Working Dogs

Dog breeds in bold are not pictured.

Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Bernese Mountain Dog, Boxer, Bullmastiff, Doberman Pinscher, Giant Schnauzer, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Komondor, Kuvasz, Mastiff, Newfoundland, Portuguese Water Dog, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard, Samoyed, Siberian Husky, Standard Schnauzer.

Recognized in Japan as part of the country's national heritage, the akita dates from the 1600s, when a businessman in the city of Akita, on Honshû Island, Japan, developed the breed. Originally bred to hunt large game, this large, independent dog grows to weigh about 75 to 110 pounds. Ancestors of the Akita date to antiquity, and this dog still retains a spiritual significance in Japan. Small statues of akitas are presented at the birth of a child or when a person is ill to express wishes for health and happiness. Ownership was formerly restricted to royalty and the ruling aristocracy, with special provisions for care and feeding and a special vocabulary to be used when addressing or referring to the dogs. From the 17th century, the Akita has been bred and trained to hunt large game and retrieve waterfowl in the mountains of northern Japan. Akitas were first brought to the United States in 1937 by the American author and lecturer Helen Keller; they became increasingly popular in the second half of the 20th century.
The akita is large and powerful, with a massive head; full, broad muzzle; and broad, black nose. The ears characteristically are erect, small in proportion to the head, and carried slightly forward over the eyes. The chest is wide and deep, the neck thick and muscular, and the skin pliant. The large, full tail is curled. The thick double-coat, about 2 inches in length, is straight, harsh, and short. Males stand 26 to 28 inches high; females, 24 to 26 inches.

This Alaskan Malamute has dense, layered fur as a shield from severe weather. The nomadic Mahlemuts, an Inuit people of northwestern Alaska, first bred the Alaskan Malamute as a sled dog to haul their belongings. Ranging from light gray to black in color, Alaskan Malamutes are also popular as pets and show dogs. The Alaskan Malamute was originally bred by an Alaskan tribe known as Mahlemuts or Malemuit. The dog is the oldest known native Alaskan breed. Some are also bred in the United States, where they serve as pets and show dogs. The dog is large with a compact and powerful body and unusual powers of endurance. It is 22 to 25 inches high at the shoulder and weighs 65 to 85 pounds; the female is 20 to 23 inches high and weighs 50 to 70 pounds. The animal has a thick, coarse outer coat and a woolly undercoat and is gray or black and white in color. It has a broad, moderately rounded skull; a large muzzle; dark, almond-shaped eyes; medium-sized ears, the upper halves of which are triangular; a deep chest; powerful legs; and a bushy tail carried high.

Bernese Mountain Dog, breed of working dog of ancient lineage; it was brought to Switzerland by Roman soldiers. It is used on farms as a drover and draft dog as well as a watchdog. Jet black in color with russet markings on legs, face, and chest, it also has a white blaze on muzzle and forehead, white feet, white tail tip, and white chest marking. The Bernese is extremely hardy, thriving in cold weather. A faithful companion, it is extremely active and alert. Males measure 25 to 27.5 inches at the shoulder; females are about 23 to 26 inches at the shoulder.

Although its ancestry can be traced to the 16th century, the modern boxer was developed in late-19th-century Germany from a number of breeds, principally the bulldog and terrier types, as an aggressive hunting and fighting dog. Subsequent breeders cultivated a much less aggressive boxer for more practical purposes. Boxers have become popular as seeing-eye dogs, police dogs, and household pets. The ancestors of the breed were used originally for dogfighting and bullbaiting; in later years, because of the courage, strength, and agility of the boxer, it was selected for police work in Germany and was used as a guide for the blind. Introduced in the United States about the beginning of the 20th century, it became one of the most popular dogs in the country. Unusually faithful, intelligent, and alert, the boxer makes a splendid pet. Among its physical characteristics are a massive head; an undershot jaw; a muzzle with a characteristic black mask; ears that are rather long and set high; dark-brown eyes; a broad, black nose; a strong, round, and muscular neck; a deep chest; and well-muscled hindquarters. The dog has a short, glossy, smooth coat that is any of various shades of fawn or brindle in color, with white markings. The male is from 22 to 24 inches in height at the withers and weighs about 66 pounds; the female is from 21 to 23 inches in height and weighs about 62 pounds.

