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Are any breeds still working breeds?
- Thread starter StillandSilent
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Quite a few!
These days nearly any dog can be a working dog, but if you're thinking of traditional working dogs in their traditional roles, the answer is very much, "YES!"
Komondorok are bred here in the U.S. mostly as pets, but plenty of them work, particularly in the midwest and west where there are still flocks of sheep and herds of cattle to guard. There aren't many around as the coat is time consuming and they are still very much guard dogs. Whether they guard your family or your flock, Komondorok always work in their minds.
Here in the northeast many people keep hounds and retrievers for hunting as well as house pets. They do well either way.
Around the world the situation is quite different. In many places outside of the developed world, dogs earn their keep just as they always have. The Laikas of Russia are a great example. Few people keep them here as they make poor house pets, but in Russia they're still used for bear and other game hunting. Salukis still course hares, and herders still herd, even here in the US. There are many, many, breeds of dog we do not hear of here in the US simply because they are still working dogs for their local populations, earning neither fame nor adoration because they either make poor pets or never made the news.
Take a look at the Perro de Pastor Mallorquin. The breed has been around for ages yet it's just another working dog for the people who live in the Balearics. There are hundreds or maybe thousands of breeds like this all over the world, humbly working in anonymity.
There are terriers that still dig too. Go up that list a bit and look at the Patterdale Terrier. It's now a very popular breed in the UK amongst farmers and vermin hunters. The job may not sound important until you lose a steer, horse, or sheep to a leg broken by stepping in a varmint hole.
Here in the US we tend to neglect the usefulness of dogs in their traditional roles. That wasn't always so. Many farmers would have several dogs, each for a purpose. They may have had a herd guardian, a herd shepherd, a terrier, and maybe even a hunting hound. All of them help people in rural areas with their agrarian lifestyles. Here we have agrobusiness instead though many small family farms still keep dogs for exactly the reason they were bred just as their counterparts do all over the world.
These days nearly any dog can be a working dog, but if you're thinking of traditional working dogs in their traditional roles, the answer is very much, "YES!"
Komondorok are bred here in the U.S. mostly as pets, but plenty of them work, particularly in the midwest and west where there are still flocks of sheep and herds of cattle to guard. There aren't many around as the coat is time consuming and they are still very much guard dogs. Whether they guard your family or your flock, Komondorok always work in their minds.
Here in the northeast many people keep hounds and retrievers for hunting as well as house pets. They do well either way.
Around the world the situation is quite different. In many places outside of the developed world, dogs earn their keep just as they always have. The Laikas of Russia are a great example. Few people keep them here as they make poor house pets, but in Russia they're still used for bear and other game hunting. Salukis still course hares, and herders still herd, even here in the US. There are many, many, breeds of dog we do not hear of here in the US simply because they are still working dogs for their local populations, earning neither fame nor adoration because they either make poor pets or never made the news.
Take a look at the Perro de Pastor Mallorquin. The breed has been around for ages yet it's just another working dog for the people who live in the Balearics. There are hundreds or maybe thousands of breeds like this all over the world, humbly working in anonymity.
There are terriers that still dig too. Go up that list a bit and look at the Patterdale Terrier. It's now a very popular breed in the UK amongst farmers and vermin hunters. The job may not sound important until you lose a steer, horse, or sheep to a leg broken by stepping in a varmint hole.
Here in the US we tend to neglect the usefulness of dogs in their traditional roles. That wasn't always so. Many farmers would have several dogs, each for a purpose. They may have had a herd guardian, a herd shepherd, a terrier, and maybe even a hunting hound. All of them help people in rural areas with their agrarian lifestyles. Here we have agrobusiness instead though many small family farms still keep dogs for exactly the reason they were bred just as their counterparts do all over the world.
Im sure some of the very rare and remote breeds have never stepped foot in a show ring. But there are many breeders of many breeds who breed only for working purposes and do not show their dogs, or if they do, their breeding purpose is not for show dogs but rather, they simply happened to enter their dog in a ring. Those are the breeders I have th utmost respect and admiration for, the breeder who prove their stock by actually WORKING AND TESTING them, not just having them prance around a ring in front of a judge. I''d take a working-line dog of any breed over a show-line dog of any breed any day!
i'd agree that the more remote breeds are more likley to only be bred for work.
the only one i can relaly think of is maybe the koolie. they are used mostly for work, but are sometimes bought as pets. however i reckon with a dog like that, even as a pet. just the amount of excercse and mental stimulation you'd need to provide for it you would almost have to find it work.
the only one i can relaly think of is maybe the koolie. they are used mostly for work, but are sometimes bought as pets. however i reckon with a dog like that, even as a pet. just the amount of excercse and mental stimulation you'd need to provide for it you would almost have to find it work.
If you look at the more obscure breeds, you find many that are still bred strictly to work.
For example, take the blackmouth cur (like my Zeus!). They are a breed you'll almost never find in the show ring. If you look online, basically every single breeder talks only about their dogs' working abilities at hunting and herding.
But the more common a breed gets, the less likely it is to remain a true working dog.
For example, take the blackmouth cur (like my Zeus!). They are a breed you'll almost never find in the show ring. If you look online, basically every single breeder talks only about their dogs' working abilities at hunting and herding.
But the more common a breed gets, the less likely it is to remain a true working dog.
IMO you really need to look outside of the U.S. where the majority of dogs are household pets. Also, we have the technology & resources to do the same jobs without dogs thus dogs are not used as much as they used to be.
