Herding
Hound
Working
Sporting
Nonsporting
Terrier
Toy
100

This breeds ancestor was cross-bred to a Dalmatian, giving many individuals in this breed the unique speckled pattern

Australian Cattle Dog

100
  • originated from Afghanistan

  • Thick, fine, silky coat with a tail that has a curl at the end

  • No longer used for hunting, but was used by tribes to hunt gazelles

Afghan Hound

100
  • Originated in Germany

  • Sweet but stubborn temperament, docked tail, medium size

  • Known for using their front paws to play

Boxer

100
  • Originated in France

  • Pointing breed (a gundog used to find game by stopping and “pointing” its muzzle toward the game)

  • Medium size, docked tail/tailless, dense coat

Brittany Spaniel

100
  • Originated in France

  • Small size and charming personality

  • Were often used as circus dogs and street performers

  • Known for their fluffy white coat

Bichon Frise

100

The terrier group consists of dogs with a wide variety of size and feisty personalities. They were all bred to do what?

Kill Pests

100
  • Originated in Mexico

  • Terrier-like attitude (aggressive and active)

  • Small size, can have a short or long coat

Chihuahua 

200
  • originated in the western United States

  • Medium length coat that is very thick

  • Docked tail or naturally bobbed

  • Often used at rodeos, ranches, and farms to herd horses, cattle, sheep, and duck

Australian Shepherd

200
  • Modern breed originated in central Africa

  • This breeds job is to find large game and flush it out into nets

  • Large, erect ears and tail is curled onto their back

Basenji

200
  • originated in Germany

  • Designed to hunt boar

  • One of the largest breeds (110-190lbs), powerful, muscular frame, short coat

Great Dane

200
  • Flushes out game and retrieves it

  • Smallest dog in the Sporting Group

  • Known for cheery disposition, however, poor breeding has caused an increase in bad temperaments

  • Most popular AKC breed until 1990

Cocker Spaniel

200
  • The “American Gentleman” originated in Boston, Massachusetts (America)

  • Little dogs with round heads, large and erect ears, and screw tails

Boston Terrier

200
  • originated in Scotland and England

  • Purpose was to dig out and kill vermin

  • Short legs and long body

  • Most common color is black

  • They are known for their bearded hair and skirts

Scottish Terrier

200
  • Originated from Spain

  • Name means “butterfly” in French (name came from its ears)

  • Long, fine, silky coat

Papillon

300
  • Originated on the border between Scotland and England

  • Highly intelligent and energetic

  • Strong herding instincts, often herd cattle and sheep (many believe they are the best herding breed)

  • This breed does NOT have a docked tail (AKC standard)

Border Collie

300
  •  originated in France

  • They have a long body and ears with short legs

  • Powerful scenting ability

  • Used for small game and people that hunt on their feet (as apposed to on horseback)

Basset Hound

300
  •  originated in Portugal

  • This breed loves water and is a coastal retriever (was important in the fishing industry)

  • Thick, curly/wavy coat

Portuguese Water Dog

300
  • originated in Germany

  • Pointing breed

  • Multipurpose hunting dog

  • Cross between bird dogs and scent hounds

  • Black or Liver with White Variations & Ticking

German Shorthaired Pointer

300
  • Originated in southern China

  • Wrinkly face and body, turned down ears, and curled tail

  • One of two breeds to have a blue tongue

Chinese Sharpei

300
  • Originated in Scotland

  • Coat color can change over time (usually becomes darker as they get older)

  • Scruffy Dogs with black masks and markings

Cairn Terrier

300
  • Originated in China

  • Largest of the toy breeds, curled tail

  • Very flat face (leads to snoring and snorting)

Pug

400
  • originated in Germany to herd sheep

  • Large size (50-90lbs) and a medium energy level

  • Today, this breed is often used for police work, disability services, search-and-rescue, and military work

German Shepherd

400
  • Originated in France and is the largest scent hound

  • Originally used to hunt deer and wild boar, and to track people

  • Large, loose jowls, large snout, and long ears

Bloodhound

400
  • originated in Germany

  • Used as a guard dog

  • Intelligent and reliable personality, dark body color with rust points, docked tail, erect ears (usually cropped)

Doberman Pinscher

400
  • Originated in Germany

  • Known for silver coat

  • Mainly used to hunt birds and waterfoul

Weimaraner

400
  • Originated in China (very old breed)

  • The second of two breeds to have a blue tongue

  • Likely descends from the Tibetan mastiff

Chow Chow

400
  • originate from Scotland

  • Small game hunters

  • Originally found in multiple colors, now white is the only recognized color

West Highland White Terrier

400
  • originate from Germany

  • Used as a ratter in barns (despite their excellent ratting abilities, they are not classified as terriers)

  • Docked tail, erect ears, short coat

  • They look like miniature versions of the Doberman 

Miniature Pinscher

500
  • Originated in Wales (British decedents of Viking dogs)

  • Medium energy and size (25-30lbs)

  • Were used for herding cattle and sheep

  • Long body with short legs and big, erect ears (being low to the ground was an advantage when the cows would kick at the dogs!)

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

500
  • originated in Germany

  • They have long bodies and ears, short legs, and can have either a long or short coat

  • Used to hunt many species, including otters, rabbits, badgers, and other burrowing pests

  • Good scenting ability and loves to dig

Dachshund 

500
  • Originated in France

  • Often used for pulling carts and guarding flocks of sheep from predators (large breed)

  • Descendants of mastiff-type dogs

  • White Coat

Great Pyrenes

500
  • Originated in Ireland

  • Known for solid red feathered coat (only recognized color!)

  • Bird dog with long ears

Irish Setter

500
  • Originated in Croatia

  • Unique black and white spotting pattern

  • These dogs love to run and were often used to run alongside carriages and horseback riders, they discouraged stray dogs from tampering with the horses or carriage 

Dalmation

500
  • Originated in England

  • Strong hunting instincts

  • Main body color is white with colored markings common

Parsons Russell Terrier

500
  • originated in China

  • Large head, flat face, long coat

  • Strong personality that likes to be in charge (despite their small size)

Pekingese

600
  • originated on the Shetland Islands to herd sheep

  • They are medium sized (<30lbs)

  • Pedigree is not well known, but likely a descendent of the Scottish Collie and the King Charles Spaniel

Shetland Sheepdog

600
  • Developed in Zimbabwe

  • Distinctive hair pattern 

  • Used to distract lions, allowing hunters to shoot

  • Also used as bird dogs and guard dogs for livestock and family

Rhodesian Ridgeback 

600
  • originated in the Swiss valleys

  • Used to pull carts, guard livestock, and alert the family to danger

  • Very large breed (130-180lbs) with a short or long coat

St.Bernard

600
  • originated in Newfoundland

  • Only three AKC recognized colors (black, yellow, and chocolate) – silver is not recognized by the AKC

  • Versatile breed – avid water dog and great companion

  • Ranked the most popular purebred breed for the past 10 years

Labrador Retriever

600
  • Originated in Germany

  • Used as water retrievers

  • Very popular breed (Especially in France)

Poodle

600
  • Originated in England 

  • White and colored varieties

  • Strong muscle and hunting instinct, roman nose and large, erect ears

Bull Terrier

600
  • Thought to originate from Tibet

  • Bred to do nothing (companions) and look cute doing it

  • Long, silky double coat, tail carried over back

Shih Tzu