Working Dog
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All dogs have an amazing sense of smell, much more advanced than that of a human. That sense of smell was improved in certain breeds, and these breeds were used to "track" game or people; tracking involves following a scent trail left by a person or animal and a dog's ability to track has proven to be useful to humans on many occasions. Dogs have been used to track missing persons and they have been used to track prey on hunts. The Harrier is a breed of dog that was developed as a scent hound, with an excellent sense of smell. While Harriers are not used on the hunt as often as they once were, you can still put that nose to good use and have your dog participate in tracking activities and games. [...]
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All dogs have an amazing sense of smell, much more advanced than that of a human. That sense of smell was improved in certain breeds, and these breeds were used to "track" game or people; tracking involves following a scent trail left by a person or animal and a dog's ability to track has proven to be useful to humans on many occasions. Dogs have been used to track missing persons and they have been used to track prey on hunts. The Harrier is a breed of dog that was developed as a scent hound, with an excellent sense of smell. While Harriers are not used on the hunt as often as they once were, you can still put that nose to good use and have your dog participate in tracking activities and games. [...]
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Though the primary function of the Havanese breed has always been to provide companionship to its human owners, the breed's characteristics have allowed it to be employed in a wide variety of settings. Especially thanks to its cheerful, happy-go-lucky personality and the ease with which it can be trained, this dog does well in jobs that have to do with the public and helping other people; in other words, it makes an excellent pet therapy and assistance dog, helping individuals with physical and emotional disabilities. Havanese have been particularly exceptional as signal, or hearing, dogs.
Hearing dogs are literally the ears of people who are deaf or hearing impaired. There are a variety of organizations that carefully select and specifically train dogs to work with hearing impaired individuals; these dogs are very well trained at signalling to their charges when they hear some important sound, like a doorbell, a telephone, a smoke alarm, an alarm clock, or perhaps the sound of an intruder. [...]
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As many people choose to get a Kerry Blue Terrier, they are not sure of all the different uses for them. In fact, most people either get them for being a pet or possibly a show dog. However, many people are unaware that they are now being used as a working dog.
When people think of dogs as being working dogs, they are not sure if they want that for the dog. However, many of those people think that the dogs get worked to the point of exhaustion; but that is not true. Most often the dogs are usually used outside or for the good of the people. There are many different ways that the Kerry Blue Terriers are being used and none of them involve being abused. [...]
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In its earliest history, the Laekenois was used for guarding and herding, tasks that require a certain type of focused intelligence. Not only must they be alert and able to make quick decisions, they must also be courageous, bold and have great stamina. These qualities have always come standard in the Laekenois. While the breed loves and adores their owners, they are not overly dependent on pleasing and do not commonly offer blind obedience. When they have a job to do, the Laekenois is serious about carrying it out. These traits in dogs have always been of benefit to those who work in law enforcement and military. Unsurprisingly, the Laekenois eventually found itself working in the Belgian army and police force. [...]
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The Bernese mountain dog is a large, friendly, powerful breed. It has been used as a working dog for as long as it has been around. One particular job that the breed has taken on in the past is as a guide dog.
[h]The Bernese as a Guide Dog[/h]
When you think of guide dogs you mainly think of Golden Retrievers or German Shepherds. Very rarely do you think of Bernese mountain dogs. However, the breed has been used before as a guide dog and in some cases they can be really good at it. However, mainly they are better suited to other jobs.
The main reason why the Bernese is not better suited to guiding people, is because of its maturity. As large breeds go, the Bernese does take quite a long time to mature. They usually do not calm down until they are around 3-4 years old and until that point they can be extremely boisterous. So this means that it is not always safe to use the breed as a guiding dog. [...]
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The Bernese mountain dog is a working breed and one of the most popular activities which many owners take part in with their dog is carting.
Carting is a sport which demands a lot from the dog physically and only a big, muscular dog like the Bernese can handle it. By giving the dog something to do, you are keeping them happy and active and that can really help you to have a well behaved, calm dog.
[h]Why should you Consider Cart Pulling With Your Bernese?[/h]
The Bernese mountain dog can be nightmare to train. It does not fully mature until it is two years old and they can be a little excitable too. In order to get rid of this energy it is a good idea to give them something to do and carting is definitely one of the best activities you can take part in that will really work the dog. [...]
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When you look at the size and build of the Bernese mountain dog it is not hard to see why it makes a good working breed. Originally bred to drive cattle, the Bernese has had a varied history and it has been bred with a number of different dogs to come up with the breed standard that it follows today.
Still known as a working dog, the Bernese is used by many owners as a working companion. But just what is the breed's job these days and are they just as well suited now for working as they were in the past?
