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Scent of the Missing: Love and Partnership with a Search-and-Rescue Dog
An unforgettable memoir from a search-and-rescue pilot and her spirited canine partner
In the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing, Susannah Charleson clipped a photo from the newspaper of an exhausted canine handler, face buried in the fur of his search-and-rescue dog. A dog lover and pilot with search experience herself, Susannah was so moved by the image that she decided to volunteer with a local canine team and soon discovered firsthand the long hours, nonexistent pay, and often heart-wrenching results they face. Once she qualified to train a dog of her own, she adopted Puzzle, a strong, bright Golden Retriever puppy who exhibited unique aptitudes as a working dog but who was less interested in the role of compliant house pet. Scent of the Missing is the story of Susannah and Puzzle's adventures as they search for the missing lost teen, an Alzheimer's patient wandering in the cold, signs of the crew amid the debris of the space shuttle Columbia disaster and unravel the mystery of the bond between humans and dogs.
285 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Susannah Charleson
5 books106 followersSusannah Charleson is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Scent of the Missing, as well as a flight instructor, service dog trainer, and canine search-and-rescue team member, who most recently began a non-profit organization called The Possibility Dogs, which rescues, trains, and places dogs with people suffering "unseen" disabilities. She lives with her search partner, Puzzle, a golden retriever certified for the recovery of missing persons, her service dog partner-in-training, Jake Piper, a German shepherd-pit bull-poodle mix, as well as a rabble of pomeranians, a chihuahua-cairn terrier mix, and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 612 reviews
April 22, 2010
I've always admired working dogs (from a distance) and their human partners. I'd heard about Scent of the Missing. from friends, and picked it up to find out what they saw in it. And I saw it too. Dogs (and cats and other pets) are NOT just small humans, and treating them as such degrades both the animal and the human. Susannah Charleson does not fall into this trap (which admittedly puts books on the Best Seller list). Ms. Charleson accepts her companions (dogs and cats) on their own terms. She respects their species for what they are, and then tells us all about them.
Scent of the Missing is the story of Susannah Charleson's journey from pilot and flight instructor to Search and Rescue volunteer, and ultimately as a SAR dog handler. (or is it Puzzle who is the handler?) It touches on the life of a SAR team member, triumphs and tragedies, and the feelings of accomplishment and failure that go with the territory.
Her writing is readable and literate and a joy to absorb. It is educational, too; it should be required reading for police and first responders who are not aware of the capabilities of mixed human-animal rescue teams. I learned about an area that I'd never thought about, and I feel better rounded for having done so.
Scent of the Missing is the story of Susannah Charleson's journey from pilot and flight instructor to Search and Rescue volunteer, and ultimately as a SAR dog handler. (or is it Puzzle who is the handler?) It touches on the life of a SAR team member, triumphs and tragedies, and the feelings of accomplishment and failure that go with the territory.
Her writing is readable and literate and a joy to absorb. It is educational, too; it should be required reading for police and first responders who are not aware of the capabilities of mixed human-animal rescue teams. I learned about an area that I'd never thought about, and I feel better rounded for having done so.
July 8, 2010
This is the first book about a dog that hasn't made me cry and I get teary while reading most dog books. This is a fearless look at life and what happens when you decide to help other people. Susannah Charleston doesn't mention how she really earns a living and pays for all that dog food, but you get the feeling that she would scrub floors to keep her rescue dogs well fed and in good health. Yes, she has a search and rescue dog and several cute little Poms that she has taken in as well. The story mostly centers around her Golden Retriever Puzzle and what it took to be a certified search and rescue (SAR) dog. The training seems much more grueling for the human part of this team rather than the dog.
This book is so uplifting and tells such a good story about the goodness of people in general, that someone would make the time and take the effort just to help others. I can tell that the training helped the author overcome her own difficulties as well by creating this much commendable service in her life. I just finished A Dog's Purpose by Bruce Cameron which is a fictional account of SAR from a dog's point of view and it appears that both the human and dog are worthy of our praise. This book is a real must for dog and memoir fans.
This book is so uplifting and tells such a good story about the goodness of people in general, that someone would make the time and take the effort just to help others. I can tell that the training helped the author overcome her own difficulties as well by creating this much commendable service in her life. I just finished A Dog's Purpose by Bruce Cameron which is a fictional account of SAR from a dog's point of view and it appears that both the human and dog are worthy of our praise. This book is a real must for dog and memoir fans.
April 30, 2020
I love reading books about service dogs and the amazing work they do! The author, a service dog handler herself, reveals in much detail just how much effort must be put forth by the dogs and humans in search-and-rescue situations. There is no sugar-coating; the author is very honest in all of her stories, including the ones that don’t always have happy endings.
The best parts for me were the “adventures” Susannah Charleston had in training her service dog Puzzle starting from puppyhood. Definitely a lot of giggle-worthy moments, especially those involving Puzzle and her three Pomeranian “siblings”!
Memorable Quotes:
(Pg.7)-“Having run with more than a dozen breeds and their handlers, having searched night into day for the living, and having knelt over the dead, I’m aware how serious a proposition bringing a new dog to the team is. Working search is not a hobby or a Sunday pastime.”
The best parts for me were the “adventures” Susannah Charleston had in training her service dog Puzzle starting from puppyhood. Definitely a lot of giggle-worthy moments, especially those involving Puzzle and her three Pomeranian “siblings”!
Memorable Quotes:
(Pg.7)-“Having run with more than a dozen breeds and their handlers, having searched night into day for the living, and having knelt over the dead, I’m aware how serious a proposition bringing a new dog to the team is. Working search is not a hobby or a Sunday pastime.”
December 22, 2014
The writing was pretty good as was the reading, both done by the author, although both could slow down. Sometimes they'd both be at a low point & then it was a chore to keep going, but generally it was interesting. I've never read another about Search & Rescue (SAR).
She does a great job showing that search & rescue is very important work, but the ratio of time invested to time worked is very low. Both parts of the team train for years to get certified. They get called out several to a dozen times a year (maybe, depending) & then might spend hours or even days waiting around to be properly deployed, if they even make it all the way to the site. The people deploying them often don't understand or can't work to their abilities & limitations. They also have to juggle priorities. Weather, previous searches, terrain, & many other factors can hinder or even destroy the search dogs' chances. All very interesting & why I had high hopes for the book. They weren't completely dashed.
The author gives us a lot of insight into her life, but what she leaves out is bothersome. At times there is far too much information, others not enough. I really don't care about her failed marriage, although that & her multiple miscarriages shaped her life, but then there is nothing about her current love life. Not that I particularly care, but it felt incomplete. There is a long section about her getting ill & thinking about giving up her SAR dog, but it struck me as a bit too self-serving, not really enough about the dog. Perhaps that's just me. I was reading for the SAR & the dog, not her.
