![Barbet standing in the snow.](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Barbet-standing-in-the-snow.jpg)
What's a dog breed?
People have been breeding dogs since prehistoric times. The earliest dog breeders used wolves to create domestic dogs. From the beginning, humans purposefully bred dogs to perform various tasks. Hunting, guarding, and herding are thought to be among the earliest job…
What's a dog breed?
People have been breeding dogs since prehistoric times. The earliest dog breeders used wolves to create domestic dogs. From the beginning, humans purposefully bred dogs to perform various tasks. Hunting, guarding, and herding are thought to be among the earliest jobs eagerly performed by the animal destined to be called “man’s best friend.”
For thousands of years, humans bred dogs toward the physical and mental traits best suited for the work expected of them. The sleek Greyhound types bred to chase fleet-footed prey, and the huge mastiff types used as guard dogs and warriors, are two ancient examples of dogs bred for specific jobs.
As humans became more sophisticated, so did their dogs. Eventually, there emerged specific breeds of dogs, custom-bred to suit the breeders’ local needs and circumstances. The Greyhound, for instance, was the foundation type for the immense Irish Wolfhound and the dainty Italian Greyhound. All three have a distinct family resemblance, but you’d never mistake one for another.
So, then, when is a breed a breed and not just a kind or type of dog? The simplest way to define a breed is to say it always “breeds true.” That is, breeding a purebred Irish Setter to another purebred Irish Setter will always produce dogs instantly recognizable as Irish Setters.
Each breed’s ideal physical traits, movement, and temperament are set down in a written document called a “breed standard.” For example, the breed standard sets forth the traits that make a Cocker Spaniel a Cocker Spaniel and not a Springer Spaniel.
The AKC standard for each breed originates with a “parent club,” the AKC-recognized national club devoted to a particular breed. Once approved by the AKC, a standard becomes both the breeder’s “blueprint” and the instrument used by dog show judges to evaluate a breeder’s work.
There are over 340 dog breeds known throughout the world. The American Kennel Club recognizes 200 breeds.
![Field Spaniel](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn-origin-etr.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/10115409/Field-Spaniels-of-different-colors-sitting-together-outdoors-400x267.jpg)
Field Spaniel
The sweet and sensitive Field Spaniel is famously docile, but vigorous and game for anything whe…
See More![Flat-Coated Retriever](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Flat-Coated-Retrievers-sitting-outdoors-400x267.jpg)
Flat-Coated Retriever
The Peter Pan of the Sporting Group, the forever-young Flat-Coated Retriever is a gundog of…
See More![German Shorthaired Pointer](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn-origin-etr.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/08152835/German-Shorthaired-Pointer-On-White-07-400x267.jpg)
German Shorthaired Pointer
The versatile, medium-sized German Shorthaired Pointer is an enthusiastic gundog of all trades who…
See More![German Wirehaired Pointer](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/German-Wirehaired-Pointer-standing-in-a-green-grassy-field-400x267.jpg)
German Wirehaired Pointer
With his sporty weatherproof coat and can-do attitude, the noble German Wirehaired Pointer is a…
See More![Golden Retriever](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Golden-Retriever-wading-into-a-lake-400x267.jpg)
Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever, an exuberant Scottish gundog of great beauty, stands among America's mo…
See More![Gordon Setter](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Gordon-Setter.3-400x267.jpg)
Gordon Setter
The Gordon Setter, the black avenger of the Highlands, is a substantial bird dog named for a…
See More![Irish Red and White Setter](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Irish-Red-and-White-Setter-stalking-in-a-field-400x267.jpg)
Irish Red and White Setter
The rollicking Irish Red and White Setter is an athletic medium-sized bird dog bred primarily fo…
See More![Irish Setter](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Irish-Setter-on-point-in-a-field-400x267.jpg)
Irish Setter
The Irish Setter is a high-spirited gundog known for grace, swiftness, and a flashy red coat. They…
See More![Irish Water Spaniel](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Irish-Water-Spaniel-On-White-01-400x267.jpg)
Irish Water Spaniel
The tallest of the AKC's spaniels, the Irish Water Spaniel is instantly recognizable by its crisply…
See More![Labrador Retriever](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Labrador-Retrievers-three-colors-400x267.jpg)
Labrador Retriever
The sweet-faced, lovable Labrador Retriever is one of America's most popular dog breeds, year afte…
See More![Lagotto Romagnolo](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Lagotto-Romagnolo-standing-by-a-pond-400x267.jpg)
Lagotto Romagnolo
The Lagotto Romagnolo, Italy's adorable 'truffle dog,' sports a curly coat and lavish facial…
See More![Nederlandse Kooikerhondje](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nederlandse-Kooikerhondje-Field-400x267.jpg)
Nederlandse Kooikerhondje
The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje is lively, agile, self-confident, good-natured and alert. The breed…
See More