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Acompanion dog is adog which is not primarily aworking dog but apet. The primary function of a companion dog is not to perform a useful job but to provide companionship to humans. A companion dog can also be called an emotional support animal and is used to help people with mental health disabilities cope with symptoms. Most dogs can be companions, including manyworking dog breeds such asretrievers, who are enjoyed primarily for their friendly nature as a pet. Mosttoy dog breeds are used only for the pleasure of their company, not as workers. TheAmerican Kennel Club also offers aCompanion dog title for judged dog obedience competitions.
Breed groups argue that any dog in the working grouptype is inherently a "working" dog, while others argue that only a dog with an active occupation, either in a breed-related field (such as water trials for retrievers orherding trials forherding dogs) or in a breed-nonspecific field that requires training and discipline, such as beingassistance dogs or participating indog agility, can be considered a working dog.
Dogs that have been chosen for traits that make a convenient pet are generally smallerbreeds, and the tradition of keeping pretty dogs for no purpose other than to be court decorations stems back thousands of years toChinese nobility. ThePekingese and thePug are both examples of canines chosen for their ability to be pets. In the case of the Pekingese, it was for their lion-like demeanor; for the Pugs, it was for their "lucky" wrinkles and their monkey-like face.
Other dogs that appear to be strictly a decorative or entertaining breed of dog originally also had jobs outside of their main companionship task, such as theLhasa Apso's job as a watch dog, or the delicateYorkshire Terrier's exceptional rat-catching abilities.
Companion Dog ("CD" added to the dog's registered name) is officially a "Novice obedience Title" in the AKC Competition Obedience Ring, whereby a team enters the "ring" with 200 points, and needs to leave with at least 170 points to "qualify". It requires three "legs" (trials) under three different AKC judges. Any dog can earn a CD title. Levels for obedience are Companion Dog (CD), Companion Dog Excellent (CDX), Utility Dog (UD), Utility Dog Excellent (UDX), Obedience Trial Champion (OTCH), and National Obedience Champion (NOC). A pet dog is not considered a "Companion Dog" without entering a competition ring and creating a document trail. The first AKC licensed obedience trial was held in 1936, where 200 dogs were entered.[1]
Toy dogs and companion dogs have a large overlap. However, companion dogs are not limited by size whereas all toy dogs are small.
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