Chips, served with the Third Infantry Division in During WWII. On one occasion he attacked an Italian machine-gun position and forced the surrender of its crew. The most intelligent and valiantworking dog I have encountered in civilian life is a breed known as the Catahoula hound, or "hog dog", used to herd semi-wild swamp hogs that Catahoula Parish, Louisiana residents raised for a living.
"Professional pooches do a variety of jobs. Dogs serve as "eyes" for the blind and "ears" for the deaf. And they bring joy to nursing home residents. Dogs do many other jobs too. They pull sleds, find crime clues, inspect luggage for illegal drugs or food items, hunt for missing persons, and much more. With the right training, dogs make great employees. They're smart, skilled, and loving. They're also doggone dependable."
Dogs keep bears away from campsites, protect sheep from jackals, hyenas, cheetahs and baboons. Dogs sniff out snakes, seals, and protected species of fish to help researchers and law enforcement.
To describe the difference between a typical MWD and a dog set apart for breeding, Hilliard uses the analogy of the difference between a typical Army private first class and a special forces Soldier, who has the unique genetics, physical, temperamental and character features to do a job most cannot.
"Through artificial breeding, we have selected many characteristics that are favorable to a homesteader. ... Initially dogs were bred based on function. "You will have some breeds that have a predisposition or tendency to be better or more readily adapted for specific behaviors." That is why we have herding breeds, guarding breeds, terrier breeds--they were bred based on the function they performed."
'“Some will just ask how much they can pay for a dog and I tell them they’re not a stack of lawnmowers on a pallet at Bunnings, worth $450. There’s no one-size-fits-all,” Peter says.“Other farmers call me and say they want a sheep dog. But that doesn’t help me at all. Do they want it for a paddock, yard or cattle, I need to know what sort of sheep they’re working, what sort of country they work, the size of the flock.“It’s all about matching the right dog with the right owner.”'
"The dogs begin training when they're 2 months old. They live with foster families that drop them off at the center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday, just like kids going to school. Trainers play hide-and-seek with the puppies to fine-tune their sense of smell. ... We give all of our dogs a general education, and eventually they get to 'pick a major," bombs, blood, disease, etc.
"Shopping at Walmart, her dog, Boo, stepped in front of her and wouldn't let her move. The huge dog had smelled danger ahead. A few peanut butter cup wrappers were wedged behind some nearby cereal boxes." Hardly noticeable to most people, this could have been deadly for Gianna who has a severe peanut allergy."
"Eagle, a mixture of Doberman pinscher and German short-haired pointer, has a special gift. His olfactory ability, or sense of smell, enables him to locate ancient human remains--bodies buried for a long time, even hundreds of years. Eagle is the only dog in the world certified to do such work. Archaeologists use Eagle's services to solve the riddles of human history."
The "conservation agency trains dogs to locate scat, or droppings of wild animals in natural habitat for scientists to study. The samples the dogs find give scientists important information. Substances in the droppings provide clues about the diet and health of the wild animal they came from."
"Police departments nationwide have relied on dogs for decades. But in the years since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, their role has become even more crucial. The NYPD has one of the largest canine units in the country--about 100 dogs in all."
"When training a cow dog, Charlie Trayer believes it's critical to work with the animal's instinct. As such, your stock-dog should come from working parents, because if the parents don't work, chances are your dog is not going to work, either."
"The herding instinct in sheep dogs is simply predatory behavior that has been modified over many generations. By selectively breeding those dogs that prefer to herd rather than to kill, humans have created a dog that has the tendency to herd, but (hopefully) without the inclination to kill. There is a fine line though..."
"The livestock guardian dog will bond with the herd or flock naturally, but specialized training is still necessary. Even though these guarding dogs will spend vast amounts of time alone with the flock, socialization is necessary from an early age. Daily handling, managing, training, and correcting are required almost from birth."
In response to a call from the tower, Brian Edwards calls his dog, Piper, as he heads toward the truck. "'In the truck, Piper is like a bull ready to charge,' says Edwards. As they approach the flock of seagulls on the runway, he opens the door and Piper leaps out 'like a missile.' Piper sprints straight toward the flock, chasing all of the gulls away so it's again safe for airplanes to take off and land at the airport."
