sheep dog

sheep·dog

also sheep dog S0329200 (shēp′dôg′, -dŏg′)n. A dog trained to guard and herd sheep. Also called shepherd dog.

Thesaurus

Noun

sheep dog - any of various usually long-haired breeds of dog reared to herd and guard sheepsheepdog, shepherd dogworking dog - any of several breeds of usually large powerful dogs bred to work as draft animals and guard and guide dogsBelgian sheepdog, Belgian shepherd - hardy working dog developed in Belgium for herding sheepbriard - old French breed of large strong usually black dogs having a long tail and long wavy and slightly stiff coatkelpie - an Australian sheepdog with pointed earskomondor - Hungarian breed of large powerful shaggy-coated white dog; used also as guard dogOld English sheepdog, bobtail - large sheepdog with a profuse shaggy bluish-grey-and-white coat and short tail; believed to trace back to the Roman occupation of BritainShetland sheep dog, Shetland sheepdog, Shetland - a small sheepdog resembling a collie that was developed in the Shetland Islandscollie - a silky-coated sheepdog with a long ruff and long narrow head developed in ScotlandBorder collie - developed in the area between Scotland and England usually having a black coat with white on the head and tip of tail used for herding both sheep and cattleBouvier des Flandres, Bouviers des Flandres - rough-coated breed used originally in Belgium for herding and guarding cattleRottweiler - German breed of large vigorous short-haired cattle dogsGerman police dog, German shepherd, German shepherd dog, alsatian - breed of large shepherd dogs used in police work and as a guide for the blind

Sheep Dog

any one of a group of work dogs that vary in place of origin and in appearance. Sheep dogs are used for herding, guarding, searching, and other types of work. They are distinguished by their large size, well-proportioned build, and thick fur. These powerful, hardy, and courageous dogs can be easily trained. The principal breeds of sheep dogs are the German shepherd, Caucasian sheep dog, Middle Asiatic sheep dog, South Russian sheep dog, collie, puli, pumi, kuvasz, and komon-dor.

The German shepherd is the most commonly used work dog in the world. It belongs to the group of European sheep dogs. In the late 19th century, when the German shepherd was first used for police and army work, a type of general-purpose work dog was developed. In 1904 the German shepherd was brought to Russia, where it was used in the army.

As a result of many years of selection work with the German shepherd breed in the USSR (beginning in 1924), an East European type of German shepherd was developed, which was well suited to local climatic conditions. The dog is larger than its European counterpart and has a leaner and stronger build. The head is wedge-shaped, the ears erect, and the tail saber-shaped. The height at the withers is 64 to 72 cm for males and 58 to 68 cm for females. The animal is used to herd livestock; it is also trained as a scent hound and a watchdog. The dog is used by special agencies of the militia and the army.

The Caucasian, Middle Asiatic, and South Russian sheep dogs are of ancient origin. They closely resemble one another: each has a large and broad head, heavy bone structure, powerful paws, pendent ears (clipped at pup age), and a sickle-shaped tail. The tail of the Middle Asiatic breed is docked. The height at the withers is at least 65 cm in males and at least 60 cm in females. These three breeds of sheep dog are bred mainly in the USSR.

Dogs very similar to the Caucasian and Middle Asiatic sheep dogs are common in Mongolia and other Asian countries, as well as in North Africa. Popular breeds in many countries include the Scottish collie and border collie; the Hungarian puli, pumi, kuvasz, and komondor; the Polish podgal and lowland sheep dog; the French Briard and Beauçeron; and the Belgian Gro-enendael and Malinois.

REFERENCES

Sluzhebnaia sobaka, 2nd ed. Moscow, 1972.
Standarty sobak sluzhebnykh porod, 2nd ed. Moscow, 1972.
Posobie po sobakovodstvu, 2nd ed. Leningrad, 1973.

A. P. MAZOVER

sheep dog

noun

Synonyms for sheep dog

noun any of various usually long-haired breeds of dog reared to herd and guard sheep

Synonyms

sheepdog
shepherd dog

Related Words

working dog
Belgian sheepdog
Belgian shepherd
briard
kelpie
komondor
Old English sheepdog
bobtail
Shetland sheep dog
Shetland sheepdog
Shetland
collie
Border collie
Bouvier des Flandres
Bouviers des Flandres
Rottweiler
German police dog
German shepherd
German shepherd dog
alsatian