| Dogs and man have formed partnerships for centuries. | | | | Dogs for the Disabled. |
| Probably the first animals to be domesticated, dogs | | | | In an effort to improve the quality of life for many |
| have variously been used for hunting, herding, guarding | | | | people with disabilities, dogs have been trained to:- |
| and even as companions. Whilst it may be true that | | | | Open and close doors, collect post, put rubbish in the |
| you cannot teach old dog new tricks, it is also true that | | | | kitchen bin take clothes out of the washing machine or |
| humans will always try to find new ways to utilise | | | | even take off someone's socks. They can also fetch |
| man's best friend. | | | | a wide variety of things on command and recognise |
| Some of the roles dogs now perform on a daily basis | | | | several objects by name, including 'fetch the phone' |
| include: | | | | which could be vital in cases of any emergency. Dogs |
| Dogs for the blind | | | | can even pick up crutches and sticks. |
| There is no doubt that "guide" dogs have expanded | | | | Therapy Dogs |
| the possibilities for blind people to go to many more | | | | Dogs are increasingly being used in active therapy; this |
| places and enjoy happier and more fulfilled lives. Many | | | | may involve visiting hospitals, care facilities, nursing |
| blind and partially sighted people put total trust in their | | | | homes, etc. to cheer up patients. Studies of dogs |
| guide dogs, often taking their life in their hands - for | | | | interacting with autistic children have shown that dogs |
| example, crossing a busy road. Their dogs also make it | | | | calm them down tremendously just by their presence |
| easier to move about in snow, ice, mud and other | | | | and with specific tasks such as grooming a dog; the |
| rough conditions. | | | | children can learn to focus on a task, something that's |
| Hearing dogs for the deaf. | | | | very difficult for an autistic child. |
| In the UK there are nearly ten million people with some | | | | Mould Detection |
| degree of hearing impairment | | | | Mould detection dogs are regularly used in European |
| Many of these people have had there lives changed | | | | countries such as Denmark and Germany, where |
| by dogs trained to alert their severely, profoundly or | | | | mould has been known for decades to be a problem |
| totally deaf owners to sounds that many of us take | | | | in buildings, they will sniff out mold hiding behind |
| for granted. Everyday sounds which hearing people | | | | baseboards and walls in houses, office buildings and |
| may take for granted dogs will respond to such as:- | | | | schools. |
| - Alarm clocks | | | | Life Detection |
| - Telephones | | | | Increasingly dogs are used in more specialist areas |
| - Doorbells | | | | such as in water rescue and in the search for human |
| - Cooker Timers | | | | buried in earthquakes, landslides etc. |
| - Smoke alarms | | | | Bomb and drug detection |
| - Baby alarms The dogs communicate by touch and | | | | The dog's keen sense of smell is sensitive enough to |
| then lead owners to the sound source, providing the | | | | detect minute trace amounts of many compounds, this |
| deaf person with greater independence and | | | | makes them very effective in screening objects, it is |
| confidence, as well as companionship and feelings of | | | | claimed that some trained dogs are able to recognise |
| security. | | | | over 20,000 explosive compositions. |