English Toy Spaniel standing in three-quarter view facing forward
English Toy Spaniel

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.

Briard

Briard

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Canaan Dog

Canaan Dog

One of the AKC's oldest breeds, the Canaan Dog is the national dog of Israel. This quick…

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Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Cardigan Welsh Corgi

The Cardigan Welsh Corgi is a masterpiece of the breeder's art: Every aspect of its makeup i…

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Collie

Collie

The majestic Collie, thanks to a hundred years as a pop-culture star, is among the world's mo…

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Entlebucher Mountain Dog

Entlebucher Mountain Dog

The Entlebucher Mountain Dog, tricolor 'Laughing Dog' of the Swiss Alps, is a rugged and determined…

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Finnish Lapphund

Finnish Lapphund

The weatherproof Finnish Lapphund is a tough and substantial reindeer herder from north of the…

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German Shepherd Dog

German Shepherd Dog

Generally considered dogkind's finest all-purpose worker, the German Shepherd Dog is a large…

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Icelandic Sheepdog

Icelandic Sheepdog

The Icelandic Sheepdog, Iceland's only native dog breed, is a charmingly friendly and faithful…

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Lancashire Heeler

Lancashire Heeler

The Lancashire Heeler is a medium to high energy dog. Intelligent, alert and friendly, they are…

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Miniature American Shepherd

Miniature American Shepherd

The Miniature American Shepherd resembles a small Australian Shepherd. True herders in spite of…

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Mudi

Mudi

The Mudi is an extremely versatile, intelligent, alert, agile, all-purpose Hungarian farm dog. Hi…

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Norwegian Buhund

Norwegian Buhund

The densely coated Nowegian Buhund, a Nordic spitz-type closely associated with the Vikings, is a…

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