Group Designations
Each breed is assigned to a Group based on its past and present function, historical origins, and region of development.
Group 1. Guardian Dog
This group is divided into two types: Flock Guards and Mastiffs.
Flock Guards
One of the earliest tasks performed by domestic dogs was guarding the flocks for nomadic shepherds. The Flock Guards were selectively bred for natural protectiveness, hardiness, courage, and large size. As Neolithic tribes migrated from the high plateaus of Turkey and Iran to Africa, Europe and eastern Asia, their Flock Guards traveled with them. The Flock Guard dogs are characterized by heavy bone, a muscular build, ample and weather-resistant coat, and large size.
Mastiffs
The Mastiff breeds were probably developed by selectively breeding the largest of the Flock Guard dogs for use as personal guard dogs and war dogs. Unlike the Flock Guards, most Mastiffs have smooth coats. Mastiffs are characterized by substantial bone growth and an overgrowth and thickening of the skin, resulting in wrinkled faces, dewlaps, and drop ears
Guardian Dog Breeds ( list)
- Aidi (Atlas Mountain Dog)
- Akbash Dog
- Alentejo Mastiff
- American Bulldog
- Anatolian Shepherd
- Appenzeller
- Bernese Mountain Dog
- Black Russian Terrier
- Boxer
- Bullmastiff
- Cane Corso Italiano
- Cao de Castro Laboreiro
- Caucasian Ovcharka
- Central Asian Shepherd
- Cimarron Uruguayo
- Ciobanesc Romanesc Carpatin
- Danish Broholmer
- Doberman Pinscher
- Dogo Argentino
- Dogue De Bordeaux
- Entlebucher
- Estrela Mountain Dog
- Giant Schnauzer
- Great Dane
- Great Pyrenees
- Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
- Hovawart
- Kangal Dog
- Karst Shepherd Dog
- Komondor
- Kuvasz
- Leonberger
- Majorca Mastiff
- Maremma Sheepdog
- Mastiff
- Neapolitan Mastiff
- Newfoundland
- Olde English Bulldogge
- Owczarek Podhalanski
- Perro De Presa Canario
- Pyrenean Mastiff
- Rottweiler
- Saint Bernard
- Sarplaninac
- Slovac Cuvac
- South African Boerboel
- Spanish Mastiff
- Standard Schnauzer
- Tibetan Mastiff
- Tornjak
- Tosa Ken
Group 2. Scenthound
This group is divided into two types: Tree Hounds and Trailing Hounds.
Tree Hounds
Included in this group are the seven Coonhound breeds and the four Cur breeds. The Coonhounds are descended from Trailing Hounds brought to the United States shortly after the country was founded. The ancestors of the Coonhound breeds include the English Foxhound, red Irish hounds, the French Bleu de Gascogne hounds, and the German brindle Schweisshunds.
Hounds in America were utility dogs whose primary function was to help feed the family, but who also served as guard dogs and family companions. As the Tree Hounds evolved from the earlier Trailing Hound breeds, the dogs developed the ability to drive game up a tree, alert the hunter with a distinctive “bark,” and hold the game in the tree until the hunter arrived. Because of the vast size of American hunting grounds, the Tree Hounds needed superior stamina and a “cold” nose, that is, the ability to smell and track old, cold trails.
As more coon hunters became pleasure hunters and then competition hunters, the traits of the six individual Coonhound breeds became more distinct.
Curs were developed by early settlers in the southern and western United States as all-purpose dogs. Curs are excellent tree dogs, used to hunt squirrel, coon, mountain lion, and bear. They are used in Louisiana and Texas to hunt wild hogs. They also serve as stock dogs.
Trailing Hounds
The trailing Scenthounds are probably descended from Mastiffs bred by Celtic tribes in Europe and Britain. During the Middle Ages, Belgian monks developed a strain of black and tan hounds called the St. Hubert Hound, which was the basis of many of these breeds. Trailing Hounds are characterized by their strongly developed tracking ability, their hanging ears, their endurance, and their congenial dispositions which predispose them to working in a pack. Many Trailing Hounds are also famous for the baying sounds they make when hunting.
