Workin' for the Man
By Mark J. Lucas |
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If you look at dogs nowadays, you begin to see a theme. The present-day K-9 has it pretty sweet. Laws protect them, humans provide for them. Heck, they even have their own T.V. shows, and what do they do in return? They mooch. They sit around taking it easy, charged only with the task of being loyal. There are, however, certain dogs that pull their own weight. Here are three specially trained dogs, all of whom have truly earned the title of 'man's best friend.'
Guide Dog
If you're blind, a guide dog offers distinct advantages over a white cane. It's intuitive, adaptable, and it can catch a Frisbee (when it's not wearing its harness), but these dogs aren't born knowing how to lead people around town. It takes about six months of training, starting when the animal is one year old - the optimum age to begin its studies. Though the classic example of a guide dog is a German Shepherd, there are other breeds that are suited to the position.
"The Labrador retrievers are the most versatile," says Ray Byers, Director of Training at Pilot Dogs Inc. in Columbus. "Standard Poodles are used for people who have allergies. It's a personal preference, what breed is used. Some people feel safer walking with a shepherd or a boxer, though they aren't trained for protection work."
The average cost of raising a guide dog is around $8,000, but it's well worth it. A highly trained guide dog is not only an indispensable component of a blind person's daily routine, but the dog and its client "develop a very close relationship," according to Byers.
Police Dog
What the police officers can't catch, a police dog will. Due to their highly advanced sense of smell, dogs are great trackers of illegal scents. That could include anything . . . okay, they can smell drugs. The dogs are also trained to "bark [at] and hold" suspects being pursued by the police. Despite their similar appearance, the dogs of the Columbus Police Department's K-9 unit are not German Shepherds. They are actually Belgian Malinois, selected for their superior lineage from European breeders and valued at around $12,000 each. As for the question of whether or not police dogs are actually police, the answer is no.
"They are protected by law from assault and harassment," says Sgt. Mark Cartwright, head of the Columbus Police Department's K-9 unit. "[Someone who assaults a dog] can be charged with a felony, the price of veterinary assistance, or the cost of a new dog. No dogs have been killed in the line of duty, but there have been injuries; broken legs and cut pads, and torn ligaments."
Just like other police partnerships, a police dog and its handler forge a tight relationship. When the animal retires from service, the handler is given the first dibs at adopting the former police dog.
Bird Dog
Sometimes, a duck has to go, and when that happens, you can either traipse yourself out into the thicket and get it yourself, or you can rely on your trusty bird dog to get it for you. Bird dogs have been used for hundreds of years to assist hunters with their dirty work, and that assistance comes at a price. It costs around $2,400 and four months worth of work to train them to retrieve kills, and one of the biggest components of that training is getting them to accept the blast of a firearm.
"You condition them so that they aren't bothered by it, and they have positive associations," explains Sheldon Twer, owner of Sheldon Twer Kennels in Oakdale, California. "You let them watch other dogs being shot for, and eventually they accept it without being fearful."
"The best way to [get them used to the noise] is by taking them skeet shooting. There's repeated shooting, and as the shooting continues, they get used to it."
Many dogs can be used as bird dogs, including some fairly rare breeds. According to Twer, English Pointers are the cream of the crop. This may come as tough news for those who hunt with the aid of a Puggle.
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Originally Published: September 1, 2009
