For the lay person, dog breeds may be grouped into hazy
categories like "Lab," "Tiny Yippee Dog," or "Really Big Dog."
Many of us know Golden Retrievers from Chihuahuas, but what
about a Basenji from a Borzoi?
The American
Kennel Club is a group dedicated to the sport and lifestyle
commitment of raising dogs. It was started in 1884 by dog
enthusiasts who wanted to bring the dog shows and field trials
of their various cities into one organization. In the US,
they're considered an authority on designating different dog
breeds. There are currently 175 AKC Recognized Breeds, and
more are added occasionally.
The newest to the mix? The Bluetick Coonhound, Boykin Spaniel,
Redbone Coonhound, Icelandic Sheepdog,
Cane Corso, and Leonberger are some of the newest dogs
recognized by the AKC. Why might a dog be excluded? The club
says: "either because there are too few dogs (of that breed) in
this country or there is too little interest among owners of
these breeds to obtain AKC registered status."
The Most Common AKC Breeds
You've probably met many
Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds,
and Golden
Retrievers in your day. These dogs are family favorites for
their friendly dispositions and intelligence. They're always up
for a run in the park. Beagles have
buoyant personalities, Bulldogs
are loving and protective, and Yorkshire Terriers
are energetic companions. These three dogs come in fourth
through sixth in terms of popularity, and it's not hard to see
why.
Little Known AKC Breeds
If you've seen a
Komondor, you probably remember it well. These dogs have a
coat that grows out like white dreadlocks!
The
Anatolian Shepherd Dog (pictured just above) was first
bred to guard livestock in Asia. They're incredibly
intelligent, but take dedicated training.
Basenjis probably originated in Egypt, as evidenced by
ancient drawings and work depicting dogs that look just like
them.
The tall, lanky Borzoi
is known for being cat-like to their pet parents, though
they've also been employed to protect owners from wolves in
Russia!
Keeshonds (pictured at top) are also known as "smiling
Dutchmen" because of their constantly smiling muzzle.
The sturdy
Bouvier des Flandres were used to carry messages during
WWI. Today they make calm family pets.
The Complete AKC Dog Breed List
Affenpinscher
Afghan Hound
Airedale Terrier
Akita
Alaskan Malamute
American English Coonhound
American Eskimo Dog
American
Foxhound
American Staffordshire Terrier
American Water Spaniel
Anatolian Shepherd Dog
Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Shepherd
Australian Terrier
Basenji
Basset Hound
Beagle
Bearded
Collie
Beauceron
Bedlington Terrier
Belgian Malinois
Belgian Sheepdog
Belgian Tervuren
Bernese Mountain Dog
Bichon Frise
Black Russian Terrier
Black and Tan Coonhound
Bloodhound
Bluetick Coonhound
Border Collie
Border Terrier
Borzoi
Boston Terrier
Bouvier des Flandres
Boxer
Boykin Spaniel
Briard
Brittany
Brussels Griffon
Bull
Terrier
Bulldog
Bullmastiff
Cairn
Terrier
Canaan Dog
Cane Corso
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cesky
Terrier
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Chihuahua
Chinese Crested
Chinese Shar-Pei
Chinook
Chow
Chow
Clumber Spaniel
Cocker Spaniel
Collie
Curly-Coated Retriever
Dachshund
Dalmatian
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Doberman Pinscher
Dogue de Bordeaux
English Cocker Spaniel
English Foxhound
English Setter
English Springer Spaniel
English Toy Spaniel
Entlebucher Mountain Dog
Field Spaniel
Finnish Lapphund
Finnish Spitz
Flat-Coated Retriever
French Bulldog
German Pinscher
German Shepherd Dog
German Shorthaired Pointer
German Wirehaired Pointer
Giant
Schnauzer
