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.
Neapolitan Mastiff
The Neapolitan Mastiff is a huge, powerful guarder whose astounding appearance has intimidated…
See MoreOtterhound
Big, boisterous, and affectionate, the Otterhound was bred in medieval England for the now-outlawed…
See MorePolish Lowland Sheepdog
A shaggy-coated herding dog who thrives on exercise and hard work, the Polish Lowland Sheepdog i…
See MorePyrenean Mastiff
A centuries-old, rare breed from the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain, this livestock guardian protected…
See MoreStaffordshire Bull Terrier
From his brawling past, the muscular but agile Staffordshire Bull Terrier retains the traits of…
See MoreSwedish Lapphund
Lively, alert, kind and affectionate. The Lapphund is very receptive, attentive and willing to…
See MoreTransylvanian Hound
The Transylvanian Hound is good-natured, courageous, and enduring. At his foundation, he is quie…
See MoreYakutian Laika
Yakutian Laikas are used for herding, pulling sleds and hunting. They were developed in ancie…
See MoreYorkshire Terrier
Beneath the dainty, glossy, floor-length coat of a Yorkshire Terrier beats the heart of a feisty…
See More