The Pastoral Group was formed by The Kennel Club in 1999 by splitting up the Working Group which had become extremely large; at the time there were 50 or so dogs in the Group and it was still growing – approximately twice the size of any of the other Groups.
Although variable in size the members of this Group tend to be smaller in size than the Working breeds and all have a herding background; some, like the Corgis were simply cattle drivers whilst the mainland European shepherding dogs, such as the Pyrenean Mountain Dog and the Bergamasco had a dual role as both guard to the shepherd and his flocks and working the animals. Further north, the Spitz was a dual purpose herder and guard of reindeer and some were worked as sled dogs as well.
This has resulted in the native Pastoral breeds being both smaller and without the protective and guarding instincts of those in mainland Europe.
As dogs who have always worked closely with man some of the breeds, particularly the German Shepherd and Border Collie, are exceptionally trainable and really excel at obedience work; the German Shepherd, Briard and Malinois are amongst those who were used for war work – not just protection work but as messenger dogs, carrying Red Cross supplies and laying communication lines.
Their eagerness to work varies from breed to breed, but their heritage will come through to varying degrees and they all like to be busy. For some, more than others, it is essential that they are stimulated or they will become bored and destructive. Some, too, have strong guarding instincts and require plenty of socialisation as youngsters to ensure they are well integrated into the household and can cope happily with visitors.
The corded coats of the Komondor and Puli and mats of the Bergamasco need particular attention, not breeds to be taken on before you establish precisely how to care for their particular coat patterns, as not many professional groomers will be able to help you with these particularly specialised coats.
With the help of informed and responsible breeders and the extremely helpful breed clubs it is relatively easy to establish how good a match any particular dog will be for your home and family.There are some very glamorous dogs in the Pastoral Group – though they require a lot of hard work to make them look that way - some very workmanlike and some with strong instincts to guard. What they have in common is that they will all be extremely loyal and mostly obedient.