Dog Breeds

There are so many factors to choosing the perfect dog breed and everyone will emphasize one factor or another in their selection process. Generally it is recommended by most breeders and professional trainers to try to match a breed to your lifestyle, rather than simply choosing a dog and trying to match your lifestyle to their needs and temperament.

There are general characteristics that each breed has although not all dogs within the breed will exhibit these characteristics to the same degree or in the same manner. Mixed breed dogs are more challenging when trying to predict the various attributes as there is no way to know which breed characteristics they will favor for each trait.

Generally the most important considerations for choosing the right breed of dog include:

Experience with dogs – some breeds tend to do better with a more experienced dog owner as they may be stubborn, headstrong, or even naturally very dominant. Breeders and information from breed associations can help you decide if the breed is right for you if it is a challenging dog to train or work with.

Breed type – various breeds have been bred and developed for hundreds of years or longer to perform various tasks for humans. Don’t expect to choose a breed that is a hunting breed and not expect some difficulty in helping it understand not to chase the cats or other pets in your yard. In addition working, herding or guarding dogs will also have natural tendencies that may or may not work with your lifestyle.

Exercise level – each breed has its own general exercise level that is not necessarily based on size. There are some small to medium breeds that require a lot of activity and exercise whereas some of the larger or giant breeds are very sedate and calm dogs requiring little exercise.

Health concerns – almost all breeds have some genetic health concerns but clearly understanding all the issues before deciding on the breed is important. Buying from a reputable breeder will eliminate most of the issues but there is still the chance that health conditions may arise with the breed.

Tolerance of children – if you have children in your home or are planning on having children it is very important to ensure the breed you are selecting is a “child-friendly” breed. Some dogs just naturally love being around kids whereas others are less likely to be a good combination or match.

Size – avoid getting a dog based on his or her size as a puppy. Many of the very large breeds are relatively small as puppies, but quickly grow much larger than your house or apartment can manage. If you have a large fenced yard and a bigger living area either a large, medium or small dog would be fine. If you live in an apartment or smaller house perhaps a medium to small dog is best. For those that live in very small spaces a toy or miniature breed is likely the best choice.

Research the breed of dog that you are interested in looking for both challenges and benefits to raising the dog. Pay close attention to the temperament of the dog as well as if the breed tolerates being left alone or if it requires constant attention. Doing your homework and choosing the right dog breed will ensure a good fit and will help you find just the dog you are looking for.

The Toy Group includes most of the very small and miniature lap dogs and apartment-sized companion dog breeds. Toy dogs play a critical role in the lives of people that live alone and their presence can have beneficial effects on the health of the sick, the elderly and the housebound. Toys are popular companion dogs for people living in cities and adapt well to apartment life. Many Toys distrust strangers and make great watchdogs and don’t need a lot of exercise beyond what they get running around and playing indoors. Toys make great traveling companions and are readily accepted just about everywhere. Toy dog breeds are always difficult to housebreak but usually adapt well to apartment life.

If your Toy isn’t completely house trained after 3 months then you should seek professional help. Toddlers and small children are too rough for toy dogs that may bite in self-defense. The top 10 most popular Toy breeds in the US according to the American Kennel Club 2005 registrations are discussed below and their registration rank is included in brackets. The inclusion of the Toy Poodle as #2 is incorrect as its rank is a composite total of all 3 Poodle varieties – Toy, Miniature and Standard. It probably belongs somewhere in the top ten but not in the #2 position.

Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkie (#3) almost overtook the Golden Retriever as the second most popular dog in the US in 2005. This rugged toy dog is very popular because it has all the admirable attributes of larger dogs but in miniature. The typical Yorkie plays hard and has limitless energy. With persistence a Yorkie can be obedience trained. Some are bright and learn quickly, while others are more obstinate and opinionated. Yorkies get along well with other pets but they can be very possessive of their food and toys. The Yorkshire makes a better pet for older and calmer children. The Yorkshire will bark at strangers, often in a high pitched voice. Early socialization is required so that the dog doesn’t become too shrill and to ensure barking is controlled.

Poodle (Toy)

All the wonderful things that you can say about a Standard Poodle don’t all apply to the Toy or Miniature versions. Toy Poodles (#8) are less than 11 inches at shoulder height but the same American Kennel Club standards apply across all sizes. Toys are generally more sensitive than the Standard and are also more active, louder and less confident. Early socialization and training to curb excessive barking and leg lifting is required. Even though these dogs are very small, they still enjoy lots of playtime and long walks. Toy Poodles will do fine with older considerate children.

Shih Tzu

The exotic looking Shih Tzu (#9) is one of the sturdiest and most robust of the toy dog breeds. Shih Tzus are intelligent, playful, affectionate, friendly, self confident and outgoing. Shih Tzus make great apartment dogs and companion dogs for the elderly. These charming and personable dogs are devoted to their owners and their families. They make great traveling companions and rarely show any aggressive behavior toward strangers or strange animals. The breed gets along extremely well with older, considerate children.

Chihuahua

The Chihuahua (#11) is the smallest of the toy dog breeds. Chihuahuas are intelligent, charming and loving dogs who are devoted to their owners. This breed needs close contact with its family and make great companions. Chihuahuas can have delusions of grandeur and self-confidence and will challenge much larger dogs. Chihuahuas are good with older children if raised with them. Chihuahuas are intelligent and can be trained fairly easily. Some Chihuahuas can be overly insecure and are prone to excessive barking and early socialization and training while a puppy is recommended.

