The breed of a puppy or dog really speaks to the characteristics and behavioral aspects to be expected. There are seven standard breed groups, all with their own special traits and personalities. These seven groups are assigned by the American Kennel Club (AKC). Not all breeds are recognized by this organization, as it has a governing set of qualification guidelines for recognizing a new breed. Here I will describe those that are recognized by the AKC and represent about 150 breeds.
the sports group
Although, as the group’s title describes, these dogs were initially bred to fulfill the full “Field and Stream” fantasy. Hunting, fetching, and waiting in the brush for a moment while sitting by the fire to get your Owner a newspaper is the stereotypical breed at The Sporting Group. All of these dogs are considered good choices for owners with children, but they are generally very friendly with everyone. This particular group contains breeds that do not do well being left alone for long periods of time. Each one reacts a little differently, but they all make your perfect pet misbehave and feel anxious. Within this group, there are four types of breeds. I have listed the types and breeds contained in alphabetical order.
the pointers
german shorthaired pointer
german wirehaired pointer
Spot
vizsla
Weimaraner
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
retrievers
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
curly-coated retriever
Flat Coated Retriever
golden retriever
labrador retrievers
spaniels
american spaniel
American Cocker Spaniel
Water dog
english cocker spaniel
english springer spaniel
field spaniel
irish spaniel
sussex spaniel
Welsh Springer Spaniel
the setters
Brittany
english setter
gordon setter
irish setter
the hound group
These breeds are also great choices for the owner who likes to hunt. They have an excellent sense of smell and eyesight, but they are also excellent with children. Their temperament is very laid back, which is often welcomed by families. While these dogs are great with families, they are generally very stubborn and training will be slow, but absolutely necessary for a happy togetherness. The Hound Group contains three specific types based on the sense most fond of that breed. Below are the types of The Hound Group with the breeds listed in alphabetical order:
sighthounds
afghan hound
basenji
borzoi
Greyhound
Ibizan Hound
irish wolfhound
pharaoh hound
Saluki
scottish deerhound
Whippet
scent dogs
Basset hound
Beagle
black and tan coonhound
Hound
Dachshund
american foxhound
english foxhound
Harrier
hound
Little Basset Griffon Vendene
big game hounds
norwegian elkhound
rhodesian ridgeback
the working group
These breeds were conceived with very specific purposes in mind. These breeds were created to perform very specific jobs for their owners. These dogs need a lot of exercise and because they are so focused on getting their “job” done, they need excellent training to be compatible in groups. Even with good training it will be hard work, however they are very smart. Below are the types of The Working Group with the breeds listed in alphabetical order:
sleigh/eraser
alaskan malamute
samoyed
Siberian Husky
bernese mountain dog
great swiss mountain dog
Guard
Akitas
anatolian shepherd
bullmastiff
great dane
great pyrenees
komondor
Kuvasz
Mastiff
rottweiler
Personal protection
Boxer
doberman pinscher
giant schnauzer
standard schnauzer
Rescue/Water
Newfoundland
portuguese water dog
Saint Bernard
the herding group
Like the Working Group, these races have a specific job. However, differently, they do not protect or protect, but move. These were bred to move the herd with the direction of the Shepherd. These dogs are generally easily trained and are not usually prone to aggressive behavior. These breeds are not the kind to run away either. Below are the types of The Herding Group with the breeds listed in alphabetical order:
Shepherd
Australian pastor
bearded collie
belgian malinois
belgian shepherd dog
belgian tervuren
border collie
collie
German shepherd dog
Old english shepherd
puli
shetland sheepdog
Cattle/sheep drivers
australian cattle dog
Briard
bouvier des flandres
canaan dog
Welsh Corgi Cardigan
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
the terrier group
This group of dogs is very much in the business of enjoying themselves and getting as much as they can out of life! While they are extremely energetic, they do require some very good training in which they probably still won’t be one to run away from time to time. If these dogs are not properly trained or given proper attention, they will wreak havoc in your home. Part of their havoc-generating behavior is excessive chewing or barking. Below are the types of The Terrier Group with the breeds listed in alphabetical order:
vermin hunters
airedale terrier
australian terrier
bedlington terrier
border terrier
cairn terrier
dandy dinmont terrier
Fox terrier
irish terrier
Jack Russell Terrier
blue kerry terrier
lake terrier
manchester terrier
norfolk terrier
norwich terrier
scottish terrier
sealyham terrier
skye terrier
soft-coated wheaten terrier
welsh terrier
West Highland White Terrier
fighters
American Staffordshire Terrier
bull terrier
miniature bull terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The non-sports group
This is a peculiar group of breeds. They were originally raised as those in The Working Group, however now they are just cute and cuddly companions. Because they all had specific “jobs” in mind, they have personalities and traits across the board. For this group, more than any other, study specific books, vets, or breeders to find out what to expect with these adorable handfuls! The breeds in the non-sporting group are listed below in alphabetical order:
american eskimo dog
bichon frize
boston terrier
Bulldog
chinese shar pei
chow chow
Dalmatian
finnish spitz
french bulldog
Keshond
lhasa apso
lowchen
poodle
Shiba Inu
schipperke
tibetan spaniel
tibetan terrier
the toy group
These are the miniatures, usually of the working or hunting dogs, and they are too small to be bothered for any purpose other than to be so cute! These breeds don’t usually need a lot of exercise. Be careful, if you don’t train them because they are so cute, you will be left with a “do what I want” attitude and a very unruly dog. The Toy Group breeds are listed below in alphabetical order:
affenpinscher
Brussels Griffon
cavalier king charles spaniel
Chihuahua
chinese crested
english toy spaniel
Havana
italian greyhound
japanese chin
Maltese
miniature pinscher
Butterfly
Pekingese
Pomeranian
Pug
Shih Tzu
silky terrier
toy manchester terrier
toy poodle
yorkshire terrier