DOG BREEDS

Dog breeds DNA evidence now suggests that dogs are directly related to wolves Species name is now Canis lupus Breed variation is great, from chihuahua (weighing about 3 kg) through to breeds in excess of 80kg About 400 breeds worldwide

Dog breeds A ‘breed’ is an animal that will produce a similar type if mated with an animal of the same breed Breeds are produced by selection for particular behaviours and physical appearances Breeds are placed into categories for the purpose of showing

HOUNDS All dogs in this group will pursue game (animals or human), corner it and, in some cases, alert the human to its presence (barking, yodelling etc) Scent hounds eg beagles, fox hounds Sight hounds eg greyhounds, borzoi Some breeds with combination eg Pharaoh Hound All purpose hounds eg the Spitz dogs

AFGHAN HOUND Sight hounds Long fur, any colour Males 27kg, females 23kg Not known for road sense

AMERICAN FOXHOUND Used for field trials and racing, hunting with gun Any colour, short coat Weight 30-34kg Excellent scent hunters Difficult to train

BASENJI Originally from central Africa Guard dog, companion and hunter Short coat, should be white on chest, feet and tail tip Males 11kg Have no odour Yodel, can be destructive

BASSET FAUVE DE BRETAGNE From Brittany, France Harsh, dense coat, gold, red or fawn 16-18kg Relatively new to Australia

BEAGLE

BASSET HOUND French monks used in middle ages for hunting, modern breed from cross breeding with bloodhounds 32kg Tenacious hunters, although tend to be lazy otherwise Smallest of pack hounds Very popular worldwide Very ‘enthusiastic’ 9kg Dense short coat, waterproof Can be hard to train

BLOODHOUND Very old breed (7C) Blood refers to bloodstock and is referring to superior breeding Coat is short, smooth and waterproof Dogs up to 50kg Black and tan, liver and tan, solid red Can be difficult to handle

BORZOI Sighthound, from Russia, used for bringing down wolves Coat is long, silky, flat or curly, any colour Up to 48kg Can be temperamental, difficult to train

COONHOUND Bred from bloodhounds Short dense coat, black and tan is normal Up to 41kg Can be aggressive

DACHSHUND Means ‘badger dog’ Short legs, strong jaws Different sizes Coat may be smooth, wirey or long Up to 12kg for large versions, 4.5kg for small Should be well trained as they can be disobedient and wilful

GREYHOUND Middle East? Sighthound/gazehoun d Up to 32kg- racing dogs are often heavier Fast with good stamina Quiet animals Will chase small furries

IRISH WOLFHOUND Very old breed Tallest breed Coat is rough, hard and shaggy Dogs up to 54 kg Usually very people friendly, although can be very possessive

PHARAOH HOUND Very old breed Fine or slightly harsh coat, short and glossy About 20kg Good hunter Doesn’t like cold conditions

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK Developed for hunting in Africa- lions etc Short dense coat, glossy and sleek Colour light wheaten to red wheaten Up to 36 kg Robust personality, good climber May hunt smaller animals

SALUKI Sight hound North Africa, very old breed Coat is soft and silky, with feathering Many different colours Can be destructive if left alone

SLOUGHI Sighthound from North Africa Not common 13.5kg

WHIPPET Small sighthound Coat is fine, dense and short, any colour Up to 13.5 kg Make good pets, gentle and affectionate

GUNDOGS Bred to assist in the hunting and retrieving of game Search for quarry by scent, points or ‘sets’, flushes game and retrieves game Coats tend to be weatherproof Tend to be loyal, trainable, friendly Less likely to be noisy (scares off game) Pointers, Setters, Retrievers, and all purpose dogs

BRACCO ITALIANO Mixed gundog and hound Fine dense glossy coat Up to 40kg Friendly and docile In Australia?

