The American Kennel Club And Several Accepted Dog Breeds

Posted by Frances I Parker

The American Kennel Club has long been the nations advocate for dogs and the folks who love them. The AKC registers dogs and can offer a certified printed or electronic record that will exhibit the roots of a dog and all of the important information concerning the ancestors in a dog’s family tree.

As of right now the AKC recognizes more than 160 breeds of purebred dogs. These extend from the exceptionally prevalent dogs like the Labrador retrievers and the Cocker Spaniels to the more little known breeds such as the Petit Basset Griffon Venden or the Borzoi.

Every one of the recognizable breeds is part of a larger category or group, which signifies the original breeding purpose of the dog and recognizes their distinct character. Some dogs were bred for herding or hunting while a few were just bred for pets.

The breeds in the sporting group include pointers, retrievers, setters and spaniels. These breeds require frequent and stimulating exercise. They are good at hunting and other field activities and they have many natural instincts for water and woods.

The hound groups of breeds were regularly used for hunting in the past. Many of them have an acute sense of smell to go after a trail of quarry. They also have great endurance to further hunt down their quarry. This grouping includes Basset hounds, Beagles and Bloodhounds.

Dogs from the working group include Siberian huskies and Great Danes. These dogs were normally bred to work at pulling sleds or performing water rescues. Terriers are another group and they are normally spirited and spunky in behavior. They were at first bred to chase and kill vermin.

The one group that was bred predominantly as a pet and just for delight is the toy group. Just as their label suggests they tend to be miniature but vigorous. Every group has small dogs however so a small dog is not automatically part of the toy group. Some popular breeds from the toy group are the spunky Chihuahua and the lovable and placid Cavalier King Charles spaniel. The non-sporting group is the next group and it includes such breeds as the Dalmatian and the Chow-Chow. The ever-popular Poodle is too part of the non-sporting group.

The Herding group is the most recent classification at the AKC. These breeds were once part of the working group and they are working dogs. These dogs were bred to herd other animals like sheep and cows. Some examples of Herding dogs are the Shetland sheepdog and the Corgi. Each of the groups have their own special uniqueness and you just need to look for the qualities that you want to have in your new pet.