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TEN JOBS THAT DOGS ARE DOING HERE IN THE UK…

We keep saying it but dog’s really are amazing animals and man’s best friend in more ways than many people realise, We have compiled a list of 10 amazing things that dogs currently do for us humans here in the UK. We do not suggest that any of these skills are more important than any others but just want to again, shine a light on man’s best friends’ amazing abilities…

1. Protection Dogs  

Dogs can be used to protect just about anything. Typically utilised in the UK security industry where static officers or mobile patrols are deemed not sufficient on their own. Types of sites protection dogs can be deployed include power stations, construction sites, universities, ports, shopping centres and warehouses – not forgetting homes! Like we said, they can pretty much protect anywhere.

2. Explosive Detection Dogs

Dogs are used for explosive detection purposes by the military, the police and private sector companies as they still represent the best balance of accuracy and efficiency of search.  They perform well whatever the environment – war-zone, airport, football stadium or movie premieres!

3. Drug Detection Dogs

Dogs have been used at the forefront of the battle against illicit substances making into venues, festivals, prisons and college campuses for years now. The benefits are numerous and include improved health, safety and welfare of customers, reduction in anti-social behavior, more productive workforce and effective enforcement of licensing requirements.

4. Medical Alert Detection Dogs

Medical Alert Assistance Dogs are trained to support individuals who manage complex health conditions and have no awareness of an impending life-threatening medical event. With their amazing sense of smell, these dogs are taught to identify any minute odour changes that are given off prior to such an emergency and alert the person to take appropriate, preventative action

5. Therapy Dogs

Therapy dogs are certified comforters (especially in our office), providing a calming presence to individuals in schools, hospital and nursing homes for example.  Any dog can become a certified therapy dog as long as they have a desire to be with people and have good obedience skills.

6. Search and Rescue Dogs

Search and rescue dogs can detect the scent of missing individuals through the wilderness, in hazardous weather, debris and even underwater.  Their ability to smell even the most minute particles of human scent allow them to track the air as well as the ground and locate people, both living and dead.

7. Pest Detection Dogs

Dogs are increasingly being used in the role of master pest detectors! Again, the dog’s olfactory capability lends itself really well to detecting the trace amounts of scent given off by rat droppings or bedbug eggs. Because of the increase in global air traffic, the latter has become a problem that is rising exponentially – and hotel groups and travel operators are slowly being switched on to the benefits of using dogs as part of a bed bug management strategy.

 8. Cadaver Detection Dogs

These dogs have been trained to alert their handlers at the scent of a decomposing body.  These dogs are used together in conjunction with search and rescue dogs during disaster situations to locate all the victims.

9. Service & Assistance Dogs

Mobility Assistance, Hearing Dogs, Guide Dogs, Seizure Alert, Psychiatric Service, Autism Dogs, and even dogs that can detect allergies, all work to improve the lives of their human companions and allow them to live more independently.

10. Entertainment Dogs

Countless dogs have entertained us down the years – on TV we had ’lassie’, the Andrex puppies and ‘Pudsey’ from BGT2012.  On the big screen we have had ‘Hooch’, ‘Beethoven’, ‘Toto’ from Wizard of Oz and a personal favourite of my 5 year old ‘Bolt’ (though he is an animation!) and so many more.  But more importantly, we have the dogs we share our lives with – and who doesn’t find them entertaining (most of the time…).