Dog owners are often very concerned for their dog health care, but what about the times when a dog helps with its owner’s health care? Everyone is aware of the potential for training dogs to help the blind or the hard of hearing, but in an interesting new twist, dog health care is starting to take secondary place to owner care for several dogs working with a new charity.

Hounds for heroes is a charity aimed at setting up injured service men and women with an assistance dog to help them with their rehabilitation, both emotionally and physically. The dogs are trained to help with a variety of tasks, so that life is more manageable for the injured service personnel, allowing faster recuperation and a return to independence.

The puppies on parade appeal, launched in the past few weeks aims to train several puppies in all manner of tasks to help personnel and to demonstrate the charity’s gratitude for the sacrifices the service men and women have made for our country.

Dog health care and training experts have been quick to commend the idea, citing the intelligence of certain breeds of dog as well as the emotional bond that can be developed with the animal as reasons for supporting the cause.

One service man who has lived with an assistance dog for several years is supporting the cause by sharing some of the information about how his dog helped him. His dog was able to respond to over two hundred instructions, including withdrawing money from the cash machine or loading clothes into a washing machine.

This just demonstrates what dog health care and behavioural experts have long known: dogs have a place helping humans.