What kind of dog can be a search-and-rescue dog?
It doesn’t take a particular breed to become a search-and-rescue dog. Almost any breed, or a mixed-breed dog, can do the job, as long as it is strong enough. Bloodhounds are particularly good at following scent trails. Saint Bernards are experts at working in snow; their thick coats keep them warm and their strong legs and big feet help them clamber through drifts. Newfoundlands are good swimmers and have strong instincts for water rescue. (Sometimes they even try to “save” swimmers who don’t want to be saved!) Labrador Retrievers, Belgian Malinois, Border Collies, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds (like Ellie), are also common search-and-rescue dogs.
When trainers are looking for a puppy that might grow up to be a good search-and-rescue dog, one of the first things they look for is how the puppy plays. Playing is a puppy’s work. A young dog who will play with a ball or a toy for a long time, without getting tired or distracted or wandering off to do something else, might make a good search-and-rescue dog. A puppy who is focused on play may grow up to be a dog who is focused on work, who will not give up until the job is done.
When Jakob plays with Ellie and the other puppies in her litter, he is actually checking to see which of them might grow up to be a good rescue dog. Ellie shows Jakob that she is smart, focused, and willing to follow his commands, which is why he chooses her.
How is a dog trained to do search-and-rescue work?
Training, at first, is a game that the dog plays. A dog who loves playing will come to think of its training simply as another game. A dog might first learn to find its owner. The owner runs away, usually with the dog’s favorite toy, so that the dog can see her leave. Then the dog is allowed to chase her. Once the dog finds the owner, the owner plays and wrestles with her, letting the dog see how excited and pleased she is. The entire purpose of this early training is to make the dog think that finding people is marvelous fun!
Once the dog is good at finding its owner, it will move on to finding different people. The people hide in more and more difficult places, seeing whether the dog can locate them. Each time the dog finds someone, that person acts delighted to be found, and makes sure to play with the dog as a reward. This is the kind of training that Ellie is actually doing when she thinks she is playing Find Wally.
A dog must also practice climbing and balancing, so that it will be confident walking on any kind of surface. Some dogs (like Ellie) learn to be put in a special harness and lifted by a rope, so that they can be lowered down or pulled up cliffs, holes, shafts, or even carried by helicopters. Dogs who will do water rescue must learn to swim four miles or more in the open ocean.
Training a search-and-rescue dog takes up to two years. A dog (and its handler) will continue to train and practice as long as it is working.
What kind of training does the dog’s handler have to do?
A lot! Besides learning to work with a dog, handlers have to master skills like first aid (for people and dogs), map reading, using a compass, how to survive in the wilderness, how to preserve a crime scene, and more. They also must be in good physical shape (as Maya learns) so that that they can keep up with a running dog and track people through miles of wilderness if they need to.
Who can be a search-and-rescue dog handler?
Police officers and firefighters may get special training to work with search-and-rescue dogs. Some people also volunteer to train their own dogs and help in search efforts. These people may work other jobs most of the time, but bring their dogs to help if someone is lost, or if there is a disaster and many people need help.
How do search-and-rescue dogs find people?
With their noses! A dog’s nose is about a million times as sensitive as a human’s. Dogs may follow scents on the air or on the ground. In either case, they are smelling the same thing: tiny pieces of hair and skin too small to be seen. People shed bits of their hair and skin all day long without knowing it. Dogs can smell these traces and follow them to the person they are hunting for.
It’s easiest for a dog to follow a trail on a damp day without much wind, when the ground is a little bit warmer than the air. Those bits of hair and skin will cling to the ground for a long time on a day like that. Luckily for Geoffrey, it’s that kind of day when he climbs into the sewer and gets trapped there. That means it’s easier for Ellie to pick up his scent (even with her injured nose) than it would have been on a hot, dry day—as long as she can find him before the rain washes all his skin and hair away.
Could my dog be a search-and-rescue dog?
Most dogs start their training when they are a year old or younger. So if your dog is already a few years old, it’s probably not suddenly going to become a search-and-rescue dog. Search-and-rescue dogs must work with adult handlers; the training is tough and the work can be dangerous. However, when you grow up, maybe you will decide that you want to train yourself and your dog for search-and-rescue work.
Where can I learn more about search-and-rescue dogs?