Scenthound Breeds ( list)
- Alpine Drachsbracke
- American Black & Tan Coonhound
- American Foxhound
- American Leopard Hound
- Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie
- Ariegeois
- Austrian Black and Tan Hound
- Barak
- Basset Artesien Normand
- Basset Bleu De Gascogne
- Basset Fauve De Bretagne
- Basset Hound
- Bavarian Mountain Hound
- Beagle
- Beagle Harrier
- Billy
- Black Forest Hound (Slovakian Hound)
- Black Mouth Cur
- Bloodhound
- Bluetick Coonhound
- Briquet Griffon Vendeen
- Chien d'Artois
- Chien Francais Blanc et Noir
- Chien Francais Tricolore
- Dachshund
- Deutsche Bracke
- Drever
- Dunker
- English Coonhound
- English Foxhound
- Finnish Hound
- Francais Blanc et Orange
- Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen
- Grand Bleu De Gascogne
- Grand Gascon-Saintongeois
- Grand Griffon Vendeen
- Great Anglo-Francais Tricolor Hound
- Great Anglo-Francais White and Black Hound
- Great Anglo-Francais White and Orange Hound
- Griffon Bleu de Gascogne
- Griffon Fauve de Bretagne
- Griffon Nivernais
- Haldenstover (Halden Hound)
- Hamiltonstovare
- Hanoverian Hound
- Harrier
- Hellenic Hound
- Hygen Hound
- Istrian Coarse-Haired Hound
- Istrian Short-Haired Hound
- Italian Hound
- Montenegrin Mountain Hound
- Mountain Cur
- Otterhound
- Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
- Petit Bleu De Gascogne
- Petit Gascon-Saintongeois
- Plott Hound
- Poitevin
- Polish Hound
- Porcelaine
- Posavaz Hound
- Redbone Coonhound
- Schiller Hound
- Serbian Hound
- Serbian Tricolor Hound
- Smaland Hound
- Small Swiss Hound
- Spanish Hound
- Stephens' Cur
- Styrian Coarse Haired Hound
- Swiss Hound
- Transylvanian Hound
- Treeing Cur
- Treeing Tennessee Brindle
- Treeing Walker Coonhound
- Tyrolean Hound
- Welsh Hound
- Westphalian Dachsbracke
Group 3. Sighthound and Pariah Dog
This group is divided into two types: Pariah Dogs and Sighthounds.
Pariah Dogs
Pariah Dogs comprise some of the oldest breeds known to man. These breeds represent the first stage in the evolution of dogs from wild creatures to domestic animals. Pariah Dogs evolved primarily in the southern hemisphere where a limited food supply drove them to a closer association with people. These breeds lived on the outskirts of human settlements, scavenging and occasionally interacting with humans. In response to the warm climate, the Pariah Dogs developed short, smooth coats and large, erect ears. These breeds are believed to be the ancestors of the Sighthounds. The following breeds are considered Pairiah Dogs: Basenji, Cannan Dog, Carolina Dog, and the Xoloitzcuintli.
Sighthounds
In the treeless deserts of North Africa, hunting was accomplished by sighting the prey and chasing it on horseback. As hunting evolved from a necessity to a leisure pastime, dogs became an integral part of the sport. The Sighthounds were bred with light bone and deep chests, enabling them to run swiftly for longer periods of time. Long heads evolved to minimize wind resistance and enable the dog to withstand higher temperatures. Early sea traders carried these Sighthounds to all corners of the known world where their remarkable hunting abilities and exceptional beauty made them valuable commodities.
Sighthound & Pariah Breeds ( list)
- Afghan Hound
- Azawakh
- Basenji
- Borzoi
- Canaan Dog
- Carolina Dog
- Chart Polski (Polish Greyhound)
- Cirneco dell'Etna
- Greyhound
- Hungarian Greyhound (Magyar Agar)
- Ibizan Hound
- Irish Wolfhound
- Peruvian Inca Orchid
- Pharaoh Hound
- Podenco Canario
- Podengo Portugueso
- Rhodesian Ridgeback
- Saluki
- Scottish Deerhound
- Silken Windhound
- Sloughi
- Spanish Greyhound
- Thai Ridgeback
- Whippet
- Xoloitzcuintli
Group 4. Gun Dog
Many Gun Dog breeds were already in use by hunters before the advent of hunting with firearms. Originally used to hunt a variety of game types, today’s Gun Dogs are primarily used to hunt birds. The dogs in this Group can be roughly subdivided into four often overlapping categories, based on their primary usage: Retrievers, Pointers, Setters and Flushing Spaniels.
