working dog

American  

[wur-king dawg, dog] / ˈwɜr kɪŋ ˌdɔg, ˌdɒg /

noun

1. one of any of several breeds of usually large, powerful dogs originally developed to assist people in their daily work, as draft animals, guard dogs, and guide dogs, and including the boxer, bullmastiff, Doberman pinscher, Great Dane, St. Bernard, and Siberian husky.

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working dog British  

noun

1. a dog of suitable breed or training kept for its practical use, such as herding sheep, rather than as a pet or for showing

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Etymology

Origin of working dog

First recorded in 1890–95

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

working dog

The Air Force, which oversees military working dog training for the Pentagon, declined to comment on the new company.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

A working dog from the Scottish Highlands has been named animal of the year by a charity for hunting down an invasive marine creature called the carpet sea squirt.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

A Russian military working dog reportedly abandoned on a battlefield in Ukraine has switched sides and is now helping Ukrainian soldiers detect explosives left by its former masters.

From Washington Times ● May 23, 2022

“The nice thing about the working dog or an animal you work with, you’re always used to doing weird things with them and traveling with them and camping with them,” McClelland told the station.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 18, 2021

Notwithstanding this neglect, however, the average life of the working dog is longer by a year or two than that of his more beautiful cousin.

From Dogs and All about Them by Robert Leighton

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