Dogs are intelligent and amazing creatures. With the proper training, they can be taught to do almost anything, and humans have relied on their superior senses for thousands of years to help make life easier. Most people are familiar with their most popular dog jobs, such as serving as seeing-eye dogs for the blind, K9 units on police forces, or as service dogs who can alert their owners of oncoming episodes. But dogs have some exciting and niche jobs as well, and here are just a few.
5 Dog Jobs You Probably Haven’t Heard About
- Doggie Lifeguards: Dogs are excellent rescuers. Most people have heard a story of a dog rushing into burning buildings to pull people out or sniffing out snow-covered victims of an avalanche. But their skill in reaching and rescuing people in dangerous situations extends to the water! Many breeds of dogs love the water and are powerful swimmers. After extensive safety training and exposure to the ocean currents, dogs can also save lives at beaches. Dogs are used extensively in Italy for this purpose. They swim out to struggling swimmers, help keep the person afloat and guide them back to shore.
- Conservation Dogs:
There are thousands of endangered species worldwide, and they need our help to protect and conserve them. In a few countries, dogs have been trained to track down poachers threatening the safety of protected species like rhinos, elephants, and lions. Others help locate species that are particularly difficult to find so that their populations can be monitored and protected. Still, others are trained to detect invasive species so that they can be eliminated. - Airport Runway Dogs:
You may expect to see a dog inside the airport, sniffing for drugs or dangerous explosives; however, you may also be surprised to see dogs outside on the tarmac. Birds pose a serious threat to airplanes when they land on the tarmac. A bird strike can wreak havoc on the plane’s engines and other mechanical components. To prevent these disastrous conditions, runway dogs will spend their days chasing birds off the tarmac so that the landing and take-off strips are kept clear and safe for the planes. - K9s for Suspect Identification:
Throughout Europe, dogs use their nose to identify the perpetrator from a suspect lineup. Items with the perpetrator’s scent on them –such as a weapon or article of clothing – are presented to the dog, allowing the canine to determine which suspect is guilty out of a lineup. Research into the accuracy of these dogs’ abilities has shown that they are 95% accurate, allowing the dogs’ accusations to be admissible as evidence in court during a trial. - Truffle Dogs
While it qualifies as one of the coolest dog jobs, we aren’t talking about finding chocolates. Truffles are hard-to-find mushrooms that are popular in Italian and French dishes. Because they’re so difficult to find, they are highly valued –they can cost upwards of $2,000 per pound. Dogs that are trained to sniff out truffles are in significant demand. Pigs have also been used for hunting down these elusive fungi.
At Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training, we know that all dogs are impressive – especially yours! Call today if you are looking for professional obedience training or puppy training classes in Sarasota or Bradenton.
