Dogs have been entertaining the humans that care for them for over 2,000 years. The first recorded entertaining dog was Zoppico, a dog that performed in ancient Greece. He was trained to eat a piece of meat and then fall over, playing dead.
Many dogs performed in TV shows and movies during the early 20th century. Lassie, Rin Tin Tin and Benji are the best known canine movie stars. Many of these dogs were replaced by their offspring when they were too old to perform. These dogs are trained by professionals, who know all the tricks of the trade.
Herding Dogs
Dogs have been used for herding livestock for hundreds of years. Farmers often send their dogs to bring in the cows from the pasture at milking time. These dogs are able to perform this task without help from their owners. Border collies use a nasty stare to assert dominance over livestock. There are two types of herding dogs; British and Continental.
Livestock Guardians
These dogs were originally bred in Europe and Asia. Their job is to protect livestock. They stay with their herd at all times and guard it from predators. Livestock guardians need no human assistance to perform the tasks expected of them. Breeds of livestock guardians are Great Pyrenees, Komondor, and Anatolian Shepherds to name a few.
Police Dogs
These dogs perform specific tasks and they are irreplaceable in crime fighting methods. They assist police officers in apprehending criminals, drug busts, bomb scares and arson cases. Their sense of smell must be impeccable and their hearing excellent. These dogs are highly trained by specialists to perform police duties. Police dogs are able to perform in all situations and not become disoriented by distractions such as gun shots, loud noises and crowds. These dogs are invaluable to their handlers and more than once have saved the lives of those they work with. Most police dogs live with their masters and stay at his side twenty-four hours a day.