Fun fact; did you know that dogs have been man’s best friend for over 6,400 years? Dogs are also the only large carnivores that have been domesticated in the past 2000 years.
The domestication of dogs for different uses has led to the rise of different dog breeds, but first off, what is a dog breed? According to the Oxford Dictionary, a breed is a group of animals that share the same characteristics in terms of physical appearance and personality. These characteristics are a result of selective breeding by humans.
344 dog breeds in the world are recognized by the Fédération cynologique internationale (FCI) which is an international federation made up of several national kennel clubs. I like to think of it as the UN of Kennel Clubs. The 344 dog breeds can be classified into 7 groups, which are;
- Working dogs
Working dogs are dog breeds that were bred to assist humans with different tasks in our day to day lives. These tasks include guarding of property/protection, police work, Search and rescue and in some parts of the world pulling sleds, recently Service dogs and Therapy dogs have joined this list. Popular dog breeds that fall into this category include; German shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Siberian Huskies, Boxers, St. Bernards, Boerboels, and bloodhounds. Most of the dogs in this group are not meant to be house pets but there are exceptions. You can confirm this with the breeder and your veterinarian before getting one.
2. Herding dogs.
The Herding dog group is the most recent group to be classified by the American Kennel Club (The registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States). Before the creation of the Herding dogs’ group, these breeds were classified as working dogs. The dogs have been specifically bred for herding and are easy to train for herding purposes. These dogs are very energetic and require a lot of space for running and exercising, this makes them unsuitable to be house pets. Dog breeds in this category include; Border collies which are known for being smart and easy to train, Australian shepherds, English sheepdogs, and the German shepherd.
3. Sporting dogs.
Dogs in this group are often used to hunt, fish and assist in other outdoor/field activities. They have great instincts that are useful to humans, they can also use their talents for activities like tracking and can be used as working dogs. The dogs in this category are energetic and require a lot of exercise as they are very active. They can be house pets, but the owner should also be an active person, a couch potato will not do well with such a breed. Dog breeds in this group include; Golden retrievers, Labrador retriever, English Springer Spaniel, American cocker spaniel, and Pointers
4. Non-sporting dogs
These are dogs that are bred for other purposes other than sports. They vary in terms of physical appearance and temperament. They can be used as show dogs or just pets. Dogs breeds in this group include; The Poodle, Dalmatian, Chow Chow, Bichon Frise, American Eskimo dog, and the Bulldog.
5. Hounds
Hounds are used for tracking and security checks as they have a great sense of smell. These dogs have great stamina and can run for miles before exhaustion. Dogs in this category include; Beagles, Basset hounds and Greyhounds.
6. Terriers
Terriers are small dogs that were bred to hunt small prey. They usually dig into the ground to capture their prey. Most Terriers are energetic and have very little tolerance and patience for other dogs. 25 terrier breeds are recognized by The American Kennel Club. They are usually categorized by size or function. Dog breeds in this group include; Bull Terriers, Jack Russell Terrier, and Irish Terriers.
7. Toy breeds
Dogs that fit into this class are typically small dogs that weigh approximately 4 to 16 pounds (2kgs to 7kgs). Toy breeds tend to live longer; 10 to 15 years with some breeds getting to 18 years. Dog breeds in this category include; The Maltese, Pugs, Poodles, Pomeranians and Yorkshire Terriers.
As seen above, different dog breeds have characteristics that put them in different dog groups. When choosing a dog to add to your family, consider the above and get a dog that matches your level of energy. A dog’s purpose is determined by what they were bred for and just as you won’t have a Maltese as a protection dog it wouldn’t be fair to have a working German Shepherd as a house dog.
