Dogs are known to be loyal companions, and their loyalty is not only limited to their human counterparts in terms of being faithful friends. Dogs can protect and safeguard humans in remarkable ways that they are not often given credit for.

Dogs Keep People Safe

Dogs are more than just faithful companions; they also have a long history of safeguarding humans. They have performed vital protective roles throughout history.

For example, dogs were used to protect against predators, alert their owners of intruders, and help with hunting.

Today, dogs are still used as guides for people with disabilities. They are also employed by law enforcement agencies to sniff out contraband and detect explosives, drugs, and other materials that could pose a risk to public safety.

Dogs Help with Natural Disasters

The protection and safety provided by dogs also extend to situations involving natural disasters. When hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, or other major disasters strike, dogs often play a critical role in search and rescue efforts.

These dogs help to locate people stranded in destroyed buildings and those buried in rubble.

Dogs are trained to detect the scent of humans, and their keen sense of smell allows them to determine the location of people even under layers of rubble or debris. Due to these skills, they help rescue workers save precious lives.

Dogs Detect Medical Issues

Service dogs have been trained to detect medical issues in humans, from detecting low blood sugar in people with diabetes to seizures in people with epilepsy.

While mass-produced medical alert bracelets and other devices have, of course, come a long way in terms of helping those with these types of medical issues, dogs are still incredibly helpful.

Dogs have been trained to detect subtle shifts in their owner’s behaviour, as well as changes in the owner’s body chemistry, and can respond accordingly.

For example, if a diabetic person’s blood sugar drops, the dog will typically react by barking or nudging his owner, signalling the need for attention. It is because of dogs that many people are still alive today and remain as active as they are.

Dogs Detect Illness

Dogs may also prove to be a detection and protection tool for individuals afflicted with different illnesses. Early detection of different diseases can increase the chances of successful treatment.

But in some cases, traditional medical methods are not able to diagnose these conditions immediately. Hence it becomes imperative to seek out alternative methods.

Dogs are trained to detect and smell a variety of health concerns from seizures to cancer and more.

According to research, dogs have been shown to detect early-stage lung cancer with remarkable precision from smelling the individual’s breath and blood samples.

Dogs Calm the Fear of Anxiety

Anxiety affects many people, and the situation can become life-threatening for some. The use of medications can have side effects, which means that they may not be viable for some people as a solution to manage anxiety.

However, emotional support dogs have been found to be a successful treatment alternative for individuals diagnosed with severe anxiety issues.

These dogs will comfort and manage their owner or caretaker’s mood through regular cuddling, petting, and other calming activities. In stressful, overwhelming situations, emotional support dogs can calm and provide a feeling of stability.

Dogs as Bodyguards

Personal security is always an ongoing concern, especially for individuals of all ranks and status levels.

Highly trained dogs are preferred by some people for their “bodyguard” roles. Because of their size, strength, and protective instincts, these dogs can become a vigilant means of protection.

They can automatically act to protect their owners in the case of physical threats or even outright assaults.

Conclusion

People sometimes underestimate the abilities of their dogs. However, dogs are capable of so much more than just being man’s best friend.

They are trained and employed all over the world to protect personal and public safety, sniff out and detect crises, and even become vital therapy tools for individuals managing different health issues.

Those are just some of the many ways a dog can help keep its owner safe and alive every day.