ALL ABOUT DOG BREEDS

Knowing all about dog breeds is the key to getting to know your dog on a whole new level so you can get more enjoyment out of your human-canine bond.

What's the difference between a breed and a species? All dogs belong to the same species: Canis familiaris. That's why they can all inter-breed and produce puppies.

A breed is simply a sub-group of the species which has a certain set of characteristics: physical appearance, behavior, personality and so on. Different breeds have been created over hundreds of years through a process called 'selective breeding' – where people have chosen to breed particular dogs in order to produce puppies with the traits they want. If someone wants to create a white dog breed, they would breed together two white dogs to produce white puppies.

This is why it's so important to learn and understand the specific breed you're dealing with – because every breed has been created, on purpose, for particular reasons. Some dogs are bred to be hunters. Others are bred purely to be house pets. Some are bred to be guard dogs. Other are bred to retrieve objects.

The purpose a dog was bred for makes a big difference to its behavior and energy levels – so if you aren't up to speed on the breed, you might accidentally choose a breed that doesn't suit your lifestyle.

Breed Groups and Kennel Clubs

Dog breeds are divided up into different 'Groups.' Some of these groups include:

The Toy Group, The Sporting Group, The Non-Sporting Group, The Hound Group, The Gun Dog Group, The Pastoral/Working Group, The Herding Group, The Utility Group, and The Terrier Group.

These 'groups' differ a little depending on where you are in the world. Across the globe you'll find official Kennel Clubs which you can register dogs with. The clubs aim to maintain 'breed standards' – each breed has an official description of its ideal appearance and behavior traits.

Know Your Breed

This website exists to provide you with everything you need to know about dog breeds. It will help you decide on the right breed for you, and help you take care of your dog better by understanding the breed. You'll find training becomes much easier when you know the breeding history of your dog, because you'll understand why some problem behaviors pop up.

For example, many people buy Jack Russells because they think they're cute and cuddly – without knowing that these dogs were originally bred to hunt foxes, so they're extremely energetic and love to dig holes!

This website will help you answer the most common and important questions you might have about a dog breed:

How much exercise do they need?

How big do they grow?

Do they need a lot of grooming?

Are they easy to train?

Will you need a lot of space?

Can this dog live in an apartment?

What's their personality like?

What are their common problem behaviors?

Knowing the answers to these questions will help you become a more responsible dog owner and ensure you and your furry friend have a long and happy life together, free of frustrations.

As you read through this site you'll learn many terms used to describe the physical appearance of different dog breeds. Terms like bat ears, drop ears and corkscrew tail will all come up, and you'll learn to use the lingo to describe how a dog looks. The site is also full of photos of dogs so you'll be able to recognize different breeds at a glance.

But of course this website isn't just about physical appearances – it will also provide you with information on how different dog breeds tend to behave, which is what's really important at the end of the day. You'll know what to expect when you encounter a particular breed and you'll instantly know why a certain dog acts in a particular way.

So welcome to the website – stay a while and read through the articles by clicking on whatever interests you in the left-hand menu, and begin learning all about dog breeds. You'll find dozens of articles to keep you informed and entertained for hours on end.