Pug

The Pug (#12) is a sturdy small dog that is one of the most popular and largest of the toy dog breeds. This charming, adorable and playful small dog will make you laugh. The Pug is an even tempered, easygoing, pleasant and friendly companion. This sturdy, small dog breed gets along well with children and with other pets although toddlers and small children should be supervised carefully to ensure they don’t injure the dog. The Pug doesn’t need much training but enjoys the process and is fairly easy to train.

Pomeranian

Pomeranians (#14) or “Poms” are one of the smallest toy dog breeds. The Pom is lively, spirited and animated. This breed is a keen-eyed extrovert who is very inquisitive and must check out all activities going on around him. The Pom is a proud and confident, even cocky, toy dog that requires early and thorough socialization with strangers to minimize its tendency to bark. This toy breed is intelligent, eager to learn and takes readily to positive and gentle training methods.

Maltese

The Maltese is one of the most intelligent and most gentle of all the toy dog breeds. This lively and agile little toy dog loves to play games. This toy breed is cheerful, loving, playful, smart and has lots of personality. Maltese should have early socialization while they are puppies to give them more confidence and overcome their distrust of strangers and minimize their tendency to bark. Maltese enjoy obedience training and some will do well in competitive obedience and agility competitions. This toy breed does fine with older and considerate children.

Miniature Pinscher

The Miniature Pinscher or Min Pin is the most active and lively of all the toy dog breeds. Miniature Pinschers are full of energy, alert, loyal, intelligent and very courageous for their size. Min Pins think they are much larger than their toy size and can be aggressive towards other dogs. These toy dogs can be stubborn and need lots of early socialization and obedience training while puppies. The breed does fine with older considerate children and household pets. Outdoors, this toy breed should be on a leash or in a securely fenced yard as they can disappear quickly.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (#31) is a graceful and happy toy spaniel that is larger than its close relative, the English Toy Spaniel. The Cavalier is a gentle, even-tempered, happy and playful small dog. Cavaliers make excellent family dogs who even like to play with small children (always under supervision of course). The Cavalier finds all humans delightful and loves to cuddle in their laps and snuggle in their beds. However, these comfort-loving Spaniels love to run in the yard and chase chipmunks, squirrels, and birds. Cavaliers are easy to train but require early socialization as puppies to overcome their natural timidity.

Papillon

The Papillon (#35) is one of the oldest European toy dog breeds and the French word for butterfly was used to describe this lively toy breed with the erect butterfly ears. The Papillon is a friendly, affectionate and intelligent dog that is much more robust than it appears. The Pap is definitely not a lap dog and is high spirited, active and loves to play outside and go for walks. This breed is very smart and can be trained to be a good agility and obedience dog for competitions. If the Pap is socialized early and trained properly, and not pampered and spoiled, it becomes a confident and outgoing companion who gets along well with older children and pets.

It’s always exciting to think about adding a new puppy to your family, and often difficult to resist buying on impulse. But this new pup will be with you for a long time and it’s important to give some thought to choosing the right dog breed for your family, lifestyle or situation.

A bad choice, made on impulse or without proper thought, can mean your ‘puppy love story’ doesn’t have a ‘happy ever after’ ending, and that’s bad news for everyone.

All puppies are adorable, and they all have one thing in common – they grow up to be dogs! However, that’s where the similarities end. Every dog breed belongs to the same species ‘canis familiaris’ (otherwise known as the domesticated dog), but there are over 400 different recognized breeds with more being added all the time.

The enormous diversity between dog breeds isn’t just seen in the wide variety of size, shape and color. Domesticated dogs are divided into several different breed groups, depending upon the original purpose or role they were designed (quite literally!) to fulfil.

The dog breeds within each breed group (such as the Herding Group or the Working Group) share similar characteristics and inborn traits. Maybe a strong desire to herd anything that moves, extremely acute sense of smell or sight, the instinct to guard or protect their owners and property etc.

It pays to understand that, even within the same breed, individual dogs (and families or ‘lines’ of dogs) can vary quite significantly. To top it off, each puppy within a litter is a unique individual and won’t have exactly the same looks or behavior as any of it’s littermates!

So, you can see that choosing the right dog breed is not something to be taken lightly.

Now we’ve got that out of the way, here’s the good news! It’s actually pretty straightforward to figure out which breed/s of dog would be the best match for you. By asking yourself some simple questions, and answering honestly, you can eliminate the breeds that clearly don’t fit your ‘puppy profile’ and choose from those that do! When choosing the right dog breed, here’s the things you need to consider -

Your Activity Level If you’re an outdoorsy, active kind of person, you need a dog who can keep up. A Border Collie, Siberian Husky or German Shorthaired Pointer may be a good choice. For the moderately athletic perhaps a Jack Russell Terrier or Labrador Retriever would work better.

If you tend towards the couch potato school of athletics, a Beagle or English Bulldog might be perfect.

Whether You Have Children Children and puppies go together like strawberries and cream, but certain dog breeds are inherently better suited to a family with children than others.

Don’t automatically expect a small dog to be great with kids. Although they’re child-sized they’re not toys and can be snappy and opinionated. Extra-large dogs, even if very gentle and loving, can accidentally hurt a small child by the sheer virtue of their size and strength. An enthusiastic welcome or overly loving approach can be overwhelming.

Dog breeds such as the Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Miniature Poodle, Cocker Spaniel or English Staffordshire Bull Terrier are good options.

Your Home Whether you live in a city apartment or a rural ranch can have an impact on the breed of dog you choose.

In this case, choosing the right dog breed doesn’t depend entirely on size, as big dogs can be lower-energy and more content to snooze all day than some smaller, highly strung ‘energizer bunny’ breeds.