Just how did she support herself while spending so many hours volunteering & performing her service? Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favor of the time she spent, but it was a bit unreal. She briefly mentions how many of the other volunteers work a day job &, without their employer's support, have to take vacation & sick days to perform their real calling. Others are supported by their employer, but she doesn't seem to work at all during most of the book so that leaves a huge hole in the issues that most of these people face.
She didn't mention was anything about her or any dog's sexuality, a major hole. A bitch in season can be a real mess physically & temperamentally, both in herself & in the reactions of other dogs (especially dogs, but bitches too) around her, so might be too inconvenient in a search dog, but she never mentions it at all. Never for any dog. Most young male dogs want to hump everything, so I'm sure that could lead to some hilarious & awkward rescue scenes.
I abhor neutering too early since hormones play a huge part in any animal's development, both physical & mental. What is her take on that, especially in her line? Her bitch seems to be a real keeper, a line that should be continued, but there is no mention of a line of rescue dogs. They seem to be of all kinds of different breeds - a surprising lack of continuity. We have bred dogs to do all sorts of specialized, complex jobs, yet haven't & don't have lines for various services? Apparently not, but she never brings this point up.
(I wonder how English Pointers would do? Mine has a great nose & goes all day. She listens well when I bother to tell her anything, but I usually don't have to & have never formally trained her beyond a few basics. She can be a bit of an airhead, but when I do communicate to her, she understands complex subjects amazingly well - when to stay close, which gates she's allowed to jump, what to leave alone, where to go, & more. She's not very good about sharing the bed, though. In a way, it's a shame she has been wasted on me, but she was a rescue.)
It was pretty obvious that even though she rescues a lot of dogs, she hasn't raised many from a pup & doesn't seem to understand the process very well. This is probably due to not raising kids of her own, so she doesn't understand the psychological changes from egocentric monster to empathetic maturity. That made her worries about obedience & bonding in the early days understandable, but kind of silly. The bonding process is just that - a process with all the implied time. There is no way she could have spent so much time with any dog from such an early age & not had it bond completely with her. Puzzle's ability to do the work were of far more concern to me.
I was a little surprised that she taught her pup so much so early, thus raising the frustration factor, but the dogs have a limited work life. A surprising amount of energy goes into each search, so getting them out in the field as early as possible makes sense. It also bonds the pair. She seems to have done a great job.
Overall, it was an interesting peek into the search & rescue world, but I felt the subject was often diluted too much by her personal life & missed too many important points.
She does a great job showing that search & rescue is very important work, but the ratio of time invested to time worked is very low. Both parts of the team train for years to get certified. They get called out several to a dozen times a year (maybe, depending) & then might spend hours or even days waiting around to be properly deployed, if they even make it all the way to the site. The people deploying them often don't understand or can't work to their abilities & limitations. They also have to juggle priorities. Weather, previous searches, terrain, & many other factors can hinder or even destroy the search dogs' chances. All very interesting & why I had high hopes for the book. They weren't completely dashed.
The author gives us a lot of insight into her life, but what she leaves out is bothersome. At times there is far too much information, others not enough. I really don't care about her failed marriage, although that & her multiple miscarriages shaped her life, but then there is nothing about her current love life. Not that I particularly care, but it felt incomplete. There is a long section about her getting ill & thinking about giving up her SAR dog, but it struck me as a bit too self-serving, not really enough about the dog. Perhaps that's just me. I was reading for the SAR & the dog, not her.
Just how did she support herself while spending so many hours volunteering & performing her service? Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favor of the time she spent, but it was a bit unreal. She briefly mentions how many of the other volunteers work a day job &, without their employer's support, have to take vacation & sick days to perform their real calling. Others are supported by their employer, but she doesn't seem to work at all during most of the book so that leaves a huge hole in the issues that most of these people face.
She didn't mention was anything about her or any dog's sexuality, a major hole. A bitch in season can be a real mess physically & temperamentally, both in herself & in the reactions of other dogs (especially dogs, but bitches too) around her, so might be too inconvenient in a search dog, but she never mentions it at all. Never for any dog. Most young male dogs want to hump everything, so I'm sure that could lead to some hilarious & awkward rescue scenes.
I abhor neutering too early since hormones play a huge part in any animal's development, both physical & mental. What is her take on that, especially in her line? Her bitch seems to be a real keeper, a line that should be continued, but there is no mention of a line of rescue dogs. They seem to be of all kinds of different breeds - a surprising lack of continuity. We have bred dogs to do all sorts of specialized, complex jobs, yet haven't & don't have lines for various services? Apparently not, but she never brings this point up.
(I wonder how English Pointers would do? Mine has a great nose & goes all day. She listens well when I bother to tell her anything, but I usually don't have to & have never formally trained her beyond a few basics. She can be a bit of an airhead, but when I do communicate to her, she understands complex subjects amazingly well - when to stay close, which gates she's allowed to jump, what to leave alone, where to go, & more. She's not very good about sharing the bed, though. In a way, it's a shame she has been wasted on me, but she was a rescue.)
It was pretty obvious that even though she rescues a lot of dogs, she hasn't raised many from a pup & doesn't seem to understand the process very well. This is probably due to not raising kids of her own, so she doesn't understand the psychological changes from egocentric monster to empathetic maturity. That made her worries about obedience & bonding in the early days understandable, but kind of silly. The bonding process is just that - a process with all the implied time. There is no way she could have spent so much time with any dog from such an early age & not had it bond completely with her. Puzzle's ability to do the work were of far more concern to me.
I was a little surprised that she taught her pup so much so early, thus raising the frustration factor, but the dogs have a limited work life. A surprising amount of energy goes into each search, so getting them out in the field as early as possible makes sense. It also bonds the pair. She seems to have done a great job.
Overall, it was an interesting peek into the search & rescue world, but I felt the subject was often diluted too much by her personal life & missed too many important points.
May 10, 2023
This is truly a lovely book about service dogs, rescue dogs in particular.
He follows the life of dogs through training and into their active participation and search and rescue.
So nice story and one that I recommend to people.
He follows the life of dogs through training and into their active participation and search and rescue.
So nice story and one that I recommend to people.
August 6, 2019
I loved this! A must for all animal lovers. I highly recommend this book to everyone, even to those who haven't yet discovered that they, too, may be fans of dogs.
April 13, 2010
I have both read the book, and listened to the audio version, which was read by the author. Her voice is very pleasant and expressive, and one does not tire of hearing her. I loved reading the book. Her prose is delightful. I enjoyed re-reading lines and savoring them.
The book itself is a gem. I loved reading it. Her prose is delightful. I enjoyed re-reading lines and savoring them. She teaches so much about work that I had only a glancing knowledge of before, and she informs us about very exacting work in such a way that it is captivating and entertaining, as well as sobering at times.
I hope to see more works from Ms. Charleson. She is a brilliant writer.
The book itself is a gem. I loved reading it. Her prose is delightful. I enjoyed re-reading lines and savoring them. She teaches so much about work that I had only a glancing knowledge of before, and she informs us about very exacting work in such a way that it is captivating and entertaining, as well as sobering at times.
