Every day in countries all over the world dogs contribute to the lives of people with disabilities. This article tells the different jobs that dogs do to make a difference in the lives of the people who own them.
For centuries, man has been privileged to have the benefit of dogs as loving and faithful companions. Dogs have accomplished amazing feats to earn the title, “Man’s Best Friend.” Dogs can perform tasks that demand great responsibility and has great social value. They serve as companions to the disabled and serve as eyes and ears to the blind and the deaf. Dogs have saved many lives while working in the field of emergency response and have aided soldiers in war time. They aid police and border officials in drug patrol and confiscation. It’s hard to imagine how difficult life would be without the help of these dedicated canines.
Service Dogs
These dogs help those with disabilities in a variety of ways. They can turn on lights, open doors, retrieve medication, and even call 911. Service dogs are trained to meet the individual needs of the person who is adopting them. Golden Retrievers are well suited to service dog performance, as are other dog breeds that display the correct temperament.
Therapy Dogs
These dogs work in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, juvenile detention centers and other institutions where they help people learn to cope. They lift spirits who are afraid, depressed and lonely. They bring cheer, comfort and motivation to those who seem to have lost hope. Some dogs visit these facilities with their owners, while others live there and are cared for by staff members. These dogs need no special training except basic obedience skills. They must be mild tempered, loving and able to perform well in society. Through the years some miraculous stories have been told about therapy dogs. In one instance, an elderly woman who hadn’t spoken in years began talking again when she was introduced to a border collie. Why? Because she was grieving for the border collies that had always been a part of her life.
Hearing Dogs
The job of hearing dogs is to assist the deaf in leading a normal life. These dogs alert their owner to the ringing of the doorbell and telephone, the beeping of a smoke alarm, passing traffic, alarm clocks and the approach of people. They must be professionally trained at a hearing dog training facility for a minimum of ninety days. Most hearing dogs are mixed breeds that have been rescued from animal shelters. They give their owners a high quality of life. Hearing dogs are identifiable by their orange collars.
Guide Dogs
These dogs assist the visually impaired to lead a more normal life. They are specifically trained to protect their owners at all costs. They guide their owners around obstacles, across streets and keep them away from danger. Guide dogs are usually larger breeds such as Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers and Bernese Mountain Dogs. Other breeds can be guide dogs, but have to be intelligent, calm in temperament and have a good work ethic. These dogs must be trained at a professional dog guide facility where the owner works with the dog for several weeks before it is adopted.
Assistance Dogs
Assistance dogs are trained to assist people who have physical or seizure related disabilities. They provide specific services to their handlers and give their lives a sense of freedom and independence that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to have. These dogs have to be sensitive and intelligent. Assistance dogs that have been adopted by those with seizure related disabilities can sense a seizure coming on before it hits. They then alert their owner and are able to keep him safe.
Dogs and Sports
Dogs participate in many sports related events, the most prevalent being different types of racing. In the early 1800s, Greyhounds were bred in England for the specific purpose of racing. Sled dogs, such as the Alaskan malamute and Siberian husky, were used by native peoples to haul goods in the polar regions of the world. Today dogsled races take part in northern regions world wide.
Show Dogs
For centuries, dogs have participated in side attractions, such as circuses and not in competitive shows. Today, dog shows are very popular. Today, these competitions are usually held by national kennel clubs, but some shows are put on to show off a dog’s skills. These include obstacle courses, catching Frisbees, jumping and more.
Dogs in the Entertainment Industry
Dogs have been entertaining the humans that care for them for over 2,000 years. The first recorded entertaining dog was Zoppico, a dog that performed in ancient Greece. He was trained to eat a piece of meat and then fall over, playing dead.
Many dogs performed in TV shows and movies during the early 20th century. Lassie, Rin Tin Tin and Benji are the best known canine movie stars. Many of these dogs were replaced by their offspring when they were too old to perform. These dogs are trained by professionals, who know all the tricks of the trade.
Herding Dogs
Dogs have been used for herding livestock for hundreds of years. Farmers often send their dogs to bring in the cows from the pasture at milking time. These dogs are able to perform this task without help from their owners. Border collies use a nasty stare to assert dominance over livestock. There are two types of herding dogs; British and Continental.
Livestock Guardians
These dogs were originally bred in Europe and Asia. Their job is to protect livestock. They stay with their herd at all times and guard it from predators. Livestock guardians need no human assistance to perform the tasks expected of them. Breeds of livestock guardians are Great Pyrenees, Komondor, and Anatolian Shepherds to name a few.
Police Dogs
These dogs perform specific tasks and they are irreplaceable in crime fighting methods. They assist police officers in apprehending criminals, drug busts, bomb scares and arson cases. Their sense of smell must be impeccable and their hearing excellent. These dogs are highly trained by specialists to perform police duties. Police dogs are able to perform in all situations and not become disoriented by distractions such as gun shots, loud noises and crowds. These dogs are invaluable to their handlers and more than once have saved the lives of those they work with. Most police dogs live with their masters and stay at his side twenty-four hours a day.
Search and Rescue Dogs
These dogs are trained to search out and rescue missing people. They rely on their excellent sense of smell and their great physical abilities. They are able to stay focused in the midst of chaotic conditions after floods and earthquakes, volcanoes and other types of environmental disasters.
Military Dogs
The role of military dogs are many and their services invaluable. Used through the ages for various military duties, today their role is more defined. They are assigned where they can be of great service. The duties of military dogs include sentry duty, the transporting of messages, sniffing out mines, scout and patrol duties, tunnel exploration (these dogs were used in Vietnam), casualty search, and the detection of explosive devices.
K-9 military dogs have save thousands of lives of those men and women who serve their country. Some dogs have been presented medals for their service.
External Links:
Guide Dogs of America - Visit this site to find out how to apply for a guide dogs, statistics on breeding and raising puppies for guide dogs, coming events and much more.
Guide Dogs for the Blind - Guide Dogs for the Blind is a nonprofit, charitable organization with a mission to provide Guide Dogs and training in their use to visually impaired people throughout the United States and Canada.
National Service Dogs Training Center - This site offers information on creating an independent life and enriching the lives of children living with autism.
Therapy Dogs International - Therapy Dogs International, Inc. (TDI) is a volunteer group organized to provide qualified handlers and their Therapy Dogs for visitations to institutions, facilities, and any other place where Therap
Canine Companions for Independence - Canine Companions for Independence is a national nonprofit that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly-trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partner