Smithfield

The Smithfield is an old English drover's dog that survives mainly in Tasmania, having largely vanished from the country it is named for.

History

It drove cattle to Smithfield market in London — a large, shaggy, bobtailed dog related to the stock behind the Old English Sheepdog. British droving ended with the railways and the type faded, but dogs taken to Australia in the nineteenth century persisted in Tasmania, where farmers still work them. It is not recognised by kennel clubs anywhere.

Temperament

The breed is known for being calm, hard-working and tolerant, steady with stock and easy with its own people.

Care and training

It needs substantial exercise and real work. The shaggy coat needs regular brushing.

Health

Generally robust from working selection; nothing is widely documented as breed-specific. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.