[h]Comparing the Bernese in History and in the Present[/h]
As mentioned earlier, originally the Bernese mountain dog was bred to herd cattle. This meant that the dog had to be energetic and athletic. They also had to have a fairly aggressive temperament as they were sometimes used as guard dogs by the Romans. This meant that they were bred into Mastiff type dogs and they were designed to be able to cope with really harsh weather. [...]
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The Giant Schnauzer is a true working dog in every sense of the word. He was literally made to work. He has an incredible stamina and energy that makes him ideal for most jobs. He also knows how to solve problems and this is an invaluable talent when he is on the job.
The Giant Schnauzer originally started out in Germany. He was used primarily by sheepherders to protect and drive the flocks. He was bred to be a dog that would take charge and get the job done. The livestock had to be driven to the market and the Giant Schnauzer was an invaluable aid to the shepherd in completing this task. He was bred to have a more commanding appearance in order to effectively do his work. It is believed that shepherds crossed him with a Great Dane in order to achieve the appropriate presence. [...]
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The allure of owning a Great Pyrenees can be strong for some and many believe with enough obedience lessons, handling this large breed of dog will be an easy task. While obedience lessons are a good start it is important to remember that the Great Pyrenees is first and foremost a working breed. They will not always necessarily make the best of family pets. In general, working breeds tend to have a certain personality that can be non conducive to the expectation most dogs tend to fit. Working dogs are bred for certain helpful characteristics with companionship coming in last on the list. In this case, the Great Pyrenees' main purpose was to guard animals such as cattle and sheep on farms.
Throughout their development, working breeds were typically made to look out for themselves. This meant finding shelter and food was largely the dog's responsibility. Without this dependency on their owner, most working breeds have a fully developed sense of self reliance that sometimes comes off as stubborn or willful. [...]
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Used as a protector of livestock on farms for hundreds of years, the Great Pyrenees is a guardian breed at heart. They can be seen at their very best when they are doing exactly what they were bred to do. Without an opportunity to move about and check their perimeters, the Great Pyrenees can lose their spirit. Many have noted the breed's aptitude for keeping the peace and have put the Pyr's solid skills to use in a number of settings. From therapy dogs to drug sniffing canine units, the Great Pyrenees has proven itself reliable in just about every area they work.
It is no secret that a dog's nose is more than adept at picking up scents than a human's. On top of having a superior nose, the Great Pyrenees has the perfect mindset for police work. Not only does the breed enjoy having a special purpose, it also has the opportunity to put its natural instincts to very good use. As smugglers get more and more sophisticated at hiding their goods, the Pyr never fails to sniff out hidden illegal narcotics with impeccable skill. The Pyr is also used to sniff out bombs and is often seen at airports and border crossings. [...]
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Puppies will go through various stages in their growth where chewing and biting behaviors tend to be more or less common in all breeds. These are similar in many cases to the chewing and biting behaviors that human infants go through, especially around teething time. Small puppies will also go through a period of mouthing everything. This is part of their way to explore their environment and find out what is good to eat and what is not. While these stages are all normal, they can become problematic when the puppy starts to destroy the house, furniture, clothes and everything else he or she can get his or her mouth on. Biting becomes a more serious issue as often puppies biting is considered cute and even encouraged by unsuspecting owners, but a full grown dog, even a toy breed, can seriously injure a person through biting behaviors. [...]
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Not only has the African Boerboel renown for its reputation as a family dog, but also because of its seemingly natural skills as a protector. Only acting when a threat is perceived, these amazing guard dogs have the capacity to act as the treasured family pet and to warn the family of danger at the same time. For clues to why the African Boerboel has such a natural affinity for protection, we need only look at the breed's history to understand why the beloved "farmer's dog" of its native South Africa is among the best guarding breeds today. [...]
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While most fanciers know that the African Boerboel's name comes from the Afrikaans translation for "farmer's dog," there are those that call the breed the South African Mastiff. Mastiffs, or Molassers, as they are sometimes called, are a group of large breeds that share a common ancestry. Here we'll take a look at a brief history of the mastiff family and how the Boerboel stacks up against other mastiffs that are perhaps better known outside of the dog's native South Africa.
While there are dozens of breeds that are considered to be a part of the mastiff family today, the true origins of the Molosser family have unfortunately been lost to the mists of time. Some claim that they are descended from Tibetan Mastiffs, but this has been shown to be largely unsupported by evidence. [...]
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The African Boerboel is still considered to be somewhat rare outside of its native South Africa, but the breed is quickly growing in both number and popularity thanks to its reputation as both a wonderful family dog and an effective guard dog. Not only does the Boerboel tend to respond well to all members of the family, taking directions not just from one master but from all the people in his household, but this tireless watchdog will change from doting playmate to fierce protector as soon as he perceives a threat, going to any length to protect his family. It is for this reason that the Boerboel is much loved for his ability to be a fearless watchdog. [...]
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Working Dog
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