AKC Breeds Broken Out By Group

Sporting Group

Naturally active and alert, Sporting dogs make likeable, well-rounded companions. First developed to work closely with hunters to locate and/or retrieve quarry. There are four basic types of Sporting dogs; spaniels, pointers, retrievers and setters. Known for their superior instincts in water and woods, many of these breeds enjoy hunting and other field activities. Many of them, especially the water-retrieving breeds, have well –insulated water repellant coats, which are quite resilient to the elements. Thinking of getting one? Just realize that most require regular, invigorating exercise.

• American Water Spaniel
• Barbet
• Boykin Spaniel
• Bracco Italiano
• Brittany
• Chesapeake Bay Retriever
• Clumber Spaniel
• Cocker Spaniel **
• Curly-Coated Retriever
• English Cocker Spaniel
• English Setter
• English Springer Spaniel
• Field Spaniel
• Flat-Coated Retriever
• German Shorthaired Pointer
• German Wirehaired Pointer
• Golden Retriever
• Gordon Setter
• Irish Red and White Setter
• Irish Setter
• Irish Water Spaniel
• Labrador Retriever
• Lagotto Romagnolo
• Nederlandse Kooikerhondje
• Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
• Pointer
• Spinone Italiano
• Sussex Spaniel
• Vizsla
• Weimaraner
• Welsh Springer Spaniel
• Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
• Wirehaired Vizsla

Hound

Most hounds share the common ancestral trait of being used for hunting. Some use acute scenting powers to follow a trail. Others demonstrate a phenomenal gift of stamina as they relentlessly run down quarry. Beyond this, however, generalizations about hounds are hard to come by, since the Group encompasses quite a diverse lot. There are Pharaoh Hounds, Norwegian Elkhounds, Afghans and Beagles, among others. Some hounds share the distinct ability to produce a unique sound known as baying. You’d best sample this sound before you decide to get a hound of your own to be sure it’s your cup of tea.

• Afghan Hound
• American English Coonhound
• American Foxhound
• Azawakh
• Basenji
• Basset Hound
• Beagle **
• Black and Tan Coonhound
• Bloodhound
• Bluetick Coonhound
• Borzoi
• Cirneco dell’Etna
• Dachshund **
• English Foxhound
• Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen
• Greyhound
• Harrier
• Ibizan Hound
• Irish Wolfhound
• Norwegian Elkhound
• Otterhound
• Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
• Pharaoh Hound
• Plott Hound
• Portuguese Podengo Pequeno
• Redbone Coonhound
• Rhodesian Ridgeback
• Saluki
• Scottish Deerhound
• Sloughi
• Treeing Walker Coonhound
• Whippet

Working

Quick to learn, dogs of the Working Group are intelligent, strong, watchful, and alert. Bred to assist man, they excel at jobs such as guarding property, pulling sleds and performing water rescues. Doberman Pinschers, Siberian Huskies and Great Danes are part of this Group, to name just a few. They make wonderful companions but because they are large, and naturally protective, prospective owners need to know how to properly train and socialize a dog. Some breeds in the Working Group may not be for the first-time dog owner.

• Akita
• Alaskan Malamute
• Anatolian Shepherd Dog
• Bernese Mountain Dog
• Black Russian Terrier
• Boerboel
• Boxer
• Bullmastifff
• Cane Corso
• Chinook
• Danish-Swedish Farmdog
• Doberman Pinscher
• Dogo Argentino
• Dogue de Bordeaux
• German Pinscher
• Giant Schnauzer
• Great Dane
• Great Pyrenees
• Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
• Komondor
• Kuvasz
• Leonberger
• Mastiff
• Neapolitan Mastiff
• Newfoundland
• Portuguese Water Dog
• Rottweiler
• St. Bernard
• Samoyed
• Siberian Husky
• Standard Schnauzer
• Tibetan Mastiff

Terrier

Feisty and energetic are two of the primary traits that come to mind for those who have experience with Terriers. In fact, many describe their distinct personalities as “eager for a spirited argument.” Bred to hunt, kill vermin and to guard their families home or barn; sizes range from fairly small, as in the Norfolk, Cairn or West Highland White Terrier, to the larger and grand Airedale Terrier. Prospective owners should know that terriers make great pets, but they do require determination on the part of the owner because they can be stubborn; have high energy levels, and require special grooming (known as “stripping”) to maintain a characteristic appearance.

