The Saint-Hubert dogs of the military mobilized in the search for missing persons have an incredible sense of smell.
Mobilized the day before on the trail of a lost senior in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Jupiter is already back in training, in Nîmes, this Saturday, October 22.
The objective for Jupiter, lead his master to the “target” and obtain a reward.
At 8 years old, this 52-kilo Saint-Hubert is the only tracker dog in the canine brigade of the Gard gendarmerie. “ These calm dogs, enduring with the hunting instinct, have an exceptional sense of smell, much more developed than that of other breeds.details the master of JupiterMajor Bruno Mourier, at the head of the brigade.
Today, for the pooch equipped with his ”National Gendarmerie” bib, an easy exercise is carried out in the premises of the Nîmes police school, where a playful gendarme has hidden somewhere.
Like his colleagues, Jupiter wears an identifiable uniform. Here a harness stamped “National Gendarmerie”.
In a short period of time, the Saint-Hubert must then find the soldier, hidden on the site – huge! – made up of countless buildings.
Looking for “the target”
Seated at the Major’s feet, Jupiter first takes deep breaths in a cool bag firmly held around his nose for a few seconds. A bag containing, as during real interventions, a personal effect of its “target”, here a metal pin.
Smell a personal effect of the deceased to record his scent.
In a few minutes, never taking his nose off the ground, Jupiter concentrated, crosses the site and leads his master directly to the target, yet hidden hundreds of meters from him behind brushwood. Immediately, the animal places its two paws on the shoulders of the found policeman, to signify to the major the end of the mission and the hour of his reward.
Treats and hugs of congratulations, essential to motivate the animal can be mobilized at any time at the request of local authorities or those of other departments. Wagging his tail, Jupiter already seems ready to leave, tomorrow, in search of a lost child or a criminal on the run.
