AC Pup wishes all a happy Labor Day

What a beautiful weekend to recognize Labor Day and the official end of a summer that has flown by way too fast. It’s a great weekend for all the working folks out there celebrating the long weekend. So fire up the grill and get ready to watch some football, too. Or grab your purse and head out to the mall for the fabulous Labor Day sales.

Did you know Labor Day was declared an official federal national holiday in 1894? It was the time to celebrate the contribution the working people made in making our country strong and prosperous. And as any worker knows, the best reward for a job well done — besides a raise — is time away from work. Time off from work is one of the greatest gifts that can be given to an employee.

Have you ever thought that people are not the only ones that work? There are actually many working animals. Most of the ones that come to mind are dogs, but there are animals, predominantly wild animals, that work in circuses, festivals and zoos. Those animals always appear to be working against their will and not really enjoying their jobs. I wish they would be allowed to retire soon and live the rest of their lives in their natural habitat.

Working dogs on the other hand seem to thrive in their jobs. They enjoy doing what they’ve been trained to do because they are doing it for the approval of their handler.

Service dogs, for example, are trained to do a task that will assist the disabled person with whom he lives. He may assist someone with low vision or he may help a veteran suffering from PTSD. The service dog loves his job so much he becomes the constant companion and friend of the person he serves. They become an inseparable team.

Therapy dogs are another group of special dogs who love their work. They are trained to provide comfort and affection to people who might need a little extra love in their lives.

They work at hospitals, nursing homes, inpatient hospice units, schools, universities and airports, as well as other places. They are sometimes called in to serve during a disaster or catastrophe to help calm people who have experienced some sort of tragic event.

Then there are the K-9s that work with law enforcement. These are specially trained dogs, either German shepherds or Belgian Malinois. These are highly intelligent, loyal and protective dogs who are trained to sniff out bombs, drugs, weapons and to take down bad guys.

Similar to the K-9s there are the bloodhounds who are trained to follow the trail of a lost person, a person buried in the rubble of an earthquake or explosion, and a person who may have escaped from a facility. Bloodhounds are uniquely blessed with an immensely strong sense of smell. They can follow a scent on a trail for 130 miles even if the scent is 300 hours old.

Then there is the entire category of working dogs that assist on farms. There are always cows, goats, horses and sheep on the farm that need to be herded. A well-trained Australian shepherd or border collie can instinctively do the job. Some farmers could not control their herds if it weren’t for these dogs.

So while we enter into this Labor Day weekend and you’re enjoying your barbeque, how about giving your working dog a huge snuggle and let him have a day off. He deserves a break. Happy Labor Day!

This story was originally published September 2, 2016 at 3:56 PM with the headline "AC Pup wishes all a happy Labor Day."