• Airedale Terrier
• American Hairless Terrier
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Australian Terrier
• Bedlington Terrier
• Border Terrier
• Bull Terrier **
• Cairn Terrier
• Cesky Terrier
• Dandie Dinmont Terrier
• Glen of Imaal Terrier
• Irish Terrier
• Kerry Blue Terrier
• Lakeland Terrier
• Manchester Terrier  **
• Miniature Bull Terrier
• Miniature Schnauzer
• Norfolk Terrier
• Norwich Terrier
• Parson Russell Terrier
• Rat Terrier
• Russell Terrier
• Scottish Terrier
• Sealyham Terrier
• Skye Terrier
• Smooth Fox Terrier
• Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier
• Welsh Terrier
• West Highland White Terrier
• Wire Fox Terrier

Toy

Toy breeds might be short on size, but they are definitely not short on personality! Breeds in the Toy group are affectionate, sociable and adaptable to a wide range of lifestyles. Just don’t let their size and winsome expressions fool you: they are smart full of energy and many have strong protective instincts. Toy dogs are popular with city dwellers because they make ideal apartment dogs and terrific lap warmers on nippy nights.

• Affenpinscher
• Biewer Terrier
• Brussels Griffon
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
• Chihuahua  **
• Chinese Crested
• English Toy Spaniel **
• Havanese
• Italian Greyhound
• Japanese Chin
• Maltese
• Manchester Terrier  **
• Miniature Pinscher
• Papillon
• Pekingese
• Pomeranian
• Poodle  **
• Pug
• Russian Toy
• Shih Tzu
• Silky Terrier
• Toy Fox Terrier
• Yorkshire Terrier

Non-Sporting

Non-Sporting dogs are made up of a diverse group of breeds with varying sizes, coats, personalities and overall appearance. They come from a wide variety of backgrounds so it is hard to generalize about this group of dogs. From the sturdy Chow Chow, to the compact French Bulldog and the foxlike Keeshond, the differences in features can be vast. Most are good watchdogs and housedogs. Other breeds in this group are the ever-popular Dalmatian, Poodle and Lhasa Apso, and the less common Schipperke and Tibetan Spaniel.

• American Eskimo Dog
• Bichon Frise
• Boston Terrier
• Bulldog
• Chinese Shar-Pei
• Chow Chow
• Coton de Tulear
• Dalmatian
• Finnish Spitz
• French Bulldog
• Keeshond
• Lhasa Apso
• Lowchen
• Norwegian Lundehund
• Poodle  **
• Schipperke
• Shiba Inu
• Tibetan Spaniel
• Tibetan Terrier
• Xoloitzcuintli

Herding

Up until 1983, the breeds in the Herding Group were part of the Working Group. All Herding breeds share an instinctual ability to control the movement of other animals. These breeds were developed to gather, herd and protect livestock. Today, some like the Belgian Malinois and the German Shepherd Dog are commonly used for police and protection work. The herding instinct in these breeds is so strong that Herding breeds have been known to gently herd their owners, especially the children of the family. In general, these intelligent dogs make excellent companions and respond beautifully to training exercises.

• Australian Cattle Dog
• Australian Shepherd
• Bearded Collie
• Beauceron
• Belgian Laekenois
• Belgian Malinois
• Belgian Sheepdog
• Belgian Tervuren
• Bergamasco
• Berger Picard
• Border Collie
• Bouvier Des Flanders
• Briard
• Canaan Dog
• Cardigan Welsh Corgi
• Collie
• Entlebucher Mountain Dog
• Finnish Lapphund
• German Shepherd Dog
• Icelandic Sheepdog
• Lancashire Heeler
• Miniature American Shepherd
• Mudi
• Norwegian Buhund
• Old English Sheepdog
• Pembroke Welsh Corgi
• Polish Lowland Sheepdog
• Puli
• Pumi
• Pyrenean Shepherd
• Shetland Sheepdog
• Spanish Water Dog
• Swedish Vallhund