Page 41 - (DK) The Dog Encyclopedia

WORKING DOGS

WORKING

DOGS

The list of jobs that humans ask dogs to perform is almost endless. In the thousands of years since
dogs were domesticated, canine helpers have guarded homes, rescued people in danger, gone to

war, and looked after the sick and disabled—to give just a few examples. In this book the working
group is represented by breeds traditionally developed for pastoral work and guard duties.

In general, the dogs in this highly Australian Cattle Dog (see p.62) security forces and for guarding
diverse group tend to be large, though nip at heels, and some herders bark property. Typically, these dogs are
there are a few small but nonetheless as they work. Guardian sheepdogs, massively built and powerful, with
robust exceptions. Working dogs are which include mountain breeds such small ears (often cropped in countries
bred for strength and stamina, and as the Maremma (see p.69) and the where the practice is still legal) and
many of them are capable of living Great Pyrenees (see p.78), are pendulous flews (lips).
outdoors in all weathers. designed to protect their flocks from Many working breeds are excellent
A collie rounding up its flock is for predators such as wolves. Usually very as companion dogs. Pastoral herders
most people the archetypal shepherd large, many of these dogs are white, are extremely intelligent and generally
dog, but many other types of dog heavy-coated, and scarcely easy to train, and often enjoy using
are used to work with livestock. distinguishable from the sheep they their skills in agility trials and other
These pastoral breeds, as they are live with and protect all their lives. canine competitions. Livestock
known, are used for both herding Guard duties of another kind are guardian dogs, because of their size
and guarding. Herding dogs have often carried out by dogs of the mastiff and protective nature, are less likely
a natural instinct for driving stock, type, recognizable as descendants of to be suited to family life. In recent
though not all of them work in the the enormous molossus dogs seen in decades a number of the mastiff-type
same way. Border Collies (see p.51), friezes and artifacts from the ancient breeds have achieved great popularity
for example, keep their sheep in world. Such breeds as the Bullmastiff as companions. Although some were
order by stalking and staring, while (see p.94), the Dogue de Bordeaux (see produced originally for fighting, if
the traditional cattle herders such as p.89), and the Neapolitan Mastiff reared in the home and socialized
Welsh Corgis (see pp.58, 60) and the (see p.92) are used worldwide by early they adapt to life as a pet.

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