What was this dog used for? A look at body type and proposed jobs of different breeds of dogs…

German Shepherd

The dogs were bred to preserve traits that assisted in their job of herding sheep and protecting flocks from predators. In Germany this was practiced within local communities,

where shepherds selected and bred dogs that they believed had traits necessary for herding sheep, such as intelligence, speed, strength, and keen senses of smell.

Labrador Retriever

• The breed is used in water rescue/lifesaving. Labrador hair is usually fairly short and straight, and the tail quite broad and strong. The webbed

toes of the Labrador Retriever make them excellent swimmers. The webbing between their toes can also serve as a "snowshoe" in colder

climates and keep snow from balling up between their toes- a condition that can be painful to other breeds with hair between the toes. Their

interwoven coat is also relatively waterproof, providing more assistance for swimming.

Chihuahua

• Chihuahua's were used in religious ceremonies and were pets to the upper class. The breed derives its

name from the Mexican State of Chihuahua, where the earliest specimens of the breed were found. What would make a chihuahua a good companion dog?

Beagles

• Beagles are scent hounds, developed primarily for tracking hare, rabbit, and other game. They have a great sense of smell and tracking instinct that sees them employed as detection dogs for prohibited agricultural imports and foodstuffs in quarantine around the world. Beagles are

intelligent, and are popular as pets because of their size, even temper, and lack of inherited health problems.

Bulldog

• The Bulldog was bred in the early 13th Century for bull baiting. The short muzzle and wide lower jaw

were needed for the dog to clamp itself to the bull's nose like a vise, and the nose had to be upturned so that the dog could still breathe while clinging to the

bull.

Dachshund

• The breed is famous for its use in exterminating badgers and badger-baiting. Dachshunds were also commonly used for rabbit and fox hunting. The flap-down ears and famous curved tail of the dachshund have deliberately been bred into the dog. In the case of

the ears, this is to keep grass seeds, dirt, and other matter from entering the ear canal. The curved tail is dual-purposed: to be seen more easily in long grass and, in the case of burrowing dachshunds,

to help haul the dog out if it becomes stuck in a burrow.

Dalmation

• The breed became popular as a carriage dog in the 1800's. They trotted beside and among the

horses and carriages, very reliably following their masters, guarding the carriages and horses while the master was occupied elsewhere. Very hardy with great stamina they were able to easily keep up whether its master was on foot, on horseback,

or in the carriage.

St. Bernard

They were used by the Hospice, a refuge for travelers through the dangerous Alpine pass between Switzerland and Italy. In the middle of the seventeenth

century Saint Bernards became popular as a rescue dog working to save people from avalanches in the snowy passes near the Hospice. The dogs are able to smell

a person under many feet of snow. They have saved thousands of people searching out and finding lost or injured travelers. The dogs would work in packs looking for the victims. When found they would lick and lay down with them in

order to keep them warm. While a dog or more would lay with the body(s) another dog would head back to the Hospice to alert them that they found the humans.

Shar Pei

• The dogs were used as multipurpose working farm dogs for the Chinese, hunting, tracking, as a ratter, herding, protecting stock, and guarding the home and family. The dogs happily worked all

day long. It was also used in dog fighting events where the loose skin and extremely prickly coat made it hard for the other dog to grab onto. The Chinese believed that the image of the wrinkles

and black pigmented mouth would scare off any evil spirits.

Weimaraner

• The Weimaraner was an all purpose family dog, capable of guarding the home, hunting with the family, and of course, being loving and loyal towards children. The dogs were originally bred for hunting in the early 19th century. Early Weimaraners were used by royalty for hunting large game such as boar, bear, and deer.