History of Guardian & Working Breeds

21/10/2026

Drawing of English, Irish & Russian Setters from J. H. Walsh (1810-1888) book

21/10/2026

The sculpture depicts an Alabay, a Turkmen shepherd dog prized for its "pride and self-confidence".

21/10/2026

There an old video I found posted in the comments. Not sure if youll enjoy it as its long etc?
The Central Asia Shepherd Dog is one of the most ancient breed of dogs. They were formed as a breed from natural selection during more than four thousand years in the vast territory, which spreads nowadays from the Caspian Sea to China and from Southern Ural to Afghanistan.
Its heritage is from the most ancient dogs of Tibet, Cattle Dogs from various nomad tribes’ dogs that are closely related to the Mongolian Shepherd Dog and the Tibetan Mastiff.
Mainly used to protect cattle, caravans and the owner’s dwellings, and being exposed to rigid natural selection. Hard living conditions and constant struggle against predators have had influence on the shape as well as the dog’s character making it strong, fearless, and taught it to save its energy.
In the places of primordial habitation, the CASD were used mainly to protect herds from predators and also as guard dogs. The work with the breed started in the USSR in the 1930s. FCI

20/10/2026

Famous brindle-and-white Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Bomber Son, whelped in 1958, sired by Brindle Bill out of Suzyanah Sue.
Owners are Mr. & Mrs. Parks (along with their son) From Stoke-on-Trent, England.

18/10/2026

Countess Lorna Howe poses with her black Labrador Retriever, Champion Bramshaw Bob, alongside the championship trophy after winning Best in Show at the Crufts Dog Show. 1930s

17/10/2026

The Wire Fox Terrier was developed in England by fox hunting enthusiasts and is believed to be descended from a now-extinct rough-coated, black-and-tan working terrier of Wales, Derbyshire, and Durham. The breed was also thought to have been bred to chase foxes into their burrows; the dogs' short, strong, usually docked tails were used as handles by the hunter to pull them back out. Older -1915 & 1917

17/10/2026

17/10/2026

Request
The Beauceron is the largest of the French sheepdogs. Though almost unknown outside of France, the Beauceron has a long history. It is a very old breed developed solely in France with no foreign crosses. It is thought that a passage in a manuscript, written in 1587, is the first specific mention of a dog of the Beauceron’s description.
Worked and selected for a very long time, the Beauceron was used to drive and protect the herd (Sheep or Cattle), guard the house, and defend the family. Originating in the plains region surrounding Paris known as La Beauce, the Beauceron is also known as Berger de Beauce (Shepherd of the Beauce) or Bas Rouge (Red Stockings). The Beauceron is closely related to its longhaired cousin, the Briard or Berger de Brie.
The French army also used the Beauceron. Their ability to follow commands without hesitation was well utilized during both wars in Europe, where the military used them on the front lines to run messages. Beaucerons were also used to pick up trails, detect mines and support commando activity. Today Beaucerons are still used as military dogs as well as police dogs.
In the 1960s the Ministry for Agriculture required that the S.C.C. create a confirmation examination with the goal of preserving the qualities of the ancient sheepdogs. There were concerns that because of the demands of modern day life, the Beauceron breed could well disappear. Fortunately, the adaptable Beauceron found work in protecting the home and family of his master, despite the disappearing flocks.
Since the Sixties, the Beauceron’s popularity has grown in France. But it wasn’t until recently that the breed has become known outside of France. The Beauceron is gaining in popularity in many different countries.

15/10/2026

Request.
The White Swiss Shepherd (Berger Blanc Suisse) ranks as an exemplary utility and working dog. My research says being trained as a guard dog, service dog or rescue dog, due to being closely related to the German Shepherd.
Their history reaches back far. As early as the 7th century, the short-haired ancestors of today’s breed were tending and driving flocks of sheep, protecting their shepherd’s property. However, the official breeding of the breed only began at the end of the 19th century when the Prussian cavalry officer Max von Stephanitz devoted himself to these versatile dogs.
Initially, with performance being the sole criteria, breeders did not differentiate between short-haired, long-haired, brown-black or white Shepherd dogs.
At the beginning of the 20th century, however, white offspring fell more and more into disrepute. This was due to new scientific findings that a high white percentage in the coat was linked to an increased risk of deafness and other genetically inherited diseases. Indeed, many animals show a genetic correlation between a high white percentage and certain hereditary defects.
However, modern research shows that the white colour in White Shepherds is due to a different genetic constellation, posing no higher risk of defects than Shepherd dogs of other coat colours.
In 1933, unaware of these latest genetic discoveries, German Shepherd breeders decided to remove the white coat colour from the breed standard, deeming it a fault. Fortunately, Canadian and American breeders continued to breed white Shepherds despite the German standard, albeit with less success, as the history of the American Canadian White Shepherd illustrates.
In 1968, American breeders finally followed suit, banning the breeding of white Shepherds.
Thanks to a group of Swiss cynologists, the White Shepherd did not go extinct. Driven by the bans in its German homeland and in America, they began in 1972 with the pure breeding of solely white Shepherd dogs. With the help of suitable breeding animals from Canada and the USA, they established a healthy breeding stock.
In 1991, the “Berger Blanc Suisse” was recognised as a new dog breed in the Swiss Stud Book. Finally, on 4 July 2011, the FCI, the world’s largest canine organisation, officially recognised the white Shepherd dogs as an independent breed. Zoo Plus 70%