Sporting dogs are prized for their temperament, intelligence and natural ability as hunting partners, but did you know they’re also treasured for those same traits as service companions? Here, the latest Purina Pro Plan Outdoor Wire issue explores the different ways sporting breeds can be trained to lend a helping paw.
6 Service Jobs For Sporting Dogs
If you think sporting dogs’ unique skills and talent end at finding and retrieving game, think again. Alert, active and intelligent, sporting breeds are often trained as service dogs, ideal for those with disabilities or impairments and need help with specific tasks.
A former pro retriever trainer, Scott Dewey co-founded Retrieving Freedom in Waverly, Iowa, where he trains retrievers to work with disabled veterans and children with autism. “We’re looking for dogs who live to work, but also have that on-and-off switch,” he says.
Similarly, Mike Stewart of Wildrose Kennels in Oxford, Mississippi, trains gun dogs as diabetic alert, search and rescue, and therapy service companions. “Besides sporting companions, retrievers are exceptional for service, detection, alerting and tracking,” Stewart says. Here are just a handful of ways sporting dogs can be trained to lend a helping paw:
- Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD A fairly common disorder, PTSD produces anxiety and flashbacks triggered by a traumatic situation. Service dogs provide 24/7 nonjudgmental support by interacting with their companion when he or she feels panicked and interrupting night terrors. “Retrievers are happy and willing dogs that provide unconditional love and help reintegrate the veteran into society,” Dewey says
- Service Dogs for Disabled Veterans Retrievers have the sound body structure and size necessary for aiding disabled veterans in balance or getting up following a fall. They also put their intelligence and retrieving skills to good use, performing tasks such as retrieving items, opening and closing doors, and pulling and stopping wheelchairs, as well as providing companionship to help the veteran cope with any emotional overload.
- Service Dogs for Children with Autism Not only do service dogs help autistic children improve their social and verbal skills, they also can relieve anxiety, provide a constructive activity for the child by retrieving items, and serve as an anchor by being tethered to the child and sit or lie down any time the child tries to pull away from the tether. “Retrievers have a gentle disposition and eagerness to learn without an excessive amount of energy, making them wonderful for children with autism,” says Dewey.
- Diabetic Alert Dogs As masters of scent, with constant vigilance, diabetic alert dogs can sniff a dangerous dip or rise in their companion’s blood sugar level, alerting them to make the necessary adjustment and avoid a life threatening episode. “Labs specifically have the size, temperament, scenting ability and intelligence to help people with Type 1 diabetes live a normal life,” Stewart explains.
- Search and Rescue Dogs Besides German Shepherd Dogs and Bloodhounds, Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are also among the top picks for search and rescue dogs. Whether locating missing persons or those affected by a natural disaster or mass casualty, retrievers are prized for their intelligence, strength, size, obedience, keen scent ability and temperament, helping to make the difference between life and death.
- Therapy Dogs Like humans, sporting dogs tend to slow down with age, so it’s important their job descriptions evolve to a less physically demanding workload. The disposition and social cognitive skills of sporting breeds, not to mention years of field experience, position them well for therapy dog work. Whether accompanying volunteers in a classroom, counselor’s office, hospital or nursing home, just to name a few, therapy dogs work in tandem with their owners to bring comfort and joy to those who need it most.
Purina Pro Plan Nutrition Pointer
Nutrition can have a positive impact on a dog’s cognitive health, which is just as important for service dogs as it is for sporting dogs. Dogs rely on omega-3 fatty acids for many things, including proper development and function of the brain. Because dogs cannot produce omega-3 fatty acids on their own, they must get them through their diet, and DHA and EPA are the most common fatty acids added to pet food. Purina Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND Formulas contain a propriety blend of brain-supporting nutrients, including DHA & EPA from fish oil, antioxidants, B vitamins and arginine, that help nourish a dog’s brain throughout adulthood.
Did You Know?
A service dog can cost more than $15,000. Help Purina Dog Chow support Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation’s service dog program, which transforms both ends of the leash by teaching veterans to train their own service dogs, through the Service Dog Salute campaign.
Tip From a Pro:
“It’s important to realize a service dog is always working. Even if an individual’s disability isn’t visible,there’s a reason he or she has a service dog. It’s not the public’s job to interrupt that dog’s work.” — Scott Dewey, co-founder of Retrieving Freedom in Waverly, Iowa
Need a Quote from a Service Dog Trainer or a Hi-Res Sporting Breed Image? Better Call Kayla! Make Purina Pro Plan your No. 1 resource on all things sporting (and service!) dog. For in-depth articles, access to all-rights photos, and interviews with Purina experts or pro trainers, contact Kayla Miller at kayla.miller@purina. nestle.com or 314-982-3285.