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. This working dog is a border collie mix. ... Pets and humans often contribute toward the happiness of the other in a pet relationship. ... The Bichon Frisé is an example of a toy dog that requires considerable grooming. ... A retriever is a family of gundogs that retrieve game for a hunter. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the...

The Pomeranian started out as a large, sled-type dog and was downbred to become the small companion dog it is today.

An orange Pomeranian Veltuds Scarlet Affair owned by Miss A Samuels. ... An orange Pomeranian Veltuds Scarlet Affair owned by Miss A Samuels. ...

Working vs. companion

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. A Sheepdog trial (or simply dog trial) is a competitive dog sport in which herding dog breeds move sheep around a field, fences, gates, or enclosures as directed by their handlers. ... A herding dog is a dog that either has been trained in herding or that is a member of a breed developed for herding. ... A service dog, a type of assistance dog, is a dog that is specially trained to help people who have disabilities with everyday tasks. ... Dog agility is a sport in which a dog moves through an obstacle course with the guidance of his or her handler. ...

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. A breed is a domesticated subspecies or infrasubspecies of an animal. ... The Lords and Barons prove their Nobility by hanging their Banners and exposing their Coats-of-arms at the Windows of the Lodge of the Heralds. ... Common nickname Peke Classification and breed standards Pekingese is an ancient toy breed of dog, originating in China. ... Country of origin China (Korea) Classification and breed standards The Pug is a small but robust toy dog breed with a compressed, wrinkly face. ...

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. Common nickname Lhasa Country of origin Tibet Classification and breed standards The Lhasa Apso is a small breed of dog originally from Tibet. ... Country of origin United Kingdom Classification and breed standards The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a breed of small dogs, one of many toy dog breeds. ...

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 King Charles 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". Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Royalty may refer to either: the royal family of a country with a monarchy royalties the payment made to the owner of a copyright, patent, or trademark, for the use thereof This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Country of origin England Classification Breed standards (external links) FCI, AKC, ANKC, CKC KC(UK), NZKC, UKC The King Charles Spaniel (known as the English Toy Spaniel in the U.S. and Canada) is a small breed of dog in the spaniel category. ...

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. Most spaniels, like this English Cocker Spaniel, are small-to-medium dogs with drop ears and a longer coat. ... Country of origin United States Classification and breed standards The Boston Terrier is a breed of dog originating in the United States of America. ... Schematic drawing of a simple mercury barometer with vertical mercury column and reservoir at base A barometer is an instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure. ...

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. The Golden Retriever is a relatively modern and very popular breed of dog. ... In a dog show, judges familiar with specific dog breeds evaluate individual dogs for how well they conform to published breed standards, hence the more accurate term is conformation show (or, sometimes, breed show). ...

External links

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