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
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 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