Working Group (dogs) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Working Group is the name of a breed Group of dogs

Dog

The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...

, used by kennel clubs

Kennel club

A kennel club is an organization for canine affairs that concerns itself with the breeding, showing and promotion of more than one breed of dog...

to classify a defined collection of dog breeds

Dog breed

Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....

. Most major English-language kennel club

Kennel club

A kennel club is an organization for canine affairs that concerns itself with the breeding, showing and promotion of more than one breed of dog...

s include a Working Group, although different kennel clubs may not include the same breeds in their Working Group. Working Group does not define one particular type of dog. It is not a scientific classification. Working Group is not a term used by the international kennel club association, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale

Fédération Cynologique Internationale

Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...

, which more finely divides its breed groupings by dog type

Dog type

Dog types are broad categories of dogs based on function, with dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance....

and breed history.

Working dogs

There are as many types of work for dogs as there are types of dogs. Lapdogs

Lap dog

A lapdog or lap dog is a dog that is small enough to be held in the arms or lie comfortably on a person's lap. Lapdogs are not a specific breed, but is a generic term for a type of dog of small size and friendly disposition....

may work as therapy dogs

Therapy dog

A therapy dog is a dog trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, people with learning difficulties, and stressful situations, such as disaster areas....

, herding dogs

Herding dog

A herding dog, also known as a stock dog or working dog, is a type of pastoral dog that either has been trained in herding or belongs to breeds developed for herding...

may work livestock

Livestock

Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...

, and guard dogs

Guard dog

A guard dog, an attack dog or watch dog is a dog used to guard against, and watch for, unwanted or unexpected people or animals. The dog is discriminating so that it does not annoy or attack familiar people.-Barking:...

may work at defense of people or property. Most dogs today are kept as pet

Pet

A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...

s rather than for any particular work. Modern purebred breeds developed from large guardian, herding and Spitz type dogs are usually quick to learn, and these intelligent, capable animals make solid companions. Their considerable dimensions and strength alone, however, make many working dogs unsuitable as pets for average families. By virtue of their size alone, these dogs must be properly trained.

Working Group breeds

In general, kennel clubs assign larger breeds that are engaged in some sort of physically active work to their Working Group. In areas of the world where livestock production is economically important, pastoral

Pastoral

The adjective pastoral refers to the lifestyle of pastoralists, such as shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasturage. It also refers to a genre in literature, art or music that depicts such shepherd life in an...

dogs are placed in the Working Group. In the rest of the world, such dogs are placed in a Herding Group

Herding Group

Herding Group is the name of a breed Group of dogs, used by kennel clubs to classify a defined collection of dog breeds. It does not refer to one particular type of dog. How the Herding Group is defined varies among kennel clubs, and different kennel clubs may not include the same breeds in their...

or Pastoral Group

Pastoral Group

Pastoral Group is the name of a breed Group of dogs, used by kennel clubs to classify a defined collection of dog breeds and does not refer to one particular type of dog...

, and dogs that were traditionally bred for guarding, rescue, police or messenger work, as well as large Spitz

Spitz

Spitz-type dogs are a type of dog, characterized by long, thick, and often white fur, and pointed ears and muzzles...

type dogs, are placed in the Working Group. These breeds may also be placed in a kennel club's Utility Group

Utility Group

Utility Group is the name of a breed group of dogs, used by kennel clubs to classify a defined collection of dog breeds. How Utility Group is defined varies among kennel clubs, and different kennel clubs may not include the same breeds in their Utility Group. Some kennel clubs do not use the...

