5 Great Dog Breeds for the South

For those of you that have even a cursory knowledge of dog breeds, the word “working” and “dog” make us think of the breed group, such as the Hunting Group, the Toy Group, etc. The working dogs I am talking about today are not going to be limited to those breeds that are in the Working Group.

I am going to be talking about whatever dog breeds are best, regardless of group, at working in the Southern United States. The first discriminator I am going to set up is that of climate. I am going to select dogs that are built to handle the Southern climate, i.e., lots of heat and short winters.

Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes, while they are beautiful, intelligent, and hard working, are also obviously built for chasing down caribou and polar bear, not coyotes and Jack Rabbits. My second discriminator is going to be dogs that are useful for the work that pertains to the South. That means that this list will be a bit heavy toward the herding of cows and sheep. So, lets get started.

Australian Cattle Dog

This breed of dog comes from Australia, obviously. They have short hair, and are built for the Aussie heat. Interestingly, all herding dogs are simply hunting dogs with modified behavior.

The Australian Cattle Dog is an energetic, human friendly, dog that will work tirelessly at herding cattle, sheep, goats, or any other domesticated large animal. The only quirk of note is that these dogs have a tendency to try to herd people as well, and have been known to gently nip at heels.
Doberman Pinscher

Simply known as Doberman, this breed is one of the most widely recognized in the world. Bred originally for personal protection, the Doberman is one of the most effective personal protection dogs. The Doberman is one of the few breeds selected by the Police for Public Order Enforcement. I chose the Doberman here instead of the German Sheppard, the ubiquitous police dog, because German Shepherds struggle to handle the Southern heat.

Bloodhound

It would be impossible to leave the bloodhound off this list, as the breed has become iconic for all things Southern. The bloodhound is a large breed of dog famous for its superior sense of smell, and its dedication to tracking tirelessly. Quite the opposite of the Doberman, the Bloodhound is known for its gentleness.
English Springer Spaniel.

The English Springer Spaniel is built for hunting, one of the ultimate past times of the South. No, it isn’t moneymaking work, but that isn’t a prerequisite. The question is about whether the dog helps perform a specific function. The Springer Spaniel is one of the ultimate bird dogs. I chose the spaniel over retrievers, because Spaniels are more adept at not only retrieving, but pointing as well.

Labrador Retrievers

I selected these dogs for their ability as seeing-eye dogs for people whom are blind or visually impaired. Their keen intellect, mixed with their friendly nature with both dogs and people alike make them one of the few breeds selected for this noble task. They are a popular dog breed. that makes buying one less expensive.

Texas Heeler

Finally and as a bonus it is worth mentioning the “Texas heeler” A cross-breed common in ranching regions of Texas and known for a superior ability to herd cattle in difficult terrain and hot weather.