Watch the adorable interaction below.
[rumble video_id=vhem9 domain_id=u7nb2]
Video credit: Rumble
Dogs have certainly come a long way from the time our ancestors first domesticated them. From helping hunters track down prey for food or guarding a flock of sheep, there are now even toy dogs that are valued more for their looks rather than their ferocity. But still, dogs serve in important positions such as K-9 units and rescue dogs.
One other important function that has gained prominence is the service dog or assistance dog. These dogs are meant to assist both mentally and physically disabled people in their daily lives. They’re not just there to make sure that their owners can move around but also to ensure that they don’t come to harm. This doesn’t just mean protecting them from attackers but also calling for help if their owner is somehow incapacitated, for example.
The mental and emotional support that these dogs give by their mere presence cannot be discounted. Those having panic or anxiety attacks often just need their service dog to snuggle against them to calm down.
With a lot that is expected of them, service dog training needs to be rigorous. After all, it wouldn’t do for a service dog to just run off, get distracted, or refuse to listen to commands when in the company of a disabled owner. One example of this rigorous training can be seen in the following video.
Guide Dogs of America is training Ace the Yellow Labrador to become a guide dog. As part of his training, they brought Ace to Disneyland for a socialization experiment. The staff at Disneyland was aware of the training and none other than Pluto came in to help.
According to Ace’s trainer Sandy Steinblums, the objective of the training was for Ace to remain calm and stay down even as Pluto tries to get him excited and break his stay. And based on what we see in the video, Ace passed with flying colors!
Sandy says that Ace is meant to be a guide dog for the blind and has around six to nine months more of training before he can be officially certified as a guide dog. But with the quality of training he has received and how well he performed in the exercise, Ace will be an excellent guide dog worthy of his name.