Dogs from the herding or working groups, really need a job to do. They also require a lot of regular exercise. Some other breeds, such as a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or Pekingese for example, are more likely to be perfectly happy with a short walk and a cuddle on the sofa.

What You Want From A Dog If you’re hoping to join organized, dog-related activities such as obedience trials, agility competition, therapy work etc., choose an intelligent, trainable breed such as the German Shepherd, Border Collie, Golden Retriever or Standard Poodle.

Perhaps you just want a friend to watch the game with or snooze on the front porch swing. A Cocker Spaniel, Bichon Frise, Dachshund or Basset Hound might fit the bill perfectly.

NOTE: When you’re thinking about choosing the right dog breed, don’t forget to consider a mix-breed puppy, but do try to find out what breeds seem dominant in his make up. That will give you a rough idea of his character traits and inherited tendencies.

Mix breeds can sometimes be healthier and genetically stronger than purebreds, as they not subject to inbreeding or inherited illnesses or weaknesses. A dog of mixed heritage can most definitely make a wonderful, loving companion and is in no way inferior to his more ‘titled’ cousins.

If you do decide on a mix breed, please consider rescuing a homeless pup from a shelter or pound. The figures for homeless dogs in the US today are staggering – and heartbreaking – you can’t help them all, but maybe you could make the difference in the life of just one!

Breeds of dog differ in many ways: body size – Chihuahua to Bernese Mountain Dog. They differ in proportion like the Pit Bull to the Greyhound. They differ in head shape, ear shape, coat length and texture and in colour. Get a book and study a list dog breeds.

Much of their physical traits matched the need for the function of the original breed. Do not rely only on the dog breed pictures. There are many directories of breeds of dogs. Buy one, or go to the library and borrow one.

Today, behavior is even more important.

Too often prospective dog owners select a breed based on its physical trait and not its character.

The toughest guard dog is of no using if it falls asleep at the front door. Dogs enjoy as many breed behavioral traits as they do physical traits. Don’t be surprised by this.

Dogs are prone to act in certain ways that are dictated by their genes. Not all dogs will act the same within a breed, but most will.

There is one behavioral trait that is present in all dogs. Their love towards their owner/master.

You need to first analyze why you want a dog, before you select a dog. If you have kids you need to find out the breed that is good with kids. But, do not forget, you also need to teach your kids how to behave with a dog. A dog is NOT a stuffed emotionless toy. It is a living creature with emotions. Also, please, do not make kids take responsibility for a dog. It is an adult job to do that.

If you are basically older in years, well you will not want a breed that needs lots of exercise. Or, a breed that may pull your arm out when walking.

The size of a dog needs to be considered. If you have a huge dog and a small kid, they could bump heads and the child get hurt and that being no fault of the dog.

Choosing a breed entails more than looking at pictures. Check out the breed profile. Talk with owners of the same breed in the same circumstances as you. Meet some “live” dogs of the kind you are looking at.

Study the history of the breed. It will show you what molded that breed to be what it is today. For instance, an old breed of dog that was bread to dig out vermin will end up digging up your yard…it is in the genes!

A sheep herder may end up nipping a little in the heels.

Also, check into the more modern breeds. There are some amazing new “oodle” dog breeds. These new “oodle” dogs are great for dog allergy sufferers.

Make sure your energy levels match.

And all that being said. Look for the surprises. For instance, the greyhound race dogs make amazing pets for seniors, or those who do not partake in lots of activity. They make great apartment dogs. They love to sleep in the day, often curled up on a couch or pillow. They do NOT crave activity or exercise. They are trained to perfection and they are loving dogs. Go figure. Just when we think we have it all figured out.

So you see, do not just run out and get a dog. Get the right dog for your household. Train that dog and you will have a friend and family member for life.

Dog breeding is not as simple as you think. Many responsible pet owners favor to get purebred dogs nowadays. Even on a similar multiplies, breeding lines are inclined to produce different traits and types of dogs. As you can watch, dog breeding is a complex undertaking and without enough knowledge, you can’t be an impressive dog breeder.

Breeders should be mindful of the breed standards. However, dog breeding is sometimes influenced by the personal likes or dislikes of the breeder when it comes to color, sizes, and types. What dog breed do you favor? Does it possess its true traits? Is the visual aspect of the dog the same as what the books or other information sources say? What about its temperament? Is the breeding line of your pet healthy? You have to answer these wonders before you ultimately select a certain dog breed. Answering the calls into question is in addition vital should you determine to be concerned in the breeding business.

There are nearly all considerations in dog breeding. You ought to be prepared to invest time, effort, and money before you can learn the fruits of your labor. Try to answer the questions above and if you can’t, you will need to dig in deeper. You have to investigation about the different dog breeds, the traits of different bloodlines, the visual aspect of the dam and sire, grand-dam, and grand-sire in a specific dog pedigree. Do you would like to introduce improvements in the dog breed? Do you like to retain certain traits or qualities in the dog breed?

Breeding methods vary whether you’re dealing with inbreeding, out crossing, line breeding, or purebreds. You must be able to gather all the facts you have about dog breeding. Keeping educated will make you a better dog breeder. You can read books on dog breeding or you are able to do some online investigation.

Cross breeding is one of the methods of dog breeding. In this technique, dogs of different multiplies are used. You cannot expect to produce the best dog strains if you use the cross breeding method. If a complaint occurs with regards to the traits of the dogs, you cannot easily track down where the trouble originated from.

