Work Like a Dog

Part 9 in the Dog Blog Series

Dogs do all kinds of cool jobs—what is your dog's job? Do you have a service dog? A retired military dog? Or perhaps a 'that couch ain't going to get that hairy all by itself' dog?

My dog, PL, is a real watchdog, and he's really good at it. He watches what I eat (even though I don't) and he keeps an eye on my cats. Sometimes he watches them watching me eat. Yeah, he's really good at that too. He is also very much in tune with what is going on—sounds, people, things—anything new or out of place gets his immediate attention. He'll alert me to the UPS guy (who he seems to really dislike), the mailman (who he seems to like), the neighbor coming home late at night, or when the family across the street has a visitor. And he does so by perking his ears, while turning to look at me. If I am not around, he'll come nudge me. If he's startled or worried, he'll bark, but mainly, he's just paying attention. He also keeps a close eye on his tennis balls, which he collects into neat piles on the back lawn.

I've always marveled at dogs that have actual jobs like military working dogs, search and rescue dogs, and those cute beagles that work in the customs area in the airport sniffing for contraband. There is all this cool content on YouTube, showing dogs doing services for people, like opening fridges and guiding them through traffic. Did you know that dogs can even administer CPR? I know, right? Google it!

And then there are celebrity dogs—dogs famous in their own right. There are the classic TV dogs such as Lassie (which is actually 10 different dogs over time, with Pal being the original), and Toto in the Wizard of Oz, of course; as well as dogs of more recent fame like Gidget ("Yo quiero Taco Bell") and Eddie on Frasier! Oh, and then there is the very pinnacle of dog-hood—the royal dogs: Queen Elizabeth II is famous for her corgis. And, by the way, Stephen King has a corgi named Molly that he frequently tweets about. Do you know what your dog is up to while you're at work?

Here are some great books on extraordinary dogs and their extraordinary lives:

• Sergeant Rex: The Unbreakable Bond Between a Marine and his Military Working Dog by Damien Lewis
• Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me From Myself by Julie Barton
• Reigning Cats and Dogs by Katharine MacDonogh

Get extra kudos by sharing how hard your dog works, or if you rather apply the "It's a dog's life" approach—how very little work your dog actually does. It's your choice.

Read more by Linda Vandercook