Walking the halls of Crufts was for the most part a maze of stalls selling all sorts of toys, equipment, food and services. Thrown in at certain places were stalls with information on subjects such as working dogs (such as Police dogs) and charities.
Many of the charities were big names and worthy causes. The likes of Guide Dogs and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home were present, however it was a couple of smaller charities which stood out for me.
Support Dogs - http://www.support-dogs.org.uk/
They train dogs to meet the specific needs of individuals with disabilities. Teaching dogs to perform tasks such as open and close doors, load the washing machine, help getting dressed, carrying or retrieving items, raising the alarm and even contacting ambulance services should the need arise and many many others, dependant on disability of the person they are to support. I really like the idea of a dog providing someone with not only companionship but also so much help.
Cancer and Bio-Detection Dogs - http://cancerdogs.co.uk/
I believe this to be a relatively new organisation, but what they do is truly fascinating. They research into the use of dogs to detect human diseases and medical conditions. Using the canine sense of smell to detect disorders in their infancy to assist in swift treatment. The dogs olfactory sense is as much as 100,000 time better than a human and has been used by people for centuries for tracking and detection. In this time where we use technological solutions to every problem, we seem to over look abilities that are available to us historically and from the natural world.
On the subject of special dogs, this morning we wait to see how our little sickly puppy turns out after a night with her mother.
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