The utilitarian history of the bullmastiff begins with English gamekeepers during the 1800s. Gamekeepers needed assistance in warding off poachers from large English estates and game preserves. They focused their search on domestic dogs, rejecting the mastiff for its sluggishness and the bulldog for its ferocity. Breeders crossed the two, producing the bullmastiff, which had the speed, courage, strength, and temperament to protect these estates. For this work a less visible coat of a dark brindle color was preferred; light fawn coloring is now acceptable. The hair is short and dense, enabling the breed to live in warm climates and out in the open in rough weather. Possessing great strength and endurance, it is fearless but docile. The skull is square, with V-shaped ears close to the cheeks. The compact body has a wide, deep chest and muscular neck and hindquarters. Bullmastiffs stand 24 to 27 inches and weigh 100 to 130 pounds.

The Doberman pinscher that originated in Apolda, Germany, where it was first bred about 1890 from the German shepherd dog, the Rottweiler, the black and tan terrier, and the German pinscher and has typically been bred as an aggressive guard dog. The Doberman pinscher is named after its first breeder, Louis Dobermann, a watchman who developed the dog to help him with his guard duties. It was employed at first as a watchdog and later was trained to act as a police dog and a war dog. Characteristics of the breed are a powerful musculature; a wedge-shaped head; dark eyes ranging from brown to black in color and having an alert, courageous expression; a well-muscled neck; and a smooth, hard, close-lying coat that is black, red, fawn, or blue in color. The male dog is about 26 to 28 inches high at the shoulders and weighs from 65 to 75 pounds. Females are slightly smaller. It is obedient, loyal, and especially fond of children. The breed became popular in the United States about 1921.

The Great Dane is a breed of working dog distinguished by its large size and statuesque appearance, which supposedly originated in Germany about the middle of the 16th century, probably from an interbreeding of the Irish wolfhound and the old English mastiff. The dog is also characterized by a smooth coat, long head, and broad chest. The origin of the name Great Dane is not known; the breed neither originated nor was developed in Denmark. A more fitting name would be German mastiff, from Deutsche Dogge, as the breed is known in Germany. The dog was once used to hunt wild boar; now it is used chiefly as a draft animal or as a pet. It has a smooth, glossy coat of short, thick hair; the chief colors are brindle, fawn, blue, black, or harlequin (black on a white ground). It has a long, narrow head; medium-size, dark eyes; medium-size ears, set high on its head; a broad chest; strong, muscular legs; and a tail of medium length. The male measures at least 30 inches high at the shoulders; the female, 28 inches.

The Great Pyrenees is a breed of working dog bred in the Pyrenees Mountains of southwestern Europe to protect flocks of sheep. This large dog is characterized by thick, white fur, a broad head, and a deep chest. Their ancestors probably came from Central Asia or Siberia; fossil remains date its appearance in Europe between 1800 and 1000 BC. Through the centuries the breed developed in the high mountains of the Pyrenees and was used by shepherds to guard their flocks from bears and wolves. The dog's keen sense of sight and smell and its extremely heavy outercoat of long white (or mostly white) hair made it almost invulnerable; it was also often equipped with a spiked iron collar. In the 17th century the elegantly majestic Great Pyrenees was adopted by French royalty as their court dog. Today it is still used as a watchdog and companion and for pack and guide work on mountain trails. The head is large and wedge shaped; the neck is short and strongly muscled; the chest is deep. The male stands 27 to 32 inches tall; the female is 25 to 29 inches high. Weight ranges from 100 to 125 pounds for males and from 90 to 115 pounds for females.

