Did you know dogs can smell up to 100,000 times better than humans? PetMD states they have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, versus only 6 million for us.
This is just one of the facts our Meaningful Day participants learned from the Baltimore City and Howard County police departments’ K-9 visits.
Participants were eager to meet the dogs and hear about their responsibilities. These impressive animal partners have been trained to detect weapons and narcotics, as well as protect citizens.
“My favorite part about the event was learning about the dogs and seeing how smart they are,” said Joseph, a Day Program participant. “I didn’t know dogs could understand other languages.”
Because the dogs were adopted from Europe, some respond to commands in German, Czech, and other languages commonly spoken in Europe. Dogs begin training as early as 10-12 months old to build bonds with the officers.
“We work with the dogs every day, but when they go home with us, they are family,” Officer Davis said. “We take care of them like anyone with their own pets would.”
Humanim staffer Amy Cash always considers the participants’ interests when coordinating an event. “Several individuals like the police, fire trucks, and dogs, so this was a different and exciting event for them.”
Visit Developmental Disability Services to learn more about our Meaningful Day Program and others.
