The AKC is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of purebred dogs. Established in 1884, the AKC is made up of over 500 dog clubs called 'parent clubs' located throughout the country, each devoted to a specific breed. These parent clubs are national organizations formed to oversee the welfare of a breed. Parent clubs write, vote, and approve their breed's breed standard, along with each addition to the breed standard. A breed standard includes every aspect of the ideal dog for that breed, including temperament, size and shape, and coat coloring. Every purebred dog accepted into the AKC has a parent club and a breed standard.
Just as each breed has a parent club and a breed standard, it also has a breed group. Breed groups consist of dogs that are similar in the purpose for which they were originally bred, and usually have between 20-30 different dog breeds in them. There are seven total breed groups recognized by the AKC; Herding, Hound, Non-Sporting, Sporting, Terrier, Toy, and Working.
Created in 1983, the Herding group is the newest of the AKC classifications. It contains dogs who were originally bred to herd animals. Many of these dogs were originally classified in the Working group, but they have since been re-classified as 'Herding'. Herding dogs are now not only used on farms, but as companion dogs as well. This group holds twenty dogs in total, including the German Shepherd, the Shetland Sheepdog, the Puli, and the well known Border Collie.
The Border Collie was accepted into the AKC in 2004. This breed originated as a sheepdog between the borders of Scotland and England, hence its name. Unlike many other herding breeds that use barking and biting to herd sheep, the Border Collie has the uncanny ability, called "eye", to herd by crouching low and intensely staring it down. This breed grows between 18-22 inches and weighs 30-60 pounds. It has a lot of energy, and vigorous exercise is needed daily. Because of its exercise requirements, this dog is a great jogging companions and do best with acreage on which it can run around. This breed's natural herding instincts are used to herd sheep and cattle, but are put to good use even if it never sees either of these animals: Border Collies have also been known to herd children, along with other family members as well, using its special "eye" technique. It has a medium to long coat, which comes in black, black and grey, black and white, red and white, and tri-color. This is a very loving breed that needs a lot of attention to be happy. It generally has brown eyes, but sometimes one or both are blue.
The Hound group consists of dogs bred for following a trail; they use their strong sense of smell to track down the scent of their prey, and use their incredible stamina to chase it down. Many hound dogs produce a unique sound called 'baying'. A few well known hound dogs are the Beagle, the Bloodhound, the Dachshund, and the Basset Hound.
First registered with the AKC in 1885, the Basset Hound is a hunting dog rumored to have originated in France, from dwarf litters of other French hunting hounds. The Basset Hound's name comes from "bas", a French word meaning low. It grows up to about 15 inches, and weighs 55-65 pounds. This dog needs a lot of exercise, but has a very calm, low-energy demeanor, and is extremely inactive indoors. It is naturally well-behaved , and is very devoted and affectionate. Although it sheds constantly and needs regular brushing, its ears must be regularly cleaned, and its nails trimmed frequently, it is a relatively easy-care dog. The Basset Hound is great with kids, and loves absolutely everyone. Although it does tend to bay when lonely, it is generally not a barker. Due to its short legs, the Basset Hound is a terrible jogging companion.
The Non-Sporting group contains may different breeds varying from the Dalmatian to the Chow Chow. It contains many breeds bred for companionship, and the breeds range in size, shape, and manner. Along with the breeds mentioned above, breeds in the Non-Sporting group include the French Bulldog, Poodle, and Boston Terrier.
The Boston Terrier is a breed that originated from crosses between English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, English Terrier, and the now extinct White Terrier. Although originally bred for use in dog fights, it is now a very sweet, loving, and affectionate indoor dog who loves children and elderly alike. It grows to be about 15 inches, and weighs up to 25 pounds. It has a short coat that doesn't shed, and has a short, rather smushed nose. Because of the shape of its nose, it tends to wheeze, drool, and snore. It needs regular exercise, but will overheat if it is too vigorous, and is relatively inactive indoors. It is extremely easy to train and is a good watchdog as well. It is fairly friendly with strangers, dogs, and other non-canine pets. Due to its short coat, little grooming is needed.
The Sporting group consists of setters, spaniels, pointers, and retrievers. These dogs were bred for hunting on land, as well as in water, and require invigorating exercise to keep them happy and healthy. These dogs are active and alert by nature, and are extremely likable companions. A few breeds in the Sporting group include the English Setter, Cocker Spaniel, German Wirehaired Pointer, and the Labrador Retriever.
