The Mt. Bachelor Avalanche Rescue Dog Team operates avalanche rescue operations at Mt. Bachelor, near Bend, Oregon. Joined by their handlers, these avalanche dogs train on the mountain everyday ensuring the safety of visiting skiers and snowboarders.

These specially trained dogs are skilled at locating victims under the mass created by a snow slide. Wearing red Ruff Wear Web Master™ Harnesses, the rescue dogs are visible canine landmarks when cruising down the slopes of Mt. Bachelor. The Web Master™ harness, like many of Ruff Wear’s products, was designed using input from rescue teams across the nation to withstand the extreme use and conditions encountered by avalanche rescue dogs.

The key to training and certifying a dog for avalanche rescue is the reward at the end of the dig. The Mt. Bachelor avalanche dogs, Kenai, Makita, and Wyatt are as skilled at finding snacks as they are at finding people. Kenai, in particular, is obsessed with food. The handlers use this to their advantage in training Kenai to meet the rescue certification, which he completed by finding three buried people in seven minutes.

Ruff Wear sends our thanks to these extraordinary teams and the rescue missions they accomplish. See you on the slopes!