While we’re pampering our fur babies with strollers and carriers, some dogs have joined the workforce. Here are just a few of the jobs those industrious dogs do while we’re out having fun.
Service dog
We’ve all heard of guide dogs that help the visually impaired, but they can do so much more! Here are just a few of the tasks service dogs can learn how to do:
- Recognize when someone is about to have a seizure and take appropriate action
- Recognize when a diabetic’s blood sugar drops too low and give an alert
- Provide support for people with poor balance
- Open and close doors
- Operate light switches
- Get food or drinks from the refrigerator
- Bring their pet parent objects like the TV remote or a phone
And that’s just the beginning! Most service dogs are trained to serve the specific needs of their pet parent, and their trainers do a great job of coming up with creative ways for them to help.
Celebrity dogs
Yes, the cute little pooch in that movie you saw last week was actually hard at work. While some dogs are just naturally adorable and seemingly made for stardom, it takes a lot of training to teach a dog how to take direction on a set.
Search-and-rescue dogs
Search-and-rescue dogs spend their time – and sometimes risk their lives – helping humans in need. They’re busiest after natural disasters, when they help rescuers locate people who are injured. But they can also be trained to find a specific person by smell and are often used to locate someone who’s missing.
Detection dog
This is another field where dogs work with their noses. You’ve probably seen them sniffing luggage at airports. They can be trained to find just about anything, including drugs, money, explosives, and even particular food items.
Herding dogs
Herding dogs help their pet parents control livestock: sheep, cows, etc. It’s amazing how one dog can get a whole herd of sheep to do their bidding. However, if you’ve ever had an unemployed herding dog try to herd you or your children (or your other pets) you might not be surprised at all.
I’m glad my dog is spoiled rotten, but I have to respect dogs with important jobs. When my fur baby is riding around in her stroller, I’ll be thinking of and admiring all of those hard-working dogs that keep us safe, healthy, and happy.
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