Border Collie

In an emergency, rescue groups rely on search dogs to find the wounded. There's currently a severe shortage of top-notch canine search teams. Dogs that are often too rambunctious to handle as a pet are ideal as search dogs; considered uncontrollable, they're often found in shelters.

Breeds such as Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Border Collies are favored as search dogs. Once selected, they go through six months of training. Then after several months of bonding with the handler and additional training, the dogs can take their certification test. But graduation doesn't mean they can join these Searchers.