*Working Group* breeds as defined by major kennel clubs
The Kennel Club (UK) The Kennel Club The Kennel Club is a kennel club based in London and Aylesbury, United Kingdom.The Kennel Club registration system divides dogs into seven breed groups. The Kennel Club Groups are: Hound, Working, Terrier, Gundog, Pastoral, Utility and Toy... Working Group	Canadian Kennel Club Canadian Kennel Club The Canadian Kennel Club is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. Beyond maintaining the pedigree registry, the C.K.C... Working Dogs Group	American Kennel Club American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official... Working Group	Australian National Kennel Council Australian National Kennel Council The Australian National Kennel Council is the peak body in Australia responsible for promoting breeding, showing, trialling, obedience, and other canine-related activities and the ownership of temperamentally and physically sound purebred dogs by individuals across Australia. It was formed in... Working Dogs Group	New Zealand Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club The New Zealand Kennel Club is the primary kennel club responsible for dog pedigree registration services in New Zealand. They also provide training services, judging for dog shows and many other services relating to dog showing. The organisation was introduced in 1886, it is also a full member of... Working Group
Alaskan Malamute Alaskan Malamute The Alaskan Malamute is a generally large breed of domestic dog originally bred for use as a utilitarian dog and later an Alaskan sled dog. They are sometimes mistaken for a Siberian Husky, but in fact are quite different in many ways...	Akita American Akita The Akita is a large spitz breed of dog originating from the mountainous northern regions of Japan. There are now two separate strains: American, a/k/a "Akita" or "American Akita"; and Japanese, aka "Akita Inu" or "Japanese Akita"...	Akita	Australian Cattle Dog Australian Cattle Dog The Australian Cattle Dog is a breed of herding dog originally developed in Australia for droving cattle over long distances across rough terrain. In the 19th century, New South Wales cattle farmer Thomas Hall crossed the dogs used by drovers in his parents' home county, Northumberland, with...	Australian Cattle Dog
Beauceron Beauceron The Beauceron is a guard dog and herding dog breed falling into the working dog category whose origins lie in the plains of Northern France. The Beauceron is also known as Berger de Beauce or Bas Rouge .-Appearance:This breed stands 61 to 70 cm in height and weighs 30 to 45 kg The...	Alaskan Malamute	Alaskan Malamute	Australian Kelpie Australian Kelpie The Kelpie is an Australian sheep dog successful at mustering and droving with little or no command guidance. They are medium-sized dogs and come in a variety of colours...	Australian Kelpie
Bernese Mountain Dog Bernese Mountain Dog The Bernese Mountain Dog, called in German the Berner Sennenhund, is a large breed of dog, one of the four breeds of Sennenhund-type dogs from the Swiss Alps. The name Sennenhund is derived from the German "Senne" and "hund" , as they accompanied the alpine herders and dairymen called Senn...	Bernese Mountain Dog	Anatolian Shepherd Dog	Australian Shepherd Australian Shepherd The Australian shepherd is a breed of herding dog that was developed on ranches in the Western United States. Despite its name, the breed, commonly known as an Aussie, did not originate in Australia They acquired their name because some of the Australian sheepdogs arrived in the United States with...	Australian Shepherd
Bouvier Des Flandres Bouvier des Flandres The Bouvier des Flandres is a herding dog breed originating in Flanders. They were originally used for general farm work including cattle droving, sheep herding, and cart pulling, and nowadays as guard dogs and police dogs, as well as being kept as pets. The French name of the breed means,...	Boxer	Boxer	Bearded Collie Bearded Collie The Bearded Collie, or Beardie, is a herding breed of dog once used primarily by Scottish shepherds, but now mostly a popular family companion....	Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog is a bobtailed, medium sized breed of dog. The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog was developed in Australia to herd cattle, and descends from crosses between European herding dogs and the Australian dingo.- Appearance :...
Boxer Boxer (dog) Developed in Germany, the Boxer is a breed of stocky, medium-sized, short-haired dog. The coat is smooth and fawn or brindled, with or without white markings. Boxers are brachycephalic , and have a square muzzle, mandibular prognathism , very strong jaws and a powerful bite ideal for hanging on to...	Bullmastiff	Bernese Mountain Dog	Belgian Shepherd (Groenendael)	Bearded Collie