BRITTANY SPANIEL From France, hunts, points and retrieves Coat is flat and dense, fine and wavy About 18kg Active, trainable

ENGLISH SETTER One of oldest gundog breeds Coat is wavy, long and silky Weight up to 30kg Very active, needs good training if a pet Excellent hunting dog

GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER Hunts, points and retrieves Coat is short, dense and flat Weight up 32kg Very powerful, need plenty of exercise if to be pets Easily trained

GORDON SETTER Scottish origin Coat soft and glossy, straight or with slight wave Colour coal black with tan markings. Up to 29kg

HUNGARIAN VIZSLA Tail docked to 2/3 of length Very active dogs Short smooth dense and glossy coat, rusty gold Weight up to 30kg Require a great deal of exercise

IRISH SETTER Have reputation for single mindedness Coat should be flat and free from wave or curl, rich chestnut red Up to 32kg Very active dog, high maintenance

KOOIKERHONDJE Dutch Used to trap swimming ducks into nets Fairly new breed internationally 11kg

NOVIA SCOTIA DUCK TOLLING RETRIEVER Canadian, arrived in Britain in 1988 Supposedly uses its tail to attract ducks and then retrieves the kills Double coat Up to 23kg Good pet?

POINTER Spanish? Short fine coat Very strong for size, good endurance and speed

CURLY COATED RETRIEVER Common in some parts of Aust and NZ Coat is very curly, black or liver Up to 36kg Trainable, requires much exercise

GOLDEN RETRIEVER One of most popular breeds of dog in world Multi purpose apart from hunting- guide, PAT, sniffer, pet Flat or wavy coat, with dense undercoat Up to 36 kg Very trainable, usually docile

LABRADOR RETRIEVER Also very popular, similar to Golden Coat is short and dense, gold, black or liver Up to 34 kg Also very trainable, docile, soft mouthed

AMERICAN COCKER SPANIELS Smallest of gundogs Medium length coat, silky and flat or slightly wavy Weight up to 13kg Usually very friendly, there have been lines with aggressive tendencies

ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL Long dense and soft coat Used to flush game Up to 21kg Needs lots of exercise

SUSSEX SPANIEL

WEIMERANER Hunting, pointing and retrieving dog Coat is short and sleek, different shades of grey Up to 27kg Has a reputation for lack of road sense

TERRIERS ‘Terrier’ comes from latin word for earth- bred to chase and hunt animals in burrows, dens etc Most are small to medium size, tenacious and strong Have a reputation for ‘picking’ fights with other dogs

AIREDALE TERRIER Largest terrier Sometimes used as guard dog Coat is hard and wiry, dense About 20kg Can be a problem with smaller animals

AUSTRALIAN TERRIER One of only a few terriers from outside Britain Long, straight and hard coat, either blue or sandy 6kg Tough and lively

BEDLINGTON TERRIER Old terrier Thick and ‘linty’ coat, blue, blue and tan, liver and sandy Gentle appearance, but typical terrier temperament

BULL TERRIER Derived from terriers and bulldogs Bred for fighting, amongst other things Short, flat coat Up to 33kg Generally good with people, can be problem with other dogs/cats

CAIRN TERRIER From Isle of Skye in Scotland Coat is thick and harsh outer with close undercoat Weight to 7.5kg Very alert, ‘fearless’, may fight with larger dogs

DANDIE DINMONT TERRIER From border of Scotland and England Double coat Up to 11kg Makes a more suitable pet than many other terriers, although can be wilful

SMOOTH HAIRED FOX TERRIER Very popular terrier Coat is smooth, short, hard and dense Weight 7-8kg Unlikely to withdraw readily from a fight, usually peaceable

WIREHAIRED FOX TERRIER

GLEN OF IMAAL TERRIER Irish Not common Medium length, coarse coat, blue, wheaten and brindle Weight up to 16kg Likes water, good pet animal

KERRY BLUE TERRIER Irish Coat is soft and wavy, blue Puppies born black Weight up to 17kg Can be a good guard dog, high maintenance coat

NORFOLK TERRIER AND NORWICH TERRIER Dropped ears are Norfolk, prick ears Norwich Coat is hard, straight and wiry Weight 5.5kg Tough and active, diggers.

