Working Like A Dog
Labor Day is upon us. This holiday can bring mixed emotions of the dog days of summer ending or the emotions of welcoming all that the fun-filled fall season has to offer. Labor Day, which is always the first Monday in September, was established around 1885 as a holiday to celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers. A labor free day! In today’s society, when we consider our furry friends as members of the family, Labor Day should also extend to our service companions.
Dogs have always worked along-side humans, from the early days helping man gather and hunt food to the proliferation of the modern working dog we know today. Dogs are trained in a wide variety of aspects for human service, such as:
- Police dogs: are trained to assist police and other law enforcement personnel in the line of duty.
- Detection dogs: are trained to detect a wide variety of objects or substances, such as bombs, drugs, explosives, specific foods, specific chemicals and gases, cancers, insects; basically anything!
- Military working dogs: are trained to assist members of the military with their operations.
- Search and rescue dogs
- Guide and service dogs: are trained in a wide variety of capacities to assist persons with disabilities such as the blind, deaf, diabetic, seizure, and mobility assistance.
- Therapy dogs: are certified dogs that offer emotional and therapeutic support for sick and injured people.
- Tracking and hunting dogs
- Herding dogs
- Or simply, a companion dog for you and/or your family
And the list goes on!
This list only scrapes the tip of the iceberg as far as working dog jobs. People are discovering all kinds of new jobs that dogs can be successfully trained for and they are being developed all of the time!
So take this Labor Day to reflect on what your dog has given to you and your family or to the community and nation as a whole. Celebrate by both of you kicking up your feet and enjoying a labor free day.
Have a happy Labor Day!
*Featured image courtesy of Patch.com.
