Photo/Illutration Ash in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, on July 2 after winning in the rubble search category of an international competition held in Turkey in June (Keitaro Nishizaki)

KATANO, Osaka Prefecture--Ash, a 7-year-old Australian Shepherd, followed her nose to help capture the search and rescue crown for Team Japan at an international competition held in Turkey in June.

But for her owner and trainer, Nagisa Nakano, the win in the rubble search category of the FCI World Search and Rescue Dog Team Championship wasn’t such a big deal.

“Winning the contest was nice but not our goal,” the 27-year-old said. “I want to continue training with Ash and work with local communities to prepare for disasters as you never know when one will occur.”

Ash is already a search and rescue veteran, having earned her stripes following the magnitude-7.6 earthquake that hit the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture on New Year’s Day in 2024.

“I was nervous because the event was held in another country, but it was great because she unleashed her potential,” Nakano said.

Dogs from Japan, Turkey and Italy competed in the rubble search category of the June 11-15 competition. The canines were tasked with finding three people buried under a collapsed house.

It was the first time for Ash to be entered in an international contest.

Released by her handler, Ash tore away at full speed to chase the scent of bodies, barking furiously when she found one.

With two other dogs from a training school in Isehara, Kanagawa Prefecture, also searching for “victims,” only Team Japan saved all three.

Ash is the first dog Nakano trained.

She came across Ash, then a puppy, in 2017 while attending Risshisha Animal College in Osaka’s Fukushima Ward. Training sessions were held at a facility in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture.

Active and proud, Ash didn’t respond to her commands at first.

Every time Nakano reprimanded Ash, the dog looked away.

Around that time, Nakano lost a close friend. Ash seemed to sense her sadness and would snuggle up to her.

The pair started to bond.

Ash went on to claim top positions at contests for search and rescue dogs held in Japan almost every year before she was certified as one by the Japan Kennel Club.

After Noto earthquake, Nakano and Ash were dispatched to the hard-hit city of Wajima, where snow was falling.

They searched for victims at the site of a landslide, where mud and sand were waist high.

Ash was all over the place trying to sniff out victims.

“It served as a fresh reminder about the huge role of rescue dogs in a disaster,” Nakano said.

But tangled communications meant that precious hours were wasted getting search and rescue dogs to the site.

Nakano said constant training with local people and administrations helps the dogs perform at their best at the time of disasters.

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