Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

There is a good reason why dogs have been deemed man’s best friend. Beyond being fantastic pets and companions, they have proven to be functional members as service dogs.

Dogs deliver where human beings falter. Because a dog’s ability to love is unmatched, they not only happen to be great support systems, but they never grow tired of doing so.

It is this very attribute that makes them shine when it comes to their undeniable worth as great service animals. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to state that in many cases, service dogs are the eyes and ears of their handlers, and support them in more ways than one.

Let’s take a look at some of the key roles these precious canines take up and in turn, contribute to the world in a very big way.

Guide Dogs

Also known as seeing-eye dogs, guide dogs are trained to help blind people navigate. You might assume that these service dogs are paired with their handlers at random. This is not the case at all.

When trying to assess whether or not a dog will be a good match for the handler in question, there are quite a few things to consider. Yes, the handler is blind, but they are likely to differ from other blind people when it comes to their lifestyle, hobbies, family, and even the fact that they may have other animals in their home.

Once a match is made at this basic level, hours are spent solidifying the bond between dog and handler. Labradors and golden retrievers are popular guide-dog breeds.

Hearing Dogs

For people who are hard of hearing or hearing-impaired, hearing dogs come to the rescue! These amazing canines are known to alert their handlers to important sounds, be it smoke alarms, oven timers, telephones, crying babies, or doorbells. These dogs are trained to lovingly paw their handlers or owners and guide them towards the sound.

When outside, hearing dogs are highly observant of environmental sounds such as car horns even though they may not respond to them in obvious ways. In this case, handlers read physical cues exhibited by the dog and are thus able to glean important information about their present surroundings.

Dogs suited to this role include golden retrievers, cocker spaniels, Labradors, and even poodles.

Providing Mobility Assistance

People who have sustained injuries that have rendered them bed-ridden or physically disabled in some way, can look to Mobility Assistance Dogs for support.

Handlers facing severe mobility issues resulting from spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, or arthritis are in a world of pain only a few can understand. Mobility Assistance Dogs are trained to support them by opening doors, fetching things, and helping them perform an array of other rudimentary tasks.

Labradors and golden retrievers are among the most favored breeds for this type of service dog, because they are strong enough to offer physical support should the need arise.

Alerting Diabetics

Truly a life-saver of epic proportions, these service dogs are trained to serve diabetic patients. They are able to detect when their handler has low or high levels of blood sugar.

At the onset of a hyperglycemic episode, dogs can ascertain that their handler’s blood sugar is very high. It is their keen sense of smell that allows them to do so. Conversely, it is the same attribute which lets them know when their owner is in the throes of a hypoglycemic episode, denoted by low levels of blood sugar.

Labradors, golden retrievers, and poodles are some of the dogs which are known to serve well in this role.

Allergy Detection

These service dogs are trained to recognize and pick up scents in their surroundings or in food that could cause potential harm to handlers.

As an example, consider people who have nut allergies. If an Allergy Detection Dog’s handler is allergic to peanuts, they will have the dog sniff any food they might want checked. If the dog detects allergens, it will either paw the handler or sit down in order to communicate this.

Seizure Response Dogs

Epilepsy is a common yet serious condition characterized by frequent seizures. It is a neurological disorder which can sometimes even result in a loss of awareness.

Because it is the intrinsic nature of epileptic seizures to come announced, service dogs offer immense support to their handlers.

Seizure Response Dogs assist their owner during and after an episode. These dogs are trained to find someone to help their owner, stimulate them to ‘stop’ the seizure, and physically move them in case they have succumbed to a seizure in a place that is unsafe and/or dangerous, such as while crossing the street.

Golden retrievers and poodles prove to be great Seizure Response Dogs.

Supporting Individuals with Autism

It is a well-known fact that autistic individuals need constant assistance as well as emotional support. Autistic children tend to be especially quiet and shy, which is why an Autism Support Dog may do wonders for their confidence and general mood.

Autism Support Dogs help children by serving as an ice-breaker, and essentially help them conduct themselves easily in social settings. These service dogs have also been known to keep children from running away. If a child does happen to run off, Autism Support Dogs are great at tracking them.

