Dogs with Jobs! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dalmatian

The beautiful white and spotted dalmatian has a long association with fire protection. They were initially trained to guard the firehouses and horses used to pull fire engines. They were even trained to run ahead of the horses to guide them to the fire. Commercials shown in several Super Bowls have used this special relationship between dalmatian and horse to promote Budweiser beer.

When motorized fire engines emerged, the dogs were still common in the fire stations as companions for the firemen. The dalmatian serves as an important mascot for fire protection services.

Answer: Laika

Laika was launched into orbit by the Soviet Union aboard Sputnik 3 in 1957. She died a few hours into the flight due to overheating in the capsule. There was no plan to return Laika alive in any case because re-entry technology had not yet been developed.

The launch of Laika was primarily a publicity and propaganda stunt by the Soviets which provided little scientific knowledge. It did prove however that a breathing being could survive a launch into orbit and weightlessness.

Answer: Greyhound

Parimutuel betting on greyhound racing is a popular sport in parts of the United States. The sport has declined in recent years over concerns about the health and treatment of the dogs. Adoption programs for retired racing greyhounds have been formed to address these concerns. These beautiful dogs are commonly seen as pets throughout the USA.

Answer: Tacking

Tracking is where a dog uses its nose to follow a scent, usually along the ground. Airscenting involves sniffing the air for the scent of a person. Trailing involves both methods. Rescue and search dogs not only can find a missing person but are also used to track criminals. All dogs are generally capable of performing this task, but bloodhounds are most common as depicted in many movies. Tacking is a sailing term.

Answer: guard

Many people get dogs for protection, particularly those living alone. These dogs can be trained to bark or even attack unwanted or unexpected people. Many dogs bark at strangers by nature and require little training. However, if a dog is overly aggressive, it might not be suitable for the job because of the risk of unwanted injury to a human. Guard dogs are also trained to guard livestock, land areas, and even commercial establishments.

The junkyard dog is an example of a guard dog. Although any dog can serve in this job, dobermans, German shepherds, and rottweilers are common due to their size and intimidation.

Answer: Police dog

Police dogs perform many important jobs in assisting law enforcement. These jobs include search and rescue, criminal apprehension and detention, drug detection, bomb detection, and more. K-9 comes from the phonetic pronunciation of the word canine.

Answer: The Seeing Eye in 1929

The Seeing Eye was founded in Nashville by Morris Frank, one of the first guide dog owners in the United States. Most guide dogs are Labrador retrievers, German shepherds, or golden retrievers, but other breeds can also be trained to provide this critical and beneficial service.

Answer: Breeder

Dogs have been bred by humans throughout recorded history. Dogs with favorable characteristics have been bred together to strengthen those traits for the enjoyment and service to humankind. Dogs that are pretty, dogs that retrieve, dogs that guard and dogs that track are a few examples of these desired traits. My wife wanted a dog with the temperament of a Labrador retriever that would not shed. Breeders have cross-bred Labrador retrievers with non-shedding poodles to produce a new breed called a labradoodle to supply that demand.

Answer: Rhodesian safari dog

A Shetland sheepdog is a medium-sized herding dog originating from Scotland. The Australian stumpy tail cattle dog is also a herding dog bred in Australia and is related to the dingo. The Anatolian shepherd dog is a very large Turkish dog bred to guard livestock.

Answer: Yes

Kennel clubs are not consistent in which breeds belong to which group, but the working group generally includes larger dogs currently or at one time used for some physical activity. Examples of working dogs are St Bernards, mastiffs, boxers and sheepdogs. Other groups include Sporting, Hounds, Terriers, Sighthounds, Toy, Herding, and others.