By and large, most of the people who own a dog own them for the companionship and for the unconditional love that they show. There is no doubt that dogs are a faithful animal, but they are also a part of our lives in many different ways. Even if you don’t use an animal for work, there are many people who do.
Many of us who own purebred animals actually own a breed of dog that is used for working in some way or another. They were bred that way for many years, perhaps centuries, and we may see those traits in them, even if they are just an animal that keeps us company.
The following dog professions will be of interest to any dog owner, regardless of what type of canine they have.
1. Sled Teamster – Although there have been many working dogs throughout history, the sled dog was one of the first. They were the first examples of domesticated dogs and had a close appearance to the wolf family. Used in icy areas, such as Mongolia, Russia and Greenland, they helped their humans travel about. Today, their descendants are the malamutes and Huskies.
2. Guarding the Temple – The Lhasa apso is typically considered to be a lapdog, but they were originally a guard dog. There were bred to guard Buddhist monasteries in Tibet. Although the mastiffs would patrol the outside of the monastery, they guarded the interior.
3. Babysitters – In the Victorian times, pit bulls were used as babysitters. Those of us who own pit bulls recognize that they have a huge heart but they also have a soiled reputation. For centuries, they were known as affectionate caregivers to children.
4. Alpine Rescue – We often see St. Bernard’s depicted in the cartoons as wearing a small barrel around their neck. In reality, they were rescue dogs that helped to free people trapped by mountain disasters, such as an avalanche. Inside of the barrel was brandy, which helped to warm those suffering from hypothermia.
5. Sheep Herder – Another ancient use for working animals was the herding dog. There are a number of breeds specific to that purpose. Today, they are still used for herding animals but they are also excellent and rather intelligent house pets.
6. Police Officer – Not all Shepherd dogs stuck with the herding profession. Some of them are no longer used in the field but rather, they are rounding up criminals. Two of the breeds that are commonly used for that purpose are German shepherds and Belgian Malinois. They work in law enforcement, doing everything from running down the bad guys to sniffing out bombs and drugs.
7. Fisherman – There are a number of dogs who would like nothing more than to spend their day splashing around in the water. Some of the more common water dogs include labradors, the Newfoundland and poodles. Newfoundland were bred to fish and they go out to retrieve a daily catch for their owners by pulling in heavy nets.
8. Truffles – there is a lot of money in truffles, and some dogs are bred to sniff out this delicacy. The Italian pooch Legato Romagnolo is such an animal and they can sniff out truffles that may sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Via: Little Things
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