The 31 Working Group Dogs Are Strong And Intelligent
Working Group dogs love to help their human’s daily lives by doing such jobs as guard duty, pulling sleds and carts and search and rescues. They have been performing these jobs for longer than history has recorded.
The Doberman Pinscher, Siberian Husky, and Great Dane are included in the Working Group, to name just a few. Quick to learn, these intelligent, strong animals make great companions. Their large size and strength alone, however, make many working dogs problematic as pets for average families. Because of their size, you must adequately socialize and train these dogs.
They are easy-going and gentle giant dogs and would not purposely harm a small child. But because they are huge dogs, they could injure a small child entirely by accident. A Great Dane, for instance, can weigh up to 175 pounds.
Dogs In Working Group
Akita
Height: 24-28 inches; Weight: 70-130 pounds; Lifespan: 10-13 years; AKC rank: 47 of 197 Country: Japan
The Akita comes from Japan and is regarded as a family protector, symbolizing long life, happiness, and good health. The Akitas is a spitz-type dog.
The famous blind American author Helen Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) owned the first Akita to enter the United States in 1937.
Height: 23-25 inches; Weight: 75-85 pounds; Lifespan: 10-14 years; AKC rank: 58 of 197 Country: United States (Alaska)
The Alaskan Malamute has been pulling sleds in the arctic long before Seward’s Folly. They are an ancient breed and have likely been around for thousands of years.
Not only does the Alaskan Malamute pull sleds, but it also is an excellent hunter of big game such as bears and seals. The Alaskan Malamute is the official state dog of Alaska.
The Anatolian Shepherd (aka Kangal Shepherd) is a large dog used to act as a guardian of livestock in its native country of Turkey. Although they are loving dogs, they will need strong leadership due to their size.
They will protect their entire family (even the cats) against foreign or domestic enemies. They have even been exported to Africa to protect herds against lions, cheetahs, and big predators.
The Bernese Mountain Dog is one of the giant dog breeds. They are also general-purpose farm dogs that stand guard duty and pull carts.
They are calm, well-behaved dogs that are seldom aggressive to strangers. They are affectionate family pets, but you need to take care of small children around simply because this is a huge dog.
Height: 26-30 inches; Weight: 80-130 pounds; Lifespan: 10-12 years; AKC rank: 118 of 197 Country: Russia
In the AKC Working Group, the Black Russian Terrier is a mix of many dog breeds created in Russia for use as a military working dog. It is not a true Terrier despite its name.
They are huge dogs, and because they are guard dogs, they are wary of strangers. They have a heavy black coat that serves them well in colder climates.
Height: 22-27 inches; Weight: 150-200 pounds; Lifespan: 9-11 years; AKC rank: 121 of 197 Country: South Africa
The Boerboel is a large dog called the South African Mastiff . It protects South African farmers from dangerous predators. The Boerboel is usually calm but fearless and needs to be trained and socialized early.
The Boxer is a popular family pet that is bright, active, and very good with children. They are loyal and protective of their family. They are not usually aggressive but are a bit wary of strangers.
The Boxer gets its name from its behavior while playing. It sometimes stands on its back legs and moves its front legs to resemble boxing.
Height: 24-27 inches; Weight: 100-130 pounds; Lifespan: 7-9 years; AKC rank: 51 of 197 Country: United Kingdom
The Bullmastiff’s name sounds like it should be that of a big dog, and it is. It is not the biggest dog in the world, but it is still a lot of dog to handle.
These dogs prevented poachers from taking game animals from the estates of the landed gentry. Owners of this breed must be diligent in socializing and training their dogs. The Bullmastiff was bred to tackle and hold down poachers.
This breed is in the AKC Working Group.
Your neighbors and visitors may not appreciate being tackled by your Bullmastiff, even a friendly one.
The Cane Corso is a mastiff from Italy. It is a protection, law enforcement, guard duty, and a loyal companion dog. They look imposing, but they are gentle and loving family dogs, very good with children, and easy to train.
Due to the size of the Cane Corso, early socialization and trained are essential.
Height: 22-26 inches; Weight: 50-90 pounds; Lifespan: 12-15 years; AKC rank: 190 of 197 Country: United States
The Chinook is the official state dog of New Hampshire, where it originated. It was bred to be a powerful and swift sled dog that was also gentle and friendly.
The breed’s name is in honor of the dog “Chinook” that founded the breed. Chinook was a famous lead dog lost in the Antarctic when he was about 12 years old.
Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann was a tax collector in Germany. He wanted a dog for personal protection when going about his dangerous tax-collecting duties. The dog he created became known as the Doberman Pinscher.
The Doberman Pinscher is a very intelligent and popular guard dog that all but the foolish and unwise would try to confront.
Height: 24-26.5 inches; Weight: 88-100 pounds; Lifespan: 9-15 years; AKC rank: of 197 Country Argentina
The Dogo Argentino was developed in Argentina primarily for hunting big game animals, including the wild boar. It is a large dog with short white fur.
The Dogo Argentino is a courageous and loyal dog with an instinct to protect its family. If not socialized properly, it can be a threat to strangers, and several countries have banned this breed.
Height: 23-27 inches; Weight: 99-110 pounds; Lifespan: 5-8 years; AKC rank: 67 of 197 Country: France
The Dogue de Bordeaux is a large Mastiff from the Bordeaux region of France. It is a large, powerful that has been around long before a country called France.
They are loyal and affectionate and will courageously protect their family. Pulling carts, carrying large items, and guarding flocks were put to work.
The German Pinscher is a medium-sized dog and one of the smallest dogs in the Working Group. They are an ancient German breed in the bloodlines of several other dogs, including the Standard Schnauzer, Doberman, and Rottweiler.
