Working dog
A working dog is a dog used to perform practical tasks, as opposed to pet or companion dogs.
Definitions vary on what a working dog is, they are sometimes described as any dog trained for and employed in meaningful work; other times as any dog whose breed heritage or physical characteristics lend itself to working irrespective of an individual animal's training or employment; and other times again it is used as a synonym for herding dog.
Working dog types
Roles performed by dogs that sometimes sees them classified as working dogs include:- Assistance or service dog, trained to help a disabled person in some way, such as guiding a visually impaired person, providing mobility assistance, and psychiatric service. Often overlap with therapy dog used to provide companionship or to help people rehabilitate from injuries.
- Carriage dog, historically used to provide protection to carriage passengers or merchandise
- Detection dog or sniffer dog, trained to detect for example drugs or land mines
- Drafting dog, traditionally used to pull small carts. Now survive in modern age as a novelty or in carting sport.
- Guard dog, used to protect buildings or livestock
- Herding dog
- Hunting dog, used to hunt wildlife or assist hunters. Split into several varieties, including hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, catch dogs, bay dogs, or gun dogs.
- Military working dog, trained in combat, or used scouts, sentries, messengers, mercy dogs, and trackers
- School dog, different from assistance or service dogs and trained for animal-assisted education
- Search and rescue dog
- Sled dog
- Working terrier, a terrier bred to hunt small mammals, such as badgers, foxes, and rats
Kennel club classification