The next method is out breeding. This is a complex method and only experienced breeders can perform it. If a certain dog breed has a complaint or defect, you can make improvements through out breeding. You must have a mate which posses the particular trait that you want to improve. The breed should possess such trait up to that last 3 generations. After the out breeding, the dogs are bred back to the original breeding line. New breeders aren’t encouraged to do out breeding because this not a long way to begin a breeding program particularly when you have plans to produce constant multiplies with the identical soundness and temperament. Educate yourself thoroughly before you consider out breeding.

Line breeding is a different method in dog breeding. In this method, intimately linked dogs are bred to produce an identical quality traits, size, and temperaments dog strains. This technique should be performed correctly to make sure of success. Breeders who would like to concentrate mainly in one dog breed should be engaged in line breeding.

It is these that are the the three dog breeding methods that you should know if you have plans of breeding dogs as a sort of hobby or even for business.

Find below a few tips when choosing the right dog breed.

Choosing the right dog breed for you and your family can be an exhausting task. It can take days to trawl through all of the information necessary to narrow your options down to a few breeds to choose from. That is, assuming you know where to start when choosing the right dog breed for you and your family in the first place. It can be difficult to know where to start, but with these tips, you will have a definitive starting point and a quick and simple task to complete!

1. Assess your home and family – You must start from the very beginning when choosing the right dog breed for you and your family, and your own home is as good a place as any to start. How big is it? How big is the yard? Do you have children? Are you out of the home quite a lot? All of these questions need answering and only then can you begin our search for the perfect dog breed.

2. Ask what you are looking for in a dog – It is essential that you know what you are looking for when choosing the right dog breed for you and your family. Do you want a gentle family pet? Would you be willing to go to a shelter? Do you want a playful breed or a more sedate one? Pair this information up with the answers to your first question and you can then begin to look at breeds.

3. Look on a comprehensive dog website – You do not need to go to many different resources until you have basic information on one or two breeds. Use a comprehensive site to cross-reference your answers to the above two points and list three or four breeds. Then you can look into the breeds in depth but get a good idea of where you are going when choosing the right dog breed for you and your family first!

Are you ready?

There are several things that you need to consider before you even think of getting a dog. Choosing the best dog breed for your family has to have a lot of thought put into it. Please have a look at some very good pointers that will clear that last doubt in your mind if you should get a dog for your family.

Before plunging into pet ownership, ask yourself WHY you wish to get a dog. Is it because…

Your child wants a dog and he/she will be the primary caretaker.

Your dog appears to be lonely and needs canine company.

You simply can’t resist the adorable doggie in the window.

If you answered “yes” to any of the above, avoid getting a dog. Here’s why:

It is unrealistic to expect your child to take full responsibility for a dog.

While it is wonderful to involve children in caring for a pet, it is unlikely and unfair to expect a child to make such a commitment. Once the novelty wears off, the responsibility will be put on the adults.

Dogs don’t “need” another canine companion.

While most dogs enjoy the companionship of other dogs, they don’t require it. And, if you don’t have enough time for one dog, you won’t have time for two! There is also no guarantee that they WILL get along.

Getting a dog on impulse is risky.

If you feel sorry for the dog, didn’t plan on stopping at the pet store or simply couldn’t resist, you may be off to a bad start. Make your decision carefully, as a dog is a commitment that lasts a lifetime.

Different Breeds of Dogs

Through our long association with the dog, we have initiated almost every change imaginable. Some of these changes have been selected through necessity, such as to help man with certain type of work, others purely in the interest of fashion and style. Some are of benefit to the dog, some are certainly not. The English Kennel Club has divided dogs into several different groups.

The Pastoral Group – This includes the herding dogs, bred to help man control and look after stock. These dogs are generally active, playful, like to chase and are relatively easy to train for the work they are asked to undertake. Some examples – German Shepherd

The Gundog Group – Originally bred to find and retrieve game, this group includes the retrievers, setters and spaniels. They are bred to work closely with man to be sociable and, usually, to have a good retrieving instinct. Some examples – Labrador Retriever, Cocker Spaniel, Golden Retriever

The Terrier Group – These dogs were originally bred to do a job that normally involved killing. Therefore, they are often more independent, and extremely brave and tough. When a dog is down a hole he has to make his own decisions, not wait to be told. Selective breeding has meant that most terriers are good pets with strong characters. Some examples – Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier

The Toy Dog Group – Most dogs in this group were bred to be companions or lap dogs. They are generally friendly and make affectionate pets. Some examples – Yorkshire Terrier

The Working Group – Many of these dogs were originally bred to guard and search, perhaps developed to protect man or livestock. There are also dogs developed to pull carts, boats or sleighs, as to search and rescue. Some examples – Boxer, Rottweiler, Doberman

The Hound Group – This includes the dogs who hunt by sight and those who use their sense of smell. Many of these dogs have been bred to hunt in packs, and these breeds in particular are very independent and often like to run and do their own thing. Some examples – English Foxhound

The Utility Group – These are breeds that do not fit into any of the other categories. All have been bred for some other purpose, but these vary considerably and therefore the dogs within this group are extremely varied. These groups don’t cover all dogs. There are other types that are not officially recognised by the English Kennel Club at this time.

Not all dogs are officially recognised by the Kennel Club.

These dogs include:

Jack Russell Terriers – These dogs have been bred for their working abilities for many generations. Their appearance can vary, and this includes size, coat texture, shape and temperament.

Working Sheepdogs – This term is used to describe the type of dog often seen working on farms and kept by many as pets. They often referred to as ‘Border Collies’ They are likely to have strong working instincts, and be energetic and active, requiring a great deal of exercise.

