After decades in the field with working dogs, I’ve seen it too often: a capable SAR dog suddenly struggles with a known task. Sometimes, they shut down; at other times, they become agitated, barking and scanning but unable to focus. The common denominator? Frustration. In another study I conducted, I found that 64% of SAR handlers consider frustration a necessary component of SAR training. That belief, paired with what I’ve observed repeatedly over 25 years, fueled this study