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Klaus, the three-year-old German Shepherd, is a Search and Rescue (SAR) dog specialising in air scenting and area search. Klaus has been actively involved in search and rescue work for more than two years. Klaus’s pedigree name is CH. Brashawin Highway To Hell RN. 'A' 'Z, and his owner Emily, worked 12 years as a paramedic with New South Wales Ambulance.
“I've moved into a more family-focused lifestyle to spend more time training and working with dogs, which has become a deep passion of mine.”
“We share our home with four dogs, each with their own story, but Klaus is my dedicated working partner in the field of search and rescue.”, said Emily.
Klaus’s scent work training began as a puppy at eight weeks as Emily shaped his natural instincts through structured play, focus-building games, exposure to new environments, and basic scent work.
At around 12 months, Klaus began formal tracking training and at 18 months, transitioned into air scenting and area search training. He then began to learn to work off-lead and detect airborne scents in wide, uncontrolled environments.
Klaus’s main role as a live find SAR dog is to find missing and lost people in a variety of terrains like bushland, rural paddocks and rugged countrysides. These areas are often large, inaccessible and hazardous.
Klaus’s speciality involves air scenting, an advanced detection skill using airborne human scent particles to locate them. The scent is followed rather a specific track or footprint trail.
"This makes Klaus particularly effective in situations where a person’s exact path is unknown, where the terrain is disturbed, e.g. using a vehicle or foot traffic or where scent has drifted due to wind or environmental changes.”
Klaus is trained to work independently off lead to sweep large areas using his nose rather than sight or sound, detecting and following scent cones over long distances, even in low-visibility conditions or thick vegetation.
“He is trained to ignore animal scent or environmental distractions, focusing solely on locating human odour."
“One of Klaus’s most critical skills is his re-find behaviour, a complex and purposeful sequence when he locates a person, he immediately returns to me, performs a trained bark alert, and then leads me back to the subject’s location.”
Being quicker than a human allows Klaus to act as a finder and guide so that search teams can reach individuals when they’re injured, unconscious, or hidden from sight.
Klaus can also track and trail following ground scent left by footsteps or disturbed vegetation, which is helpful when a known point last seen (PLS) is available to guide handlers in the direction a person has travelled.
“Depending on wind conditions or the age of the trail, Klaus can instinctively switch between air scenting and tracking, to maximise his search efficiency.”
SAR dogs are trained to ignore wildlife, livestock, and environmental distractions while maintaining focus for extended periods without breaks.
Potential SAR dogs are evaluated on key traits like drive, focus, endurance, sociability, and emotional stability, with their handlers learning to read maps, navigation, GPS use, search theory, communications, and safety protocols.
Klaus is also trained in article search and indication which involves locating objects that carry human scent, like keys, wallets, phones, or items of clothing. Klaus then indicates his findings calmly by a focused down with his nose on or near the object.
“This is especially valuable in determining the direction of travel or confirming that a person has passed through an area and is useful during everyday life when gear is misplaced!” said Emily.
These skills allow Klaus to be deployed across a wide range of environments and scenarios like:
Klaus can work with human search teams, emergency services, and community organisations, supporting time-critical operations where early location can save lives.
Currently, there are no formal national certifications or legislative framework that govern the deployment of Search and Rescue (SAR) dogs, however there are standards and training pathways to get dogs and their handlers ready for real-world incidents.
With no legal requirement for SAR dogs in Australia, many people choose to follow international standards set by organisations like the International Rescue Dog Organisation and local emergency management bodies.
“While the training pathways and standards may differ slightly, all reputable SAR groups in Australia share the same objective, to produce disciplined, reliable, and effective dog-handler teams who can be trusted to respond when lives are at risk.”, said Emily.
SAR dogs like Klaus provide a lifesaving role in emergency response operations in landscapes that are widespread and difficult to cover, where traditional search methods can be slower and ineffective.
“In missing persons incidents time is critical, when a child is lost in the bush, an elderly person has wandered, or an individual in crisis, they can be in serious danger from exposure, injury, or medical needs.”
SAR dogs increase the chance of locating these individuals quickly by using their exceptional sense of smell and endurance.
Human search parties are limited by visibility or noise unlike SAR dogs who can detect live human scent drifting on the wind, even if a person is hidden from view, silent, or unconscious.
“Klaus can work in low light, dense scrub, or extreme temperatures, conditions that hinder human responders. This makes dogs an invaluable asset to both urban and wilderness search efforts, where every minute counts.”
Apart from their incredible scenting and tracking abilities, having a dog on a search and rescue case gives reassurance to families and communities in distress.
“Their presence on a scene provides reassurance to families and communities in distress and seeing a dog working tirelessly to locate a loved one brings emotional comfort during an otherwise traumatic experience.”
Having a SAR dog opens up opportunities to educate the public by attending preventative education lessons, demonstrations, and training events, raising awareness about bush safety, search tactics, and responsible dog handling.
Dogs with working roles act as ambassadors for the working dog community, showing the benefits that come from ethical breeding, consistent training, and a strong human-animal bond.
“It goes well beyond just searching, it’s about saving lives, supporting emergency services, and strengthening community resilience.”
“Klaus’s work reflects not only his personal dedication, but the greater value of purpose-bred, highly trained dogs in critical, lifesaving operations.”
Well-known as a versatile and intelligent breed, German Shepherd Dogs are used in many working roles. With traits such as intelligence, strong working drive, endurance, fearlessness, biddable, and focused, they are well-suited to be SAR dogs.
"These predictable traits don’t happen by chance they’re inherited and reinforced through considered, multi-generational breeding.”
Emily says one of the key advantages in working with a Dog Australia breeder is they can explain your dog’s pedigree, their lineage, health history and temperament based on their family tree.
“His parents were full breed DNA profiled and parentage verified and had their ‘A’ and ‘Z’ stamp certifications for hips and elbows, which added another layer of assurance.”
“With early and planned training and a well-understood pedigree, I could move forward with confidence, knowing the foundation I was building on was both sound and intentional.”
“At home Klaus is incredibly affectionate and has formed deep, trusting bonds within my family especially my 9-year-old daughter, he is a beautiful balance of intensity and calm, work and heart.”
“Klaus is everything I could ask for as a working partner and family dog, he is a testament to what can be achieved with ethical breeding, consistent training, and a strong handler-dog bond.”
Emily hopes Klaus’s work helps shine a light on the value of working dogs in Australia and the dedication it takes to achieve goals.
“Working dogs like Klaus don’t just appear fully formed, they’re shaped by years of patient, structured work and support from an entire network, breeders, mentors, teammates, and fellow volunteers.”
“There’s also a quiet joy in the everyday moments, those small wins during training, the subtle communication in the field, and the way Klaus transitions seamlessly from intense working dog to calm family companion.”, said Emily.
“Those moments remind me that this work isn’t just about outcomes, it’s about connection, trust, and purpose.”
Dogs Australia is a not-for-profit organisation advocating for the preservation of purebred dogs through ethical breeding.
It champions the highest standard of animal welfare through education and fostering dog-loving communities.
Internationally recognised and established in 1958 as the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC),
the organisation promotes responsible dog ownership; maintains the ORCHID* heritable canine diseases database;
funds research into canine diseases; and supports state and territory-based member bodies.
Dogs Australia promotes breed conformation shows and community sports for dogs that fulfil a breed’s natural instincts.