One of the most popular dogs in the US, the Labrador Retriever is originally from Canada. The Lab was trained there to haul fishing nets to shore in the icy cold waters of the Labrador Sea. It is a lively, lovable, and highly intelligent breed that needs regular exercise and a lot of attention. Although not as people-dependent as the Golden Retriever, it will still become destructive if it is left alone for too long, as it is a very people-oriented dog. It loves the water, and loves to swim and play in it as much as it can. This good-natured dog is very high spirited and eager to please, so it responds to people extremely well. The Labrador Retriever is often used as a guide or service dog, but is also used for drug detection and excels in obedience and as a field trial competitor. As mentioned before, the Lab needs a lot of exercise, and is an excellent jogging companion, but is not as active indoors. Labs come in chocolate, black, and yellow, and have smooth, short coats that need little grooming.
The Terrier group consists of twenty-seven dogs with feisty and energetic demeanors, originally bred for hunting small vermin. They range in size from the very small Cairn Terrier, to the rather large Airedale Terrier. Generally, terriers do not tolerate dogs or other creatures very well, because of their original breeding purpose. As mentioned before, this group includes the Cairn Terrier, Airedale Terrier, and also the West Highland White Terrier.
A split-second after a little reddish terrier shot out of the underbrush, a shot was fired. Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm let out a gasp of horror as he realized that what he had just shot was not a fox, but instead was one of his beloved little terriers. As the legend goes, Colonel Malcolm decided to breed only snow-white terriers from then on, so that he would never make a mistake like that again. Whether the West Highland White Terrier was truly bred for this reason or not is not certain, it is the only white terrier in its group of Scottish terriers. It originated in Scotland in the mid nineteenth century, and was used to control the population of foxes, rats, and other vermin. This little white terrier grows to be only 10-11 inches tall and weigh only 15-18 pounds. Its soft, silky, double coat is clipped to a short-medium length, it doesn't shed much, and its little tail is carried gaily. A quick brushing is enough to groom this little guy, it should be trimmed and the coat should be striped by a groomer when its needed. The coat sheds dirt and mud naturally. It is an energetic breed, and is incredibly active indoors. It needs average daily exercise and is a good jogging companion even with its small size.
The Toy Group contains the smallest purebred dog breeds, including the Chihuahua, Chinese Crested, and Maltese breeds. This group contains twenty-one dogs, each bred for companionship. Due to their size and loving demeanor, Toy dogs make excellent lap dogs. Because this group is basically a classification of size, many dogs in the Toy group are in other groups as well; the Manchester Terrier, for example, is classified in the "Toy Group" as well as the "Terrier Group". This does not apply to all breeds though, as the Pug and Maltese are solely in the "Toy Group".
The Maltese is mentioned in ancient Greek writings and Egyptian statuary, which makes it one of the oldest breeds around. It was brought by Crusaders returning to England from the Mediterranean. The Maltese most likely got its name from the island of Malta, who's Roman governor's prized possession was his maltese. Publius, prized his Maltese "Issa" so much, that he had poets write elaborate poetry about her, and even had a portrait commissioned of her. The Maltese has a silky white coat hanging to the ground on either side of it's adorable head, which needs daily grooming and plenty of baths. Growing to be only 8 inches tall and up to 7 pounds in weight, this little dog is an adored pet who was bred for one purpose: companionship. It is a perfect lap dog, due to its size, and loves to be pampered in every way it can. This spirited and playful dog loves playing outdoors, and jumping in puddles. They are easy to train, and eager to please. They need people a lot, and become extremely destructive if they are left alone for too long. They will let you know if someone's at the door, because they love to bark, and this makes them a good watchdog. They need very little exercise, but are very active indoors in comparison. These bold, quick, lively dogs are extremely gentle and loving.
The final group classification of the AKC is the Working group: These are breeds who were bred, and are still used, for pulling sleds, guarding property, and performing rescues in water and on land. This group has the most number of breeds out of all the AKC classifications with a total of thirty breeds. These include the Saint Bernard, Tibetan Mastiff, and SIberian Husky.
The Siberian Husky was originally used by the Chukchi people of Siberia as a sled dog, and to herd reindeer. It was brought to America by North American fur traders in the 1900's for sled racing, where it easily beat every other preexisting breed. In 1925, many Siberian Husky dog teams rushed medical supplies to a diphtheria epidemic in Nome, Alaska. Now-a-days, it is used as an extremely light weight sled dog, but is also a popular companion dog. The Siberian Husky has a thick, fluffy, double coat in colors such as grey and silver, sand, red, and black and white, which protect it from the freezing temperatures of the Arctic. It sometimes has two different colored eyes, one blue and one brown, and sometimes both are either blue or brown. This dog is a puppy at heart, with a playful, loving, clever personality; it is also a little mischievous. It needs a lot of exercise, and is a great jogging companion, is also very active indoors.
As you can see, there are many differences between dog breeds -- Some are big, some are small. Some are always running around, and some are couch potatoes. Each dog has unique personality traits, and each breed has unique characteristic traits. So the question is -- is a dog just a dog, or is it something more?