I hope to see more works from Ms. Charleson. She is a brilliant writer.
April 13, 2010
"Our flight attendant...gives a nervous little shriek. I feel sure the young woman saw the puppy come aboard, but now Puzzle sleeps upside down in my arms, her round belly upward, feet akimbo, head limp and tilted backward toward the aisle. Gravity has pulled down the puppy's ears and lips and bared her fangs. Her eyes are open buy unseeing, rolled up in her head with the whites exposed. It's not a good look. It's not even canine -- more Hell-Spawn Bunny of the Undead.
"It's a puppy," says my seatmate, helpfully pointing to the paws, the nose, and the tail.
"I'm sorry," stammers the attendant. "F-for a second I thought I was seeing some kind of a a...a...mutant."
"She's going to be a search dog," I add. I exhibit the little green vest.
"Oh. I'm sure she'll be very good," says the attendant. But her expression is shifty. She hurries away.
The exchange has roused Puzzle a little. A couple of huh? what? snorts, and she stretches all four paws upward, trembling with the extension. She is briefly stiff as road kill, then relaxes. In less than a minute she begins to snore: a treble Skkkiiiiinnnnnnnnnk from just behind her nostrils, then a deeper Skkunnnnnnnnnnk further back in her muzzle. Her eyes roll slowly upward again, the whites staring dully across the aisle toward two other passengers. One grins. The other flinches and turns back to his in-flight magazine. I look down at Puzzle and consider that I've never seen a Golden puppy photographed from this unflattering angle. There are probably reasons for that.
"She doesn't have to be pretty," says the grinning man across the aisle, his voice kind. "She just has to be smart."
Scent of the Missing by Susannah Charleson is about the training of a search and rescue dog and her human partner. This is the sort of book where an author is easily tempted into self-dramatization or to supply lurid detail as entertainment. Neatly avoiding both pitfalls, Charleson is a wonderful narrator with a terrific sense of humor, an eye for detail, and the ability to translate the esoteric worlds of dog training and search and rescue (SAR) for the lay reader. These SAR teams put in a tremendous amount of time into choosing and training dogs for all kinds of specialized search: urban, wilderness, water, cadaver, live. Charleson's insights into how dogs (especially working dogs) think have me wondering why they are not used more often or sooner in missing person cases; certainly I'm eyeing my own beagle pups a little more thoughtfully.
Recommended for: SAR professionals of all stripes, police officers, dog lovers.
Not recommended for: serial killers, kidnappers, people who are afraid of Hell-Spawn Bunnies of the Undead
"It's a puppy," says my seatmate, helpfully pointing to the paws, the nose, and the tail.
"I'm sorry," stammers the attendant. "F-for a second I thought I was seeing some kind of a a...a...mutant."
"She's going to be a search dog," I add. I exhibit the little green vest.
"Oh. I'm sure she'll be very good," says the attendant. But her expression is shifty. She hurries away.
The exchange has roused Puzzle a little. A couple of huh? what? snorts, and she stretches all four paws upward, trembling with the extension. She is briefly stiff as road kill, then relaxes. In less than a minute she begins to snore: a treble Skkkiiiiinnnnnnnnnk from just behind her nostrils, then a deeper Skkunnnnnnnnnnk further back in her muzzle. Her eyes roll slowly upward again, the whites staring dully across the aisle toward two other passengers. One grins. The other flinches and turns back to his in-flight magazine. I look down at Puzzle and consider that I've never seen a Golden puppy photographed from this unflattering angle. There are probably reasons for that.
"She doesn't have to be pretty," says the grinning man across the aisle, his voice kind. "She just has to be smart."
Scent of the Missing by Susannah Charleson is about the training of a search and rescue dog and her human partner. This is the sort of book where an author is easily tempted into self-dramatization or to supply lurid detail as entertainment. Neatly avoiding both pitfalls, Charleson is a wonderful narrator with a terrific sense of humor, an eye for detail, and the ability to translate the esoteric worlds of dog training and search and rescue (SAR) for the lay reader. These SAR teams put in a tremendous amount of time into choosing and training dogs for all kinds of specialized search: urban, wilderness, water, cadaver, live. Charleson's insights into how dogs (especially working dogs) think have me wondering why they are not used more often or sooner in missing person cases; certainly I'm eyeing my own beagle pups a little more thoughtfully.
Recommended for: SAR professionals of all stripes, police officers, dog lovers.
Not recommended for: serial killers, kidnappers, people who are afraid of Hell-Spawn Bunnies of the Undead
June 14, 2024
I've been interested in the book for a long time, and I'm glad it finally made it to the top of the reading pile. I learned a lot about SAR (search-and-rescue) teams, the different jobs they do, and the incredible amount of time and commitment it takes. The author trained with SAR before she got her own dog--people without dogs can volunteer as "victims" to be found when dogs (and humans) are training, and they also work with the human-dog teams. Once she got her Golden Retriever puppy, Puzzle, it was another two years of training before they were "mission ready," passing three air-scent tests for living victims in wilderness, urban, and disaster settings.
The book is the story of her relationship with Puzzle and their training together, along with many anecdotes about real searches she participated in, before and after Puzzle was in her life. She had six Pomeranians and three cats when she added Puzzle to the mix, and I really enjoyed reading about them and the author's home life with this unusual pack.
It worked well for my chapter-a-day way of reading nonfiction, with each chapter a self-contained piece.
I loved the way she wrote about the dogs. Her word choice was so unexpected and perfect, like when she described a dog as "petitioning" for treats, or multiple dogs "schooling" when they were in a crowd of people and dogs. I was surprised at the variety of dog breeds doing SAR. My first thought is always hounds, but I think only one hound was mentioned when she talked about the teams she worked with in Texas.
She wrote about both the happy and sad endings to searches, and I thought she painted a realistic picture of what it's like to be a part of this work.
This one's a winner.
The book is the story of her relationship with Puzzle and their training together, along with many anecdotes about real searches she participated in, before and after Puzzle was in her life. She had six Pomeranians and three cats when she added Puzzle to the mix, and I really enjoyed reading about them and the author's home life with this unusual pack.
It worked well for my chapter-a-day way of reading nonfiction, with each chapter a self-contained piece.
I loved the way she wrote about the dogs. Her word choice was so unexpected and perfect, like when she described a dog as "petitioning" for treats, or multiple dogs "schooling" when they were in a crowd of people and dogs. I was surprised at the variety of dog breeds doing SAR. My first thought is always hounds, but I think only one hound was mentioned when she talked about the teams she worked with in Texas.
She wrote about both the happy and sad endings to searches, and I thought she painted a realistic picture of what it's like to be a part of this work.
This one's a winner.
July 27, 2016
One of my favorite romance novels, The Search, features Search and Rescue dogs and their handlers so I decided to read a non fiction on the subject. Ms. Charleson blends dog training, dog antics, and autobiography for a short, largely uplifting, read.
