I recently saw a SAR video where the rescuer had a bear bell on his dog while doing a wilderness search. I thought this was great for many reasons. You could always hear where your dog is, and a lost person might hear it and walk to the dog or closer to him. What do you think?

I put a bear bell on my pup today during his air scent training and it did not bother him it all. In fact we had some of the toughest most contaminated conditions today he has ever faced. With a snow fall coming a ton of wild life had been out as well as numerous people and their dogs.

Sorry to wander off track let me know your thoughts,
Dale

If it doesn't bother the dog, and it doesn't bother you, I think it's great for all the reasons you gave.

I assume the noise is not so much that the dog would be unable to hear commands at a distance?

We have had some on-line conversations about SAR dogs wearing bells before. Here is what I remember...

Probably the same in AK, but we call "bear bells" "dinner bells" around these parts. They are not really loud enough to warn bears/animals of your presence until you are pretty close I do not think of them as a deterent. I have seen PLENTY of wildlife with people or dogs wearing bells.

Some SAR handlers find bells useful for listening were their dog is, some find the bell annoying (handler's find it annoying, not so much the dog). Handlers with dogs that range a long way find the dog is out of bell-hearing range pretty quick.

Some prefer to search their dog without a collar/vest (think disaster or heavy brush/slash), so a bell no workie.


I am pretty confident that if the victim could hear my dog's bell, my dog is NOT going to miss him/her if they stay put (ie: did not have the opportunity to walk towards a sound)

I have tried it out on my dog and have a couple different bells. I find I don't use it much for searching anymore. I have had my dog get big sticks and crap stuck in his collar on searches (lots of brush) so I often search him with nothing on. I am not really worried about ID or the dog getting lost, but that is my own personal comfort level.

Most often I use a bell when I am hiking with clients (my summer job) as they are often repetedly surprised by a quiet dog running past them on the path! If I am hiking on my own with the dog I don't make him wear it as I find it annoying.

I think it is a matter of preference. If you like it and find it useful, I say go for it.

Shadow has always worn a vest with a bell when doing air scent. I don't need the bell to know where she is, as I use the Garmin Astro 220 for that, but the bell may scare other animals away and also may be a comforting sound to a lost subject. The Garmin Astro 220 would be a good investment for your department to purchase for you.

Yes I agree having had the bell on for a few weeks now. All the victims I use commented that it is really nice to have. My pup is only about 6 months old but he is a big boy that you see running up to you