Lurchers – Originally, a Greyhound/Border Collie mix. Traditionally bred by gypsies or poachers, with the aim of producing a dog with the speed of a Greyhound and the trainability of a Border Collie to catch and retrieve rabbits. Nowadays, a lurcher is a type of dog, and may have many different breeds in his genetic make-up.

First Cross – This is a dog whose parents were both pedigrees, with know parentage, but of different breeds.

Crossbreed – Technically, this is a dog with known parents, although each parent may contain a variety of breeds.

Mongrel – Technically, a mongrel is a dog of know parentage. Although this is often used as a directory term by many people and breeders, mongrels from a large part of the dog population and there are many wonderful, unique characters among them.

Ever noticed the sniffy hauteur with which purebred dog owners appraise mixed breed dogs? You can almost see them flinch as their condescending eye roves across the form of the objectionable mutt while they grudgingly concede that perhaps their refined canine specimen and that pollutant mutt do indeed belong to the same species! In fact you need only trawl various online dog forums to experience firsthand just how contentious the issue of mutt versus purebred really is. Yet much as purebred dog owners may put down the humble mutt or mixed breed dog the strange thing is:

Purebred Dogs Are Merely Strain-Refined Mutts!

Doberman Pinscher: The Doberman Pinscher dog breed was the brainchild of door-to-door tax collector Herr Louis Doberman. Whether Herr Doberman developed this dog breed as enforcer or protector has never been truly established but one aspect that is not in contention is the fact that his was an unenviable profession! It is well documented that since biblical times the tax collector has been much reviled; even today the tax collector is the subject of scorn and disgust. If you truly want to belabor the point, the next time you are at a social gathering, casually mention that you work for the IRS and watch the little-witnessed phenomenon of how so many can disappear so quickly!

However back to Herr Doberman and his dangerous profession; tired of being pushed about and quite possibly being set upon by irate tax payers, poor Herr Doberman came up with the novel yet economic solution of developing a dog breed that would be both enforcer and protector! The “ingredients” for his new dog breed included the following: Rottweiler; German Pinscher; Greyhound and the Manchester Terrier. Though some wishful fanciers contend that the German Shepherd dog was also involved in the genetic compilation of the Doberman Pinscher, this is highly unlikely since the development of the German Shepherd occurred a little later than that of the Doberman Pinscher.

The early form of the Doberman Pinscher dog was not the sleek lean machine that epitomizes the breed today, but it was a heavier-boned dog somewhat more similar in appearance to the Rottweiler dog breed. Subsequent tweaks by later breeders eventually resulted with the sleek contemporary dog that defines the modern Doberman Pinscher. The point of note here is that the Doberman Pinscher, a well-known dog breed that is officially recognized by countless of International Kennels such as the AKC, was a crossbreed developed from various other dog breeds before it attained the holy-grail status of purebred!

Verdict: The Doberman Pinscher, like all the other so-called purebred dogs is nothing more than a strain refined mutt. Sniff! What can I say…these pesky mongrels are everywhere, most of them disguising themselves as well-established purebreds!

Designer/Hybrid Dogs

Though the Labradoodle is widely accredited as the crossbreed dog that set the whole designer-dog movement rolling along at a good clip, the truth of the matter is that other well established crossbreeds already existed. One such crossbreed or so-called designer dog is the Cockerpoo (Cockapoo), a cross between the American Cocker Spaniel and a Miniature Poodle. The Cockerpoo has been in existence since the 1960s (in contrast to the Labradoodle which was developed in the 1980s). The Cockerpoo is currently so well established in North America that there is a strong movement to consolidate a breeding standard.

These days “Oodles” or “Poos” (Poodle hybrids) are practically everywhere in North America for the simple reason they translate into mega bucks. Though the Labradoodle (perhaps the best known Poodle derivative) was developed with a utilitarian purpose in mind, most designer dogs have no other function than to propel a burgeoning and lucrative market for these hybrid dogs; as it so happens, backyard breeders very quickly recognized the enormous profits to be had from designer dogs.

To date the designer dog market is flourishing, strong evidence that people are quite willing to shell out mega bucks so as to differentiate themselves from the rest of the crowd. And perhaps you’ve noticed, nobody refers to these mutts as well…mutts, for the simple reason crossbreeds do not satisfy people’s sniff factor! (Sniff Factor defines the human tendency to snobbishness; in earlier times the upper classes were predisposed to strolling about with their noses pointed skywards as an expression of their obvious class superiority (as though reaching for air unpolluted by the masses!) Calling a mongrel a designer dog is certain to guarantee a far better price than if the animal were addressed as a crossbreed.

The unfortunate fallout of this whole designer dog issue, is that there’re now many more dogs in shelters and rescues, as well as dogs being euthanized, because of unethical breeders, who without regard to genetics, breed thousands of these dogs every year in a bid to capitalize on the public’s ignorance and insatiable appetite for “exclusive” or “limited” dogs.

So how did this designer dog brouhaha really begin?

Good Intentions Open Pandora’s Box

Sometime during the 1980s, Wally Conron, the breeding manager for the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia embarked on a quest to develop a non-allergenic guide dog for a visually impaired client whose husband happened to be allergic to common dog fur. Conron settled on the standard Poodle as the ideal cross with the already established Labradors in use at their center, for the simple fact that the Poodle,s as a highly trainable working dog with tightly curled coat, constituted a the best-fit match.

After two years of trials including 33 successive disappointment runs, Wally Conron hit pay dirt! A cross mating between one of their most prized Labradors and a Poodle specimen resulted in a litter of 3 non-allergenic puppies. Sultan the 1st ever Labradoodle destined for guide-dog greatness was introduced to his new owner amidst great fanfare. The bonding was a great success and Conron was confident that the remaining two puppies would quickly be snapped up; after all, the center at which he worked had a 6-month backlog of requests from people hoping to foster a dog. But he miscalculated; nobody it seemed wanted a dog that was associated with the dirty word crossbreed.

