Occupational communities in the dog world are those where individuals work with dogs and either create a community on the job or form one by associating with others who similarly work with dogs. 

          Some examples of the individuals who work with dogs or dog owners and join together informally or in occupational organizations include:

                         - veterinarians

                         - dog breeders

                         - dog trainers

                         - dog walkers

                         - dog therapists, counselors, and psychics

                         - dog board and care facility operators

                         - pet store owners
                         - pet product manufacturers

            In some cases, these individuals may participate in multiple occupations, or combine an occupation with hobby or vocation.   For example, some dog breeders and trainers are also veterinarians, while some dog therapists may also offer counseling or psychic insights for owners.

           These fields in turn have their own organizations to support the profession through local and national events, from meetings and workshops to trade shows.  And there are a number of magazines for those in the industry.   For example, for pet shop owners, the major magazines include Pet Age (which offers a free subscription to those in the business) and Pet Business (which offers a free subscription, too).  The publisher of Pet Age, H.H. Backer Associates,  is a sponsor of one of the biggest industry shows, the Pet Industry Spring Trade Show and Educational Conference held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and the Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show and Educational Conference held in Chicago.  The shows features more than 500 exhibiting manufacturers and distributors as well as educational seminars on better retailing.  For more information, visit H.H. Backer's Web site. 

           In addition, there are some occupational communities based on working with a group of dogs.   Often such individuals are in the health and social services fields (such as those training dogs to work with blind people and the disable) or in the police and military (such as the police officers in a canine unit, which use dogs to help capture suspects, sniff for drugs and bombs, and search for lost people.) 

          I did a study of one such group -- the Oakland Police Canine Unit -- for a class on ethnographic field methods.   The unit had and still has about a dozen officers, and the police officers selected for the unit have to go through a rigorous training program along with the dogs they are paired up with -- usually German Shepherds, plus a few other breeds, such as a Belgian Malinois.   The training involves teaching the dog to respond to a series of commands to aid in finding, but not biting suspects (the dogs are trained to bark to alert the officer, but not bite unless attacked by the suspect), plus some of these dogs served dual duty in sniffing out drugs.   

         While most of the time, officers with dogs are acting like regular patrol officers, driving around with a dog in the back of their car, they have to keep their dogs regularly trained for that occasion where the dog will be needed.   So a weekly training is a regular part of being a canine officer, and then when not on duty, the officers keep their dogs at home, where the dogs, like the officers, put aside being at work to become the family pet.

          I spent about 6 weeks doing this study, and then I wrote up a report and created a slide presentation showing the officers training and working with their dogs.  To see the Cops, Canines, and Community Report, click on the officer below.

       You can also see the Cops, Canines and Community PowerPoint Presentation featuring these officers at work.  Just click on the officers in the pictures below.  (You can view the slide show either by clicking from slide to slide or start the slide show and then click to advance from slide to slide.   Allow time for the slides to load.   And if you have sound, listen for the barks!)
 

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