A large dog traditionally used for pulling small carts and other chores on Swiss farms, the greater Swiss mountain dog is gaining popularity as a pet in the United States. The greater Swiss mountain dog, which balances a muscular build and a confident temperament, is the largest of the four Swiss mountain dog breeds. The greater Swiss mountain dog is the largest and oldest of the four breeds of Swiss mountain dogs, including the Appenzell Cattle Dog, Entlebuch Cattle Dog, and Bernese Mountain Dog. Of these four, the American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes only the greater Swiss mountain dog and Bernese mountain dog.
Swiss dog breeder Albert Heim discovered this dog on remote farms in Switzerland in 1908. He convinced the Swiss Kennel Club to recognize this breed in 1909.
The greater Swiss mountain dog has a large, powerful body. It stands about 23 to 27 inches at the shoulders, and weighs about 85 to 140 pounds. The front legs are straight, and the back legs are strong and muscular. The chest is deep and broad. Both the long, sloping shoulders and the medium-length neck are muscular. The flat, broad head is sturdy, with a slight furrow running down the strong straight muzzle, which ends in a blunt tip. Medium-size eyes are dark brown. When this dog is alert, its stout tail is raised, and the slightly rounded ears are raised at the base and brought forward.
The greater Swiss mountain dog has a thick, full coat of hair between 1 and 2 inches long. Its jet-black coloring is accented by markings of rust and white. The nose is always black.
The greater Swiss mountain dog was introduced in the United States in 1968. It received full acceptance from the AKC in 1995. Today the dog is rare both in its native Switzerland and in the United States. Only about 100 puppies are born each year. The national breed club is the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Club of America.

A komondor is a breed of working dog distinguished by a coat of long, corded white hair that feels like felt. Originally from the Russian steppes, and brought into Hungary about the 10th century, it is covered from head to tail with a coat of white hair, long and heavily matted. (When the dogs are shown, the coat is groomed.) In mature dogs the dense, soft undercoat is trapped by the coarser hairs of the outer coat so as to form strong cords that feel like felt. The cords are longest at the rump, loins, and on the tail. Komondorok (pl.) can be used as household guard dogs. Muscular and heavily boned, the males stand at least 25.5 inches high and the females at least 23.5 inches.

The kuvasz is a breed of working dog originally bred as guard dogs in Europe. This large breed is characterized by strong muscles and a white coat. The kuvesz originated in Tibet and intensively bred in 15th-century Hungary. Renowned in central Europe as guard dogs for the nobility, kuvaszok (pl.) were also trained to hunt. Later, when commoners began to own them, the dogs were used for herding sheep and cattle. The modern Kuvasz, while smaller than its ancestors, is of considerable size. Strong and well muscled, it moves with great agility on long legs. The male stands 28 to 30 inches at the shoulder and weighs 100 to 115 pounds; the female ranges from 26 to 28 inches and weighs 70 to 90 pounds. Keenly intelligent and devoted, it is used as family guard dogs, particularly for children. The kuvasz is solid white with no markings; the coarse double coat, wavy or straight, forms a mane over the chest and is longer along the tail and on the backs of the legs.

The mastiff is a giant breed of working dog originally bred for warfare and hunting. The breed is characterized by a large body, a huge head, and a powerful neck and legs. Its color is tan with black markings around the face. Mastiff, which supposedly originated in Asia in remote antiquity, and was known in Egypt about 3000BC. The English type, called the Old English mastiff, has been known for about 2000 years. It was employed for fighting in warfare, for hunting, and for protecting homes and farms from wolves and other wild beasts. The dog today is used as a watchdog and a household pet. The mastiff has a large, powerful frame; it weighs about 155 to 175 pounds, the male being about 30 inches high at the shoulders and the bitch about 27 inches. The animal has a massive head, with a broad skull; small, V-shaped ears; medium-sized, dark-brown eyes that are set wide apart; a short, blunt muzzle; a powerful, muscular neck; a deep chest; and a tail that is wide at the root and tapers to the end. The mastiff has a rather coarse outercoat and a thick, smooth undercoat; its color is tan or fawn, both sometimes brindled. The breed is noted both for courage and gentleness.

