Frustration and its impact on Search and Rescue Canines

Sally Dickinson ^* Erica Nan Feuerbacher

• Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, United States

Despite advances in modern technology, dogs remain the primary detection tool in search and rescue missions in which they locate missing persons in diverse and dynamic environments, including wilderness, avalanche zones, water and disaster areas. Their exceptional olfactory abilities combined with their ability to respond to diverse environmental stimuli and process complex discrimination tasks make them uniquely suited for the job. However, search and rescue work can be both physically and psychologically demanding to dogs, requiring sustained focus, endurance, and the ability to reliably perform under stressful conditions. Frustration, as a form of psychological stress, arises when a dog encounters blocked access to a goal or an expectation is violated, leading to physiological and behavioral changes that can affect performance. This study investigates the physiological responses of search and rescue dogs to two distinct stress conditions: psychological stress induced by frustration and physiological stress induced by physical exertion from moderate exercise. We measured heart rate variability as an indicator of the autonomic nervous system response to stress and observed behavior during the search task to evaluate how frustration and exercise affected the dog's latency and accuracy in performing its trained final response to the target odor. By examining the effects of psychological and physiological stress, we aimed to deepen our understanding of how different stressors, such as frustration and exercise, influence the effectiveness and welfare of search and rescue dogs.