A close friend of mine is a Ca da Bou fancier. He's owned the breed now for over 5 years & has made several trips back to Puerto Rico (where he's from) to learn first hand about these dogs & watch how the dogs still work.
There are many countries not as advanced as us in which people rely heavily upon animals to get jobs done. And those dogs used are amazing in my eyes.
And Gem, I love Blackmouth Curs. We hunt with them often & they are truly wonderful dogs that love doing their job. They don't ask for much human attention other than a pat on the head & a "good job" when all is said & done.
A close friend of mine is a Ca da Bou fancier. He's owned the breed now for over 5 years & has made several trips back to Puerto Rico (where he's from) to learn first hand about these dogs & watch how the dogs still work.
There are many countries not as advanced as us in which people rely heavily upon animals to get jobs done. And those dogs used are amazing in my eyes.
And Gem, I love Blackmouth Curs. We hunt with them often & they are truly wonderful dogs that love doing their job. They don't ask for much human attention other than a pat on the head & a "good job" when all is said & done.
Border collies are. They have their show counterparts, and their popularity has brought with it BYBs and agility/flyball breeders, but the real, dedicated border collie people are still breeding for a good work dog.
Technically speaking, the border collie is no longer bred solely for working ability, now that the show border collie has entered the arena. But with a split that big, it is rare to see the two lines intertwine and produce a good working dog OR a good show dog. It's almost like they are two separate breeds.
Technically speaking, the border collie is no longer bred solely for working ability, now that the show border collie has entered the arena. But with a split that big, it is rare to see the two lines intertwine and produce a good working dog OR a good show dog. It's almost like they are two separate breeds.
The only breed in North America I can think of bred solely for working is the hangin' tree cowdog. There are not many breeds these days used SOLELY for working. You would probably have to look in third world countries to find anything that isn't shown atleast somewhere in the world. And these dogs would likely be questioned as a breed since they probably wouldn't be recognised by anything. Of course there are still developing breeds that aren't shown (like the Australian labradoodle, which is another "breed" that would be questioned based on the lack of people breeding pure for several generations).
Many breeds do have that "split," like the border collie. My breed is one of them. I have one of the few dogs of my variety left with both a show and a working background and I plan to continue breeding into these lines, and I am buying semen from a male in France bred solely for working to do an outcross with.
Many generations of Show
Many generations of Working
Working X Show (very reasonable outcome, but genetics don't always play out as planned)
Many breeds do have that "split," like the border collie. My breed is one of them. I have one of the few dogs of my variety left with both a show and a working background and I plan to continue breeding into these lines, and I am buying semen from a male in France bred solely for working to do an outcross with.
Many generations of Show
Many generations of Working
Working X Show (very reasonable outcome, but genetics don't always play out as planned)
Interesting result in the Belgians, Wolfsoul. I've found that the conformation dogs tend to throw obvious characteristics like coat, markings and angulation.
Here's the breeding that produced my dog.
Working:
Show:
Two dogs from that cross:
The first dog is mine, a very useful goose dog but he'll never be a sheepdog OR a show dog. The second dog is an AKC champion, but he'll never take the breed ring by storm nor will he be winning trials. It seems to me that this kind of cross just produces mediocrity in Border Collies even though the advocates of breedings like this say it's for "versatility".
Here's the breeding that produced my dog.
Working:
Show:
Two dogs from that cross:
The first dog is mine, a very useful goose dog but he'll never be a sheepdog OR a show dog. The second dog is an AKC champion, but he'll never take the breed ring by storm nor will he be winning trials. It seems to me that this kind of cross just produces mediocrity in Border Collies even though the advocates of breedings like this say it's for "versatility".
I know many working terrier kennels, some of them also show in conformation but their goals are for the working field and not the ring.
They spend more time hunting (earthwork) their dogs than anything else.
And if you approach them about breeding to their studs?? You have to prove to them that your bitch works by going hunting with them or by having another repected terrierman/woman that they repect and trust to vouch for your bitch.
I was making plans this week for our first hunt of the year which will happen in June.
The dogs can't wait, plus I am excited about my one young girl, she has FINALLY shown some prey drive!!!!!!!!! She'll get her chance in the working field to see just how bright those lights have come on.
Lynn
They spend more time hunting (earthwork) their dogs than anything else.
And if you approach them about breeding to their studs?? You have to prove to them that your bitch works by going hunting with them or by having another repected terrierman/woman that they repect and trust to vouch for your bitch.
I was making plans this week for our first hunt of the year which will happen in June.
The dogs can't wait, plus I am excited about my one young girl, she has FINALLY shown some prey drive!!!!!!!!! She'll get her chance in the working field to see just how bright those lights have come on.
Lynn
The things with Belgians is the conformation seems to remain good. and Structure always seems to remain intact.. its just the coat that comes and goes 
our breed is also very lucky to have the 4 varieties..
The mals seem to have been bred mainly for work now..
The Tervs, Laeks and Grons are show AND working..
Its rare to see a show Mal around here.
our breed is also very lucky to have the 4 varieties..
The mals seem to have been bred mainly for work now..
The Tervs, Laeks and Grons are show AND working..
Its rare to see a show Mal around here.
It doesn't matter what breed it is. Even in a very rare 'only' working breed. A breeder will have pups that don't work out as 'workers' for one reason or another and have to sell as pets. No matter what. Not all herding dogs will herd, not all guarding dogs will guard. So there will always be pets in every breed.