Some of the glimpses into her search and rescue missions were hard to read for different reason. Sometimes they find nothing and never know what happened, sometimes communities work against them, and sometimes they wish they hadn't found the missing at all. There is a reason they are called runaways, they are running away from something.
I knew S&R was a volunteer service but I had no idea that they would be called out of state to pull long hours with no compensation. These people still work for a living and their employers are not always understanding. Worse still is some law enforcement not understanding/respecting the value of the dogs.
I hope this changes in the future.
Three and a half stars rounded up to four for dog kisses.
Some of the glimpses into her search and rescue missions were hard to read for different reason. Sometimes they find nothing and never know what happened, sometimes communities work against them, and sometimes they wish they hadn't found the missing at all. There is a reason they are called runaways, they are running away from something.
I knew S&R was a volunteer service but I had no idea that they would be called out of state to pull long hours with no compensation. These people still work for a living and their employers are not always understanding. Worse still is some law enforcement not understanding/respecting the value of the dogs.
I hope this changes in the future.
Three and a half stars rounded up to four for dog kisses.
July 28, 2014
This book was ok. It was good, but the writing tended to be discordant and jumped around in time, which caused my interest to wane. On the other hand, the work these people do is so absolutely admirable. I wish I had the time to do something so rewarding. I wish the author and Puzzle all the best!
April 26, 2010
3 1/2 stars. This is a story of Search and Rescue dogs but also of life with a golden retriever puppy named Puzzle who is being trained for SAR work, of living in a household full of rescued Pomeranians, and of all the training that goes into making a successful SAR dog and handler. There are also sad stories about why some of the author's rescued dogs needed to be rescued in the first place, and it never fails to amaze me how thoughtless and cruel people can be at their worst.
On the flight home after picking up puppy Puzzle, the puppy is sleeping upside down in the author's arms, leading to a favorite quote:
Gravity has pulled down the puppy's ears and lips and bared her fangs. Her eyes are open but unseeing, rolled up in her head with the whites exposed. It's not a good look. It's not even canine – more Hell-Spawn Bunny of the Undead.
For the most part I enjoyed the writing style. I would have liked more rescue stories and I would have liked a little bit less detail about individual rescue and training sessions, a little less repetition. The amount of training required for certification surprised me. The chapter on recovery after the Columbia disaster was touching and heartbreaking. I admire these volunteers who spend countless hours and a great deal of their own money to train and work these dogs, going into dangerous situations to save someone or even to find remains when it's too late to save. While this might not be an all-time favorite book for me, I think dog lovers will enjoy it.
Thank you, Tara!
On the flight home after picking up puppy Puzzle, the puppy is sleeping upside down in the author's arms, leading to a favorite quote:
Gravity has pulled down the puppy's ears and lips and bared her fangs. Her eyes are open but unseeing, rolled up in her head with the whites exposed. It's not a good look. It's not even canine – more Hell-Spawn Bunny of the Undead.
For the most part I enjoyed the writing style. I would have liked more rescue stories and I would have liked a little bit less detail about individual rescue and training sessions, a little less repetition. The amount of training required for certification surprised me. The chapter on recovery after the Columbia disaster was touching and heartbreaking. I admire these volunteers who spend countless hours and a great deal of their own money to train and work these dogs, going into dangerous situations to save someone or even to find remains when it's too late to save. While this might not be an all-time favorite book for me, I think dog lovers will enjoy it.
Thank you, Tara!
March 15, 2010
There were parts of this book I really liked, the rescues and the way the author injects humor in the middle of what sometimes seems like endless paragraphs of information. There were also parts that really bored me, namely the endless paragraphs mentioned above regarding training and technical stuff. Being a dog mom myself, I didn't find the training particularily interesting. The eating of chairs, the car sickness, the dog fights, I've been there!
The author strays from the subject too often, going on about storms and fire alarms. Whereas I thought this would be a book with stories of her rescues, the actual rescue stories were few and far between and the book became mostly about Puzzle, her retriever and the training and certification tests. Puzzle herself doesn't participate in an actual rescue until the very last chapter, leaving me feeling rather cheated.
Not bad, but not great.
The author strays from the subject too often, going on about storms and fire alarms. Whereas I thought this would be a book with stories of her rescues, the actual rescue stories were few and far between and the book became mostly about Puzzle, her retriever and the training and certification tests. Puzzle herself doesn't participate in an actual rescue until the very last chapter, leaving me feeling rather cheated.
Not bad, but not great.
February 2, 2020
Well written and interesting.
August 9, 2010
Susannah Charleson sort of fell into search-and-rescue. After volunteering as an assistant for her local search-and-rescue team, she eventually received approval to train a dog of her own. After a prolonged nation-wide search, the Golden Retriever Puzzle landed in her lap.
I'm not a huge non-fiction reader. Let's take a peek at my shelves, shall we? Let's see.... I've labeled 1252 read books as fiction and 129 as non-fiction. Yeah, I'm not a big fan of the true stories.
Yet I was drawn to the story of Susannah and Puzzle. I don't watch the news a lot, but even I have noticed that whenever a disaster happens, there's always footage of a SAR (search-and-rescue) worker and his or her dog in the background. I did not realize that these workers are volunteers who spend hours training each week, not to mention the time that they spend actively searching. What a huge commitment to make to help out other people.
When I was asked if I wanted to read and review this book, I asked the publicist, "Is this one of those books where you get all attached to the animal and then you sob the last fifty pages as they get sick and die? 'Cuz I don't do the whole crying thing." To my relief, the answer is that Puzzle is still alive and well.
And what a dog Puzzle is! She is highly intelligent and creative, and through Susannah's eyes we can watch Puzzle reasoning her way through the problems she's confronted with. I was amazed at some of the stories I read, not just about Puzzle but about all the dogs in their SAR team. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't say much, but just think about training in burnt buildings and the myriad of scents these dogs must be confronted with. I had no idea that SAR dogs can work on the water also. Who knew? Oh, and the picture of the volunteer and his dog rappelling down the side of a building together blew me away. A dog calmly rappelling? Wow.
There's one section where Susannah writes feelingly about her time as an assistant on the search after the Columbia space shuttle exploded. She handled it with sensitivity, but it was heart-breaking to read about. Even the dogs suffered from burnout on that search.
I think part of the reason the author chose to write this memoir is to confront the misconceptions the public, especially those who work in public services such as law enforcement and emergency medicine, have about what exactly the dogs can do. She quotes one officer who tells her that he hates to see the dogs called in because that means they've given up hope on finding a live person and believe they're now searching for a body. She gears up to tell him that these dogs can practically work miracles and they should always be called to a search early on when he cuts her off and says, "We only use dogs for human remains....Live people just don't smell bad enough." Susannah amply proves her point in this book that the dogs absolutely should be called in before all hope is given up.
