What Makes a Dog a WORKING Dog

laurlitt · #1 11-26-2002, 10:19 AM

I'm sure many of you are familiar with the AKC classifications for pure bred dogs. Rottweilers of course, belonging to the working class. The history of the Rottweiler suggests that it has been a working breed, but in present time what constitutes that a Rottweiler is 'working'? Is it obedience, CGC, tracking, schtuzhund, personal protection... I realize these days working is very rarely anything but for sport. I recall someone stating that they were working on their conformation exercises and required their dog to pay attention to them and said that the dog just loves to work... Is that working? I think that sort of attention is required from any breed... even the non-working breeds and I personally don't call that 'working'. Is a working dog one that is trained to heel in a ring by repetition and retrieve a dumbbell? Or a dog who gets the newspaper for the owner in the morning? A dog who passes the CGC or TT? A dog who can compete successfully in all three phases of Schutzhund? A dog who can herd sheep/cattle thru a gate?

Food for thought...

fbkeays · #2 11-27-2002, 12:10 AM

In my opinion I do not consider basic obedience as working. Advanced level obedience that can be applied outside the ring, Trial level herding, tracking, carting/draft work, SchH, and yes even fetching the newspaper IMO is working. Working is the ability to perform jobs to aid humans. In that vein, pet therapy is work.
One of my dogs is handled by another in herding. She often uses him to do chores as his final "run" of the day. All of my dogs cart. I have used them to haul in their crates and show equipment. I have used that ability to pull small stumps and broken fence posts out of the ground. Years ago my bitch was started in SAR work. One of the "games" was to find things with human scent. Earlier this year I had her with me when I was out training my puppy in tracking. My tracking partner was so excited when her dog found the glove, she forgot to pick it up. I sent Misty out in a 4 acre area to find it. She found it in just a few minutes- six years after we stopped playing that "game". BTW I wasn't the one that laid the track.
Just my 2 cents

laurlitt · #3 11-27-2002, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by fbkeays
Working is the ability to perform jobs to aid humans. In that vein, pet therapy is work.

I think in this day and age... working dogs don't necessarily 'aid' humans... A Sch dog is doing nothing to aid a human... it's sport/work. Same thing goes for almost any competition... but I guess it simulates work...

SAR, Carting, guide dogs, herding (for real) are good examples where the working is 'real'.

Storm · #4 11-27-2002, 12:29 AM

I my opinion what constitutes a "working dog" is an activity where all aspects of the dog are covered. Where a dog is put out there performing and one is able to derive a picture not only of the dog's athletic ability, stamina, ability to perform structurally but also of the "underlying" areas, nerve, drive levels, willingness to "please" etc. One thing about ScH is that with its various facets, it covers a very wide spectrum pertaining to the dog, that's why I like it, while progressing through ones training there is almost no area not touched on.

Mattweiser · #5 11-27-2002, 09:57 AM

Storm is pretty close to my opinion of "Work"

work is when a dog is being engaged in an activity that requires high levels of drive, emotion, and training..

SchH, PP, Herding, Tracking, OB, Agility..

that is work... I am a little torn on therapy, for some it is work.. for a lazy couch potatoe it wouldn't be muchlike work at all.... ;)

show is NOT WORK... and CGC/TT is nowhere close to work. sure, the handler might have had to work to get an unsocial dog to the point of passing a TT test, but the dog is not working.. if it is it should fail anyway!

Mattweiser · #6 11-27-2002, 09:59 AM

I just re-read Storm's post....

the "willingness to please" is a very big key to working...

In my mind's eye, when I picture a dog working, I see the dog staring into the eyes of his handler looking for direction, guidance, and approval.... that relationship is what a working dog is all about!!!...

I am getting a little misty-eyed thinking about it... sniff sniff....

laurlitt · #7 11-27-2002, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mattweiser

the "willingness to please" is a very big key to working...

Does this apply to humans who work too? I do it for the money... not willingness to please... perhaps I need a different job then...

damp · #8 11-27-2002, 01:54 PM

Well said Storm.

As far as I see it… Many dogs are worked and trained, but far away all dogs are proven in all fields of the prescribed working characteristics of the specific breed.

The Rottweiler belongs to the category of working dogs and should be:

Quote from (our "Bible" ) the FCI standard:
Good natured, placid in basic disposition and fond of children very devoted, obedient, biddable and eager to work. His appearance is natural and rustic, his behaviour self assured, steady and fearless. He reacts to his surroundings with great alertness.

Here we prove the above part of the standard with SchH, IPO, PH (police dog) or HJV (home guard) to obtain the title and the right ;) to proudly call a dog: Working Dog.

Fortunately many dogs work, but as far as I see it, not all of them are working dogs.