Belgian Tervuren standing in a field with yellow wildflowers.
Belgian Tervuren

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.

Puli

Puli

No other breed can be mistaken for the Puli, a compact but powerful herder covered from head to…

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Pumi

Pumi

A compact, nimble-footed herder of Hungarian origin, the Pumi is easily recognized by a…

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Pyrenean Mastiff

Pyrenean Mastiff

A centuries-old, rare breed from the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain, this livestock guardian protected…

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Pyrenean Shepherd

Pyrenean Shepherd

Enthusiastic, mischievous, and whip-smart, the Pyrenean Shepherd is an indefatigable herde…

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Rat Terrier

Rat Terrier

An American original, with a breed name said to be coined by Teddy Roosevelt, the Rat Terrier is a…

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Redbone Coonhound

Redbone Coonhound

The streamlined Redbone Coonhound, an American original, is even-tempered, mellow, and kindly a…

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Rhodesian Ridgeback

Rhodesian Ridgeback

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is an all-purpose 'Renaissance hound' whose hallmark is the ridge, o…

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Rottweiler

Rottweiler

The Rottweiler is a robust working breed of great strength descended from the mastiffs of the Roma…

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Russell Terrier

Russell Terrier

Upbeat, lively, inquisitive, and friendly, the jaunty Russell Terrier was developed by England'…

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Russian Toy

Russian Toy

The Russian Toy is a small, elegant, lively dog with long legs, fine bones and lean muscles. They…

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Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka

Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka

Russkaya Tsvetnaya Bolonka translates to "Russian Colored Lapdog." Bolonki were originally bred to…

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Saint Bernard

Saint Bernard

The Saint Bernard does not rank very high in AKC registrations, but the genial giant of the Swi…

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