"K-9 Sgt. Jerry, a Belgian Malinois, took tests this week but not the pencil and paper kind. He ran across a grassy field, sniffed boxes to discover their contents, sat quietly beside people who had illegal drugs in their pockets, barked to alert his partner to danger, and caught "bad guys." In the school Jerry attended for 14 weeks, he learned a special set of law enforcement skills."
"To keep their skills as sharp as possible, this K-9 team spends an average of 17 hours training every week. Although they train in all areas, more than half of that time is devoted to basic obedience and physical agility. 'Obedience is the most important aspect of training,' says Officer Wynkoop. 'It's the foundation for everything.'"
A good K9 is a partner in every sense. They can sniff out crime even when the human officer may not suspect it. "We had just started to walk away when Sherlock, as if to say to me, 'Hey I'm trying to tell you something!' went into detection mode and located a fresh deer liver not far from my feet!"
"a human has five million smell cells in their nose, but a German Shepherd or Bloodhound has up to 300 million. They are intelligent and learn quickly. Dogs can be trained on specific scents and for specific activities, and will most often be trained with one handler, who is their best friend, family, and roommate. When trained on specific scents such as explosives and bombs, the dog is trained to identify the presence of the scent."
"When Ashes is called to duty on a fire, she goes on the fire site when it is completely out. Should she sniff an accelerant, she will sit down, look at the chief and put her nose in the area. She is rewarded with a treat. Investigators will draw samples, seal them as evidence, and confirm testing for an accelerant."
"The dogs tend to be European imports because several countries there have a long and strong history of police dogtype sports. Places like the Netherlands and the Czech Republic have been breeding dogs that excel in this kind of work for many decades."
Pups who watch their mothers at work tend to learn tasks more easily and quickly than the pups who did not watch. Ken Ramirez demonstrated how he taught his dog that the cue "Copy!" means "Do what that other dog just did." When he shared his "Copy!" procedure the dog training world sat up and took notice. The "Do As I Do" method has great potential for application in training.
"A new dog is like a private right off the street." All military working dogs begin their training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, where they take a course that is "like their basic training and [advanced individual training]." Training continues upon assignment to a unit, and recertification is required on a yearly basis.
"A working animal in motion is a thrilling sight. Senses on full alert, charged with energy and purpose, it radiates vitality and joy. But observers of dog sledding sometimes wonder whether what they're witnessing is an activity that comes naturally to canines overseen by deeply bonded humans or an unnecessary hardship conducted solely for human profit."
"In many ways the Iditarod is more a test of a racer's knowledge of dogs than of technique on the trail. "The Iditarod might only take 10 days, but this is a commitment 365 days a year," says Jonrowe, who's a member of the veterinary committee for the Iditarod Trail Committee. "You can't park your dogs and walk away after a race. In summer I spend at least five hours daily with my animals. In winter it's 10 to 16 hours.""
Lucy is Tina's hearing dog. Lucy and Tina are partners. Lucy alerts Tina to the sounds that Tina cannot hear. Tina gives Lucy a comfortable home.
At seven weeks of age leader dogs [seeing eye dogs] are issued to a volunteer puppy raiser, who will housebreak and train them in basic obedience commands. They learn to "heel" on a loose leash and also learn some career-specific commands, such as to go under, around, left and right.
"An autism service dog serves as a bridge to communication, a confidence builder, a source of comfort, and a friend, Service dogs for children with autism are placed in a home when the dog is just a puppy so that the dog and child can form the strongest bond possible. Puppies begin training when they are seven weeks old."
You've heard of working dogs who herd cattle and working dogs who help the blind. But what about clogs who work as actors on stage and screen? Bill Berloni has probably trained more Broadway dogs than any other person, ever.
Do you marvel at how movie dogs get their daring rescue scenes just right? Ever wonder how TV dogs know just when to nuzzle up to their "owners"? Not just any old dog can show up on a set and become a star. Lots of hard work goes on behind the scenes!
"So, what does it take to be successful and win at dog shows? Besides having a dog who is a correct representative of his breed, you also need the dog to enjoy his "job." Part of what makes a successful show dog is showmanship. A show dog needs to be able to perform and look like he enjoys it. The only way I know to preserve and enhance enjoyment of this work is through positive reinforcement techniques."
"Courses are kept secret until the day of a show. Handlers are given eight minutes to walk the ring and develop a plan of attack before qualifying begins, but the dogs don't see a single obstacle until their first run. Communication and trust, then, are crucial. "They have no idea, until they step into the ring, what they're doing. And so they're cueing off our body language,""