by Connie Tucker
Special to the Aroostook Republican
We’re all familiar with guide dogs for the blind, also known as “seeing eye” dogs. Did you know dogs work in a number of other areas? Often called service dogs, these talented and clever animals are nearly indispensable to law enforcement and to our comfort.
Contributed photoLabrador retrievers often make successful service dogs. Easily trained using play as a reward for performance, their intelligence, discrimination skills, and willingness to please combine to produce excellent working partners.
For persons who are physically limited, service dogs can perform a number of tasks that their human masters and mistresses cannot, such as retrieving items from counters or refrigerators, alerting deaf persons to a ringing telephone or doorbell, or pressing elevator or entry door buttons.
Dogs have recently been pressed into service as companions for young crime victims. Buddy was rescued from a shelter in New York. Because of his docile personality, he was trained for nine months, plus he still receives daily lessons, as a companion dog to little victims of crime who have lost their sense of trust. Buddy stays at the victim’s side through hearings and court dates, and he gives unconditional love and reassurance to little ones who must testify in their own or their close relative’s assault cases.
Many dogs are pressed into service as sniffer dogs. Sniffing to detect explosives, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines, and even bedbugs, dogs prevent millions of dollars of damage and loss of tax revenue every year.
Bedbugs are a growing hotel and motel problem. Canadian bedbug sniffer, Jackie, has a 90% success rate. Hotels employ bug sniffer dogs to assure quality accommodations and to reduce possible lawsuits.
Most sniffer service dogs trained to find their target are rewarded not by treats but by play. Yes, the one thing they want is to chase a Frisbee or a ball, and that is their reward for finding the substance they are trained to find. Shelter dogs are often evaluated and then chosen based on their interest in play or retrieval of a ball or similar object. Labrador Retrievers that spring up high in their cages and bark frantically whenever a person comes into view can be very strong candidates for training as sniffers. The one thing they want to do is play, and this can be converted into a reward system for substance retrieval.
Dogs can be trained for just about any task imaginable and, true to their loyalty to humans, are forever in service to us. How lucky are we?
CPR is currently experiencing a shortage of cat litter, Purina Kitten Chow, and laundry soap. We use plain litter for kittens and clumping litter for adult cats and economical store brand laundry soap. Please drop off your donations at the shelter during our public hours. For your convenience, you can also purchase items at Paradis Shop ’n Save and drop them in our donation cart by the front door of the store.
Our summer-long tent sale continues, but we need more donated items to keep it fresh and interesting! Please call Linda at 498-3767 for more information and to arrange your drop-off.
We are always happy to see returnable bottles dropped off at our shelter as this is a great help to our ongoing expenses. Thank you for all you do.
Thank you for your support through donations and volunteerism. Our shelter is located at 6 Richards Road in Caribou. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 488, Caribou, ME 04736. Our telephone number is 498-3800. Caribou Pet Rescue, Inc. is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.
Please visit www.petfinder.com/ shelters/ME67.html to see our adorable, adoptable pets. And our success stories!
Thank you for your support through donations and volunteerism. We are always grateful for your help through our returnable bottles and cans drive. Our shelter is located at 6 Richards Road in Caribou. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 488, Caribou, ME 04736. Our telephone number is 498-3800. Caribou Pet Rescue, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.
Visit our Web site, www.petfinder.com/shelters/ME67.html photos of our adorable, adoptable pets. Remember—Neuter and Spay! It’s the ONLY way!
