Dogs at Work: The Top Jobs for Our Canine Friends

Every dog has a job, but most dogs’ only job in life is being a loyal companion or a beloved family member. However, some dogs have very important jobs in life, such as keeping us safe and healthy, catching criminals, and managing livestock. Many different types of dogs play important roles in their communities. So, without further ado, the following are some of the top jobs for dogs.

Police Dogs

Dogs have been used as helpers for the police for many years. Their sense of smell can be very helpful when sniffing for evidence. Police dogs must receive special training to ensure that they can effectively help police officers. They can help to sniff out bombs, drugs, guns, or even people, and they can also help catch criminals or find a missing person. Essentially, you should probably think twice about crossing the line if a police dog is going to go after you.

Guard Dogs

In a similar vein, homes or companies might have one or more guard dogs that can be trained to protect people or places from criminals. Do you consider your dog to be a guard dog at home?

Search and Rescue Dogs

A little bit different than police dogs, the sole job of search and rescue dogs is to find people who have gone missing. They have been known to save people from natural disasters, find people who are missing, or help get someone out of a bad situation. These dogs must go under a lot of training to be able to be certified for search and rescue, and they also must be able to work day and night regardless of the weather or situation.

Herding Dogs

Dogs have been used to help with the herding of flocks for hundreds of years. Often utilized on farms, herding dogs help keep the livestock calm and where they are supposed to be. They can also help livestock in an emergency or alert the owner of potential trouble.

Military Dogs

Just like police dogs, they are very helpful at sniffing out bombs and other dangers, and they can offer much-needed friendly faces to soldiers at war. Military dogs are well taken care of because training can actually cost anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000. Wow!

Movie Star Dogs

Yes, dogs can be actors, too. There are tons of movies and TV shows that feature a well-trained dog. These days, any pet can become famous on social media as well. If you have an adorable dog who does adorable things, try making a special social media page for him and watch people go “aww.”

Service Dogs

Service dogs can help people with disabilities to get around, and they can even be trained to sniff out seizures and call for help. Most people are familiar with service dogs who help lead the blind around safely, but they can also help people with other sensory disorders and physical or mental disorders live with their conditions.

If you encounter a dog that is a service dog or has a specific job, as much as you might want to say hello and pet it, be wary. Even something as innocent as a pet can be distracting, and the dog needs to be able to fully concentrate on her job.

Sled Dogs

In colder, more remote areas, there are dogs who help deliver goods by sled. While this type of job was more common in the past, they used for this purpose in certain remote areas of Alaska.

Competition or Show Dogs

Do you ever watch dog shows on TV? This is considered a job because the dog must go through a lot of training to learn how to behave properly and do some of those amazing tricks you see on TV. Could you ever get your dog to learn how to navigate one of those intense obstacle courses?

What dog job are you the most familiar with? Which one on the list have you never heard of before? Does your dog have a job on this list? Tell us about it!

If you enjoyed this article, please share it with a friend who loves dogs!