Service dogs are trained to render a service to people in need. It could be to assist people with physical or mental impairments by physical means or Otterhounds could be used for guiding a blind person across the street. The mere presence of the animal could act as therapy for a sick person or patient in a hospital or nursing care facility.
Hunting dogs are often recognized for their loyalty and companionship and many of these canines have been used as guide dogs to assist the disabled. Their vigilance is greatly needed to act as the eyes and ears of their companions. Guide dogs are trained to follow a directional path, avoid obstacles and eminent danger. The Otterhound like other working dog can be trained as a guide dog. Since Otterhounds are hunting and tracking dogs they are particularly useful in tracking missing objects for their human companions. Tracking would also include such activities as following a certain person in a crowd for example, a waitress in a restaurant, locate a specific room in a building, a seat, street, building, and more. They may also be trained to alert their masters for scent related dangers, fire, leaking gas in the home and so forth.
Branching out the Otterhound with its powerful body can be trained as a service dog to help their masters with household related activities ranging from bringing in groceries, hauling wood for the fire, carrying buckets, taking out trash, bringing clothes to assist with dressing, fetching items that are out of their companion's reach, getting canes, walker and wheel chairs out for immediate use, to looking for a specific pair of shoes in the closet. The possibilities for home related chores are endless.
Otterhounds love to swim and can be trained to make excellent life guards. They already assist as a working dog in locating missing person's and beach control for the coast guard. Italy is beginning to open up its doors for new breeds of canines as life guards. Human Italian lifeguards just love the Otterhound for this purpose.
The Otterhound is a big, loyal, lovable and good natured dog. Because of this, this goofy dog makes a great therapy pet for shut-ins, and patients in hospitals and nursing homes and chronic care facilities. Whoopi is an Otterhound and a therapy dog who along with his mother Lass, has been part of Veteran therapy programs in hospitals for several Years
Whoopi now visits children's hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, every Thursday. He is part of the canine team bringing joy into the lives of these children. These dogs meet all health and safety standards, they receive their routine examinations and shots, and must have a bath before their two hour visit with the children.
|