As eight weeks rolled by, the remaining two pups still hadn’t found homes and the critical-period window in which they needed to bond with a new owner and thus become successful guide dogs was closing fast. Out of sheer frustration Wally Conron decided to call his new dog breed the Labradoodle and thenceforth stopped referring to them as crossbreeds. That was the eureka moment he had been waiting for (evidence of the sniff factor in play again)!

Within weeks, requests for this new “miracle dog” inundated the center…the rest as the saying goes, was history! Other than the Labradoodle, few designer dogs have been developed for utilitarian purposes and in fact for the most part new breeds are introduced for purely cosmetic purposes. Having said that though, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the fact that some new dog breeds are currently being developed to address the all pervasive problem of genetic disease in the canine; especially in the more popular breeds.

Some other well-established crossbreeds are the Bull Boxer which is a cross between the Boxer and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The Bull Boxer is said to be a more affable dog, especially towards other pets, than the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and is also reputed to be less inclined to exhibit the immature behaviorisms characteristic of the Boxer. By and large though, the substantial prevalence of the designer-dog set is to be found firmly within the realm of Poodle mixes. Such Poodle mixes usually go by names, which if not exactly flattering, are to say the least, colorful:

1. Doxiepoo (Dachshund Poodle Mix)

2. Papipoo (Papillon Poodle Mix)

3. Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever Poodle Mix)

4. Jack-A-Poo (Jack Russell Terrier Poodle Mix)

5. Irish Doodle (Irish Setter Poodle Mix) to name but a few.

Verdict: Sniff! These dogs may go under the guise of designer dog…but let’s be honest, they are no more than glorified mutts!

The Humble Yet Ubiquitous Mutt

So where does the lowly mutt fit in this picture of brave new doggy world; that is to say, other than bearing the brunt of the purebred afficionado’s scorn! Well as I have amply illustrated in the paragraphs above, all dog breeds are essentially mixed breeds even the purebreds. Purebred dogs are so entitled because over several generations they have been specifically bred for selective traits. But therein lies their Achilles’ heel or weakness. Due to such selective-trait breeding, purebred dogs have an inherently high prevalence of genetic disease.

A classic example illustrating some of the problems encountered in trait-selective breeding can be found in the history of the Dalmatian. Breeding for the sharply-defined spot trait unintentionally also led to selective breeding for an abnormal uric acid gene (case of gene linkage). The result was that the Dalmatian dog breed was dogged (no pun intended) with hereditary urine stone disease. In an attempt to rectify the problem yet retain the desired spot pattern, the Dalmatian was crossbred with various Pointer breeds (Sniff! Sniff! What did I tell you…all mutts the lot of them!).

Conversely the lack of trait-selective breeding and a diverse gene pool in the mutt makes such dogs so much healthier and more robust than their purebred counterparts! Thus unless you’re going to develop your own dog breed, if all you’re looking for in a dog is a pet, do yourself, your pocket as well as the millions of dogs on death row a favor and adopt a dog from a shelter! Trust me, they make excellent pets. (Shelters cannot house dogs forever and each year more than 7,000,000 cats and dogs are euthanized!)

Verdict: Hmmm…the lowly mutt. At last! A dog without pretensions!

The Non-Sporting Group includes dog breeds that don’t seem to fit well in any other group. The name doesn’t really fit the group and they would better named “Specialty Dogs” as the group includes some of the most interesting and exotic breeds. The breeds in this diverse group have a wide variety of sizes, coats, personalities and appearances and range from the miniature dog breeds like the tiny Bichon Frise to the large Chow Chow and even include the elegant Dalmatian and the popular Poodle, Bulldog and Boston Terrier. The top 10 most popular Non-Sporting dog breeds in the US according to the American Kennel Club 2005 registrations are described below and their registration rank is included in brackets.

1. Poodle

The Poodles (#8) included in this group are the Standard and the Miniature. The following comments apply to the Standard Poodle as the Miniature is more difficult to train and doesn’t do as well with toddlers and young children. The Poodle is one of the smartest and most trainable of all dog breeds. The Poodle is lively, good natured, friendly, proud, athletic, affectionate, extremely loyal and will become very attached to its family. Poodles that are socialized early do very well with children, other pets and strangers although adolescent dogs are exuberant and should be supervised carefully to avoid toddler knockdown. Poodles will announce visitors with a bark and make good watchdogs. Poodles do not shed their hair and are often called ‘hypoallergenic’ because they are good for people with allergies.

2. Bulldog

The Bulldog (#13) is a friendly and loveable dog that adores its family. The downside to the breed is that the life expectancy of the Bulldog is only about 8 years because of health problems. Puppies are playful and high-spirited but grow up to be calm and dignified adult dogs. The breed is very good with children and usually peaceful with other pets. Bulldogs don’t need a lot of exercise but do need a lot of attention. Puppies should have early socialization and obedience training and they can best be trained with food motivation. Bulldogs can snore very loudly and the breed can swallow a lot of air which can lead to flatulence and unpleasant smells in an enclosed area. Bulldogs love to eat and don’t share well – so they should be fed separately from other pets.