Training Puzzle is no easy task. A dog as bright, independent, and inquisitive as she is has her own ideas about proper behavior. Convincing her otherwise provides some entertaining moments. Especially when they share the house with a multitude of jealous Pomeranians. They all have to play the searching game! And when Puzzle decides to find someone's hidden stash of treats--well, let's just say the results aren't pretty but they're funny.
I think animal lovers of all kinds will love this book. It kept my attention, and I even kept reading bits to my husband, something I don't recall ever doing with a non-fiction book before. I also think it's important for the law enforcement and emergency medical communities to give it a try just so they do know the dogs' abilities. I loved learning about these dogs and their volunteer handlers, and I loved "meeting" Puzzle and Susannah, may they share a long and healthy partnership!
Thanks to the publicist for sending me a copy of this wonderful book for review.
I'm not a huge non-fiction reader. Let's take a peek at my shelves, shall we? Let's see.... I've labeled 1252 read books as fiction and 129 as non-fiction. Yeah, I'm not a big fan of the true stories.
Yet I was drawn to the story of Susannah and Puzzle. I don't watch the news a lot, but even I have noticed that whenever a disaster happens, there's always footage of a SAR (search-and-rescue) worker and his or her dog in the background. I did not realize that these workers are volunteers who spend hours training each week, not to mention the time that they spend actively searching. What a huge commitment to make to help out other people.
When I was asked if I wanted to read and review this book, I asked the publicist, "Is this one of those books where you get all attached to the animal and then you sob the last fifty pages as they get sick and die? 'Cuz I don't do the whole crying thing." To my relief, the answer is that Puzzle is still alive and well.
And what a dog Puzzle is! She is highly intelligent and creative, and through Susannah's eyes we can watch Puzzle reasoning her way through the problems she's confronted with. I was amazed at some of the stories I read, not just about Puzzle but about all the dogs in their SAR team. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't say much, but just think about training in burnt buildings and the myriad of scents these dogs must be confronted with. I had no idea that SAR dogs can work on the water also. Who knew? Oh, and the picture of the volunteer and his dog rappelling down the side of a building together blew me away. A dog calmly rappelling? Wow.
There's one section where Susannah writes feelingly about her time as an assistant on the search after the Columbia space shuttle exploded. She handled it with sensitivity, but it was heart-breaking to read about. Even the dogs suffered from burnout on that search.
I think part of the reason the author chose to write this memoir is to confront the misconceptions the public, especially those who work in public services such as law enforcement and emergency medicine, have about what exactly the dogs can do. She quotes one officer who tells her that he hates to see the dogs called in because that means they've given up hope on finding a live person and believe they're now searching for a body. She gears up to tell him that these dogs can practically work miracles and they should always be called to a search early on when he cuts her off and says, "We only use dogs for human remains....Live people just don't smell bad enough." Susannah amply proves her point in this book that the dogs absolutely should be called in before all hope is given up.
Training Puzzle is no easy task. A dog as bright, independent, and inquisitive as she is has her own ideas about proper behavior. Convincing her otherwise provides some entertaining moments. Especially when they share the house with a multitude of jealous Pomeranians. They all have to play the searching game! And when Puzzle decides to find someone's hidden stash of treats--well, let's just say the results aren't pretty but they're funny.
I think animal lovers of all kinds will love this book. It kept my attention, and I even kept reading bits to my husband, something I don't recall ever doing with a non-fiction book before. I also think it's important for the law enforcement and emergency medical communities to give it a try just so they do know the dogs' abilities. I loved learning about these dogs and their volunteer handlers, and I loved "meeting" Puzzle and Susannah, may they share a long and healthy partnership!
Thanks to the publicist for sending me a copy of this wonderful book for review.
October 26, 2023
Wonderfully sympathetic and heartwarming story of search dogs and their trainer. Author is the narrator- does well. Clean read. Recommended. 👍
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 18, 2016
This was a sweet, easy read. Good book for animal lovers, especially dog people. Charleson does an excellent job of getting inside the head of the animals. Unfortunately, she used less skill when writing about people, including herself.
While I felt like I knew her dog Puzzle very well, I didn't feel like I knew her at all. It was unclear what she did for a living (she was a pilot, but she didn't seem to be working all that much), why she did search and rescue, even who was in her personal life. There was one section where she wrote about herself as a little girl, terrified of tornadoes but living in Tornado Alley, then ultimately sent off to live with her grandmother when her fears started to overwhelm her family. That was an excellent section, which shows that she has the skill to write about people, but she just didn't utilize it.
There is another section towards the end of the book where she reveals that she is going through a bad time with serious, chronic illness, which may derail Puzzle's training as a SAR dog. The timing of the section felt off, as if she knew she was reaching the end of the book, looked at her checklist, and thought "Oops, haven't written about the illness yet. Better get it in."
Timing, come to think of it, is an issue throughout the book. I don't have any problem with books bouncing back and forth between present and past, but when they do, the periods need to be clearly noted. After finishing the book, I can't say exactly when anything took place. Puzzle was born a year or two after the Columbia explosion, but short of googling the date, that is the only marker. How hard would it have been to start a chapter with a date?
Speaking of the Columbia, that was another oddly spaced chapter. In the midst of Puzzle's testing and certification, and Susannah's illness, there was a long chapter about Susannah searching for pieces of the Columbia, in the time before Puzzle. While the mission made a lasting impression on the writer, it was out of place in a book about Susannah and her dog.
The book had a lot of good things going for it, but it was a mixed bag in the end.
While I felt like I knew her dog Puzzle very well, I didn't feel like I knew her at all. It was unclear what she did for a living (she was a pilot, but she didn't seem to be working all that much), why she did search and rescue, even who was in her personal life. There was one section where she wrote about herself as a little girl, terrified of tornadoes but living in Tornado Alley, then ultimately sent off to live with her grandmother when her fears started to overwhelm her family. That was an excellent section, which shows that she has the skill to write about people, but she just didn't utilize it.
There is another section towards the end of the book where she reveals that she is going through a bad time with serious, chronic illness, which may derail Puzzle's training as a SAR dog. The timing of the section felt off, as if she knew she was reaching the end of the book, looked at her checklist, and thought "Oops, haven't written about the illness yet. Better get it in."
Timing, come to think of it, is an issue throughout the book. I don't have any problem with books bouncing back and forth between present and past, but when they do, the periods need to be clearly noted. After finishing the book, I can't say exactly when anything took place. Puzzle was born a year or two after the Columbia explosion, but short of googling the date, that is the only marker. How hard would it have been to start a chapter with a date?
Speaking of the Columbia, that was another oddly spaced chapter. In the midst of Puzzle's testing and certification, and Susannah's illness, there was a long chapter about Susannah searching for pieces of the Columbia, in the time before Puzzle. While the mission made a lasting impression on the writer, it was out of place in a book about Susannah and her dog.
The book had a lot of good things going for it, but it was a mixed bag in the end.