JACK RUSSELL TERRIER Tough, active dog Hard, dense and close coat Weight 6.5kg Can be destructive, suffer from ‘small dog’ syndrome

SCOTTISH TERRIER Outercoat is dense, hard and wiry, the undercoat is short, soft and dense Colours back, wheaten and brindle 10kg Excellent guard dog, very active and alert

SEALYHAM TERRIER Derived from terriers and corgis Hard, wiry coat with weather resistant undercoat 9kg Perhaps less active than other terriers and therefore less destructive

SKYE TERRIER Bred to hunt foxes, martens, otters etc Outercoat is long, hard and straight. Undercoat is woolly and soft 11kg Good watchdog, very loyal

STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER Bulldog and terrier cross Bred for fighting bulls and bears Coat is smooth and short 17kg Needs to be trained and handled with confidence May be a problem with other dogs and cats

WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER Harsh, long coat, without curls Should be pure white 8.5kg Very lively, friendly personality Can be good watchdog

NON SPORTING Australian grouping Various sizes & types of dogs Range from Great Danes to Shih Tzu

BOSTON TERRIER Derived from bulldogs and bull terriers National dog of America? Short and glossy coat Weight up to 11.5kg Strong willed and determined

BULLDOG Bred to fight and bait bulls Coat is fine, close and short Weight up to 25kg Very friendly with people, can be aggressive towards other dogs

CHOW Extremely old breed Spitz type Guard, hunting and food dog Either rough or smooth coat, thick undercoat Weight 25kg Very protective of ‘pack’ and can be aggressive towards strangers

DALMATION Spaniel background Short, dense, glossy coat Black or liver spots Very active, but can be good pet with appropriate training

FRENCH BULLDOG Derived from English bulldog Short, close, glossy coat Weight 13kg Fairly quiet dog, can be a good pet

FINNISH SPITZ One of several ‘spitz’ breeds Bred to track game Fox like appearance Coat is double 16kg max Lively, needs lots of exercise

GERMAN SPITZ Five varieties in Germany Double coat-long straight outer coat and soft wooly under coat Cheerful and friendly, coat can be high maintenance

KEESHOND Holland Bred to guard on the barges Double coat Excellent watchdog, can be aloof with strangers About 19kg

LHASA APSO Tibetan origin, watchdog Dense undercoat for cold weather 7kg Alert and watchful, but very playful with people that it knows

POODLE Three sizes- toy, mini, standard Dense coat that doesn’t moult Standards up to 34kg Extremely trainable, can be excellent guard dogs, surprisingly robust

SHAR PEI Bred as guard, herding and hunting dog Coat is short and hard Active, can be unpredictable

GREAT DANE German dog Up to 54kg Very tall, short lifespan Can become overprotective of human companions

SHIH TZU Tibetan origin, developed in China Long, straight and dense coat Weight about 6kg Enthusiastic dog that fits well into families Coat is high maintenance

WORKING DOGS More breeds than any other- can be split into working dogs and herding dogs Working dogs do a variety of jobs- guarding, herding, pulling loads or sleds, law enforcement, rescue work etc Great diversity of size and shape Highly bred group- usually old breeds

ANATOLIAN SHEPHERD Developed from mastiffs Black muzzle and ears, coat is short, flat and dense Up to 64kg Guard dog

AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG Dingo?, Dalmation and bulldog heritage Double coat, outer is weather resistant Up to 20kg Prone to obesity if not worked, temperament can be questionable Untiring when working

ROUGH COLLIE Up to 30kg High maintenance Have a reputation for being ‘snappy’ Can be very good guards

COLLIE SMOOTH

BEARDED COLLIE Lean under all the fur, very active Double coat Up to 27kg Great stamina, considered a very people friendly working dog

BELGIAN SHEPHERD Three separate coat types and four coat colours Basic body shape same for all types Groenendael=black Tervueren= red, fawn or grey with black tipping Malinois=shorter coat, same colour as above Laekenois=wiry but not curled coat, reddish fawn with black shading

KOMONDOR Bigger than Puli, used as guard dog, has white coat Up to 60kg Not suited for living in cities Coat is high maintenance

BORDER COLLIE From border of England and Scotland Very popular breed in Australia Controls stock by ‘eye’ Can exhibit behavioural problems if not working

GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG Once the most popular breed in world Many genetic faults, now attempting to eliminate Up to 37kg Temperament can vary depending on lines used

HUNGARIAN PULI Sheepdog Easily recognised by coat Up to 15kg Tends to be wary of strangers

KELPIE Older breed than cattle dog Up to 20.5 kg Can be difficult to deal with if not working Wary of strangers Great stamina and will to work

CORGIS Pembroke (no tail) and Cardigan (tail) Cattle dogs Both about 11kg Reputation for being ‘snappy’ particularly the males Trainable

OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG Shaggy coat, undercoat is waterproof Up to 37kg Very active dog that loves to play and be with people High maintenance coat