Labradors and golden retrievers are worthy candidates that check all the boxes in this category.

Psychiatric Service Dogs

Psychiatric Service Dogs are known to offer unending support to handlers suffering from any and all forms of mental illness ranging from depression and anxiety, to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and bipolar disorder.

These dogs are able to read their owner’s physical cues and tell when they are about to have panic attacks, bouts of anxiety, and the like.

Labrador retrievers, poodles, and German shepherds make especially good Psychiatric Dogs.

If there was ever any doubt in your mind as to why dogs are the best, this article has hopefully done a good job of clearing it. With all the support and love that dogs offer, it is no wonder that they’re in a class of their own.

by Bobby J Davidson

We are in business to provide great products for the outdoorsy hikers, campers and their dogs; and to help clean our parks, rivers and oceans for a better planet earth for hikers and their dogs.

Parks Clean

Parks are high-traffic areas in most cities. This means that trash is bound to show up in and around your park and playground.

When discussing ways your family can help clean your local park, don’t overlook a literal cleanup! Picking up trash will make a huge difference in the appearance and vibe of your park. A clean area will encourage others to keep the park pristine. When picking up trash and debris, make sure to wear gloves to protect yourself, and put trash in appropriate receptacles or lawn bags. You can also contact your local trash company to schedule a pickup when you are finished.

Rivers Clean

The storm drain on your street collects the water from your roof, driveway, and sidewalk and funnels it directly in your local lake or river. Nutrients from grass and leaves, pet waste, and fertilizers “enrich” our lakes and streams — feeding algae blooms and harming fish. Chemicals from washing your car in the drive and household chemical spills add up, taking a nasty toll on our favorite swimming areas and fishing spots. Soil can also be picked up by runoff, reducing the clarity of water and hurting fish.

So as you prepare your lawn and garden, here are a few helpful tips to keep our lakes and rivers beautiful and safe for all of us.

Use mulch and vegetation to keep soil from washing away.
Sweep or rake grass and leaves away from street curbs.
Mulch and compost grass clippings and leaves.
Keep paved surfaces to a minimum.
Capture water runoff with a rain garden and rain barrels.
Wash your car on the grass, where the water will get filtered.
Keep chemicals away from storm drains.
Collect your pet’s waste.
Aim your rain-gutter downspouts onto grass.

Beaches Clean (do it for the ocean)

In 2007, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed the National Clean Beaches Week Resolution to recognize the value of beaches to the American way of life and the important contributions of beaches to the economy, recreation, and natural environment of the United States.

Clean Beaches Week, celebrated annually July 1-7, offers the perfect opportunity to encourage stewardship and volunteerism along our coastlines. But where do you even begin? Follow these tips to get started.

Identify a clean-up site. Choose a place that needs some TLC, making sure that volunteers can safely access the site. Get permission, if needed, for your clean-up event, perhaps from the local parks agency.
Choose a site coordinator. (That might be you!) A beach clean-up takes a lot of work and needs an organized person to keep everything on track before, during, and after the event.
Visit the site in advance. The coordinator will need to know where to set up a volunteer check-in station, where to leave trash and recyclables, and what area(s) volunteers will clean.
Gather supplies. Depending on your location, you’ll need supplies such as trash bags, a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, wipes, and large coolers of water. You should also provide (or ask volunteers to bring) items such as reusable work/garden gloves, reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Plan how to handle the recyclables. Reach out to recyclers in your area (and perhaps your community’s solid waste departments) to make arrangements for accepting any glass, plastic, and aluminum that you collect.
Line up event partners. Contact local businesses for donations of drinks, food, and supplies. Ask a local solid waste hauler to donate their services for trash removal.
Plan for handling hazardous waste. Determine how you’ll dispose of any medical and sewage waste you might find. One solution: A wide-mouth container with a tight-fitting lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. Clearly label that it contains hazardous waste.
Get volunteers to help. Recruit friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Create an event on Facebook and ask volunteers to sign up online. This will give you an idea of how many people to expect and will help communicate event details.
Stay safe. Be prepared for a variety of health emergencies, from minor cuts and scrapes to heat stroke.
Take photos! Post pics online to share the success of your event and recognize volunteers for their hard work.