There are countless working individuals in this world and so many whose hard work deserves to be recognized. Some of which: Are dogs. Though they are often unseen, these companions help in many working fields and can make an incredible impact on a person’s life.
Since World War 2, dogs have been officially recognized as both loyal companions and work partners.
Most American citizens can recall, at some point, driving or walking past a dog and noticing a flashy vest, the kind that lets you know that, “This dog means business”.
In the last few decades, the number of dogs used for general and work assistance increased exponentially in the United States.
There was an initial spike after the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in the 90s, which allowed those with physical and mental disabilities to be accompanied by service dogs. Another spike occurred after 9/11 when more K9 units were recruited in order to survey spaces and ensure public safety.
It’s important to recognize and bring awareness to these workers, as they contribute incredibly to modern society and have helped save countless lives.
At a base level, these canines are incredibly smart. They can be seen completing tasks and patrols without prompt or reward. But how do they learn to do this, and exactly what jobs can they have?
Types of working dogs
Police dogs: Canines are often used for police work. Many K9 units have the important job of sniffing out illegal substances, searching for missing persons, investigating crime scenes, identifying cadavers, and alerting them to any other abnormalities they may find on the site.
Service dogs: For people with disabilities, service dogs are incredibly helpful. They can guide those who are vision impaired, alert to sounds for hard-of-hearing people, monitor for medical emergencies, smell changes in blood sugar, and much more that could potentially divert chaos or save a life.
Therapy dogs: Therapy dogs are typically found working in places where emotional support is needed, like hospitals, schools, and disaster areas. They provide a sense of comfort and safety for anyone who may need it.
Others: There are multiple, less common types of working dogs. Some examples of these include herding dogs, guard dogs, military dogs, and truffle-hunting dogs. They may undergo different types of training and treatment than the more commonly known dogs.
The Training Process
For all types of these workers, rigorous training is required starting from a very young age. It is often very hands-on, needing constant supervision, correction, guiding, and reinforcement to make sure that the pup is performing to the best of its abilities while remaining consistent in a targeted skill.
For police and military dogs, the requirements that need to be met are commonly more difficult and need more extensive training. In almost every case, the canine will be versed in agility and obedience training. For more specialized areas, suspect apprehension and scent detection are taught.
Due to the nature of the work environment, they are trained under various different conditions to ensure a reliable process. This can take anywhere from nine months to over a year.
Service dogs undergo a very different kind of training. What specifics they are taught depends on the needs of their handler and what they might need assistance with. This training might take up to two years, as they are learning how to assist their owners in situations in their daily lives.
For example, seeing-eye dogs will learn how to follow directional commands and navigate obstacles. On the other hand, medical alert dogs will look for changes in their handler’s body chemistry through scent to help de-escalate medical emergencies.
Therapy dogs specialize in emotional awareness and responses. They must be able to remain calm in a variety of different situations, as well as be friendly and capable of supporting those who need them. This training typically takes under six months to complete.
All types of training are flexible. Many times they can be done from home, if not at an in-person class. On average, training for one job takes around one year.
“I train individuals how to train their dog,” Variety training company Northern Indiana Service Dogs wrote, “I give them pieces of a puzzle and watch as they learn how to put the puzzle together”.
What are trainers looking for?
Trainers and handlers look for a well-behaved and gentle-natured dog, as well as one who is smart and listens well to commands. Oftentimes, working dogs are larger breeds. Some examples of commonly trained workers are German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Border Collies, Labrador Retrievers, and other breeds well known for their work ethics.
If a dog is well-behaved, well-trained, and fits the requirements for a certain job, then employers will most likely not care about the specifics of its breed.
Flunking the Training: What happens if a pup doesn’t abide by the rules to be a working dog?
There are multitudes of reasons a dog might fail the training process for their particular field. By nature, these animals are excessively loyal and friendly, which is ultimately their statistical fault. Many failed trainees fail because they are simply too nice.
Examples of this could be behavioral things such as running up to strangers, not recognizing threats, false-alert-licking, or even a lack of focus and drive. Of course, this isn’t always the case. There are always other scenarios, like if the dog is skittish, reactive, or has a health condition.
In the case that a dog fails the training process, it is normally put up for adoption as a nonspecialized pet. This is commonly done through the same organization that tried to train them as a means to promote the adoption. These pups are called, “Career change dogs”. If they are not adopted quickly, they may be put with a foster family until they find a more permanent home.
It is not uncommon for a dog to fail their training course. 50-70 percent of dogs selected for training do not pass the course.
Retirement: When, Why, How?
A working dog might retire for a number of reasons, some being that it isn’t as needed in its workforce anymore, old age, health complications, or just a general falling-out with its employer.
After retirement, it is common for the canine’s handler to adopt or provide a home for it, as they have likely formed a bond with the dog. If a bond is formed, it may be difficult for the canine to separate from its handler.
However, if this is not the case, they will be rehomed by a specialized organization and placed with a new family to spend their retirement years with.
Retirement isn’t always the case. Working jobs often keep a dog’s health in good condition, as well as provide mental stimulation. Because of this, many pups are kept in the workforce for most of their lives. After that, instead of outright retirement, they can be transferred to another, lower-impact job, like being a therapy dog. This ensures that they are still given stimulation and reinforcement while being considerate and careful of their needs as they age.
Certification
All working dogs should be formally trained and can be certified, and it is largely needed for a handler to go through the certification process. Various organizations in Indiana cover certifications for therapy and service dogs, including ICAN, Elite Service Dog Training, AKC, and various others. An K9 must be certified by a law enforcement, corrections, part-time, or reserve officer to be considered a legitimate K9 unit.
In some states, falsely claiming a dog to be a service dog, AKA misrepresenting a service dog, is a crime and can have penalties.
33 out of 50 states have repercussions for falsifying a service animal.
Regards and Approaches
Understanding the importance of working dogs and all that they contribute to society is vital to respecting their tasks and those who handle them.
It is necessary to consider that when seeing a canine out and about, they are most likely working. You should be calm and ask to approach if you are interested in learning about that dog in particular.
