DOG BREEDS
DOG The dog is one of the most popular pets in the world. It ordinarily loyal to a considerate master,and because of this the dog has been called man’s best friend,Class distinctions between people have no part in a dog’s life.It can be a faithful companion to either rich or poor.
People in the city as well as those in other areas can enjoy a dog.Medium-size or small dogs are best suited for the confines of the city.Large dogs need considerable exercise over a large area.
The wild ancestors of all dogs were hunters.Wolves and other wild relatives of the dog still hunt in packs for their food.Dogs have retained the urge to be with the pack.This is why they do not like to be left alone for long.Some breeds of dogs still retain the hunting instinct. Dogs exist in a wide range of sizes,colors,and temperaments.Some such as the Doberman pinscher and the German shepherd,serve as alert and aggressive watchdogs.Others,such as the beagle and the cocker spaniel,are playful family pets.even though they were bred for hunting.Still others,such as the collie and the welsh corgi,can herd farm or range animals.Each of the dogs just mentioned is a purebred.A mongrel dog.however-one with many breeds in its background-can just as easily fit into family life Dogs grow to various sizes.The Irish wolfhound,for example, stands about 32 inches high at the withers.or top of the shoulders.The chihuahua,however,stands about five inches.
The color of dog’s coat, or hair cover,also ranges widely even within a breed.Some dogs are all black.Others are all white.Some have light markings on portions of their bodies and darker coloration elsewhere.Or,they may have a solid color other than black.All dogs have some hair cover,even the so-called hairless ones.The shape of a dog is determined by three major structures-the head,the body,and the legs.
GROUPS OF DOG
All modern domestic dogs have descended from the grey wolf.There are now more than 300 different breeds of domestic dog and these are often classified into different groups according to the tasks such as hunting,guarding and herding,for which they were originally bred.Each breed of dog has their own special characteristics and belong to a group of similar breeds Now there are seven standard group of dogs.The recognized breeds and varieties belonging to the seven group differ in different countries.There are Kennel clubs who are Authorities in their particular country which recognize many breeds and varieties especially for show purposes and who set standards for different breeds.The seven standard group of dogs are.
Hound Dogs:
Hound dogs were originally bred for hunting to hunt game without feathers.They are able to track game by scent.In size,they range from the tall and lanky Irish Wolfhound to the short-legged Dachshund.They hunt mammals like deer,fox and rabbits.This group includes over twenty breeds.They require a significant amount of exercise.There are pharaoh hounds,Norwegian Elkhounds,Afghans and Beagles among others.
Sporting Dogs:
This group have been specifically bred for pointing.flushing or retrieving game.Most of these dogs need a lot of exercise. The group includes 24 breeds of dogs and three varieties as recognized by AKC.Some sporting dogs are the Cocker Spaniel,the pointer,the Irish Setter,the Labrador Retriever,and the Golden Retriever.
Terrier Dogs:
Terriers are dogs of various breeds originally used for turning out foxes,rats,rabbits etc from their earths.The word Terrier in old French literally means dog of the earth.Known for their tenacious temperament,they were also used for guarding and pit fighting.They are admired for their ability to hunt and work relentlessly.They can make good pets with proper training and enough exercise Some terriers are the west Highland white Terrier,the Norwich Terrier, the Fox Terrier,and the Welsh Terrier,Kerry Blue,Airedale.
Toy Dogs
Toy Dogs can be bred to be companions to people.They are miniaturized dogs with aesthetic appeal whose main task is to get and give love.These tiny, portable dogs did not evolve naturally; human bred and altered them specifically for their small size to be held and cuddled.These dogs due to their small size and sensitivity to extreme temperatures and environmental conditions have difficulty in surviving without human care.This group includes about 18 breeds: Some toy dogs are the pug, the Chihuahua,the Pekingese,the Pomeranian,the Toy poodle,the Yorkshire Terrier,Miniature Pinscher and the Shih Tzu.
Working Dogs:
Working dogs were used to pull sleds,for rescue work and detection.They make excellent police dogs,war dogs and search and rescue dogs.Except a few,most of these dogs are large to enormous in size.The dogs in this group are usually territorial,strong and confident.They need a strong confident trainer to master their temperament.Some of the dogs in this group also make excellent companions and are commonly used to assist human for their original purpose.Some working dogs are the Boxer,the Doberman,the Rottweiler,the Alaskan Malamute and the St. Bernard.
Non-sporting Dogs
Non Sporting dogs function primarily as companions with some dogs possibly serving as guard dogs or retrievers.They are very smart and can perform many different kinds of activities.Some non-sporting dogs are the Building,the Chow,the Dalmatian,the Lhasa Apso,Boston Terrier and the Standard and Miniature poodles.
Herding Dogs:
Herding dogs were originally bred to herd sheep,cattle etc.These dogs are intelligent active and athletic.Most of these dogs love to work and are eager.Some of them like Border Collies have amazing intelligent coupled with controlled aggression and perform near miracles.They can be good watching and can make good house pets with the proper environment and obedience training.This group is a relatively new classification and includes 18 breeds and 2 varieties as recognized by AKC.Some herding dogs are the Border Collie, the Old English sheepdog,the Shetland sheepdog,the welsh Corgi and the German shepherd.