The German Pinscher is an affectionate, non-aggressive dog that is playful, alert, and fearless. These dogs are confident companion dogs ready to see what the world offers.
The Giant Schnauzer is the largest Schnauzer bred to work on the farm for herding and guard duty. Once it moved to the city, it became more of a guard, military, and police dog.
They are usually amiable and good-natured, but they can be suspicious of strangers because of their breeding. They come in two color variations, solid black or salt and pepper.
The Great Dane is one of the largest dogs in the world and will tower over most dogs and many humans. It is a gentle giant because of its easy-going and friendly nature.
They are watchful and imposing guard dogs. They are great with other family animals, including children, especially if raised with them.
Height: 25-32 inches; Weight: 85-100+ pounds; Lifespan:10-12 years; AKC rank: 66 of 197 Country France
The Great Pyrenees (aka Pyrenean Mountain Dog) was bred to guard livestock in the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain. Their coats are white, sometimes with gray, tan, or reddish-brown markings.
The Great Pyrenees is not easy to train and maybe stubborn. However, they are not usually aggressive and get along with other family members.
The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is the largest of the sennenhund dog breeds from the Swiss Alps. It is well known in Europe but relatively rare in the United States.
They have an attractive tri-color coat of black, brown, and white. They are happy dogs that bond with its family, including children.
The Komondor is a large guardian dog from Hungary. Its white curly coat looks so mop-like that it is sometimes called the “mop” dog.
It is a guard dog used to protect livestock and other property. It is affectionate with family and children and very protective. The ancestors of the Komondor were brought to the Hungarian region as early as the 12th century.
The Kuvasz, like the Komondor, is a large white livestock guardian dog from Hungary. It is also an ancient breed whose roots trace back to the 9th century.
It is an intelligent dog that once could only be owned by Hungarian royalty. It is independent and very loyal, even when owned by commoners.
Leonberger’s name comes from the German city of Leonberg. The town citizens wanted a dog that looked like a lion on the city’s coat of arms.
The Leonberger is a giant dog that is loyal and affectionate. It is not aggressive, and its only real danger is its enormous size. It is a great family dog, gentle with children, and wants all the love and attention you can give it.
Height: 27.5-30 inches; Weight: 120-230 pounds; Lifespan: 6-10 years; AKC rank: 29 of 197 Country: England
If you are paying for your dog by the pound, you will need some extra cash in your wallet to buy a Mastiff. The Mastiff (lower-case m) breeds have been around for thousands of years.
The Mastiff is another gentle giant dog breed. However, simply because of its hugeness, you must ensure it is socialized early and well trained. It is not a dog for small apartment dwellers.
If Mastiff is part of your name, you will probably be big. Even a small one will weigh over a hundred pounds. And the Neapolitan Mastiff is no exception.
The Neapolitan Mastiff has a distinct wrinkled face. It is a guardian dog, loves its family, and is very protective of those it loves.
The Neapolitan Mastiff is in the AKC Working Group.
Newfoundlands helped fishermen on the island of Newfoundland. They are excellent swimmers and very useful in water rescue.
The calm nature of the Newfound is so essential that many kennel clubs list that virtue as part of the breed standard. Its only threat to humans and other creatures is that it is a huge animal.
Height: 17-23 inches; Weight: 35-60 pounds; Lifespan: 11-13 years; AKC rank: 50 of 197 Country: Portugal
The Portuguese Water Dog is a herding dog that fishermen used to herd fish into nets in Portugal. They are a non-shedding breed.
This breed gained popularity because a Portuguese Water Dog lived in the White House as the family pet of President Obama. They are very smart and easy to train.
The Rottweiler is a very popular dog breed in the United States. They are large, imposing dogs that most people will likely respect and avoid messing with them.
The Rottweiler is a calm, self-assured dog that is not overly aggressive but can inflict serious harm if provoked or if someone messes with its owner or family. This dog needs socialization at an early age and needs to be well trained.
Saint Bernards are an iconic dog bred by the Great St Bernard Hospice as a rescue dog. The small barrel it carries is traditionally filled with brandy.
Saint Bernards are sweet, gentle dogs and very good with children. If you get one, fill that barrel with hot chocolate instead of brandy.
The Samoyed’s name comes from Siberia’s nomadic Samoyedic people. They used the dog to help herd reindeer. The Samoyed has a white coat and is a spitz type dog.
The Samoyed originated in a frigid climate as a pack animal. The dog is affectionate and needs attention and a pack leader.
Height: 20-24 inches; Weight: 35-60 pounds; Lifespan: 12-14 years; AKC rank: 14 of 197 Country: United States
The Siberian Husky originated in Siberia, but the modern Siberian Husky is from Alaska, where it is a sled dog. Mush, you huskies was frequently cried out by Sergeant Preston of the Yukon on radio and early TV shows.
They are pack animals, so they tend to get along with other dogs and humans. They will chase smaller creatures like cats and rabbits, so they must be kept in a secure area.
The Standard Schnauzer is from Germany and is the ancestor of the other two Schnauzer breeds, the Miniature and the Giant. They help with herding and controlling vermin such as rats.
Easily trained, they make good family pets because of their excellent nature and acceptance of kids. They love to chase squirrels!
Height: 24-26 inches; Weight: 70-150 pounds; Lifespan: 10-12 years; AKC rank: 131 of 197 Country: Tibet
The Tibetan Mastiff started as a herding and guard dog for the nomads of Tibet and guarding Tibetan monasteries. Their size and appearance will probably be enough to scare away any intruders.
However, they are also gentle and lovable family companion dogs. They will need room to roam in a spacious backyard and are unsuitable for small apartment living.
