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A third of victims found again were thanks to dogs. To help snowed under an avalanche, the period of intervention is essential. Actually, time of survival being limited and victims having suffered serious traumatisms. So the civil security call first dog-handlers of the station who are faster to arrive at the scene.

But all the other way to find again victims are used: at the scene of an avalanche, we of course pass dogs, but also sounders, equiped with systems of echo sounder or transmitters-receivers.

During the ten last years, we consider that around a third of victims found again were by dogs. So we understand that noting must be leave to chance and that the efficiency of the couple dog-master must be continually evaluated.

It is only thanks to a trust unwavering and a closely complicity between the dog and the man that a good result can be obtained. Note that now, in France, there are only around ten women dog-handlers among one hundred and fifty operationals dog-handlers ."

A. F.

"HOW TO BECOME AVALANCHE-DOG ?

25 up to 30 puppies are in touch each year in France. The futur avalanche-dogs are chosen between seven up to ten weeks by an instructor of the Federation, who goes in their breeding of birth. They are selected further to a series of character tests more or less derived of THE TESTS OF CAMBELL , modifyed and adapted to the specific needs of the work in snow.

These dogs must be well-balanced and not to be too much dominant. Usually, the breeder has to give a valuation of the radiography of the hips of the puppy's parents to minimize causes of reject related to dysplasia.

So 25 up to 30 puppies are in touch each year in France. 70% of them are German Shepherds dogs but we also find Malinois and retrievers (labrador retrievers and Golden retrievers) and other breeds like Border terriers, and a few crossed breeds.

The training of the dog is based on the game. He learns to search his master under the snow, to play with an object his master gives him when he founds him again. Little by little a stanger takes the place of the master, but the game is the same. Generally the dog is operational after a training follow-up of an on-the-job training of heighteen days."

These informations come from "La Semaine Vétérinaire n°935 p. 6 - May 1rst of 1999.

"When a winter sports wishes to have what we call an "operational team" (couple dog-master), it buy a puppy, advised by "La Fédération Nationale des Maîtres-Chiens d'avalanches", and put him at the age of two or three months at his futur master home, who is most of the time ski-run attendant/first-aid worker in the ski resort, sometime fireman.

Up to the age of fifteen or sixteen months, the young dog takes part in the life ski resort and learns to familiarize himself with the mountain, the snow and activities of winter sports. He begins little by little exercises on snow and follows at least five training programmes (called pre-training).

When the couple dog-master is considered enough standard, he has to follow the national period of training. The duration of these trainings are of heighteen days and are organized by salaried instructors. At the end of the training the dog-handler is qualified by the French Home Office and enroled on the register of the "assistance plan" holded by the prefecture (Civil Security).

This file lists the teams that are operationals and can be called up to an avalanche in case. This register is update every year. Actually all the actives dog-handlers has to follow up training of one week organized by the prefecture and the Federation in each "département" (subdivision administered by a prefect in France) of mountain (ten alpins and pyreneans).

This time, the gendarmes and the CRS (Compagnie républicaine de Sécurité = riot police) take part in these trainings and are evaluated like all other dog-handlers by the instructors of the Federation. If the team is judged weakly operational often by lack of cohesion between the master and the dog, or if the dog is not on form or is struck down by various physical problems, it may be defered and has to resit at the time of a remedial training organized at the beginning of the next season.

It is concerning around 20% of dog-handlers. In case of failure renew, the couple dog-master can be take off of the list of operationals teams."

A. F.

"La Semaine Vétérinaire: What is the sample career of an avalanche dog ?

Gille Limonne (Practitioner in Chambéry (Savoie). Gille Limonne is President of the french Federation of avalanche dog-handlers since 1984. He is also vice-President of "Groupement d'intérêt scientifique Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes about "breeding, selection and dog's roles" based at the National veterinary school of Lyon.):

Most of the dogs are qualified between heighteen months and two year, and pursue their activity up to the age of 10 years. That is a career of around height years... but certain dogs stay in the running up to eleven or twelve years ! Around 20% of formed dogs stop before the age of ten years, because of a health problem or lack of efficiency.

La Semaine Vétérinaire: How is organized the management of avalanche dogs in France ?

Gille Limonne: Three organisms qualify avalanche-dogs in France: the gendarmerie, the CRS, and Civil security, in association with our Federation. This one gathers height "départementales" and locals associations based in the Alpes or in the Pyrénées. One of its missions is to organize each year, with Civil Security and l'ANENA (National association for study of snow and avalanches), the training of dog-handlers of avalanche of the ski resort. Actually this training was introduced by order since 1977, under French home office supervision.

La Semaine Vétérinaire: What is the role of veterinary with avalanche dogs ?

Gille Limonne: There are now one hundred and fifty operationals avalanche dogs in ten "département". They are the veterinaries near ski resort that look after the state of health of the dogs ; they are perfectly heightened awareness of the needs and specifics disorders of avalanche dogs. I am often with them to better estimate each dog in case..."

Story by Alain FONTBONNE

To know more:

Odile Lombard-Léger: "Les chiens de sauvetage : chiens d'avalanches, chiens de sauvetage nautique", thèse Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Nantes, 1993.

Jean-Cassien de Foucauld: "Le chien d'avalanches : son étude dans le cadre de la gendarmerie nationale", thèse Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon, 1975.

"Interventions lors de catastrophes : du quotidien aux risques majeurs", La Semaine Vétérinaire n°683 du 6/2/1993.

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