Want to find out more about dogs like Ellie? Here are some places to start:
Web sites
American Rescue Dog Association
www.ardainc.org
Federal Emergency Management Association
www.fema.gov/urban-search-rescue
National Association for Search and Rescue
www.nasar.org
Books
Search and Rescue Dog Heroes by Linda Bozzo
Mountain Dog by Margarita Engle
Search and Rescue Dogs: Expert Trackers and Trailers by Elizabeth Ring
Reading and Activity Guide
Ages 8–12; Grades 3–7
Ellie’s Story: A Dog’s Purpose Novel describes the life of a search-and-rescue dog, but its unique viewpoint makes it a fantastic resource for children or adults who love dogs simply as pets, too. From puppyhood to bonding with humans to working to save lives, readers of all ages will be gripped by Ellie’s story and the insights it provides about humankind’s best friends.
Reading Ellie’s Story: A Dog’s Purpose Novel with Your Children
Pre-Reading Discussion Questions
Help your young reader get excited about this book by exploring key words and ideas from the story. This will help strengthen the connections children make as they begin to read.
1. This book is titled Ellie’s Story: A Dog’s Purpose Novel. What is a “purpose”? What types of roles do dogs play in your community? What do you think is a dog’s most important role?
2. What books have you read about dogs? Describe your favorite dog book, noting whether it was fiction or nonfiction, and what you liked best about the story.
3. Have you ever tried to train a dog or other pet? If so, what was the most surprising or challenging thing you learned about this process? If not, would you like to try dog training and what kind of dog (or other animal) might you like to train?
Post-Reading Discussion Questions
Some or all of the questions below may help launch family conversations or be useful preparation for the activities that follow.
1. Who narrates Ellie’s Story: A Dog’s Purpose Novel? Were you surprised when you realized the identity of the narrator? Why or why not?
2. In Chapter 1, Jakob chooses Ellie from a litter of German Shepherds. What are some of the key qualities he appreciates in the puppy?
3. What is “Work” to Ellie? Describe the steps Jakob takes to teach Ellie to understand “Work” and, later, “Find.” How is “Play” a very important part of Ellie’s training process? Is play important for people, too? Explain your answer.
4. How does Jakob help Ellie conquer her fear of water? What rescue described in the story requires Ellie to deal with water? How does Ellie use her sense of smell to find a bad guy? Describe the way she does so.
5. What actions does Ellie take in the story that show she is an extraordinary rescue dog?
6. Why does Ellie have to leave Jakob and go to live with Maya? How does she react to this transition? How do y
ou think Ellie’s understanding of the change is similar to, and different from, the way a human understands such events?
7. What challenges does Maya face as she works to become Ellie’s handler?
8. Ellie describes the different ways she is loved by Jakob, Maya, and other characters. Do these descriptions help you better understand relationships your dog (or dogs you know) have with you and other members of your community? Explain your answer.
9. List some key search-and-rescue missions Ellie undertakes before the trip to El Salvador. What makes the work searching through the earthquake rubble in El Salvador so different from her police work in the United States? How does Maya realize this and find a way to help Ellie with this new work?
10. Why can’t Ellie return to “Work” after El Salvador? What does she do instead? What happens when Ellie and Jakob are reunited in the last chapter of the story? How did you feel when Jakob told Ellie, “You’re a good dog”?
Post-Reading Activities
Take the story from the page to the pavement with these fun and inspiring activities for the dog-lovers in your family.
1. MAKE A “DOGS ARE AWESOME” POSTER. Inspired by the story, have children draw, paint, or glue magazine clippings, printed images found via parent-supervised Web searches, or other visual art material onto a large sheet of cardboard or foam core. The poster may include images of dogs playing with people, dogs at work, even dogs in cartoons. Mount the finished work in a place of prominence in your home.
2. TRY AN OBSTACLE COURSE. As part of her training, Jakob takes Ellie through an agility course. Design an obstacle course for people. Choose a space in your backyard or nearby park. Stations might include running between traffic cones, jumping rope, tunneling under a picnic blanket. Make signs explaining what course runners should do at each station. Be creative! Invite friends or neighbors to try the course. Consider a “parents-vs-kids” or other fun challenge race on the course.