Bullmastiff Bullmastiff The Bullmastiff is a large breed of domestic dog. It has a solid build and a short muzzle. The Bullmastiff shares the characteristics of Molosser dogs, and was originally developed by 19th-century gamekeepers in England to guard estates and immobilize poachers. The breed's bloodlines are drawn from...	Canaan Dog Canaan Dog The Canaan dog is a Canaanite breed of dog which may have existed in the eastern Mediterranean seaboard for millennia, as referenced in ancient sculptures.-Appearance:...	Black Russian Terrier	Belgian Shepherd (Laekinois)	Belgian Shepherd Dog Belgian Shepherd Dog The Belgian Shepherd is a breed of medium-to-large-sized herding dog. It originated in Belgium and is similar to other sheep herding dogs from that region, including the Dutch Shepherd Dog, the German Shepherd Dog, the Briard and others... (Groenendael, Tervuren, Laekenois, Malinois)
Canadian Eskimo Dog Canadian Eskimo Dog The Canadian Eskimo Dog is an Arctic breed of dog , which is often considered to be North America’s oldest and rarest remaining purebred indigenous domestic canine. Other names include Qimmiq...	Canadian Eskimo Dog	Boxer	Belgian Shepherd (Malinois)	Bergamasco Shepherd Dog
Dobermann Dobermann The Doberman Pinscher or simply Doberman, is a breed of domestic dog originally developed around 1890 by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann. Doberman Pinschers are among the most common of pet breeds, and the breed is well known as an intelligent, alert, and loyal companion dog...	Cane Corso Cane Corso The Cane Corso is an Italian breed of dog, for years valued highly in Italy as a companion, guardian and hunter.- Description :-Appearance:...	Bullmastiff	Belgian Shepherd (Tervueren)	Border Collie
Dogue De Bordeaux Dogue de Bordeaux The Dogue de Bordeaux, Bordeaux Mastiff or French Mastiff or Bordeauxdog is a breed of dog that is strong, powerful, and imposing. The Dogue de Bordeaux is one of the most ancient French breeds. They are a typical brachycephalic molossoid type. Bordeaux are very powerful dogs, with a very muscular...	Doberman Pinscher	Doberman Pinscher	Bergamasco Shepherd Dog	Bouvier Des Flandres
Entlebucher Mountain Dog Entlebucher Mountain Dog The Entlebucher Sennenhund or Entlebucher Mountain Dog is the smallest of the four Sennenhunds, a dog type that includes four regional breeds. The name Sennenhund refers to people called Senn, herders in the Swiss Alps. Entlebuch is a municipality in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland...	Entlebucher Mountain Dog	Dogue de Bordeaux	Border Collie Border Collie The Border Collie is a herding dog breed developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region for herding livestock, especially sheep. It is the most widespread of the collie breeds....	Briard
German Pinscher German Pinscher The German Pinscher is a medium-sized, breed of dog, a Pinscher type that originated in Germany. The breed is included in the origins of the Dobermann, the Miniature Pinscher, the Affenpinscher, the Standard Schnauzer...	Eurasier Eurasier The Eurasier, sometimes referred to as Eurasian, is a breed of dog of spitz type that originated in Germany. It is widely known as a wonderful companion that maintains its own personality, has a dignified reserve to strangers, a strong bond to its family and that is relatively easy to...	German Pinscher	Bouvier Des Flandres	Collie (Rough)
Giant Schnauzer Giant Schnauzer The Giant Schnauzer is a large, powerful, and compact breed of dog. It is one of the three Schnauzer breeds. Like most large breeds, the Giant Schnauzer needs a fair amount of exercise.-Appearance:...	Great Dane Great Dane The Great Dane , also known as German Mastiff or Danish Hound , is a breed of domestic dog known for its giant size...	Giant Schnauzer	Briard Briard The Briard is a large breed of dog, one of many herding breeds. The Briard has been known for some centuries. Charlemagne, Napoleon, Thomas Jefferson, and Lafayette all owned Briards. This ancient sheep guard and herder has also been used by the French Army as a sentry, messenger, and to search for...	Collie (Smooth)
Golden Retriever Golden Retriever The Golden Retriever is a medium-sized breed of dog. They were historically developed as gundogs to retrieve shot waterfowl such as ducks and upland game birds during hunting and shooting parties. As such, they were bred to have a soft mouth to retrieve game undamaged and have an instinctive love...	Great Dane Great Dane The Great Dane , also known as German Mastiff or Danish Hound , is a breed of domestic dog known for its giant size...	Great Pyrenees	Great Dane Great Dane The Great Dane , also known as German Mastiff or Danish Hound , is a breed of domestic dog known for its giant size...	Collie (Rough)	Finnish Lapphund
