Can I get a list of dog breeds and what task they were bred for?

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Clarification of Question by johndoe2-ga on 01 Dec 2002 23:40 PST

Something like:
 English sheep dog..........to herd sheep
 Alaskan malamute...........to pull sled

Hello.

The web site Dogswithjobs.com [http://dogswithjobs.com/] offers
detailed information about the history and tasks associated with
different dog breeds.  For more information, visit:
http://dogswithjobs.com/about_dogs/meet_the_breeds/meet_the_breeds.html
Select a breed from the list for detailed information. For example,
the page on  Dalmatians explains that the dogs were "bred as a
carriage dog to protect travelers, horses and coaches."
http://dogswithjobs.com/about_dogs/meet_the_breeds/dalm.html

Additionally, there are several dog breed lists that classify dogs by
the tasks for which they were bred. Typically, these lists classify
the dogs into categories such as:
Sporting dogs (hunting birds and small animals)
Hounds (tracking)
Terriers (hunting rodents and other small animals)
Herding Dogs
"Toys"

Here are several of these lists:

Ameridogs.com - Choosing a breed
http://www.ameridogs.com/Choosing_a_Breed.htm

BBC- Dog Breeds recognised by the The Kennel Club
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A701263

Pet Guardian Angels - What's the Right Dog for You?
http://www.pgaa.com/canine/general/rightdog.html

search strategy: "dog breeds", hunting, toys, hounds, terriers

I hope this helps.

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Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 02 Dec 2002 00:22 PST

John Doe:

I locked the question before you had written:

"Something like: 
 English sheep dog..........to herd sheep 
 Alaskan malamute...........to pull sled"

As such I was unaware of your need for the information in this format.
I apologize for that. If you need additional assistance, please
request clarification.

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Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 02 Dec 2002 03:03 PST

Okay, I've compiled a list in the format you requested. It's based
upon the information on Dogswithjobs.com [http://dogswithjobs.com/].
If I've missed any breeds that you're interested in, let me know and
I'll look them up.


Breed………Originally bred for/as:

Afghan Hound … hunting leopards
Airedale Terrier… hunting vermin
Akbash… guarding livestock
Akita… hunting large game
Alaskan Malamute…pulling sled
American Eskimo Dog…unknown (performing tricks?)
American Pit Bull Terrier… fighting
Anatolian Shepherd… guarding livestock
Australian Cattle Dog… herding cattle
Australian Kelpie… herding cattle
Australian Shepherd…herding livestock
Australian Terrier… hunting vermin
Basset Hound… hunting rabbit
Beagle… hunting small prey
Belgian Shepherd… herding livestock; carrying messages; law
enforcement
Bernese Mountain Dog… all-round working farm dog
Bichon Frise… royal lap dog
Bloodhound… tracking during hunts
Border Collie… herding sheep
Border Terrier… killing foxes; guarding farms
Boston Terrier… controlling vermin
Bouvier Des Flanders… all-purpose farm dog
Boxer… baiting bears and bulls
Brittany… hunting companion
Bull Terrier… pit fighting
Cardigan Welsh Corgi… general working dog
Catahoula Leopard Hound… hunting, guarding
Caucasian Ovtcharka… guarding sheep
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel… companion dog
Central Asian Ovtcharka… herding livestock
Chesapeake Bay Retriever… hunting waterfowl
Cocker Spaniel… hunting 
Dachshund… hunting small game
Dalmatian… guarding horses and carriages
Doberman Pinscher… guarding people
English Springer Spaniel… hunting; all-purpose
English Toy Spaniel… lap dog
German Shepherd Dog… police dog
German Shorthaired Pointer…. hunting
Golden Retriever… retrieving waterfowl
Great Dane… hunting stag and wild board
Great Pyrenees… guarding livestock
Greyhound… hunting; racing
Jack Russell Terrier… hunting small game
Japanese Chin… lap dog
Japanese Spitz… companion dog
Karelian Bear Dog… hunting big game
Keeshound… watch dog; controlling vermin
Komondor… guarding large herds
Kuvasz… herding livestock
Labrador Retriever… retrieving fish and game
Lhaso Apso… guarding monasteries and palaces
Maltese… lap dog
Maremma… guarding sheep
Mastiff… fighting and defending
Miniature Schnauzer… catching rats
Miniature Pinscher… catching rats and being a barking watchdog
Newfoundland… retrieving from water
Norwegian Elk Hound… hunting big game 
Old English Sheepdog… herding sheep and cattle
Patterdale terrier… killing vermin
Pembroke Welsh Corgi… herding cattle
Pomeranian… lap dog
Poodle… retrieving waterfowl
Portuguese Water Dog… assisting fishermen
Pug… lap dog
Rat Terrier… hunting rats
Rhodesian Ridge Back… hunting lions
Rottweiler… herding cattle; pulling carts; protecting
Russian Wolfhound… coursing wolves
Saint Bernard… guarding and herding
Samoyed… pulling sleds; herding reindeer
Schipperke… guarding boats; catching vermin
Schnauzer… all-purpose farm dog
Scottish Terrier… hunting small animals
Shar Pei… all-purpose farm dog
Shetland Sheepdog… herding sheep
Shih Tzu… residing in temples and palaces
Siberian Husky… pulling sleds; herding reindeer
Smooth Fox Terrier… hunting foxes
South Russian Ovtcharka… guarding sheep
Vizsla… sporting dog
Weimaraner… hunting large game
Westie… hunting fox 
Wheaten Terrier… catching vermin; hunting; guarding
Whippet… racing
Wirehaired Fox Terrier… hunting fox
Yorkshire Terrier… catching rats and other small animals

Note that the task listed for each dog isn't necessarily the only task
associated with that particular dog. The tasks listed are generally
what the dog was originally bred for at the time it became a distinct
breed.

Again, if I've missed any breeds that you're interested in, request
clarification and I'll add them. Thanks.

I had used search engines several times myself trying to find a dog vs
task list with no luck. For a small fee to be able to obtain exactly
the information you want and in the desired format is a service that
is destined to be a big winner. Good job to the people at Google.

Aren't the American Eskimo dogs for pulling (sleds, maybe)?

Border terriers are bred to drag foxes from holes or 'worry' them out
by barking and snarling - not necessarily killing them.(the
'terrier-man' may do that - or throw the fox to the hounds)