. The dog not only found the boy lying on the very edge of the abyss, but also managed to bring him to his senses, and then transferred him to a safe place.

However, Barry is more of a household name. Dogs with this nickname have always lived in the monastery. One of them became a favorite of Italian schoolchildren: they read in their textbooks how the dog found 30 Italian workers who had gone astray, who went across the pass to look for work in Germany. Even today, when the guys come to the monastery for a tour, the next Barry will certainly get their attention.

It is enough just to glance at the powerful paws of the St. Bernard to understand the true purpose of the breed. A dog rakes snow with them no worse than a bulldozer. In the old days, the monks deliberately let a whole pack of St. Bernards in front of them, so that they cleared the way for them. After all, everything you needed then had to be delivered to the highlands on foot ...

Today, St. Bernards have lost the palm in rescue work to German Shepherds. No wonder: modern helicopters or snowmobiles can deliver dogs almost to the scene of the tragedy, therefore, the size and power of the St. Bernards no longer play a positive role. And German Shepherds find victims even faster. In the end, everything is decided by the ratio of weight and the unit of "dog" forces. And then the St. Bernard loses to the shepherd. Agree, there are not many hunters to take such a heavyweight as a St. Bernard with them into a helicopter.

But this is not the only disappointment that tourists who come to the Alps experience, accustomed to the textbook image of a St. Bernard: a huge rescue dog equipped with a barrel of cognac hanging from his neck. The fact is that the St. Bernards never wore such barrels. They existed only in the imagination of artists. The first to mislead everyone was the already mentioned English painter Landseer. It is in his famous painting “Alpine Mastiffs bring the lost traveler to life”, which reproduces the rescue episode in detail, one of the dogs is depicted with a barrel hanging from its neck. Subsequently, this fictional image of St. Bernard began to wander from one picture to another.

It is possible that a flask with alcohol, as an indispensable attribute of equipment, arose due to the specific appearance of dogs. Heavy, hanging eyelids give the St. Bernard some resemblance to a person suffering from a constant hangover.

Be that as it may, it was the British in the 19th century who were the first to popularize the St. Bernard and gave him this name. In the 11th century, a certain Bernard of Menton opened a small inn where travelers could spend the night on the pass separating Italy and Switzerland. Thanks to this refuge, travel through the Alps became less dangerous and traffic through the pass increased. The locals revered Bernard of Menton as a saint, because he gave shelter to travelers and protected them from bandits. In 1124 he was canonized. True, many still confuse him with St. Bernard of Clairevon, the founder of the Kistercian order, who revived monasticism in these places. Part of this confusion is due to the famous motto of Bernard of Clairevon: "Love me, love my dog."

In the history of the St. Bernards there are many examples of the highest courage and self-sacrifice. Now these qualities are very rare, and people in this case have a lot to learn from dogs, in the appearance of which, as many are convinced, the Creator himself was involved.

Based on materials from the Smithsonian magazine Alexander Solntsev