How Many Different Dog Groups Are in the World?

The world of purebred dogs breaks down into seven basic groups. While different national kennel clubs might not use the same term for a group, it's the same canine category. For example, what the American Kennel Club classifies as the "sporting group," Great Britain's Kennel Club refers to as the "gundog group."

  1. Working

    • Dogs in the working group are breeds who once worked side-by-side with their people, performing numerous tasks. Many members of this group still work regularly, such as Siberian huskies pulling sleds in dog races. Others, including the Bernese mountain dog and the Rottweiler, were draft dogs, put to work pulling carts. Other members of this group include the Great Dane, boxer, Doberman pinscher, Newfoundland and Portuguese water dog.

    Herding

    • Called the pastoral group in Britain, the herding group consists of dogs bred primarily to move livestock from one area to another. Before 1983, the AKC included these dogs in the working group. Example of herding breeds include the border collie, German shepherd, the Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh corgis and the Old English sheepdog.

    Hound

    • This category ain't nothing but hound dogs, and renowned for their hunting abilities. They include hounds that hunt primarily by scent, such as bloodhounds, as well as sighthounds, those hunting by vision. Examples of the latter include the Rhodesian ridgeback and saluki. Well-known members of this group include the beagle, greyhound, dachshund, Afghan and borzoi.

    Sporting

    • Sporting dogs consist of retrievers, pointers, setters and spaniels, all originally bred to accompany and aid hunters in search of fowl and game. While sporting breeds make good pets, they require a lot of exercise. Examples include the brittany, cocker spaniel, Irish setter, Labrador and golden retriever, Weimaraner, German shorthaired pointer and the vizsla.

    Non-Sporting

    • Known as the utility group in the United Kingdom, the non-sporting is sort of a catchall group for dogs that don't obviously fit elsewhere. Unlike some of the other groups, canines in the non-sporting category often bear little or no relationship to fellow group members. The non-sporting group include the Keeshond, bulldog, Dalmatian, Chinese shar pei, bichon frise and the poodle.

    Terrier

    • Terriers, also known as earth dogs, dig and hunt for vermin. If you've got a terrier in your life, digging is part of his DNA. Although terriers vary in size and in the type of prey for which they were bred, they share a toughness and determination. Very alert, most also make good watchdogs. Dogs in the this group include the Scottish, Airedale, cairn, Dandie Dinmont, soft-coated wheaten, Manchester and many, if not all, breeds with terrier in the name. Exceptions include the Yorkshire terrier, considered a member of the toy group, and the Boston terrier, placed in the non-sporting category.

    Toy

    • Toy dogs were bred strictly to provide companionship for their people. As the group name implies, most of these canines are quite small, but the perfect size for sitting in laps or carried around. Toy breeds include the pug, papillon, Maltese, Havanese, Cavalier King Charles spaniel and the Chinese crested.