 Mostly known as pets and companions, for thousands of years, dogs have helped people with daily tasks such as herding livestock, hunting for food, or hauling loads.More recently, dogs have been used to help people with disabilities, to assist in search and rescue missions, to protect the public in partnership with military and law enforcement units, helping scientists track endangered species, locating ancient burial grounds, or alerting wine grape growers to insect infestations in the vines.California has been a leader in developing specialized dog training, and California dogs have served in many capacities around the nation and the world.