Dog types and different types of dog breeds.

So many dog types and different types of dog breeds! And all so varied!

It would be impossible to find your ideal dog without a system to organize all the hundreds of different types of dog breeds. Fortunately a system for organizing them already exists, thanks to the Kennel Club of America and the Great British Kennel Club. Still, the two clubs use different names for the dog breed types, so it can be difficult to know which dogs belong to which group... let alone what characteristics a dog from a particular group may have!

The types of dog breeds found in the Hound category are traditionally used for hunting. They are used to run after the animals that they are chasing, finding them either by smelling them, scent hounds, out or seeing them, sight hounds. Dogs of this type have a distinctive cry referred to as baying; hounds use this to tell the person or people they are hunting with that they have found some prey or quarry smell. Foxhounds in Britain are known as “giving tongue” when they sight their prey. Hounds can make fantastic family pets or companion dogs, and they are not aggressive at all. Bear in mind, though, that as this dog type has been bred to follow their nose; they may suddenly dive off into the undergrowth in pursuit of an interesting smell! This makes for interesting walks but could develop into a problem for those not fully prepared!

Examples of such hounds include: Beagles, Borzoi, Whippet, Saluki, Deerhounds and Dachshunds.

Sporting or Gundogs have also been bred to assist humans in blood sports, but this dog type is normally found bringing back animals that have been wounded or killed by a gun. Sporting dogs have a fantastic sense of smell designed to seek and find prey in all types of terrain. They will love games of fetch, one of the most popular doggy games.

The Sporting or Gundog group is split into 4 sub groups. Retrievers, Spaniels, Setters and Hunt/Point Retrievers.

The Working group is made up of the different types of dog breeds that help humans with various tasks. These tasks could be transporting goods in carts or sledges, or guarding people or property from intruders and even rescuing those trapped by avalanche or earthquake. Rescue dogs like rescue workers regularly risk their own lives to save those trapped or lost. Many are real heroes, like Barry, the Great Saint Bernard!

Working Dogs include: the Saint Bernard , Boxer, Great Dane and Portuguese Water Dog.

Terriers have a whole category to themselves in both kennel clubs. Terriers come in different shapes and sizes; most have a wiry coat but some are smooth-coated; some have ears that stand up and others ears that flop. Terriers are thought to have originated in the UK and are still used to catch a wide variety of vermin, some even travelling underground to do so. In fact the word terrier is taken from the Latin word for earth, “terra”. They are truly earth dogs, as anyone with a garden and a terrier will know!

Some dog breed types are hard to place into a category and so are to be found in the Utility or Non-Sporting group. Some of these breeds have been found portrayed in historical artefacts from all over the world. In some cases they were specifically bred for and excelled at a job that has been made redundant by the passage of time.

Some dogs in the Non-Sporting or Utility group include: Dalmatians, French Bulldog, Akita and the Schipperke.

The Toy dog category as the name suggests is home to the smallest dog breeds. When at their best this dog type is an outgoing loveable companion, toy dogs are also known as lapdogs and are regarded as the ultimate fashion accessory in some circles.

Chihuahuas Bichons Frise and Italian Greyhounds are all members of the Toy group.

Dogs used to herd or guide groups of animals are to be found in the Pastoral or Herding category. A well-trained, experienced herding dog works with his handler to move, safely and efficiently, groups of animals from place to place. Even dogs that have no herding training or experience have been known to try to gather family members together. I've experienced this at the seaside when one such dog became frantic as she worried how to keep safe in one group family members high up on the beach and others swimming out there in the sea!

Examples of dogs included in the Herding or Pastoral group are Border Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, and Samoyed.

Only the American Kennel Club includes the Miscellaneous category. This category is used for trialling new breeds to see if they are well enough established to be fully entered into the 7 main dog breed categories. This means that there are many different types of dog breeds found in this category. The American Kennel club currently has 12 breeds awaiting full pedigree status.

Find out as much as you can about all the different dog types, and then you'll be more than ready to choose the right dog breed for you and your family!