Pumi standing outdoors in the countryside.
Pumi

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.

Portuguese Podengo Pequeno

Portuguese Podengo Pequeno

Classified as a hound, the alert and playful little Portuguese Podengo Pequeno is a quick, athletic…

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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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Saluki

Saluki

Among the world's oldest breeds, the slim but rugged Saluki was the hunting hound of kings fo…

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Scottish Deerhound

Scottish Deerhound

The crisply coated Scottish Deerhound, 'Royal Dog of Scotland,' is a majestically large coursing…

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Sloughi

Sloughi

The ancient Sloughi, nicknamed the 'Arabian Greyhound,' is a lean, swift coursing hound who hunted…

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Treeing Walker Coonhound

Treeing Walker Coonhound

A smart, brave, and sensible hunter, the Treeing Walker Coonhound is a genuine American favorite…

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Whippet

Whippet

The sleek, sweet-faced Whippet, the 'Poor Man's Racehorse,' is lightning quick. He is an amiable…

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