Greenland Dog Greenland Dog The Greenland Dog is a large breed of husky-type dog kept as a sled dog and for hunting polar bear and seal. This is an ancient breed, thought to be directly descended from dogs brought to Greenland by the first Inuit settlers.-Appearance:The Greenland Dog is a powerful, heavy-built dog...	Greenland Dog	Great Pyrenees	Collie (Smooth)	German Shepherd Dog
Hovawart Hovawart The Hovawart is a German dog breed. The name of the breed means "an estate guard dog," which is the original use for the breed. The breed originated in the Black Forest region and was first described in text and paintings in medieval times....	Karelian Bear Dog Karelian Bear Dog The Karelian Bear Dog is a Finnish or Karelian breed of dog. In its home country, it is regarded as a national treasure. KBD will hunt any kind of animal. Its quick reflexes and fearless nature have made it very popular for hunting aggressive game, including bear, moose, and wild boar...	Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Greater Swiss Mountain Dog The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a dog breed which was developed in the Swiss Alps. The name Sennenhund refers to people called Senn or Senner, dairymen and herders in the Swiss Alps. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are almost certainly the result of indigenous dogs mating with large Mastiff types...	Finnish Lapphund Finnish Lapphund The Finnish Lapphund is a hardy, easy going, medium-size breed of Spitz type. Traditionally it has been used for herding reindeer. Although it is one of the most popular dog breeds in its native country, Finland, it is not very numerous outside of the Nordic countries.-Appearance:-Type:The Finnish...	Komondor
Leonberger Leonberger The Leonberger is a breed of large dog. The breed's name derives from the city of Leonberg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. According to legend, the Leonberger was ostensibly bred as a 'symbolic dog' that would mimic the lion in the town crest...	Komondor Komondor The Komondor is a large, white-colored Hungarian breed of livestock guardian dog with a long, corded coat....	Komondor	German Shepherd Dog German Shepherd Dog The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog...	Kuvasz
Mastiff English Mastiff The English Mastiff, referred to by virtually all Kennel Clubs simply as the Mastiff, is a breed of large dog perhaps descended from the ancient Alaunt through the Pugnaces Britanniae. Distinguishable by enormous size, massive head, and a limited range of colors, but always displaying a black mask,...	Kuvasz Kuvasz The Kuvasz is a dog breed of ancient Hungarian origin. Mention of the breed can be found in old Hungarian texts. It has historically been used to guard livestock, but has been increasingly found in homes as a pet over the last seventy years....	Kuvasz	Hungarian Puli	Maremma Sheepdog
Neapolitan Mastiff Neapolitan Mastiff The Neapolitan Mastiff, Italian Mastiff, is a large, ancient dog breed. This massive breed is often used as a guard and defender of family and property due to their protective instincts and their fearsome appearance....	Leonberger	Leonberger Leonberger The Leonberger is a breed of large dog. The breed's name derives from the city of Leonberg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. According to legend, the Leonberger was ostensibly bred as a 'symbolic dog' that would mimic the lion in the town crest...	Komondor	Norwegian Buhund
Newfoundland Newfoundland (dog) The Newfoundland is a breed of large dog. Newfoundlands can be black, brown, gray, or black and white. They were originally bred and used as a working dog for fishermen in the Dominion of Newfoundland, now part of Canada. They are known for their giant size, tremendous strength, calm dispositions,...	Mastiff	Mastiff	Kuvasz	Old English Sheepdog