November 4, 2011
I've very happy I happened to see this in the 'new' section at my local library. That being said, it's not the best book in the world. I can read about dogs - most animals even - all day long. I love animals, especially dogs, with a passion. I've long knew they were far more intelligent than the average person gives them credit for.
Search and rescue dogs go beyond even this. It's absolutely amazing what these dogs are capable of. The writing that pertains to the training is very, very interesting and will be to most any dog lover I think. The parts that have to do with personal anecdotes from the author and her dogs and the other handlers and their dogs are the best parts IMO. There are many and they're added in perfectly also.
The only way I can explain the 'average' rating is that the writing sometimes dragged. I'm a little leery of saying that because it was in no way a chore to read. But, I should have read this faster. Normally a book like this would be a two day book for me. Instead it was a 4 day book. Not important right? Right. But the writing wasn't exactly what *I* wanted it to be.
I will say this, Susannah Charleson is an awesome, awesome person. The fact that she managed to train Puzzle like she did, even with help, proves that fact a hundred times. The fact that she has so many animals in her house, so many rescues, proves this another hundred times.
What she - and Puzzle - give of themselves to help find missing people (among other finds) leaves me speechless. It really makes me weigh things in my mind and feel a little less horrified at this world we're living in. If we have people like Charleson the world still has a chance.
There are some really nice photos of Puzzle, Charleson's Pomeranians and some other handlers and their dogs.
Anyone out there who things dogs are stupid animals, who don't think and feel and judge, read this and then say that. If you can do that you'll be lying to yourself or you're the one lacking in intelligence.
Search and rescue dogs go beyond even this. It's absolutely amazing what these dogs are capable of. The writing that pertains to the training is very, very interesting and will be to most any dog lover I think. The parts that have to do with personal anecdotes from the author and her dogs and the other handlers and their dogs are the best parts IMO. There are many and they're added in perfectly also.
The only way I can explain the 'average' rating is that the writing sometimes dragged. I'm a little leery of saying that because it was in no way a chore to read. But, I should have read this faster. Normally a book like this would be a two day book for me. Instead it was a 4 day book. Not important right? Right. But the writing wasn't exactly what *I* wanted it to be.
I will say this, Susannah Charleson is an awesome, awesome person. The fact that she managed to train Puzzle like she did, even with help, proves that fact a hundred times. The fact that she has so many animals in her house, so many rescues, proves this another hundred times.
What she - and Puzzle - give of themselves to help find missing people (among other finds) leaves me speechless. It really makes me weigh things in my mind and feel a little less horrified at this world we're living in. If we have people like Charleson the world still has a chance.
There are some really nice photos of Puzzle, Charleson's Pomeranians and some other handlers and their dogs.
Anyone out there who things dogs are stupid animals, who don't think and feel and judge, read this and then say that. If you can do that you'll be lying to yourself or you're the one lacking in intelligence.
July 25, 2010
Finally an author who can write with a dog story worth telling has come along! In Scent of the Missing Susannah Charleson illuminates the often romanticized, but little known world of search and rescue dogs. She starts with her own introduction to the SAR, as a field assistant and finishes the book with an accounting of the training of her own SAR dog, Puzzle. If you are expecting sappy, feel-good accounts of rescues you may be disappointed. Susannah tells it like it is including the disappointments, heartbreak, and the rescues that may have been better staying unfound. Still, in the end, you will have a profound appreciation for the incredible work and dedication demanded of the handlers and dogs.
While SAR is a fascinating world, what really makes the book is Susannah's writing style. The book flows effortlessly and the vocabulary and subject matter are sophisticated. I learned a lot from this book and enjoyed myself along the way. I can only hope that Susannah continues the story of Puzzle!
I listened to the audio version of this book, read by the author herself. Her quiet and thoughtful reading rounds out the picture I formed of the author. It is easy to imagine her calm voice encouraging on a frustrated dog or soothing a frazzled searcher. I highly recommend this audio book!
August 21, 2010
I saw this in a book store and ordered it from the library. It's well worth it.
I had read Caroline Hebard's So Others May Live and loved it. It describes some of the early search and rescue training when air scenting was first trained. Scent of the Missing gave me an updated veiw of search and rescue work since it was published roughly ten years later.
Charleson's narration is well-written and addictive. I finished the book in 2 days and was sad to put it down.
The book starts before she gets her search and rescue puppy when she's assisting on searches with other dogs on the team. It ends after she's trained the puppy, gotten certified and gone on a few searches. It seems a funny place to end. I was invested enough at that point that I would have liked to have read about more of her searches with her dog. Also, on many of the searches she never reveals if the person is found or not which I thought was a little strange but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.
Search and rescue work wasn't quite what I had envisioned. Each dog is assigned a sector to search and sometimes other dogs search the same secter again to confirm the first dog's search. I had pictured a dog being given the scent and then allowed to track where it thought the person had gone.
I'd recommend this to dog lovers and to anyone who likes a good memoir.
I had read Caroline Hebard's So Others May Live and loved it. It describes some of the early search and rescue training when air scenting was first trained. Scent of the Missing gave me an updated veiw of search and rescue work since it was published roughly ten years later.
Charleson's narration is well-written and addictive. I finished the book in 2 days and was sad to put it down.
The book starts before she gets her search and rescue puppy when she's assisting on searches with other dogs on the team. It ends after she's trained the puppy, gotten certified and gone on a few searches. It seems a funny place to end. I was invested enough at that point that I would have liked to have read about more of her searches with her dog. Also, on many of the searches she never reveals if the person is found or not which I thought was a little strange but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.
Search and rescue work wasn't quite what I had envisioned. Each dog is assigned a sector to search and sometimes other dogs search the same secter again to confirm the first dog's search. I had pictured a dog being given the scent and then allowed to track where it thought the person had gone.
I'd recommend this to dog lovers and to anyone who likes a good memoir.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2010
I thought this book would be about the compelling stories of people who were missing and how this woman and her dog found them. And from the title, do you blame me? Instead it was a bit about how the author helped other trainers before she got a dog, some about how she trained her own dog, a lot about the dynamics of the dog with the other pets in her house, some sad information about her bad health and failed marriage, and one actual search with the dog on the cover. She starts the book with a story about a missing person but then never says whether they found the person. Uh, hello? That's like a joke with no punch line but a sad version of that. And that lack of ending happened with several of her anecdotes. Instead I get to hear how her coffee was instead of the back story on the missing kid or whether his death was ever solved. The story does not go chronologically or even logically from bit to bit. I don't want to diminish her valuable service to community by giving her book a bad review. It's just that this book had an editor asleep at the wheel.
July 16, 2024
“Scent of the. Missing: Love & Partnership with a Search-And-Rescue Dog” is a nonfiction memoir which chronicles author Susannah Charleson’s experience as a young field assistant and search-and-rescue (SAR) canine handler.
The book consists of an author’s note, twenty-five chapters, and epilogue, acknowledgments, and a bibliography.
