SERVICE DOGS CELEBRATED FOR GOOD DEEDS ON INTERNATIONAL DOG DAY

Most dogs are at the centre of their owner’s world for doing little more than being their happy, tail-wagging, cheek-licking, sun-bathing selves but the day-to-day existence of some canines is life-saving.

Service dogs are being celebrated today on International Dog Day.

Norman became a hospital therapy dog after his owners noticed the effect he had on people.

“Just trying to walk down the street being stopped every five seconds for people to pat him, made us think the joy on people’s faces [would be] great to share with others,” owner Nicci Gradige said.

Norman has been visiting hospital weekly on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast for more than three years.

“He’s got his little routine, a few favourite patients and he’ll go around and look for people that he wants to meet,” Ms Gradige said.

“It’s just phenomenal to see the impact he has [had]; people would cry.”

Environmentally conscious dogs

Springer spaniel Scout and cocker spaniel Banjo are conservation dogs that assist scientists and environmentalists to preserve endangered species.

Conservation dogs also play a vital role in detecting invasive species.

“Whether that’s plants or animals,” Mr Davis said, “so those species can be … controlled and removed from the landscape.”

Mr Davis said some dogs were bred for the role, while other adult dogs were chosen based on their traits.

“We can take a dog from a rescue shelter, we can assess it to see whether it would enjoy the job and then we can obviously train it up from there.”

Mr Davis said sometimes conservation dogs were inducted into the role after failing at other jobs such as airport biosecurity.

“Maybe they haven’t got the right kind of attitude, so they’re better off used in the field,” he said.

Other career paths

But conservation is not the only back-up career path for dogs not suited to a particular job.

After failing as a guide dog, Connie became a primary school therapy dog at Immanuel Lutheran College on the Sunshine Coast.

Counsellor Tarnya Mitchell said Connie became the first primary school therapy dog in Queensland last year.

“Connie’s impact on the students is really quite remarkable. We always say Connie’s superpower is calm.

“We noticed that students really take on that superpower when they spend time with her.

“They seem to become more relaxed and much more able to embrace a growth mindset in their learning.”

Community connection

Labradors like Vegas, that pass the rigorous testing it takes to be a guide dog, are a life-saving connection between the handler and the community. 

“She makes me feel part of society again because most people love a dog,” Sue Bolton-Wood said.

People should not touch, feed or distract dogs when they are wearing a harness or coat as the attire indicates that they are working.

“That’s the hardest thing because everybody wants to bend down and give her a pat and say hello,” Ms Bolton-Wood said.

“They can definitely say hello to her, she reacts to her name and she will give them the nod, but she knows that she’s not to be patted.”

Ms Bolton-Wood said once the harness if off Vegas is just like any other dog.

“She knows that she can jump around and play [but] as soon as I pick up her collar, she just comes to me and she changes.

“She just stands and she waits and she knows then that we’re in business.”