Renowned for its excellent swimming ability, the Newfoundland has been known to rescue humans from drowning. Once also used as a work dog, it is now principally a watchdog and companion. The Newfoundland originated in Newfoundland from the crossbreeding of native strains with foreign breeds, the latter possibly the Great Pyrenees or the boarhound. Most pedigree Newfoundlands of today are descended from dogs bred in England. The male is about 28 inches high at the shoulder and weighs from 140 to 150 pounds; the female stands 26 inches high and weighs from 110 to 120 pounds. The Newfoundland has a broad, massive head; small, deeply set, dark-brown eyes; small ears lying close to the head; a deep chest; a dense, water-resistant double coat, usually dull black in color; and a broad, strong tail. The feet are large, strong, and webbed, for traversing marshlands and shores. Powerful swimmers, Newfoundlands are known to have rescued human beings from drowning and to have carried lifelines from shore to ships in distress. Today they are used primarily as watchdogs and companions, but they were once used to draw carts and carry burdens. Because of their loyalty, intelligence, and tractability, Newfoundland dogs are ideal pets.

The Portuguese water dog was bred in Portugal to fetch fishing equipment in the water. Similar to a poodle, this working breed has enhanced webbing on the feet to facilitate swimming. They somewhat resemble poodles but with a face more like a spaniel and more webbing between the toes. The breed was developed in Portugal to retrieve fishing equipment from the water. The males stand about 20 to 23 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 42 to 60 pounds. The females are about 17 to 21 inches tall and weigh 35 to 50 pounds. The coat is black, white, brown, or grayish, often with white markings, and may be short and curly or long and wavy. The ears drop, and the tail is long and curved.

Despite its unwarranted reputation for viciousness, the Rottweiler is one of the most popular breeds in the United States. The powerfully built Rottweiler actually is a solicitous and calm animal, and is used as a pet and guard dog. Adult Rottweilers reach a weight of 90 to 110 pounds. Probably descended from a herding dog used by the Roman armies to drive their cattle and to guard their camps. From the early Middle Ages until the mid-19th century, drover dogs of this type were used in southern Germany. They were especially connected with the market town of Rottweil, hence their name. The breed, revived early in the 20th century and used for police work, was recognized in the U.S. in 1931. Rottweilers are fairly large, strongly built, and intelligent, making excellent guard dogs. The short, coarse, flat hair is black, with tan to dark brown markings. The tail is short and carried horizontally. Males stand about 24 to 27 inches, females about 22 to 26 inches.

The Saint Bernard earned its reputation as a lifesaver at the hospice of Saint Bernard, near the Great Saint Bernard Pass of the Alps Mountains. Its keen sense of smell and of direction allow the St. Bernard to find and rescue people who are lost or buried in snow. Saint Bernardl originated in Europe sometime before the Christian era, probably from a large Asian dog brought to Europe by Roman soldiers. Since the middle of the 17th century, the most important center for the breeding and employment of the dog has been the hospice of Saint Bernard of Menthon on the Great Saint Bernard Pass in the Alps, east of Mont Blanc. The dog was used by the monks of the hospice first as a watchdog and then to help rescue persons lost in snow-drifts. Since the 1600s the dogs, whose power of scent and sense of direction particularly qualify them for detecting persons buried in the snow and for leading rescuers back to the hospice during snowstorms, have saved thousands of lives. The dog received its present name in 1880. The St. Bernard is a large, powerful animal, weighing about 150 to 200 pounds; the male is about 27 inches high at the shoulder, the female slightly smaller. The dog has a massive skull; a short muzzle; medium-sized drooping ears; brown eyes; a strong neck; broad and sloping shoulders; a broad back; and a long, heavy tail that terminates in a blunt tip. Two types of St. Bernard exist: one with a dense, smooth coat of short hair and the other with a coat of moderately long hair. The second type developed after 1830, when the breed was crossed with the Newfoundland. The St. Bernard is red and white.

The Samoyed, named after the Samoyed people of Siberia, was originally trained to pull sleds and guard reindeer. It has recently become a popular show dog as well. The name is taken from the Samoyeds, inhabitants of Siberia, with whom the dog has always been closely associated. It has long been used by them for pulling sledges and herding reindeer and as a watchdog. It was used in the 19th and 20th centuries by European and American explorers of the Arctic and Antarctic for pulling supply sledges. In recent times the Samoyed, one of the handsomest breeds, has become popular as a show dog in England and the U.S. It has a powerful, wedge-shaped head with dark, alert, intelligent eyes set wide apart. The body is of medium length, with a broad and muscular back, straight legs, and a long tail. The dog has a thick, soft undercoat and an outer coat of long stiff hair; it is pure white, white and biscuit-colored, or cream. The male measures from 20 to 23 inches high at the shoulder, and the female 18 to 21 inches. The male weighs from 45 to 55 pounds, and the female 36 to 45 pounds.

