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A Look At Utilty, Work, And Assistance Dogs

A Look At Utility, Assistance, And Work Dogs

Let’s take a look at a sampling of the different types of work a domestic dog is able to accomplish when given the proper training.

Search And Rescue Dogs – Any dog with a better than average sense of smell can be trained to be a search and rescue dog.  The most famous version is the St. Bernard.

Herding Dogs – Many breeds of dogs have trained over the years to assist with the herding of livestock, as well as protecting them from predators.  Sheepdogs are the most famous dog to perform this task.

Therapy Dogs – Some dogs with gentle, friendly, and loyal traits are trained to provide comfort and affection to patients who have been institutionalized or hospitalized for an extended amount of time.

Guard Dogs – Dogs that possess exceptional traits of loyalty, controllability, and attack skills are often put to work as guard dogs responsible for guarding people, property, or possessions.  The most common breeds for this purpose are Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and Doberman Pinschers.

Assistance Dogs – Sociable dogs, such as Labrador Retrievers, are often trained to assist the visually or hearing impaired, as well as patients suffering from epilepsy or various types of psychological disorders.

Hunting Dogs – Dogs have long been assisting hunters in search of prey.  The main dog breeds used for this task are Retrievers and Pointers.

War Dogs – Various militaries have often used dogs for a number of different jobs, from mine detection to enemy soldier locating.

Detection Dogs – Many different breeds of dog have been used to detect a number of usually illegal substances, from explosives to illegal drugs.

Police Dogs – Many police dogs have some training of the same training that detection dogs undergo, but they are also trained to assist law enforcement in other ways as well.  The main dog used for this purpose is a German Shepherd.

Different breeds have different natural abilities and areas of intelligence, but a highly intelligent dog with the proper training can yield big dividends when it comes to assisting humans with various tasks and services.

8 Facts About Labrador Retrievers

8 Facts About Labrador Retrievers

• Using registered ownership as a gauge, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
• The Labrador Retriever was originally bred in Newfoundland.
• The Michigan State Spartans mascot is a Labrador Retriever.
• The first yellow lab on record was born in 1899.
• Both of former President Clinton’s pets, Buddy and Seamus, were Labrador Retrievers.
• The first Labrador Retriever registered by the American Kennel Club was in 1917.
• The Chocolate Lab emerged from breeding in the 1930’s.
• In the United States as well as the United Kingdom and some other countries, there are over twice as many Labrador Retrievers as there are the next most popular breed.

Explaining A Dog’s Sense Of Smell

Explaining A Dog’s Sense Of Smell

Dogs have been used successfully for years to track both prey and people. Likewise, dogs have been used to search cars, ships, and airplanes (among other things) for various types of contraband like illegal drugs or explosives. What makes a dog’s sense of smell so exceptional?

Though much is not known about what truly makes an animals sense of smell work, in most mammals cases we know that it is largely based on the amount of smell-sensitive cells contained within the nasal cavity. The amount of smell-sensitive cells possessed by humans is generally regarded to be approximately five million. These cells are spread over an area the size of a postage stamp. By contrast, most breeds of dogs have upwards of 220 million smell-sensitive cells that are spread over an area the size of an 8×10 sheet of paper. Dogs also have a better developed sense of deciphering (and following while tracking) multiple smells at the same time.

8 Facts About Irish Setters

8 Facts About Irish Setters

• The Irish Setter breed was developed in the 1700’s in Ireland.
• Until the 1800’s, Irish Setters were not just deep red in color, it wasn’t until the late 1800’s that the breeding went in that direction based on the fact that the deep red was more appreciated at dog shows.
• Famous Irish Setter owners: Former Maine Governor Percival Baxter, Richard Nixon, and Harry Truman.
• Prior to 1975 a relationship existed between the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the Field Dog Stud Guide (FDSG) wherein registration with one meant automatic registration with the other. This relationship was severed by a disagreement between breeders of Irish Setters and breeders of Red Setters.
• The national Bus Company of Ireland, Bus Eireann, uses the Irish Setter as a logo.
• Irish Setters on the screen: Mollie – Captain Janeway’s dog on Star Trek Voyager, Kojak from Stephen King’s The Stand, and Sasha LaFleur from All Dog’s Go To Heaven 2.