Dogs are used for many purposes:
*Guarding property and livestock.*Herding [[sheep]] and [[cow|cattle]].*Tracking by scent, carrying messages, and mountain and water rescue.*Pursuing, flushing and retrieving game, and killing [[vermin]].*Providing assistance to people who are deaf and blind.*Military and police duties including guarding, tracking, interrogation, and attacking. In [[World War II]], the [[Soviet Union]] attempted to train dogs to place explosive charges under German [[tank]]s.
*To detect cadavers, explosives, or illegal drugs (German Shepherds are commonly trained to do so by police)
*As a beast of burden, or for drawing sledges, sleighs, and dogcarts.* As a performing animal. [[Circus]] dogs have been trained to dance, ride bicycles, speak, and walk the tightrope. * For fighting, now illegal in most places, e.g. everywhere in USA.*As food. Dog is still considered a delicacy in [[China]], [[Korea]] and parts of [[Africa]] today.
Today most dogs in western countries are kept for [[pet|companionship]] only. Stray and feral dogs cause many problems, spreading diseases such as [[rabies]], and attacking people and [[livestock]].