You could say this column is going to the dogs! I think because of my recent loss of Miss Maddie Gumdrops, I am more focused on these special animals as a subject, and how we humans rely on and interact with them in the world. For this week’s Feel-Good Friday, service dogs, particularly the detection dogs, get a closer look.
Service dogs are usually limited to particular breeds, and I discovered that a majority of them don’t come from America. Some of this is because of government regulation; some of it is the inconsistent standards among dog breeding and training; some of it is just cultural. Americans view dogs differently from other places in the world where canines are working animals first and foremost, and pets second.
“Sniffing dogs,” those that scent out narcotics, human beings, and explosives are even more specialized. Scientists say that a dog’s sense of smell is between…
