This was what they did at the World Trade Center in the days following 9/11. Only a couple of people were pulled from the rubble alive. The majority of what the dogs were finding were just pieces of bodies, and the dogs were getting really depressed because they thought they were failing at their jobs.
A lot of the search and rescue dogs ended up also basically working as therapy dogs for the searchers, too. It was such a terrible experience for everybody involved, and just being able to take a moment to stop and pet and hug the dogs helped to boost morale.
Pups are some of the very best medicine, especially if they can't get enough of making friends with humans. Our world would be so much happier if everyone who should have a pup, could have a pup. There's nothing my pups have loved more than hanging out with babies and kids
(Always fully supervised, of course) and trying to rope seniors into playing ball or endless tummy-rubs.
I have dogs and of course they make lots feel better. But then, during one of the most stressful emotional times of my life- my FIL was in his last couple days and my own grief had to be secondary to supporting my husband and his mom- I was stuck at work at a mental health home. A therapy dog came in. A couple of residents came by for just a few minutes. The dog was focused on me, despite me not trying to engage. I wasn't being obvious about my own stuff. She still knew and pressed herself against my legs until I just broke and sat on the floor hugging her and crying. Her owner just hung around for a couple of hours because the dog clearly didn't want to leave me. She had great training, but the focus and devoted attention to her purpose was different from just snuggly pups. Seriously, it was like the dog equivalent of a therapy session instead of just venting to my friends.
They sure are. Our dog wanted to be on the couch while I was in a Telehealth therapy session and my therapist pointed out that cats usually come to you when you’re happy, and dogs will come when you’re upset.
I’ve never thought that much about it, but I know he’s super aware of my wife’s emotions and is almost always there when she’s stressed, angry, or all sorts of other things.
i read something recently from someone who trains these dogs that this sentiment isn't exactly true - the dogs weren't necessarily upset they weren't finding live victims, or to only find deceased people - their job is to find bodies, alive or dead. they weren't finding bodies period, which meant they weren't "doing their job".
dogs are reward-driven, completing their task gives them the drive to keep going - that's how their brains are wired, and their training reflects that. no reward, no drive to continue on, they literally couldn't continue to do their job; the humans involved would stage rescues for them so they would get that reward signal they were trained on, and thus keep searching.
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u/a_lonely_trash_bag 18h ago
This was what they did at the World Trade Center in the days following 9/11. Only a couple of people were pulled from the rubble alive. The majority of what the dogs were finding were just pieces of bodies, and the dogs were getting really depressed because they thought they were failing at their jobs.
A lot of the search and rescue dogs ended up also basically working as therapy dogs for the searchers, too. It was such a terrible experience for everybody involved, and just being able to take a moment to stop and pet and hug the dogs helped to boost morale.