Portuguese Water Dog Portuguese Water Dog The Portuguese Water Dog is a breed of working dog as classified by the American Kennel Club. Portuguese Water Dogs are originally from the Portuguese region of the Algarve, from where the breed expanded to all around Portugal's coast, where they were taught to herd fish into fishermen's nets, to...	Newfoundland	Neapolitan Mastiff Neapolitan Mastiff The Neapolitan Mastiff, Italian Mastiff, is a large, ancient dog breed. This massive breed is often used as a guard and defender of family and property due to their protective instincts and their fearsome appearance....	Maremma Sheepdog Maremma Sheepdog The Maremma Sheepdog, in Italian Cane da pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese, usually referred to as just Maremmano, is a breed of livestock guardian dog indigenous to central Italy, particularly to Abruzzo and the Maremma region of Tuscany and Lazio. It has been used for centuries by Italian shepherds to...	Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Pyrenean Mastiff Pyrenean Mastiff The Pyrenean Mastiff is a large breed of dog originally from the Aragonese Pyrenees in Spain.- Description :The Pyrenean Mastiff is a very large dog, males 77 cm and females 71 cm at the withers, although they can be up to 81 cm . They have a heavy white coat with large darker spots...	Portuguese Water Dog	Newfoundland	Norwegian Buhund Norwegian Buhund The Norwegian Buhund is a breed of dog of the spitz type. It is closely related to the Icelandic Sheepdog and the Jämthund. The name Buhund is derived from the Norwegian word "bu" which means farm, homestead or mountain hut, where the shepherd lived while looking after his herd in the summer...	Puli
Rottweiler Rottweiler The Rottweiler is a medium to large size breed of domestic dog that originated in Rottweil, Germany. The dogs were known as "Rottweil butchers' dogs" because they were used to herd livestock and pull carts laden with butchered meat and other products to market...	Rottweiler	Portuguese Water Dog	Old English Sheepdog Old English Sheepdog The Old English Sheepdog is a large breed of dog which was developed in England from early herding types of dog. The Old English Sheepdog has very long fur covering the face and eyes...	Pumi
Russian Black Terrier	Samoyed	Rottweiler	Polish Lowland Sheepdog Polish Lowland Sheepdog The Polish Lowland Sheepdog , is a medium sized, shaggy-coated, sheep dog breed native to Poland.-Appearance:The PON is a muscular, thick-coated dog. The double coat can be of any color or pattern; white, gray, and brown are most common, with black, gray, or brown markings. It is common for colors...	Shetland Sheepdog
St. Bernard St. Bernard (dog) The St. Bernard is a breed of very large working dog from the Italian and Swiss Alps, originally bred for rescue. The breed has become famous through tales of alpine rescues, as well as for its large size.-Appearance:The St. Bernard is a large dog...	Schnauzer (Giant)	Russian Black Terrier	Pumi Pumi (dog) The Pumi is a medium-small terrier-type breed of sheep dog from Hungary.-History:The Pumi has been used as a "general farm dog", shepherding not only sheep but also cows and pigs, and also for catching small rodents. It originated in the 17th or 18th century, when shepherding terriers were brought...
Siberian Husky Siberian Husky The Siberian Husky is a medium-size, dense-coat working dog breed that originated in north-eastern Siberia. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family...	Schnauzer (Standard)	Saint Bernard	Shetland Sheepdog Shetland Sheepdog The Shetland Sheepdog, often known as the Sheltie, is a breed of herding dog.They are small to medium dogs, and come in a variety of colors, such as sable/white, tri-color, and blue merle. They are vocal, excitable, energetic dogs who are always willing to please and work hard...	Swedish Lapphund
Tibetan Mastiff Tibetan Mastiff The Tibetan Mastiff is an ancient breed and type of domestic dog originating with nomadic cultures of Central Asia.-Names and etymology:...	Siberian Husky	Samoyed	Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog	Swedish Vallhund
	St. Bernard	Siberian Husky	Swedish Lapphund Swedish Lapphund The Swedish Lapphund is a breed of dog of the Spitz type from Sweden, one of three Lapphund breeds developed from a type of dog used by the Sami people for herding and guarding their reindeer....	Welsh Corgi (Cardigan)
		Standard Schnauzer	Swedish Vallhund Swedish Vallhund The Swedish vallhund is a breed of dog. It is believed that the Swedish vallhund distinguished itself during the age of Vikings, more than 1,000 years ago. Known as the "Viking dog", the vallhund were bred to herd cattle, catch vermin , and guard the home...	Welsh Corgi (Pembroke)
		Tibetan Mastiff	Welsh Corgi (Cardigan)
			Welsh Corgi (Pembroke)
			White Swiss Shepherd Dog

Fédération Cynologique Internationale working groups

The Fédération Cynologique Internationale does not include a group title "Working Group"; its groups "Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs)", "Spitz and Primitive types", and "Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid Breeds - Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs and Other Breeds" groups include many of the breeds lumped together in various kennel clubs' Working Groups.

Working dogs

Working Group breeds

Fédération Cynologique Internationale working groups

See also