Working Dogs

A working dog refers to a canine working animal, i.e. a dog that is not merely a pet but learns and performs tasks to assist and/or entertain its human companions, or a breed of such origin.Within this general description, however, there are several ways in which the phrase is used

• To identify any dog that performs any task on a regular basis to assist people. In this context, a dog who helps a rancher manage cattle or who performs tricks for a trainer who receives pay for its acts is a working dog, as is a service dog or an assistance dog. This might be in comparison to a companion dog, whose purpose is primarily as a pet.

• To distinguish between show dogs that are bred primarily for their appearance in an attempt to match a breed club's detailed description of what such a breed should look like, and working dogs that are bred primarily for their ability to perform a task. For example, a Border Collie that is a champion show dog is not necessarily good at herding sheep; a Border Collie that is a champion at sheepdog trials might be laughed out of the show ring for its nonstandard appearance. It is possible that a specimen may excel in both appearance and performance, but it is very unlikely, because showing animals have to a large degree lost all working ability due to extremes in type being favoured in the show ring. These extremes make it very difficult for the dog to do its job. It has become fully accepted that many genetic problems existing in dog breeds today are a direct result of breeding for the show ring rather than for the function the dog was intended to do.