A Logan Village pooch trained for emergency search and rescues could just be the nation’s top dog with a job.
Snickers, a Belgian Malinois, has been chosen as a top 10 finalist in a competition judging dogs in the workplace.
There were more than 300 applicants ranging from Cocker Spaniels in photography studios to Australian Shepards in marine precincts.
Among the most remarkable occupations belongs to Snickers – who has been trained to execute urban search and rescue operations to find people trapped after earthquakes and collapsed buildings.
His owner and trainer, Ingrid Groeger-Stone, said dogs like Snickers had an “incredible sense of smell can find survivors and determine where the rescue crews start shoring”.
“They also provide emotional support to the rescue workers, but are not specifically trained for this,” she said.
“Urban Search and Rescue dogs are important to find survivors, but they also provide comfort and support to every taskforce member.
“Snickers is great at his job because he is confident, tireless and fearless – searching is an endless game for him that he loves.”
Fortunately, there has been no need for Snickers to put his skills to the test in a real-world emergency.
But he does undertake mock scenarios.
“We’ve done exercises and deployment simulation,” Ms Groeger-Stone.
“We simulate everything – from going through border control into a foreign country, setting up the base of operations, and we eat rations for a few days.
“We train for the worst-case scenario, and hope we are not really needed, but if we are, we’re always ready.”
Despite his incredible talents, Snickers is far from a workaholic.
“He’s as much a pet as he is a working dog,” Ms Groeger-Stone said.
“To me, he is unique not only because of his working ability but his personality.
“Snickers gets along with all other dogs and he loves meeting all humans.”
The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony this Friday 30 August.