Glen of
Imaal Terrier
Golden Retriever
Gordon Setter
Great Dane
Great Pyrenees
Greater
Swiss Mountain Dog
Greyhound
Harrier
Havanese
Ibizan Hound
Icelandic Sheepdog
Irish Red and White Setter
Irish Setter
Irish
Terrier
Irish Water Spaniel
Irish Wolfhound
Italian Greyhound
Japanese Chin
Keeshond
Kerry Blue Terrier
Komondor
Kuvasz
Labrador Retriever
Lakeland Terrier
Leonberger
Lhasa Apso
Lowchen
Maltese
Manchester Terrier
Mastiff
Miniature Bull Terrier
Miniature Pinscher
Miniature Schnauzer
Neapolitan Mastiff
Newfoundland
Norfolk Terrier
Norwegian Buhund
Norwegian Elkhound
Norwegian Lundehund
Norwich Terrier
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Old English Sheepdog
Otterhound
Papillon
Parson Russell Terrier
Pekingese
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Pharaoh Hound
Plott
Pointer
Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Pomeranian
Poodle
Portuguese Podengo Pequeno
Portuguese Water Dog
Pug
Puli
Pyrenean Shepherd
Redbone Coonhound
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Rottweiler
Russell Terrier
Saluki
Samoyed
Schipperke
Scottish Deerhound
Scottish Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
Shetland Sheepdog
Shiba Inu
Shih
Tzu
Siberian Husky
Silky Terrier
Skye Terrier
Smooth Fox Terrier
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Spinone Italiano
St. Bernard
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Standard Schnauzer
Sussex Spaniel
Swedish Vallhund
Tibetan Mastiff
Tibetan
Spaniel
Tibetan Terrier
Toy Fox Terrier
Treeing Walker Coonhound
Vizsla
Weimaraner
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Welsh
Terrier
West Highland White Terrier
Whippet
Wire Fox Terrier
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Xoloitzcuintli
Yorkshire Terrier
Continue reading to find out about the UKC recognized vreeds.
UKC Recognized Breeds
You probably know several dog breeds: Labrador
Retriever, Shih
Tzu, French
Bulldog, Jack
Russell Terrier (pictured above)... But most people
don't know more than a few dozen dog breeds, if that. The UKC,
or the United Kennel
Club, is an organization dedicated to helping breeders
maintain best practices and providing events for dogs to show
off their skills and instincts. A different organization from
the American Kennel Club,
the UKC has dogs registered from 25 foreign countries and
prides itself on events that highlight dog performance as well
as looks.
So what are the UKC recognized breeds of dogs? There are around
365 breeds and varieties of dogs recognized by the UKC--you
could learn about a new dog every day of the year!
Well Known UKC Breeds
In addition to the popular dogs mentioned above, other well
known breeds recognized by the UKC are the Dalmatian,
famous for their stunning spots and protective instincts, the
amiable and easy-to-train Cocker
Spaniel, and of course of America's perennial favorites,
the Golden
Retriever and German
Shepherd.
Little Known UKC Breeds
You may never have heard of the Shipperke,
small dogs first bred in Belgium, or the Nova
Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (pictured just above),
whose sunset orange coats set them apart as much as their
playfulness, but these are both UKC dog breeds.
The Saluki and
the Briard are
lesser-known dog breeds whose ears are covered in long soft
hair--the Saluki's ears hang down and the Briard's stand up,
giving their ears the looks of cones with hair tumbling down
all sides.
The Kuvasz is
possibly the oldest known dog breed, and has soft curly hair
like the sheep it was bred to guard.
With more than 350 other dog breeds and varieties, the UKC has
a huge list of possibilities for those looking for the perfect
dog.