The earliest Retrievers were the water dogs, characterized by shaggy, sometimes curly coats, and probably descended from crosses between the shaggy herding dogs of the East and dogs used for hunting. The land retrievers, developed later and primarily of British origin, have heavier bodies, wider heads, and shorter, dense, water-resistant coats.
The many breeds of Pointers, developed to identify the location of birds with a distinctive “pointing” stance, are descendants of the scenthounds. Pointers display their ancestors’ strong hunting drive and scenting abilities.
Early Setters displayed a trait of slightly crouching or “setting” upon locating game. This trait enabled falconers and hunters with nets to get closer to the birds when stalking their prey. Setters are characterized by fringes of hair on the ear, legs, and tail.
Flushing Spaniels are the descendants of Setters with the added ability of flushing out the game. The affectionate personality and attractive appearance of the Spaniel breeds led to the development of diminutive Spaniel breeds used exclusively as companions.
Gun Dog Breeds ( list)
- American Water Spaniel
- Barbet
- Boykin Spaniel
- Bracco Italiano
- Braque D'Auvergne
- Braque de l'Ariege
- Braque Du Bourbonnais
- Braque Francais, de Grande Taille
- Braque Francais, de Petite Taille
- Braque Saint Germain
- Brittany
- Cesky Fousek
- Chesapeake Bay Retriever
- Clumber Spaniel
- Cocker Spaniel
- Curly-Coated Retriever
- Deutscher Wachtelhund (German Spaniel)
- Drentse Patrijshond
- English Cocker Spaniel
- English Pointer
- English Setter
- English Springer Spaniel
- Epagneul Bleu de Picardie
- Epagneul Breton
- Epagneul de Pont-Audemer
- Epagneul Francais (French Spaniel)
- Epagneul Picard
- Field Spaniel
- Flat Coated Retriever
- Fresian Water Dog
- German Drahthaar
- German Long Haired Pointer
- German Rough Haired Pointer
- German Shorthaired Pointer
- German Wirehaired Pointer
- Golden Retriever
- Gordon Setter
- Hungarian Wire-Haired Vizsla
- Irish Red and White Setter
- Irish Setter
- Irish Water Spaniel
- Kooikerhondje
- Labrador Retriever
- Lagotto Romagnolo
- Large Munsterlander
- Llewellin Setter
- Multi-Colored Standard Poodle
- Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
- Old Danish Pointing Dog
- Perdiguero de Burgos
- Portuguese Pointer
- Portuguese Water Dog
- Pudelpointer
- Slovakian Wire-Haired Pointing Dog
- Small Munsterlander
- Spinone Italiano
- Stabyhoun
- Standard Poodle
- Sussex Spaniel
- Vizsla
- Weimaraner
- Welsh Springer Spaniel
- Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Group 5. Northern Breed
The Northern Breeds were essential to the survival of Arctic people. These versatile dogs pulled sleds, herded livestock, hunted, and provided companionship in the harsh climate of the north. All but one of the Northern Breeds are Spitz types, ancient breeds whose small pricked ears, wedge-shaped heads and heavy coats reflect the heritage of their wolf ancestors. Only the Chinook, a breed of more recent origin than the Spitz breeds, is more Mastiff-like in appearance with a broad head and a shorter coat, tawny in color.
Northern Breeds ( list)
- Akita
- Alaskan Klee Kai
- Alaskan Malamute
- American Eskimo
- Canadian Eskimo Dog
- Chinese Shar-Pei
- Chinook
- Chow Chow
- East Siberian Laika
- Eurasian
- Finnish Lapphund
- Finnish Spitz
- German Spitz
- Greenland Dog
- Hokkaido
- Japanese Akitainu
- Japanese Spitz
- Jindo
- Kai
- Karelian Bear Dog
- Keeshond
- Kishu
- Lundehund
- Norrbottenspetz
- Norwegian Buhund
- Norwegian Elkhound
- Russian-European Laika
- Samoyed
- Shiba
- Shikoku
- Siberian Husky
- Swedish Elkhound
- Swedish Lapphund
- Volpino Italiano
- West Siberian Laika
Group 6. Herding Dog
The evolution of herding dogs followed very soon after the domestication of livestock. Early herdsmen quickly learned the value of dogs that could keep large groups of sheep, goats, or cattle tightly bunched, drive them in a desired direction, or cut a single individual out of a flock or herd. Herdsmen developed breeds with different temperaments, coat types and herding styles, based on the type of livestock and the terrain and climate where the livestock was kept. Herding dogs are characterized by great stamina, agility, intelligence, and an affinity for working in partnership with people.