The Siberian husky has a dense coat of fur that allows it to weather harsh climates. Developed as a sled dog in the 1800s by the Chukchi people of northeastern Asia, the Siberian husky is a popular breed in sled-dog competition despite being a medium-sized dog. Males of this breed usually measure 21 to 23.5 inches high at the shoulder and females are slightly smaller. Siberian Huskys originated many centuries ago in that part of northeastern Siberia inhabited by a people known as the Chukchi. The breed is used in Siberia as a sled dog, watchdog, and pet. In the first decade of the 20th century it was imported into Alaska, where it has since been used as a sled dog and particularly in the sport of sled team racing; most of the present-day records of this sport in Canada and the United States were set by teams of Siberian huskies or by teams led by dogs of this breed. In recent years, because of its unusual cleanliness, docility, intelligence, and graceful appearance, the dog has become popular in the U.S. as a pet. The Siberian husky is a medium-sized dog. The male is from 21 to 23.5 inches high at the shoulder and weighs from 35 to 60 pounds; the female is 20 to 22 inches at the shoulder and weighs from 35 to 50 pounds. The dog has a double coat; the undercoat consists of soft, thick fur, and the outercoat is of soft, smooth hair that gives the dog a well-groomed appearance in contrast to the shagginess of other breeds of sled dogs, such as the Alaskan Malamute and the Eskimo dog. The Siberian husky is usually gray, black, or tan; its color is varied by numerous markings, particularly about the head. The dog has a medium-sized, moderately rounded skull; erect ears placed high on the head; brown or blue eyes, sometimes one blue and the other brown; a strong, compact body; deep chest; strong, straight legs; and a bushy tail that trails when the animal is working or in repose and is held up in a sickle curve when the dog is at attention.

Schnauzers include three separate breeds: miniature, standard, and giant. Intelligent and reliable, schnauzers are characterized by heavy whiskers and eyebrows and a wiry coat mixed with black- and-white hairs. The giant and standard schnauzers are working dogs; the miniature schnauzer is a terrier. The earliest of the three breeds to develop was the standard schnauzer, which, recognizable in contemporary paintings, must have developed in the 1400s in the agricultural areas of Württemberg and Bavaria, Germany. This medium-sized dog-males stand 18.5 to 19.5 inches high at the shoulder, and females 17.5 to 18.5 inches-was first used as a sheep dog. In recent times, because of its extraordinary intelligence and reliability, it has been used, principally in Germany, as a watchdog and for police work. In the United States, where it has been popular since the late 1910s, it is used as a personal guard dog and household pet; good in water, it has even been trained to retrieve game.
In order to obtain a larger dog with the same general characteristics, breeders of southern Bavaria crossed the standard schnauzer with larger dogs, including the black Great Dane. The result of these crossings, the giant schnauzer-males stand 25.5 to 27.5 inches high at the shoulder, females 23.5 to 25.5 inches-was at first used for cattle driving; early in the 20th century it was used in Germany chiefly as a watchdog for large industrial plants and for police work. It remains popular mainly in Germany.
The miniature schnauzer was developed for use as a farm dog and ratter toward the end of the 19th century. It was bred from the standard schnauzer by crossing small specimens with poodles and a small black breed of German dog known as the affenpinscher. The miniature schnauzer, about 12 to 14 inches high at the withers, is used chiefly as a pet; well suited to apartment living, it has been popular in the United States since about 1925.
The overall appearance of all schnauzers is similar. They are sturdy, compact dogs with elongated, rectangular heads; blunt, heavily whiskered muzzles; dark brown oval eyes under bristling eyebrows; small V-shaped ears (generally cropped in Germany); and docked tails 1 to 2 inches long. The dense, wiry outercoat is pepper-and-salt in color (black and white hairs intermingled), or solid black. The legs are abundantly covered with hair.

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