9781422274897

populations, guarding, helping fishermen with nets, detecting (such as sniffing for bombs or drugs), and pulling loads (sled dogs, for example). In recent times, dogs have added to their job duties by assisting individuals with physical or mental disabilities. For example, there are now guide dogs for people who have impaired vision or who are completely blind. However, the large majority of all dogs are kept as pets. Before WorldWar II, keeping dogs as pets was most often a practice of upper-class men and women, but since World War II (1939–1945), the pet population has grown significantly. Americans own nearly 90 million dogs and 60 percent of all households own at least one or more dogs, according to the American Pet Products Association. And that leads to job opportunities! After all, dogs need care. They need medical attention from veterinarians. They may need training fromprofessional animal trainers. And they need grooming.

Learn more about what it’s like to own a dog grooming business.

Humans and Their Dogs 9