3. MAKE A LEARNING LIST. Based on information from the book, collaborate with your child on a list of important “do’s” for dog ownership and care. Consider listing things to look for in choosing a puppy, best practices for training young dogs, and ways to keep a growing dog feeling happy and purposeful.
4. TALK LIKE A DOG. Ellie’s Story: A Dog’s Purpose Novel is narrated in first person by Ellie the German Shepherd. This helps readers understand the dog’s point of view and is also a model for helping children see other peoples’ and animals’ perspectives. Invite your child to describe, using “I,” a few minutes in the life of his or her own pet. Or, invite your child to describe how you, a sibling, or another family member might understand the child’s actions in an exciting or confusing situation.
5. HELP OUT. Learn more about the work of search and rescue dogs at SARDUS (http://www.sardogsus.org/index.html), find out how dogs help with literacy through the R.E.A.D. program (http://therapyanimals.org/Contact_Us.html), visit your local ASPCA or seek out other dog-friendly organizations in your community. Make a family plan to donate 2–4 hours (or more) supporting the great work of dogs.
Reading Ellie’s Story: A Dog’s Purpose Novel in Your Classroom
These Common Core–aligned writing activities may be used in conjunction with the discussion questions in the “Family” section above.
1. POINT-OF-VIEW: Ellie’s Story: A Dog’s Purpose Novel is narrated by Ellie, the German Shepherd. How does the author sensory descriptions (sound, sight, taste, touch, and smell) help readers connect with the dog’s viewpoint? What other techniques does the author use to create a believable dog’s voice for the narrative?
2. COMMUNITIES AND RELATIONSHIPS: Using clues from the novel and your imagination, write a short biography for Jakob or Maya. What lead them to join the police force? Where did they discover their love for animals? What critical life experiences did they have just before meeting Ellie? What do you imagine for their future?
3. TEXT TYPE: OPINION PIECE. Write a one-page essay explaining why you think Jakob made a good choice in choosing Ellie as the best possible rescue dog from her German Shepherd litter.
4. TEXT TYPE: NARRATIVE. In the character of Maya, write several journal entries describing your dreams, doubts, and plans to become Ellie’s new handler.
5. RESEARCH AND PRESENT: EL SALVADORAN EARTHQUAKE. Go to the library or online to learn more about the devastating earthquakes that hit El Salvador in 2001, and the role of rescue dogs in helping with recovery efforts. Use your research to create a PowerPoint or other multimedia–style presentation to share with friends or classmates.
6. RESEARCH AND PRESENT: RESCUE DOGS. Go online to learn more about search and rescue dogs. (Hint: Begin your research at http://www.sardogsus.org/index.html.) Create an informative booklet that describes the training, the types of rescues that dogs can accomplish, and other facts. If possible, make copies of your booklet to distribute to others in your school community.
Supports English Language Arts Common Core Writing Standards: W.3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.7; W.4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.7; W.5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.7; W.6.2, 6.3, 6.7; W.7.2, 7.3, 7.7
About the Author
W. BRUCE CAMERON is the New York Times bestselling author of A Dog’s Purpose and A Dog’s Journey. He lives in California. You can sign up for email updates here.
Also by
W. Bruce Cameron
A Dog’s Purpose
A Dog’s Journey
The Dogs of Christmas
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Chapter 1
Illustration 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Illustration 2
Chapter 4
Illustration 3
Chapter 5
Illustration 4
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Illustration 5
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Illustration 6
Chapter 10
Illustration 7
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Illustration 8
Chapter 16
Illustration 9
Chapter 17
Illustration 10
Chapter 18
Illustration 11
More About Search-and-Rescue Dogs
Reading and Activity Guide
About the Author
Also by W. Bruce Cameron
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
ELLIE’S STORY: A DOG’S PURPOSE NOVEL
Copyright © 2015 by W. Bruce Cameron
Reading and Activity Guide copyright © 2015 by Tor Books
All rights reserved.
Cover design by Peter Lutjen
Cover photograph by Hans Surfer / Getty Images
A Starscape Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
eBooks may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department by writing to
[email protected].
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-0-7653-7469-1 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-4299-1 (e-book)
e-ISBN 97814668429
91
First Edition: April 2015
W. Bruce Cameron, Ellie's Story
(Series: A Dogs Purpose # 1.60)
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