• Nadine Whittal, dog trainer writes:

Dogs have earned the moniker ‘man’s best friend’ because of the important role they have played in human civilization. As far back as the Iron Age, dogs were used for their hunting and herding abilities.

As civilization became more advanced, the roles that dogs play in our society have changed slightly, with a strong move towards companionship. However, there are many different roles that dogs play to make our lives that much easier.

Working and service dogs are popular terms for dogs that do not just fill a companionship role. Service dogs include those dogs that work as guides for the disabled, and they undergo rigorous training to prepare them for this role. These dogs include those that are guides for the visually and hearing impaired, and for the physically handicapped. Some service dogs have been trained, for example, to detect when an epileptic seizure may occur and warn their handlers of such.

Working dogs include those used for hunting or herding, but also those trained to aid in security or police services. These dogs specialise in several different fields – from tracking and close protection work to bomb detection and attack work. Interestingly, dogs who serve in roles where they may witness or be part of violent situations also run the risk of developing trauma responses just as humans do. Working Trials comprises a number of training elements that are used for developing these skills with dogs outside of the police and security community.

Therapy dogs provide comfort and cheer to those in difficult circumstances. This can include visiting centres for the elderly, children’s hospitals and hospice facilities. Often these dogs bring joy to a patient, and this then aids the patient’s mental and thus physical health. Again, this is not achieved without a price. Some of these dogs may also develop trauma responses if training is not handled appropriately.

Here in South Africa, an initiative has been developed with dogs becoming an integral part of the antipoaching efforts. In particular, dogs have been trained to track and protect rhinos.

For centuries, dogs and humans have maintained a mutually beneficial partnership. Over the years, our roles may have been redefined, but we have always kept our importance to each other and our partnerships alive and well. I guess that truly makes dogs man’s best friends.