Dogs With Jobs

Where did the phrase "working like a dog" come from? It certainly has no relevance to most dogs I've seen who's main occupation seems to be laying around, and licking themselves.  But there are some impressive exceptions to this rule. Cable television has programs that show dogs performing functions and tasks that make life safer and easier for their two-legged masters.

I took my dog to obedience training classes last summer. It was there that I fully realized that any dog can be trained to do darn near any thing. With love, patience, and proper motivation there are seemingly no limits. My 8-year-old Labrador Retriever had a bad habit of scratching at the back door when she wanted to go out into the yard. The house interior had just been repainted, so her  scratching had to come to an end. I hung a bell on the doorknob and trained her to ring it by using her nose or paw. She actually rings the bell to be let out now, but no one really believes me when I say this. At some point I need to catch her brilliance on video. Next, I want to train her to find the TV remote when it goes missing-in-action. Now that is a useful skill!