For purposes that are not strictly athletic, but rather to compare and acquire preparatory methods for work, an international organization was created in 1994, under the initiative of German-speaking countries: the IRO (Internationale Rettungshunde Organisation-International Rescue Dog Organization). This organization helped to establish Annual World Championships in the Czech Republic in 1995, in Austria in 1996, in Germany in 1997, in Finland in 1998, and in Slovenia in 1999.
1999 World Championship in Slovenia.
Also organizing an annual international congress and training sessions, the IRO facilitates the exchange of information on teaching and training methods among dog handlers from all over the world. They can compare their practical experiences, learn more about each other, list the available resources and more and more often use complementary teams based in different countries.
The competition itself takes place over several days and involves three types of victim search by the teams:- tracking (searching for a lost person with a reference scent articlel and a known point of departure);- quest (searching for a lost person in a defined area without a reference scent article);- disaster search (search for victims buried in rubble).
For each specialization, two other trials are added, each one graded on a scale of 50 points:- an obedience trial including heeling on-leash and off-leash, behavior in a crowd with sudden loud noises, recall and obedience from a distance exercises, retrieving on flat and over high jump, etc;- an agility trial, including crossing unstable surfaces, dog walk, ladder, dangerous areas, and also jumping and crawling exercises.
The specific discipline is graded on a scale of 200 points and follows very precise grading conditions and regulations.
Currently, German, Austrian, and Czech teams dominate this type of competition, though in 1998 a French dog from the Brigade de Sapeurs Pompiers de Paris (Firemen's Brigade of Paris) was awarded the title of best disaster dog.
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