Avalanche Dogs

Dogs have been used by the Swiss Army since the 1930s to rescue people who might be buried under snow. Their ability to sniff out a person becomes invaluable in snowy surroundings, and dogs have become an indispensible part of modern rescue teams.

Dogs are trained to zig-zag across snow-covered terrains searching for the scent of humans, sound the alarm by barking, and then start to dig down towards the human while their handlers catch up with them.

Both dogs and handlers are highly trained and in top physical condition.

See also Search and Rescue Dogs

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