Doing search and rescue work is not for every dog. The ability to detect scent is relative to the length of the dogs nose and the number of receptor or scent detecting cells. At the time American Rescue Dog was starting, the military had just completed a 12 year effort to develop the perfect breed of dog. At the end of 12 years they had never once been able to develop a more versatile dog than the German Shepherd. They have a thick double coat which protects them from a wide range of temperatures, heavy brush, and loose debris. They have never been bred to hunt or retrive game so when tired they do not fall back on the hundreds of years of breeding and give us a deer or a bunny instead of the missing person. They like to be trained, if you don't work with them everyday they get bored. Finally by staying with a single breed we can train and develop the skills of the handlers much more swiftly.