In the author’s note, Charleson begins by making it clear to the reader that the book is a memoir of her experiences as a young field assistant and search-and-rescue canine handler. Likewise, Charleson expresses that the views the book are her own unless otherwise attributed. Charleson ends her author’s note by stating that although she’s changed some names, locations, and other details in her memoir to protect those effected, all the dogs named are real.
The memoir begins with Charleson working as a field assistant during a search for a missing woman. During the search, Charleson, canine Hunter, and Hunter’s human handler Max happen upon a small tent city but are unable to find the missing woman. Over a dinner with her fellow search-and-rescue teammates, a team member shares the news that Charleson is going to “work” a dog leading to much excitement by Charleson’s fellow teammates and advice on the best dog breed to partner with. Although Charleson considers various dog breeds such as a Border Collie and Aussie, several team members suggest Charleson work with a Golden Retriever due to its drive, stability, commitment to working with humans, congeniality, and its nose.
As the memoir progresses, Charleson arrives in Midland, Texas on a hot sway to get her new female canine partner after several close calls of golden retriever ownership that fell through. The puppy joining Charleson’s home is three elderly cats and six adult dogs. In addition to the existing pets in her home, Charleson also fosters dogs until they are unable to find a permanent home. Upon getting the puppy, Charleson names the new gold retriever Puzzle. Charleson is unable to distinguish whether or not Puzzle is a threat to Charleson’s other pets leading her to hire a dog trainer. Although Puzzle does well at work, at home she is stubborn and tends to bull her other pets.
Charleson shares stories of SAR searches with sad consequences as well as highlights the personalities and unique behaviors of her various pets. After a year of having Puzzle living in her home, an emergency occurs involving a snakebite. After surviving the snakebite emergency, Charleson realizes that Puzzle has not been “snake-proofed” which is a process involving controlled access to a living snake and a shock collar.
Just a few months before turning two years old Puzzle, must pass three SAR certification tests: wilderness, urban/disaster, and clear building in order to be promoted to senior status. After being told by a teammate that Puzzle is ready to move to the next level, this leads Charleson to analyze her health and stamina in reference to being about to keep up with a such a young puppy since Charleson is now in her mid-forties.
Following completion of the three certification tests, Puzzle is officially “mission ready” meaning she is ready to deploy on any land search involving potential live finds.
Charleson shares her personal experience with the explosion of the space shuttle Columbia and how her dogs were more attuned to the space shuttle explosion. Following days of searching the Columbia crash site, Charleson sees signs of canine grief by other dog teams such as withdrawing from play and stopping eating.
Charleson decides to choose a field assistant to train to handle Puzzle in the event that she becomes too sick to work her in the field. Other options Charleson considers are to either leave Puzzle to work with another handler or have Puzzle live quietly with Charleson as a pet. In the end, Charleson is able to convince a field assistant she knows to learn to work Puzzle as a backup plan, not as a definite plan. When the field assistant comes to work with Puzzle, she seems confused as to what’s happening but goes to work when instructed to do so. Charleson is in awe of seeing Puzzle work with the field assistant from a distance. Overtime, the field assistant says that although Puzzle will do the search, she wants to only do it with Susannah.
The memoir ends with Puzzle completing her first official search with Charleson for a missing senior citizen named Jimmy.
In the epilogue, Charleson shares that despite the initial thought that canine search-and-rescue teams would be replaced by GPS units, this has not been the case. Charleson provides updates on the service dogs who were featured in this book and her personal pets while sharing that she and Puzzle are still partners in the field.
As I finished reading the memoir, I was surprised to learn the process of becoming a search-and-rescue canine handler as well as the process in making themselves aware of dog vulnerabilities including hip issues, eye problems, and cancer. Likewise, I was shocked to learn that despite their years of training, search-and-rescue handlers are all volunteers. Likewise, most SARs pay to become canine handlers and most come from first responder backgrounds, enjoy the outdoors, and love dogs. In closing, I appreciated the down to earth writing style of Charleson as well as her providing photos of her, Puzzle, and her SAR teammates which to me added an additional layer of depth to the memoir.
The book consists of an author’s note, twenty-five chapters, and epilogue, acknowledgments, and a bibliography.
In the author’s note, Charleson begins by making it clear to the reader that the book is a memoir of her experiences as a young field assistant and search-and-rescue canine handler. Likewise, Charleson expresses that the views the book are her own unless otherwise attributed. Charleson ends her author’s note by stating that although she’s changed some names, locations, and other details in her memoir to protect those effected, all the dogs named are real.
The memoir begins with Charleson working as a field assistant during a search for a missing woman. During the search, Charleson, canine Hunter, and Hunter’s human handler Max happen upon a small tent city but are unable to find the missing woman. Over a dinner with her fellow search-and-rescue teammates, a team member shares the news that Charleson is going to “work” a dog leading to much excitement by Charleson’s fellow teammates and advice on the best dog breed to partner with. Although Charleson considers various dog breeds such as a Border Collie and Aussie, several team members suggest Charleson work with a Golden Retriever due to its drive, stability, commitment to working with humans, congeniality, and its nose.
As the memoir progresses, Charleson arrives in Midland, Texas on a hot sway to get her new female canine partner after several close calls of golden retriever ownership that fell through. The puppy joining Charleson’s home is three elderly cats and six adult dogs. In addition to the existing pets in her home, Charleson also fosters dogs until they are unable to find a permanent home. Upon getting the puppy, Charleson names the new gold retriever Puzzle. Charleson is unable to distinguish whether or not Puzzle is a threat to Charleson’s other pets leading her to hire a dog trainer. Although Puzzle does well at work, at home she is stubborn and tends to bull her other pets.
Charleson shares stories of SAR searches with sad consequences as well as highlights the personalities and unique behaviors of her various pets. After a year of having Puzzle living in her home, an emergency occurs involving a snakebite. After surviving the snakebite emergency, Charleson realizes that Puzzle has not been “snake-proofed” which is a process involving controlled access to a living snake and a shock collar.
Just a few months before turning two years old Puzzle, must pass three SAR certification tests: wilderness, urban/disaster, and clear building in order to be promoted to senior status. After being told by a teammate that Puzzle is ready to move to the next level, this leads Charleson to analyze her health and stamina in reference to being about to keep up with a such a young puppy since Charleson is now in her mid-forties.
Following completion of the three certification tests, Puzzle is officially “mission ready” meaning she is ready to deploy on any land search involving potential live finds.
Charleson shares her personal experience with the explosion of the space shuttle Columbia and how her dogs were more attuned to the space shuttle explosion. Following days of searching the Columbia crash site, Charleson sees signs of canine grief by other dog teams such as withdrawing from play and stopping eating.
