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Companion Dogs
Companion dog usually describes a dog that does not work, providing only
companionship as a pet, rather than usefulness by doing specific tasks. Many
of the toy dog breeds are used only for the
pleasure of their company, not as workers, but any dog can be a companion
dog, and many working types such as retrievers are enjoyed in North America
primarily for their friendly nature as a family pet.
Some people and breed groups argue that any dog of a working dog type is
inherently a working dog, while others say that only a dog being actively
worked, either in a related field such as water trials for retrievers or
herding trials for herding dogs, or in some other field that requires
training and discipline, such as being service dogs or participating in dog
agility, can be considered a working dog.
Dogs that have been chosen for traits that make a good pet are generally
smaller breeds, and the tradition of keeping pretty dogs for no purpose other
than to be court decorations stems back thousands of years to Chinese
nobility. The Pekingese and the
Pug are both examples of canines chosen for their ability to be pets. In
the case of the Pekingese, it was for their lion-like demeanor; for the Pugs,
it was for their "lucky" wrinkles and their monkey-like impish behavior.
Other dogs that appear to be strictly a decorative or entertaining toy type
of dog originally had jobs, such as the Lhasa Apso's job as a watch dog, or
the delicate Yorkshire Terrier's
exceptional ratting abilities which made him a star.
Until the late 19th century, toy dogs were strictly the keep of the wealthy,
especially royalty, where small, charming dogs that did not work for their
food were pure status symbols. Many, like the Maltese
and the English Toy Spaniel, were often
used as gifts between royal houses as well, as a symbol of good will. Small
dogs like these got their name of lap dogs because the warm effect of a dog
on one's lap was considered beneficial to one's health and digestion. Indeed,
the 15th century name for companion and toy type dogs was 'comforters'.
In the late 19th century, some dogs were being bred for the combined purpose
of being hearty and also being a good companion to children and families,
rather than to refined ladies and men, as was the original task of the first
companion dogs. Old breed types like the spaniels took over roles as
housepets, as well as new breeds like the Boston Terrier. Though dogs and
children always had a certain attraction to each other, there was an
increased interest in the middle and even working classes for companion dogs
that would chum around with their youngsters. This increased throughout the
20th century, where a dog breed's reputation as being a good family pet was a
main barometer to their popularity.
Now in the 21st century, fewer and fewer dogs are being kept solely for the
purpose of working. Indeed, some breed groups for dogs like Golden Retrievers
worry that they are becoming more show and companion dogs than working dogs
and are encouraging people to work with their pets rather than simply keeping
them for their good looks. There is a rising popularity for smaller companion
breeds again as well, and they are slowly overtaking the large, hearty
sporting dogs in popularity in the United States as people recognise the
qualities of dogs created to solely be companions, not hunters or herders.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from
Wikipedia and from
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