How Lists of Dog Breeds are Made

There are thousands of different dog breeds all over the world. The American Kennel Club is just one of the many organizations found in the United States that has divided most dogs into breeds and groups so that those who wish to have their dogs compete in shows may do so. A dog breed is represented by a number of individuals who transfer its specific characteristics over to future generations. Each purebred dog has to have certain characteristics from their ancestors to be classified into a breed and group. Without proof, the breed is not recognized. This article will give you some insight into how lists of dog breeds are made, the history and development of dog breeds and a rough breakdown of breed groups.

The History of Dog Breeds

Dog breeds originated back during the time of aboriginal groups. Working, hunting and other functional breeds appeared during this time because there was a demand for such traits. Initially, working breeds were useful for detecting predators by barking and guarding people or property; they were also known for their hunting abilities. As time progressed, the National Breed Club would describe the dogs in specific language by writing a breed standard. This grouping would describe specific working abilities of certain purebred dogs as well as all of the undesirable traits.

Development of Breeds

There is a lot of speculation on why dogs and humans came into one another's existence. Humans began working with dogs in various ways which resulted in physical differences between wolves and dogs. The American Kennel Club dates back to 1873; the first official dog registry was also begun in 1873. Many dogs today have retained their original landrace names, or some variation of them, while others have been made more uniform through selective breeding. For example, some purebred dogs that are bred to work vary from dogs which are kept as show dogs and pets.

Believe it or not, new dog breeds are continually being created; sometimes accidentally and sometimes deliberately. They are generally bred for specific styles of work or marketing purposes. Many of the already existing registries that require minimal documentation still have room to register new dog breeds.

Documentation: How a Dog Breed List is Made

Dog breeds are listed or documented in lists of antecedents called stud books. As the dog breeds are listed and documented, they are then accepted into one of the major registries or kennel clubs. There are several different places where a dog may be registered, including the FCI, the KC, the AKC, the UKS and a variety of national registries. Once documentation has been accepted, the dogs are then put into a group.

There are eight different groups found in the American Kennel Club:

• The Sporting Group
• The Terrier Group
• The Non-Sporting Group
• The Toy Group
• The Working Group
• The Hound Group
• The Herding Group
• The Miscellaneous Group

Some registries may further divide the groups. When the breed is fully accepted the stud books are closed and only dogs bred from the dogs in the stud book will be accepted for registration. These are purebred dogs. Breeds of dogs can be created deliberately in a very short period of time. When they have been documented they can be accepted into major registries.

Each dog breed has specific written standards, or a list of attributes in appearance and behavior, that they are judged upon in competition dog shows. They are judged on colors, weight, structure, behavior and several other standards in order to demonstrate their breed purity and how well they conform to their particular breed group. Hopefully, this general outline of how lists of dog breeds are made provides helpful insight for the dog lover in you.

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