3. Boston Terrier

The Boston Terrier (#17) is a delightful little dog which despite its name is not one of the terrier dog breeds. Bostons are affectionate and lively house pets and good companions. This breed is very intelligent and loves to learn new tricks. Early socialization and obedience training will ensure this dog will develop good manners. These dogs seem to do especially well with older people. This breed makes good pets for older children who can appreciate their sense of humor and funny antics. Bostons like to learn and are easy to train, although house training may be difficult. Boston Terriers make good watch dogs without excessive barking. Boston Terriers are very low-shedding dogs and some people say they are good for people with allergies.

4. Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise (#26) is a white puff-ball of a small dog that is cheerful, lively, playful and affectionate. This dog breed barks very little and makes a charming companion dog that is easy to live with. The Bichon adapts well to families and children but doesn’t like the rough handling that small children display towards pets. Bichons are easy to train for obedience and to do tricks although they are like all toy breeds and are resistant to housebreaking. They are social dogs and get along well with strangers and other pets but will make good watch dogs. Bichons shed almost no hair and are good pets for those people who suffer from allergies and some people call them ‘hypoallergenic’. The Bichon has few common health problems and should probably live for at least 15 years.

5. French Bulldog

The French Bulldog (#38) is a small, muscular and fairly active member of the bulldog breed. Frenchies are one of the nicest, most amusing and amiable of all dog breeds. The Frenchie is a perfect apartment dog that is clean, easy to groom and sheds very little. This Bulldog is easy to train and doesn’t require a lot of exercise. Frenchies like to be the centre of attention but do make good family pets and will tolerate children. These Bulldogs will do best with an older couple without children or other pets to compete for their affection. French Bulldogs can even adapt to being left alone during the day if they receive lots of attention before and after work.

6. Lhasa Apso

The Lhasa Apso (#39) is a small dog with a lot of personality that looks like a lap dog but behaves like the Lion Dog of Tibet. Lhasas are one of the toughest and strongest willed of all the small dog breeds. The Lhasa is an intelligent, very self-confident and lively dog that dislikes strangers. The Lhasa can be jealous of other animals. The Lhasa doesn’t do well around small children because it doesn’t like being handled roughly. The Tibetan Lhasa must have lots of early obedience training and socialization while a puppy and this must be continued through adolescence. You must take control of this dog or the Lhasa will rule your household like the emperor he thinks he is. Not to be too negative, Lhasas are really enjoyable and playful dogs who love their families and will accept obedience training fairly readily.

7. Chinese Shar-Pei

The Chinese Shar-Pei (#45) is serious, calm, dignified, quiet, confident and independent medium-sized exotic looking dog. Shar Peis are very clean and easy to house train but because of their strong-willed manner they are difficult to obedience train. The Shar Pei needs a lot of early socialization and training starting when it’s a puppy. Training must be firm and reward-based to control any aggressive tendencies and ensure household rules are followed. The Shar Pei is good with older children and also does fine if raised with younger children from a puppy. However this breed may not get along well with other household cats and dogs. The Shar Pei does best in a fenced yard and being walked on a leash where it can’t chase after other animals. Shar Peis tend to mind their own business unless provoked into aggressive behavior.

8. Chow Chow

The Chow Chow (#64) is an aloof and stubborn large-sized dog that is difficult to socialize and train. The Chow, while loyal and devoted to its master, is not very affectionate and doesn’t like to play games. Chows are not very good dogs with children and can be very aggressive toward strange animals. This breed needs very early and lots of socialization and obedience training while still a puppy and this should be continued into adulthood. Chows that aren’t thoroughly socialized in the first year may turn out to be aggressive and anti-social. Chows are naturally clean and therefore quite easy to housebreak. Once you gain a Chow’s respect by constantly enforcing rules and training, you will have a polite and well-mannered dog. Chows have a well defined sense of territory and make good watch dogs and guard dogs.

9. Shiba Innu

The Shiba Innu (#66) is a fearless, bold, high-spirited, smart, vigilant, loyal, charming but somewhat manipulative and stubborn small dog. The Shiba is very clean and fairly quiet indoors but is definitely not a lap dog. The Shiba has retained a high prey drive and should be kept on a leash or in a yard with very high fences as it can jump and climb over most fences. The Shiba doesn’t like to be chased and hugged by small children but does fine with older considerate children. Shibas are very smart but are somewhat mischievous and independent and can be difficult to train. The breed must be thoroughly socialized and obedience trained to limit its aggression toward other dogs. However once the Shiba is trained and learns to trust its owner, it can become a loving and obedient companion. Shibas are aloof and cautious around strangers and make great watch dogs.

10. Dalmation

The Dalmatian (#77) is a fun loving and very active medium- to large-sized dog. The breed is intelligent and needs a lot of companionship and exercise. Dalmatians love children but young dogs are probably too exuberant for toddlers. Some lines of this breed have been known to have aggressive or protective tendencies and therefore need a lot of socialization when they are puppies. Dalmatians can be trained to a high level and advanced obedience and/or agility training is recommended. Young Dalmatians can be rowdy and difficult to control and need early socialization and obedience training. Dalmatians left alone too much can become destructive and will dig large holes in the backyard.

The Working Dog group includes most of the guard dog breeds such as the Rottweiler and Doberman Pinscher as well as the northern sled dogs such as the Alaskan Malamute and the Siberian Husky. Most of these dogs need lots of exercise and a fair amount of living space. Many of these dogs have thick double coats and can be heavy shedders. The heavy shedding breeds include the: Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Great Pyrenees, Newfoundland, Saint Bernard, Samoyed and Siberian Husky. The top 10 most popular Working Dog breeds in the US according to the American Kennel Club 2005 registrations are discussed below and their registration rank is included in brackets.

