Aside from being “man’s best friend”, there are many positions that a dog can fill. Loved as they are by so many and so much, several fields have openings for the most faithful and trusted animals in the world, from the TSA to the military. The following occupations are those which only a dog could do.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Sometimes referred to as K-9 (a homophone of “canine”), these fearless, specially trained dogs assist the police in several ways. Because dog’s noses are over ten thousand times stronger than humans’, these amazing animals are called in to do what humans can’t.
Illicit Substance Dogs:
The Transportation Security Administration has trained “sniffer dogs”, whose job it is to detect hidden weapons, explosives, and drugs. While the most common breeds chosen for this task are Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds, many other, smaller breeds receive training. These dogs are trained in obedience and focus along with recognizing the scents of drugs like heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. They are not limited to the TSA; they are called upon to sniff out drugs and explosives in buildings, vehicles, packages, and people.
Search and Rescue Dogs:
It takes a special kind of dog to be a search and rescue dog. These four-legged heroes are specially trained to pick up the scent of humans. There are a few different scenarios that require the work of one of these incredible canines, including but not limited to disaster response, tracking criminals, and searching for missing people.
Cadaver Dogs:
Search and rescue dogs are trained to find living humans, but cadaver dogs are trained to recognize decomposition. They use their highly sensitive olfactories to locate human remains. This job is the most stressful and depressing for dogs. After the events of 9-11, several cadaver dogs were sent in to search for both survivors and victims. For days, these dogs found body after body. Their handlers noticed that the dogs were becoming sluggish and reluctant to go into the wreckage again. To help the dogs cope, several policemen and firefighters hid themselves among the debris so that the dogs thought that they had found a survivor.
SERVICE
These next few jobs are just as much heroes as the ones above. These are the canines who use their senses to help those who cannot. But while most places are by law required to allow guide dogs, some people complain about their presence.
Guide Dogs
Also known as “seeing-eye” dogs, it is the job of these furry friends to see for an individual who is blind or visually impaired. Their training starts when they are mere puppies, and only after years of learning are they paired with a blind person. Along with leading their owners around obstacles, they are also taught not to obey an unsafe request. For example, they would refuse to let their owner to cross the street if there were cars coming. Since dogs are colorblind for red and green, they cannot read traffic signals. But can they stop and start for changes in elevation or overhead obstacles? Oh, yes they can.
Hearing Dogs
There are dogs who see for their owners, and there are dogs who hear for them. Hearing dogs are a type of assistance dog specially trained to help those who are deaf or hearing-impaired. These furry assistants help alert their owners to sounds inside their homes, like smoke alarms, ringing mobiles, alarm clocks, and doorbells. Outside of the house, they respond and help their owners respond to sirens, car horns, and others, including the sound of someone calling their owners’ name. Professionally, hearing dogs can be trained in as little as three months, but are usually taught for over a year.
Epilepsy Dogs
Patients with epilepsy and other, similar diseases are often paired with a special kind of alarm clock. These dogs are able to detect a seizure before it even happens. They are taught specifically to detect and warn about an oncoming seizure. They may bark to alert the owner, or break the fall of their owner to break the inception of the seizure. Some have been taught to activate a pre-programmed device, something that, when pressed, sets off an alarm.
All of these amazing dogs go beyond “man’s best friend” and become heroes. Whether saving many lives or one, they are not simply bodyguards or alarms. They are important parts of their owner’s lives. They make excellent companions and the most loyal friends.
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