How to Know Dog Breeds

There are about 540 recognized dog breeds in the world. One hundred forty of them are recognized by the American Kennel Club, while another 100 or so are listed under "miscellaneous breeds" and "Foundation Stock Services." The rest are breeds of various crosses and hybrids around the world bred for specific traits and purposes. By learning the basics, it's possible to recognize most breeds by sight. Read on to learn how to know dog breeds.

Instructions

    • 1

      Start learning about dog breeds by looking up information on familiar dogs. Look into the histories and origins of the dogs owned by friends and family.

    • 2

      Review the different classifications of dog breeds. Get familiar with the kinds of dogs included in sporting, hound, working, toy, terrier, non-sporting, herding and miscellaneous classes. Learn the purpose of each class or group.

    • 3

      Study each classification and particular breeds. Take the time to read a little about each breed, its special features, temperament and characteristics.

    • 4

      Notice that the sporting group requires lots of regular exercise; the hound group enjoys hunting and tracking activities; terriers exhibit strong wills and the toy group, by virtue of its size, minimizes care and costs.

    • 5

      Find the category familiar dogs fit. Think about the particular traits of specific breeds, like retrieving, tracking, guarding and companionship, and determine its group.

    • 6

      Visit the website of the American Kennel Club (AKC) and review each class of dog. Study the pictures of the various breeds. Note the commonalities and differences. See the Resources section for a link.

    • 7

      Research "designer dog" hybrids not recognized by the AKC. Read about the efforts to combine the best features of two breeds into one new breed.