Trotting spaniels outperform labradors and shepherds when bearing a heavy load

Trotting spaniels outperform labradors and shepherds when bearing a heavy load Since domestication 14,000 years ago, dogs have been our constant assistants and companions, providing protection, pulling sledges, controlling pests and hunting with us.For each role, there are breeds that specialise in the activity.More recently, however, working dogs have been donning heavy loads to expand their assistance repertoire.'Dogs are working increasingly in environments where they need to carry heavy weights on their backs, such as in search and rescue or the armed forces', says James Charles from University of Liverpool, UK.But how much of an impact do these loads have on dogs and the way they move, and are some breeds more affected than others?'It is important to know', says Charles.Teaming up with Karl Bates (University of Liverpool) and researchers from the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Charles recruited dogs and their owners from across the UK to visit Liverpool for a trot in a laboratory to find out how the animals move when unburdened and when wearing a weighted backpack to determine how the loads affected their movements.