Herding Dog Breeds ( list)
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Australian Kelpie
- Australian Shepherd
- Bearded Collie
- Beauceron
- Belgian Shepherd Dog
- Bergamasco
- Berger Des Pyrenees
- Berger Picard
- Border Collie
- Bouvier Des Ardennes
- Bouvier des Flandres
- Briard
- Ca de Bestiar (Majorca Shepherd Dog)
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Catalonian Sheepdog
- Ciobanesc Romanesc Mioritic
- Collie
- Croatian Sheepdog
- Czechoslovakian Vlcak (Czechoslovakian Wolfdog)
- Dutch Shepherd
- English Shepherd
- German Shepherd Dog
- Icelandic Sheepdog
- Lancashire Heeler
- Lapinporokoira (Lapponian Herder)
- Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog
- Miniature American Shepherd
- Mudi
- Old English Sheepdog
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Polski Owczarek Nizinny (Polish Owczarek Nizinny)
- Portuguese Sheepdog
- Puli
- Pumi
- Saarloosewolfdog
- Schapendoes
- Shetland Sheepdog
- South Russian Shepherd Dog
- Spanish Water Dog
- Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
- Swedish Vallhund
- White Shepherd
Group 7. Terrier
Terriers are probably descended from small Spitz-type dogs. The majority of the Terrier breeds were developed in Britain and were bred to assist in controlling vermin. Terriers are characterized by feisty temperaments, weather-resistant coats, muscular bodies, and strongly independent natures.
The Feist breeds are descended from the terriers brought over by working class immigrants. These terriers probably included crosses between the Smooth Fox Terrier, the Manchester Terrier and the now extinct white English Terrier. Some of these dogs were crossed with Whippets or Italian Greyhounds (for speed) and Beagles (for hunting ability). Eventually, these tough little terriers evolved into today’s squirrel-hunting Feists.
Terrier Breeds ( list)
- Airedale Terrier
- American Hairless Terrier
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- Australian Terrier
- Austrian Pinscher
- Bedlington Terrier
- Border Terrier
- Bull Terrier
- Cairn Terrier
- Cesky Terrier
- Dandie Dinmont Terrier
- Danish-Swedish Farmdog
- Dutch Smoushond
- German Pinscher
- Glen of Imaal Terrier
- Irish Terrier
- Jack Russell Terrier
- Jagdterrier
- Japanese Terrier
- Kerry Blue Terrier
- Lakeland Terrier
- Manchester Terrier
- Miniature Bull Terrier
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Mountain Feist
- Norfolk Terrier
- Norwich Terrier
- Parson Russell Terrier
- Patterdale Terrier
- Rat Terrier
- Scottish Terrier
- Sealyham Terrier
- Silky Terrier
- Skye Terrier
- Smooth Fox Terrier
- Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
- Sporting Lucas Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Teddy Roosevelt Terrier
- Toy Fox Terrier
- Treeing Feist
- Welsh Terrier
- West Highland White Terrier
- Wire Fox Terrier
Group 8. Companion Dog
Many of these breeds originated in one of the other seven Groups but have been specially adapted to serve as family companions. With the exception of the English Bulldog and the Dalmatian, the Companion Dogs tend to be “miniaturized” versions of their ancestors. Companion Dogs are lively, intelligent, and affectionate.
Companion Dog Breeds ( list)
- Affenpinscher
- American Bully
- Bichon Frise
- Biewer Terrier
- Bolognese
- Boston Terrier
- Brussels Griffon
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Chihuahua
- Chinese Crested
- Coton De Tulear
- Dalmatian
- English Bulldog
- English Toy Spaniel
- French Bulldog
- Havanese
- Italian Greyhound
- Japanese Chin
- Kromfohrlander
- Lhasa Apso
- Lowchen
- Maltese
- Mi-Ki
- Miniature Pinscher
- Multi-Colored Poodle
- Papillon
- Pekingese
- Pomeranian
- Poodle
- Pug
- Russkiy Toy
- Schipperke
- Shih Tzu
- Tibetan Spaniel
- Tibetan Terrier
- Yorkshire Terrier