The Complete UKC Dog Breed List
Companion Dogs
Affenpinscher
Bichon Frise
Bolognese
Boston Terrier
Brussels Griffon
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Chihuahua
Chinese Crested
Coton De Tulear
Dalmatian
English Bulldog
English Toy Spaniel
French Bulldog
Havanese
Italian Greyhound
Japanese Chin
Lhasa Apso
Lรถwchen
Maltese
Miniature Pinscher
Multi-Colored Poodle
Papillon
Pekingese
Pomeranian
Poodle
Russkiy Toy
Schipperke
Shih
Tzu
Tibetan
Spaniel
Tibetan Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier
Guardian Dogs
Aidi (Atlas Mountain Dog)
Akbash Dog
Alentejo Mastiff
American Bulldog
Anatolian Shepherd
Appenzeller
Bernese Mountain Dog
Black Russian Terrier
Boxer
Bullmastiff
Cane Corso Italiano
Cao de Castro Laboreiro
Caucasian Ovcharka
Central Asian Shepherd
Cimarron Uruguayo
Danish Broholmer
Doberman Pinscher
Dogo Argentino
Dogue De Bordeaux
Entlebucher
Estrela Mountain Dog
Giant
Schnauzer
Great Dane
Great Pyrenees
Greater
Swiss Mountain Dog
Hovawart
Kangal Dog
Karst Shepherd Dog
Komondor
Kuvasz
Leonberger
Majorca Mastiff
Maremma Sheepdog
Mastiff
Neapolitan Mastiff
Newfoundland
Owczarek Podhalanski
Perro De Presa Canario
Pyrenean Mastiff
Rottweiler
Saint Bernard
Sarplaninac
Slovac Cuvac
Spanish Mastiff
Standard Schnauzer
Tibetan Mastiff
Tornjak
Tosa Ken
Gun Dogs
American Water Spaniel
Barbet
Boykin Spaniel
Bracco Italiano
Braque D'Auvergne
Braque de Bourbonais
Braque de l'Ariege
Braque Francais, de Grande Taille
Braque Francais, de Petite Taille
Braque Saint Germain
Brittany
Cesky Fousek
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Clumber Spaniel
Cocker Spaniel
Curly-Coated Retriever
Deutscher Wachtelhund (German Spaniel)
Drentse Patrijshond
English Cocker Spaniel
English Pointer
English Setter
English Springer Spaniel
Epagneul Bleu de Picardie
Epagneul Breton
Epagneul de Pont-Audemer
Epagneul Francais (French Spaniel)
Epagneul Picard
Field Spaniel
Flat-Coated Retriever
Fresian Water Dog
German Long Haired Pointer
German Rough Haired Pointer
German Shorthaired Pointer
German Wirehaired Pointer
Golden Retriever
Gordon Setter
Hungarian Wire-Haired Vizsla
Irish Red and White Setter
Irish Setter
Irish Water Spaniel
Kooikerhondje
Labrador Retriever
Lagotto Romagnolo
Large Munsterlander
Multi-Colored Standard Poodle
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Old Danish Pointing Dog
Perdiguero de Burgos
Portuguese Pointer
Portuguese Water Dog
Pudelpointer
Slovakian Wire-Haired Pointing Dog
Small Munsterlander
Spanish Water Dog
Spinone Italiano
Stabyhoun
Standard Poodle
Sussex Spaniel
Vizsla
Weimaraner
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Herding Dogs
Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Kelpie
Australian Shepherd
Bearded
Collie
Beauceron
Belgian Shepherd Dog
Bergamasco
Berger Des Pyrenees
Berger Picard
Border Collie
Bouvier Des Ardennes
Bouvier des Flandres
Briard
Ca de Bestiar (Majorca Shepherd Dog)
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Catalonian Sheepdog
Ciobanesc Romanesc Carpatin
Ciobanesc Romanesc Mioritic
Collie
Croatian Sheepdog
Czechoslovakian Vlcak (Czechoslovakian Wolfdog)
Dutch Shepherd
English Shepherd
German Shepherd Dog
Icelandic Sheepdog
Lancashire Heeler
Lapinporokoira (Lapponian Herder)
Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog
Mudi
Old English Sheepdog
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Polski Owczarek Nizinny (Polish Owczarek Nizinny)
Portuguese Sheepdog
Puli
Pumi
Saarloosewolfdog
Schapendoes
Shetland Sheepdog
South Russian Shepherd Dog
Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
