Dogs trained to find water bodies

The idea is to prolong the working lives of rescue dogs

A team of search and rescue dogs are going to be trained to find bodies submerged in water.

The dogs, members of the Search and Rescue Dogs Association (Sarda Wales), will be taught techniques trainer Steve Howe picked up on a trip to the USA.

Mr Howe, from Llanberis in Gwynedd, said it would extend the working life of highly-trained dogs.

He hopes to start training three older dogs from the team in Snowdonia in April.

Mr Howe said: "On the very first rescue I went out on with my dog, Tilly, she indicated a body in water although she had not been trained specifically to do so, and some of the other dogs have done the same.

"It was more a chance thing , but I hope that after my trip to see how they train dogs in Louisiana and Florida, we can now train dogs here to do this properly."

'Very fit'

Mr Howe added: "Tilly is 10 and a half now and although she is still very fit she is getting to the age when she will be slowing down.

"It seemed a waste of all her ability not to have her continue working, so the less strenuous work of searching river banks or from a boat would suit her."

Mr Howe travelled to the USA with sponsorship from the Churchill Fellowship, which backs British citizens who want to acquire knowledge overseas to benefit their community or country.

He said: "I got involved in search and rescue because I work as a mountaineering instructor and I wanted to put something back.