1. Boxer

The Boxer (#7) is a large, strong and muscular dog that is energetic, good-natured and playful. Boxers are very popular because they love children and are a good dog breed for active families with children. Toddlers and young children should be supervised carefully when around young or adolescent dogs that will knock them over when they get excited. This breed needs early socialization and obedience training while they are puppies and exercise while adolescents to control their exuberance. Boxers are alert, intelligent and eager to please and can be trained to a high level for agility sports and obedience competitions. Boxers make good watchdogs and can even be trained to be guard dogs.

2. Rottweiler

The Rottweiler (#16) is a very heavy, muscular and large dog breed. A well-bred Rottweiler is calm, intelligent, confident and courageous but can be aggressive toward strangers and strange dogs. Therefore it is important that this breed be thoroughly socialized and obedience trained starting when it is a puppy and continuing through adolescence. The Rottie needs exercise and mental stimulation and makes a good obedience, agility and schutzhund competitor. Rottweilers are not suited for indoor life and enjoy being outside. A well trained Rottie does fine with older children but this breed should be restricted to people who have the time to thoroughly socialize, obedience train, and keep this dog active.

3. Doberman Pinscher

The Doberman Pinscher (#21) is a strong, muscular and athletic large dog. Dobermans are usually protective but also are sweet and docile family dogs. This intelligent breed needs early socialization and obedience training when it is a puppy and this should be continued through adolescence. Dobermans do fine with older children if they are raised with them. Male Dobes can be very aggressive with other male dogs and shouldn’t be trusted with small pets and strange children. Dobermans need lots of exercise and companionship and shouldn’t be left alone for long periods of time. This breed should spend a significant amount of time at a dog training school. Dobermans make good guard dogs and good watchdogs.

4. Great Dane

The Great Dane (#24) is a very large and strong dog and is known as the gentle giant of dog breeds. The Dane is gentle, quiet, loyal and affectionate towards its family. This breed would rather lean against you for a pat, than be aggressive towards anyone. The Dane is great with family children but small children must be supervised carefully to avoid knockdown. The Dane is so large that it must be socialized and trained to behave very cautiously around children and pets. Because the Dane is so large early obedience training is essential to prevent it from exerting dominance. Young Danes, up to three years old, can be boisterous and need strict supervision. Danes make excellent watchdogs.

5. Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky (#25) is a very handsome medium to large dog breed that is playful, friendly, athletic and independent. Siberians get along well with older children but are not recommended for toddlers and small children unless raised with them from a puppy. Too many people are attracted to this handsome dog without realizing this is a working sled dog that needs a lot of physical activity. Siberians belong outside in an escape-proof large yard but get bored and destructive if they have too little exercise. Training is quite challenging and must be started when the Sibes are puppies and continued through to adulthood. Siberians don’t bark much (although they howl from time to time) and are too friendly to make good watchdogs.

6. Mastiff

The Mastiff (#33) is a gentle giant dog and one of the heaviest dog breeds. This gentle giant is a great family dog that is calm, dignified, good-natured and very fond of children. Because of its giant size, toddlers are in danger of knock-down, and should always be supervised carefully. Mastiffs need a house with a large fenced yard. This breed needs lots of companionship and should have early and on-going socialization and obedience training so that you can control the Mastiff with only voice commands. This breed is naturally protective of its home and family and must be socialized early and often with other dogs to prevent it from becoming combative. Mastiffs make good watch dogs and guard dogs.

7. Saint Bernard

The massive Saint Bernard (#37) is the most famous of all giant dog breeds and one of the best known of all dog breeds. The Saint is an intelligent, courageous, obedient and good natured dog breed. The breed is very good with children and also other pets but because of their very large size, young children and toddlers should be supervised carefully to avoid any accidents. The Saint is relatively easy to train but must be thoroughly socialized and trained while it is young and hasn’t grown too large to handle. The Saint Bernard makes a good watchdog even though it doesn’t bark much and is fairly tolerant of strangers.

8. Bullmastiff

The Bullmastiff (#42) is a very large dog that is a cross between the Bulldog and the Mastiff dog breeds. The Bullmastiff is loveable and trustworthy but also fearless and afraid of nothing. Normally this breed is mild mannered and docile but once aroused can be aggressive with other male dogs and strangers. Bullmastiffs make great family pets for families with older children but young puppies or adolescents are too exuberant to be around toddlers or small children. Bullmastiff puppies must have early socialization and obedience training that is reinforced through adulthood. This dog breed is too large to allow it to have any unruly behavior and at any sign of aggression get professional training assistance. Bullmastiffs make fantastic watch dogs and great natural guard dogs but should never receive additional guard dog training.

9. Newfoundland

The Newfoundland (#46) or Newf is one of the giant dog breeds whose teddy bear appearance gives an indication of what a wonderful family dog it is. The Newfoundland has a wonderfully sweet and gentle disposition that is reflected in his kind expression. This intelligent, gentle and good-natured giant dog is great with children and makes a terrific family dog. Toddlers should be supervised carefully as one slurp from his big tongue could knock a little one over. Newfs and all giant breeds should be socialized and obedience trained early while puppies and through adolescence. Newfs need lots of companionship and need to be involved in family activities.

10. Bernese Mountain Dog

The Bernese Mountain Dog (#47) is a very handsome large dog which is outgoing, intelligent and affectionate and makes a terrific family pet. Berners love children but should be supervised with young children because they are large and can knock the toddlers over. Berners should be socialized early with small children and animals when they are puppies. Bernese are intelligent and very trainable and make good dogs for competitive obedience trials. These mountain dogs like to be outside and thrive in cold weather. Berners are fairly tolerant with strangers but still make excellent watch dogs and guard dogs.