This peacefully looking-around German Shepherd even has their own personalised entry card, just like every serious staff member. Did you know that this breed performs particularly important tasks on many ski slopes?

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It is no coincidence if you meet a German Shepherd on a ski slope. Representatives of the breed are excellent working dogs; thanks to their intelligence and physical abilities, they are often used to search for people and even as avalanche dogs.

The guardians of order and the rescuers of those in trouble

German Shepherds are true working dogs with a capital letter: thanks to their tirelessness, endurance and adaptability, they assist humans in countless important tasks. Their ancestors were herding dogs, and currently they are – among others – the greatest support of police officers and rescue services.

In addition, German Shepherds are excellent guard dogs, but in snowy mountains and on ski slopes they do not exclusively carry out territory protection: together with Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers, they belong among the most sought-after breeds in avalanche rescue. With the help of their perfect sense of smell, these dogs find people buried under the snow faster than mechanical equipment!

How does a four-legged one become an avalanche rescue dog?

Approximately three years of training are necessary for a four-legged one to become such a specialised rescue dog. During the training, the selected dogs are already trained from puppyhood for mountain conditions. It is important that they get used as early as possible to using ski lifts, deep snow and even travelling by helicopter with all its noise, that they withstand extreme cold and wind even for long hours and do not lose their sense of direction.

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