Dogs have always been man’s best friend and teammate. Today, almost half a million service dogs are helping people in their day-to-day lives.
From seeing-eye dogs to law enforcement operatives, dogs fill a wide range of roles. They are the key to the smooth execution of many daily tasks.
Working dogs enable those with disabilities to live independently. Service dogs alert their handlers to emergencies and save lives with their fearless reactions.
Read on for everything you need to know about the dutiful life of service dogs.
Seeing-Eye Dogs
Seeing-eye dogs provide an invaluable service for the visually impaired. They help their owners navigate unfamiliar places and warn them of dangerous situations that could cause them harm.
The independence facilitated by seeing-eye dogs has a positive effect on their owners’ life and mental health. This allows them freedom that they wouldn’t otherwise have.
The bond between a seeing-eye dog and its owner provides not only convenience and ease of access but also deep companionship and support.
Seeing-eye dogs are selected from a pool of puppy candidates. Only dogs with suitable temperaments are chosen for this important work. Due to their amenable natures, common working dog breeds include Labradors, Retrievers, and Poodles.
PTSD Service Dogs
For those who have post-traumatic stress disorder, a service dog can be a lifeline. A dog’s calming presence can help to neutralize the often debilitating symptoms of PTSD. They can wake their owners from night-terrors that could be traumatic.
These dogs are specially trained to instill a sense of comfort, security, and peace in their owners. They detect and intervene against the onset of panic attacks and trauma-related flashbacks.
Many combat veterans rely on service dogs to cope with issues relating to their experiences in the field.
Explosive Detection Dogs
With a sense of smell up to 10,000 times stronger than our own, explosive detection is one of the most ideal jobs for working dogs.
Whether in a domestic airport setting or a combat-zone checkpoint, trained sniffer dogs save countless lives every year. Dog’s sharp noses detect not only viable explosive devices but also base components and ingredients for bomb-making, even at a trace level.
As the ever-increasing threat of terrorism looms, faithful service dogs offer a front-line defense. They protect against those who would seek to wreak destruction on innocent lives.
Trained explosive detection dogs can detect incendiary materials up to one part in a trillion.
Working Dogs: A Credit to Society
So, that’s the down-low on the many talents of our loyal and hardworking canine colleagues.
Working dogs are trustworthy and vital assets. They help those with visual impairments, comfort our veterans in their darkest hours, and save lives worldwide.
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