MAREMMA SHEEPDOG Large dog with thick long coat Bred to bond with stock animals and therefore doesn’t always make good pet Up to 45kg Very ‘brave’

BOUVIER DES FLANDRES Belgium and France Name means Flanders Ox driver Coarse, thick coat Up to 40kg Excellent guard dogs, usually not aggressive

BRIARD French sheep dog Long, slightly wavy coat, dense undercoat Up to 38.5kg May be used as guard dog, must be trained to get full benefit

SHETLAND SHEEPDOG Sheepdog Up to 9kg High maintenance coat Otherwise undemanding

UTILITY DOGS Many different sizes and shapes, for a variety of tasks Most breeds have an aptitude for guarding and defending Includes many of the ‘spitz’ dogs

BOXER Extremely vibrant dogs, need an owner with good discipline Up to 32 kg Short coat, dropped ears Very confident dog, can be good guard, can be dog aggressive

BULLMASTIFF Very large dog, bred for guarding and accompanying gamekeepers Up to 59kg Not recommended for inexperienced owners, can be strong willed

JAPANESE AKITA Also known as Akita Inu=‘large dog’ Double coat Weight up to 50kg Bred for fighting and hunting Dominant personality, poor pet

DOBERMANN Bred by a tax collector (Herr Dobermann)! Short, close lying coat Up to 38kg Very loyal and trainable pet Reputation probably unwarranted

NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF Rare in Australia Very old breed Ugly, short coat Up to 70kg Bred to guard, not suitable for inexperienced owners

SCHNAUZER German origin Placed with terriers in America Rough wiry coat Different sizes Very active dog, adapts well to family situations

NEWFOUNDLAND Very large dog with oily waterproof double coat Up to 68kg Love water Docile and affectionate, but can still be good guards

PYRENEAN MOUNTAIN DOG Guard dog against wolves and bears Double coat Usually white Make good pets if experienced handler At least 50kg for males

ROTTWEILER Up to 50kg Bold, active, requires exercise Should be trained to harness natural guarding and working behaviours

ALASKAN MALAMUTE Exact origin not known Largest of sled dogs Thick coarse outercoat, dense undercoat Up to 58kg People friendly, very dominant personality. Needs training and may resist discipline

SAINT BERNARD Very recognisable breed Rough or smooth coated Up to 75kg Usually very placid dogs Many health problems

SAMOYED Bred as guard for reindeer and to pull sleds Up to 23kg High maintenance coat, although they love attention

SIBERIAN HUSKY Smaller than malamutes (27kg) Eyes can be blue Many coat colours Can be hard to train (except to pull!) Often dog (and cat) aggressive

TOY DOGS Small Bred primarily as lap or pet dogs Often treated inappropriately by owners (as real ‘toys’) and therefore are very prone to behavioural abnormalities Very diverse group Extremely popular pets

AUSTRALIAN SILKY TERRIER Also known as Sydney silky Straight long glossy coat 4kg

BICHON FRISE Thick woolly coat Often mistaken for poodle with bad clip Always white 3-6kg

BOLOGNESE Type of sauce used with pasta Italian dog Pure white Rare- 3-4kg

CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL Very popular dog Very placid, forgiving 5-8kg Has some persistent health problems

CHIHUAHUA Rounded head Often treated like spoilt brats and behave accordingly Short or long coated 1-3kg Can be aggressive

CHINESE CRESTED DOG Rare Prone to sunburn Variety with full coat exists 5.5kg

GRIFFON BRUXELLOIS Belgium Rat killer, alarm dog Rough and smooth coated varieties 2.5-5kg

ITALIAN GREYHOUND Looks like greyhound, only smaller 3-4.5kg Very fine boned

JAPANESE CHIN 2-3kg

MALTESE Extremely popular See notes for chihuahua 2-3kg

PAPILLON Name refers to butterfly appearance of ears Very trainable 3.5kg

PEKINGESE Brachycephalic toy 5kg Many health problems Can be aggressive but poor dentition usually means can’t deliver decent bite

POMERANIAN Toy spitz 2-2.5kg Excellent alarm dogs

PUG Another brachycephalic toy Many health problems Up to 8kg Usually very people friendly

YORKSHIRE TERRIER 3kg Coat can be high maintenance