Charleson decides to choose a field assistant to train to handle Puzzle in the event that she becomes too sick to work her in the field. Other options Charleson considers are to either leave Puzzle to work with another handler or have Puzzle live quietly with Charleson as a pet. In the end, Charleson is able to convince a field assistant she knows to learn to work Puzzle as a backup plan, not as a definite plan. When the field assistant comes to work with Puzzle, she seems confused as to what’s happening but goes to work when instructed to do so. Charleson is in awe of seeing Puzzle work with the field assistant from a distance. Overtime, the field assistant says that although Puzzle will do the search, she wants to only do it with Susannah.
The memoir ends with Puzzle completing her first official search with Charleson for a missing senior citizen named Jimmy.
In the epilogue, Charleson shares that despite the initial thought that canine search-and-rescue teams would be replaced by GPS units, this has not been the case. Charleson provides updates on the service dogs who were featured in this book and her personal pets while sharing that she and Puzzle are still partners in the field.
As I finished reading the memoir, I was surprised to learn the process of becoming a search-and-rescue canine handler as well as the process in making themselves aware of dog vulnerabilities including hip issues, eye problems, and cancer. Likewise, I was shocked to learn that despite their years of training, search-and-rescue handlers are all volunteers. Likewise, most SARs pay to become canine handlers and most come from first responder backgrounds, enjoy the outdoors, and love dogs. In closing, I appreciated the down to earth writing style of Charleson as well as her providing photos of her, Puzzle, and her SAR teammates which to me added an additional layer of depth to the memoir.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2024
Interesting and fun read
This was a fun and easy read. I think I expected something slightly different based on the title. I had thought that I would learn about the experiences of the handler and her SAR missions with Puzzle, the golden retriever on the cover. However, it was mostly about the training leading up to becoming a SAR dog. The chapters were more like short essays about various experiences they had. It was very interesting to learn about, but I was hoping to hear more about their missions. The last chapter was about their first mission, but that was the only one. Overall, sweet book. I’m a dog lover, so I’m glad I read it. It was fascinating to learn about the process of becoming a SAR dog.
This was a fun and easy read. I think I expected something slightly different based on the title. I had thought that I would learn about the experiences of the handler and her SAR missions with Puzzle, the golden retriever on the cover. However, it was mostly about the training leading up to becoming a SAR dog. The chapters were more like short essays about various experiences they had. It was very interesting to learn about, but I was hoping to hear more about their missions. The last chapter was about their first mission, but that was the only one. Overall, sweet book. I’m a dog lover, so I’m glad I read it. It was fascinating to learn about the process of becoming a SAR dog.
February 11, 2018
I don't believe I can adequately review this book without disclosing the surprises. I encourage you to read this book. So well worth it. I especially liked the way the author could describe a dog as their breed and the individual personality of each. The close bond is so strong with the working pairs. Please read this book.
August 29, 2018
Excellent memoir from a search and rescue trainer. A good mix of informing the reader about the use and training of search and rescue dogs while sharing the joys and foibles of raising a working dog and being a human. The author is a very engaging reader of her own book in the audio version.
October 20, 2022
It was interesting to read about the training of search and rescue dogs. The author does a good job of combining the facts about the training and missions of search and rescue dogs with their everyday life.
April 7, 2018
So heartwarming and beautiful. Good for the soul.
February 24, 2023
I really enjoyed this memoir. It details the relationship between the author and her dog, puzzle, from the time she got the puppy through the time when puzzle became a search and rescue dog.
August 10, 2010
I remember once, years ago, walking to an Arizona Cardinals game with my father. It was a late, golden afternoon; I was young and I more than likely had a book clutched in my hands to read during the boring parts of the game. Along the pedestrian route to the stadium, police officers were directing traffic and keeping people in line. Several of them were on horses, massive brown and black animals with their own kind of uniform. I was utterly fascinated by the horses, even though I wasn't allowed to pet them, as an officer rather sternly informed me. They seemed so calm and self-assured, as though they knew perfectly well the job that was expected of them to peform. Ever since then I've liked to learn about working animals.
In Scent of the Missing, Susannah Charleson tells the story of her own history working with search and rescue dogs. Search and Rescue (SAR) organizations are often made up entirely of volunteers, who give up their weekends and after-work hours to train dogs, and remain on-call at all times to respond to missing persons calls or calls to find bodies. They search for drowning victims, people in destroyed buildings, lost children, and wandering Alzheimer's patients. Given the wide variety of situations search dogs face, their training is complex, and starts from an early age even as potential puppies are given behavioral and temperamental tests.
This book is interesting and informative, bouncing between stories from Susannah's experience training her own search dog - a Golden Retriever named Puzzle - and stories of Susannah's experience in the field, with and without her dog. The author has an excellent way of telling a story and an eye for small details that really bring locations alive. Her affection for all animals is evident in the way she writes about them. Dogs are never an "it"; they're a boy or a girl, and their temperaments are spoken of in such a way as to clearly mark each animal as an individual.
The book suffers from a few flaws in the manner of storytelling. A medical problem seems like a major twist in the last part of the book because of the timeline, and a few chapters felt as though they could have been shuffled around. The most difficult part of the book, in my opinion, was that several of the searches described did not have clear outcomes. They end abruptly. In some ways this mirrors the way any searcher may have to deal with simply not having answers, but I'm sure that Susannah was able to keep up on stories and would be able to follow criminal investigations or even just the news. I was also hoping for a few more stories about the other dogs on the SAR team. I'm sure there were several heroic stories that could have been told.
All in all, definitely a worthy read for anybody who loves dogs and the work they do.
In Scent of the Missing, Susannah Charleson tells the story of her own history working with search and rescue dogs. Search and Rescue (SAR) organizations are often made up entirely of volunteers, who give up their weekends and after-work hours to train dogs, and remain on-call at all times to respond to missing persons calls or calls to find bodies. They search for drowning victims, people in destroyed buildings, lost children, and wandering Alzheimer's patients. Given the wide variety of situations search dogs face, their training is complex, and starts from an early age even as potential puppies are given behavioral and temperamental tests.
This book is interesting and informative, bouncing between stories from Susannah's experience training her own search dog - a Golden Retriever named Puzzle - and stories of Susannah's experience in the field, with and without her dog. The author has an excellent way of telling a story and an eye for small details that really bring locations alive. Her affection for all animals is evident in the way she writes about them. Dogs are never an "it"; they're a boy or a girl, and their temperaments are spoken of in such a way as to clearly mark each animal as an individual.
The book suffers from a few flaws in the manner of storytelling. A medical problem seems like a major twist in the last part of the book because of the timeline, and a few chapters felt as though they could have been shuffled around. The most difficult part of the book, in my opinion, was that several of the searches described did not have clear outcomes. They end abruptly. In some ways this mirrors the way any searcher may have to deal with simply not having answers, but I'm sure that Susannah was able to keep up on stories and would be able to follow criminal investigations or even just the news. I was also hoping for a few more stories about the other dogs on the SAR team. I'm sure there were several heroic stories that could have been told.
All in all, definitely a worthy read for anybody who loves dogs and the work they do.
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