Working dogs - why we depend on the four-legged helpers.
Man's best friend is the dog.
It delights us in many ways as a loyal companion or a comfortable contemporary, but also as a professional support. But what can the four-legged friend do that we humans cannot? And why is it impossible to imagine many professional fields without them?
The working dog
Working dogs include all dogs that have been trained and are used for a specific task. This also includes the guide dogs and all the following categories that I will now describe in more detail.
The police dog
Let's start with the police dog. This is also known as a service dog. Its history began at the beginning of the twentieth century. At that time Great Danes were used for the first time for personal protection, today they are mainly Belgian shepherd dogs. They serve the police as an aid for overpowering offenders as well as for their own protection against attacks. The training of the dogs takes place among other things in Hamburg and can be begun at the age of twelve months. After six to twelve months of learning and training, the police dog may begin its work.
The drug search dog
Another category of working dogs is the drug search dog. It also belongs to the service dogs and is used by customs and in law enforcement to search for drugs, explosives and weapons. If a dog has a scent, he begins to scratch. Depending on the training, the find can also be silently signaled to the officer, for example by sitting down. This is the case when the attention of third parties is to be avoided.
The rescue dog
The life-saving four-legged friend passes a rescue dog test and is used in many areas. Among other things also with the track search. If a person is missing in a forest, the dog serves as a guide. This dog also saves lives during debris searches after an earthquake or building collapse. Some rescue dogs are expert swimmers and save people from drowning.
Avalanche Dog
The avalanche dog is one of the rescue dogs and has rescued many people from avalanches. When an avalanche accident occurs, it has to happen quickly. The mountain rescue team and their dogs are the first on the scene of the accident and have to act. Where humans and equipment fail due to their poor sense of smell and their slowness, the avalanche dog with its sense of smell is in first place.
The therapy dog
The therapy dog works primarily in medical facilities and is used for psychotherapy, occupational therapy and remedial education, among other things.
The simple presence of dogs can lower blood pressure and pulse, the patients can relax better through the dog and are more receptive to the specific therapies. For the treating physician, the therapy dog is a great support.
Each professional dog is individual. Their advantages the sense of smell and the affinity for tracking, make him irreplaceable. Many professional fields depend on dogs. He is there where humans and technology reach their limits.