Swedish Vallhund
White Shepherd
Northern Breeds
Akita
Alaskan Klee Kai
Alaskan Malamute
American Eskimo
Canadian Eskimo Dog
Chinese Shar-Pei
Chinook
Chow
Chow
East Siberian Laika
Eurasian
Finnish Lapphund
Finnish Spitz
German Spitz
Greenland Dog
Hokkaido
Japanese Akita
Japanese Spitz
Jindo
Kai
Karelian Bear Dog
Keeshond
Kishu
Lundehund
Norrbottenspetz
Norwegian Buhund
Norwegian Elkhound
Russian-European Laika
Samoyed
Shiba
Shikoku
Siberian Husky
Swedish Elkhound
Swedish Lapphund
Volpino Italiano
West Siberian Laika
Scenthounds
Alpine Drachsbracke
American Black & Tan Coonhound
American
Foxhound
American Leopard Hound
Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie
Ariegeois
Austrian Black and Tan Hound
Barak
Basset Artesien Normand
Basset Bleu De Gascogne
Basset Fauve De Bretagne
Basset Hound
Bavarian Mountain Hound
Beagle
Beagle Harrier
Billy
Black Forest Hound (Slovakian Hound)
Black Mouth Cur
Bloodhound
Bluetick Coonhound
Briquet Griffon Vendeen
Chien d'Artois
Chien Francais Blanc et Noir
Chien Francais Tricolore
Dachshund
Deutsche Bracke
Drever
Dunker
English Coonhound
English Foxhound
Finnish Hound
Francais Blanc et Orange
Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen
Grand Bleu De Gascogne
Grand Gascon-Saintongeois
Grand Griffon Vendeen
Great Anglo-Francais Tricolor Hound
Great Anglo-Francais White and Black Hound
Great Anglo-Francais White and Orange Hound
Griffon Bleu de Gascogne
Griffon Fauve de Bretagne
Griffon Nivernais
Haldenstover (Halden Hound)
Hamiltonstovare
Hanoverian Hound
Harrier
Hellenic Hound
Hygen Hound
Istrian Coarse-Haired Hound
Istrian Short-Haired Hound
Italian Hound
Montenegrin Mountain Hound
Mountain Cur
Otterhound
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Petit Bleu De Gascogne
Petit Gascon-Saintongeois
Plott Hound
Poitevin
Polish Hound
Porcelaine
Posavaz Hound
Redbone Coonhound
Schiller Hound
Serbian Hound
Serbian Tricolor Hound
Smaland Hound
Small Swiss Hound
Spanish Hound
Stephens' Cur
Styrian Coarse Haired Hound
Swiss Hound
Transylvanian Hound
Treeing Cur
Treeing Walker Coonhound
Tyrolean Hound
Welsh Hound
Westphalian Dachsbracke
Sighthounds & Pariahs
Afghan Hound
Azawakh
Basenji
Borzoi
Canaan Dog
Carolina Dog
Chart Polski (Polish Greyhound)
Cirneco dell'Etna
Greyhound
Hungarian Greyhound (Magyar Agar)
Ibizan Hound
Irish Wolfhound
Peruvian Inca Orchid
Pharaoh Hound
Podenco Canario
Podengo Portugueso
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Saluki
Scottish Deerhound
Silken Windhound
Sloughi
Spanish Greyhound
Thai Ridgeback
Whippet
Xoloitzcuintli
Terriers
Airedale Terrier
American Hairless Terrier
American Pit Bull Terrier
Australian Terrier
Austrian Pinscher
Bedlington Terrier
Border Terrier
Bull
Terrier
Cairn
Terrier
Cesky
Terrier
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Danish-Swedish Farmdog
Dutch Smoushond
German Pinscher
Glen of
Imaal Terrier
Irish
Terrier
Jack Russell Terrier
Jagdterrier
Japanese Terrier
Kerry Blue Terrier
Kromfohrlander
Lakeland Terrier
Manchester Terrier
Miniature Bull Terrier
Miniature Schnauzer
Norfolk Terrier
Norwich Terrier
Parson Russell Terrier
Patterdale Terrier
Rat Terrier
Scottish Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
Silky Terrier
Skye Terrier
Smooth Fox Terrier
Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
Sporting Lucas Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Teddy Roosevelt Terrier
Toy Fox Terrier
Treeing Feist
Welsh
Terrier
West Highland White Terrier
Wire Fox Terrier
More on Dog Breeds
UKC Recognized Breeds
The Most Active Dog
Breeds
Dog Breeds Great for
Fancy Grooming
