Since the first Stone Age wolf moved into our cave to curl up by the fire, our canine companions have been more than earning their keep. Their primary job may still be "man's best friend," but dogs have gradually been expanding their repertoire of job skills over the centuries. Today's career canine can choose from a wide range of employment opportunities.
Digging through layers of volcanic ashk, archeologists have discovered "Beware of the Dog" signs on the homes of ancient Pompeii residents. The canine protection racket was already flourishing at the birth of Western civilization. In fact, the first domesticated dogs were probably employed as guards. Top dogs in this profession excel in tenacity, bravery, strength, and a single-minded devotion to protecting home and family.
Herding dogs are as tough as they come. Rottweilers, for example, first broke onto the scene as cattle drovers in Germany. On the return trip they'd double as guards, carrying the profits in a pouch around their necks. Those powerful jaws were enough to discourage all but the most foolhardy of thieves.
Most sheepdogs these days have retired from serious herding duty, but their instincts die hard. The phenomenal Border Collie, who can handle several hundred sheep alone with its mesmerizing stare (known in the trade as "the eye"), has easily channeled his sharp intelligence into the performing arts (e.g., Mike the dog, star of "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" and, of course, the canine co-stars of "Babe"), field and agility trials, and search and rescue work.
Pot-bellied pigs have been nosing there way into this line of work lately, but dogs still dominate the tracking/searching professions. Job requirements are dogged determination, endurance, and of course, a great nose. Many breeds have entered this field, but the bloodhound has set the standards for scent work. A passage from hard-core bloodhound-lover James Thurber's essay, "Lo, Hear the Gentle Bloodhound!", testifies to their unrivaled tenacity:
"Madge . . . . was once called upon to trace a lost boy in a town upstate. The trail was twenty-four hours old. Madge climbed fences, wandered through yards, went down alleys, and presently asked to be let into a grocery. Inside, she trotted to a crate of oranges, then crossed over and placed both front paws on the counter. The end of the trail was tragic: Madge came to a pier end at a river and plunged unhesitatingly into the water. The boy had been drowned there."
Arguably the most famous bloodhound of all time, Nick Carter, "single-nosedly" tracked down more than 700 criminals in his detecting career. Today's highly skilled police dog also sniffs out narcotics, bombs and firearms in addition to performing more traditional K-9 duties. Department of Agriculture Beagles even patrol airports looking for contraband fruit in the luggage.
The elegant Dalmatian began his career as a companion to ancient charioteers, and they were often seen running alongside coaches in Merry Olde England. Chariots and coaches are scarce these days, but the ever-resourceful Dalmatian has adapted to the changing job market. Today, the distinctively spotted canine is firmly identified with firefighting, and practically no respectable firehouse would be without one.
But the Dalmatian's adaptability doesn't stop there. Though firefighters aren't about to become obsolete, the Dalmatian is expanding his official duties to teaching children fire safety. Ember and Baker, two Philadelphia pooches, got involved in a special program to teach kids how to "stop, drop, and roll" to put out fires. Ember's human partner, Steve Schnoke, considers his canine colleague's unique teaching methods far more effective than traditional lectures. The kids instantly relate to the educational firehounds and think they're "pretty cool."
Some very special dogs begin training for service and therapy work in early puppyhood. Foster families provide lots of tender loving care while they undergo their specialized education.
Dogs now work in hospitals, nursing homes, mental institutions - even prisons. Social working dogs consult with autistic children and youngsters with problems such as stuttering. Other popular professions are hearing dog, handicap assistant dog, and Seeing Eye dog. Buddy, the first Seeing Eye dog, was originally bred and trained for police work in Switzerland. He helped found Seeing Eye, Inc., in 1929 when he and his blind companion, Frank, toured the U.S.
Local groups throughout the country bring pets and people together in programs for nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and hospital residents as well as visiting handicapped people and shut-ins in their homes.
The Delta Society is a national organization that offers training programs for therapy and service dogs and the people who work with them. It can also evaluate your pet's temperament for therapy work. One of the group's most famous therapists, Sheba, was one of the first service dogs to work with epileptics. Sheba sensed when her young mistress was about to have a seizure and prevented her from injuring herself until she could bring help. For many injured and handicapped people, service dogs offer both companionship and independence. One woman whose frequent severe seizures had left her a fearful, isolated prisoner in her own home thanked the volunteers of Independence Dogs for her service dog, Harley, who, she wrote, had "given me back my life." Not a bad day's work!
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