7 Fascinating Careers For Dogs In The Human World

We can all agree that dogs are pretty great. They’re warm, they’re fuzzy, they’re just plain adorable. But dogs are actually far more than just our loyal companions. They’re also hardworking members of society who’ve been assisting us humans for over 10,000 years! 

Beyond their roles as beloved pets, dogs have adopted a wide range of jobs and careers of their own. From search and rescue to helping humans in therapy, their unique abilities can help us in remarkable ways. We’re taking a look at a few fascinating dog careers and how dogs help humans throughout society.

1. Guide Dogs

One of the more common examples of dogs helping humans you’re likely to come across is guide dogs. Guide dogs are trained to assist individuals with disabilities, helping them to navigate their daily lives with greater independence. These dogs have remarkable intelligence and will generally need both an even temperament and a strong drive to work. They’re trained to make independent and often complex decisions for the safety of their humans, even learning when to disobey their human to prevent danger. 

All that while also being a great companion, too!

While most people associate guide dogs with supporting people who are visually impaired, these animals can provide a lot more besides. For instance, hearing dogs are specially trained to assist people with hearing impairments, while other types of service dog can support individuals with a broad range of disabilities.

2. Search and Rescue Dogs

With their exceptional olfactory abilities, search and rescue dogs will often play a crucial role in disaster situations. Trained to detect specific scents, these dogs can find individuals buried under snow or debris such as after an avalanche or earthquake. The Saint Bernard breed of dog – from the Western Alps in Italy and Switzerland – is said to be able to detect a person under more than four metres of snow!

3. Herding Dogs

Utilized by farmers for many centuries, herding dogs need to be incredibly fit, agile, and keen to follow their human’s signals to shepherd livestock. Whether working with sheep, goats, cows, or any other type of animal, these dogs have a fantastic ability to control and protect the livestock under their charge without causing harm. 

There are a number of dog breeds that are particularly suited to different aspects of herding. From the instantly recognizable Border Collie and German Shepherd breeds to lesser-known breeds such as the Icelandic Sheepdog and Swedish Vallhund, this highlights the diverse range of dog jobs in agricultural settings.

4. Detection Dogs

Detection dogs are trained to identify specific scents ranging from explosives and landmines through to drugs, foodstuffs, and even bed bugs. Once they’ve detected a scent, a detection dog will alert their human through specific behaviours such as barking or lying down. This example of dogs helping humans has proved particularly useful within airports, police stations, border crossings, ports, and wildlife protection teams.

Incredibly, medical detection dogs can also detect the change in scent related to specific health conditions. For instance, some dogs can detect impending hypoglycaemic episodes for diabetes, oncoming seizures, and even cancer. Having this early warning can make all the difference when it comes to saving lives.

5. Therapy Dogs

Simply being around and stroking dogs has been shown to promote the release of ‘happy hormones’ in us humans, so it shouldn’t be any surprise that dogs have proved so effective in therapy! Therapy dogs visit hospitals, schools, retirement homes, and disaster relief areas, offering emotional support in various environments. 

A therapy dog’s ability to adapt to different situations and interact with a variety of people perfectly showcases how dogs help humans emotionally and psychologically. That being said, they’re also a great example of when humans need to look out for the wellbeing of our dogs, too. Interacting with so many people in different settings could become overwhelming or unsettling, so it's important that each dog’s carer is attuned to their dog’s body language. This way, they can ensure they’re comfortable and relaxed during each session.

In fact, this is good advice for all dog parents no matter the situation. Learning to understand your dog’s body language is a helpful way to monitor their overall wellbeing. And if your pooch does struggle in certain situations, don’t forget that ADAPTIL can offer a helping hand with constant reassurance and calming messages. 

6. Dog Actors

A great many dogs have made their mark on the big screen with a number even becoming the lead stars of their own movies and TV shows. Who can forget Lassie the Rough Collie or Toto the Cairn Terrier from “The Wizard of Oz”? Trained to perform specific actions on set, these dogs work harmoniously with humans, contributing to the creative world while showcasing their versatility and intelligence. Quite the prestigious profession as far as dog careers go!

7. Sleigh Dogs

Sleigh or sled dogs embody strength, discipline, and teamwork as they pull sleds through snowy terrains to transport people and cargo. Their ability to work effectively in harsh conditions demonstrates their impressive physical capabilities. In fact, a number of famous explorers have employed the services of sleigh dogs during their expeditions, such as Ernest Shackleton when attempting to reach the South Pole in 1914. 

In areas without snow, carting dogs do much the same job, just without the snow. These tend to be large breeds as they require a great deal of strength to pull their cargo along without the benefit of snow to slide along.

Beyond the Limelight

As we marvel at the range of ways we can witness dogs helping us humans, it’s important to remember that even working dogs need time to relax and play. After all, being a professional hero can be tiring! At the same time, if you do spot any working dogs in action, it’s best not to distract them. They’re concentrating on their job, and you could be preventing them from picking up cues from their human.

What about your own canine companion? Do they have any special skills or abilities they’re budding to put to good use? Perhaps you can train them to pick up their toys and put them in a box, or even create a scent game in which they help you find lost items. These can be great activities for a dog’s physical and mental health and can also be an effective way to bond together. Just remember, and as with all the dog careers mentioned above, positive, reward-based training is key. This helps dogs to look forward to their next session as they’ll associate their ‘work’ with positive experiences.

Are there any jobs for dogs we haven’t mentioned that you think are worth shouting about? Let us know! We always love hearing from you and talking about all things canine. If you’d like more information on ADAPTIL, or are interested in reading more tips and guides, you can also stay informed by signing up to our newsletter.