Dog Breeds

  As with many breeds, the Affenpinscher has no definitive history until around the 19th century in Germany. Here it is well documented that they were used as both companions and common working dogs....

  Its true origins shrouded in mystery, the Afghan Hound was developed many centuries before dog breeding records were kept, and possibly even before the invention of writing.  There are many myths a...

  The Africanis is the original dog of Africa, a unique type shaped through the process of natural selection, not by human intervention or standardized breeding practices. The strong survived to...

  Like many ancient breeds of dog, the true history of the Aidi is shrouded in some mystery. Many believe that it was the Phoenicians; an ancient civilization centered in the coastal regions of m...

  Prior to the Airedale, the sporting men of Yorkshire used both the Rough Coated English Black and Tan Terrier and the Otter Hound for hunting fox, badger, weasel, otter, water rat, and other sm...

  The Akbash dog is considered to be an ancient breed that is believed to have originated in the area known as the Fertile Crescent; a region in Western Asia that now includes the countries of Tu...

  Archaeological evidence in the form of dog prints found in pit houses from the Jomon period (8000 to 300 B.C) suggest that dogs were raised as pets inside homes as early as 3,000 years ago in w...

  The origin of the Alangu Mastiff can be traced back to parts of Rajasthan, the Bhawalpur area of Punjab, and the desert area of Kutch. Although this breed is rare it is most commonly found in t...

  The name Alano Espanol as it is known today has become synonymous in many ways with the name Spanish Bulldog (Perro de Toro) and in most cases the terms are used interchangeably to refer to the...

  Documented history and early American photographs provide sound evidence that a species of Bulldog resembling the Alapaha has existed in America for over two hundred years; mainly in small pock...

  The history of the Alaskan Husky starts with the numerous native village dogs of North America present in the region well prior to the arrival of the Europeans and Russians. During the Pre-Colu...

  It was during the mid 1970’s, on a trip to Oklahoma with her husband to visit her in-laws that Mrs. Spurlin first came across the dog that would become her inspiration for the breed curre...

  The Alaskan Malamute or “Mal” is a large, wolf-like ancient breed of domestic dog believed to be the oldest breed on the North American continent and probably the breed longest asso...

  It is commonly thought that the Alaunt's primary ancestors are working dogs such as the Armenian Gampr Dog, the Sarmation Mastiff from the Caucasus and the Alabai from Central Asia. Shorthaired...

  The Alopekis is believed to have gotten its name from the Greek “alopecis” which means small and fox like; a definition that would adequately encompass the majority of feral, semi-feral or tamed st...

  Known as Alpenlandische Dachsbracke in its native country of Austria, the Alpine Dachsbracke was specifically bred to assist hunters by tracking wounded deer, boar, hare and fox. At the time of...

  Please see the Akita “Main Page” for the complete history of the breed.   The story of the American Akita (Great Japanese Dog –obsolete) truly begins with the famous auth...

  The History of the American Alsatian is almost entirely due to the work of Lois Denny. As a child  in 1969, after being followed home by a German Shepherd mix, she fell in love with the br...

  Because the American Bulldog and its ancestors developed in a time before written records were kept of dog breeding, there is much mystery surrounding its early ancestry.  What is clear is...

  Until the 1990’s, the American Bully did not exist at all.  Its ancestors, however, have been very well known in the United States for almost two hundred years.  For many centur...

  Both the English and American Cocker Spaniel had identical histories up until around the 1930’s, at which time American breeders of the English type began to institute significant changes...

  It has been said that the history of the American English Coonhound is the history of all coonhounds.  While this is something of an exaggeration, the ancestry of this breed is very simila...

  The American Eskimo was developed from members of the Spitz type family of dogs, which in turn had been developed from early Nordic breeds only a few steps removed from the wolf. Around 4000 B.C. i...

  For most of history, the preferred quarry of the English nobility was deer. Foxes on the other hand  were considered vermin, and hunting them less than noble, as such fox hunting was typically rese...

  The History of the American Hairless Terrier was identical to that of the Rat Terrier until the 1970’s.  Terriers were first developed in the British Isles at least several hundred y...

The American Mastiff as a unique breed was first developed between 20 and 25 years ago in Piketon, Ohio.  However, it can trace its lineage back many centuries through both of the breeds used in...

  This breed is so closely related to the other types that comprise the Bully breed group, please see the history section of the article about Bully breeds for more information about the creation...

  This breed is so closely related to the other types that comprise the Bully breed group, please see the history section of the article about Bully breeds for more information about the creation Am...

  References to Spaniel type dogs have historically been documented in early European records, and their early ancestors may have migrated into the European continent with nomadic hunter gatherers as...

  As early as 6000 years ago, a landrace of large sized, heavily boned domesticated dogs were living among humans.  The earliest duties of these canines were as hunting companions to man; however, as...

  The History of the Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie is mostly uncertain, as this breed was developed in an era before written records were kept of dog breeding.  What is clear is that this...

  Although the Antebellum Bulldog was only recently developed, it is a recreation of a much older breed.  The history of the Antebellum Bulldog can trace back to that of the Old English Bull...

  Very little is known for sure about the history of the Appenzeller Sennenhund as it was developed before written records were kept of dog breeding and was primarily kept in remote mountain vall...

  Because the breed was developed so recently, most of the history of the Ariegeois is known reasonably well.  The Ariegeois is a member of the French scent hound family, a very large group...

  The Armant was developed almost exclusively as a working dog in rural areas.  Combined with the fact that the breed was probably developed before accurate records were kept of most dog bre...

  Evidence of this breed’s ancestors can be traced back to at least 7,000 and possibly as far as 15,000 B.C. Ancient petroglyphs (carvings or engravings on rocks), especially prevalent in the Geghama...

  Artois Hounds were developed in the 1400s to hunt foxes, hares, deer, and wild boar. In the hunt, Artois Hounds are used in small packs of six to eight dogs. This athletic breed is able to trav...

  Although the modern Australian Bulldog was only developed in the early 1990’s, the breed can trace its history to the Old English Bulldog, a breed with a very long history in England....

  The history of the Australian Cattle Dog begins in 1802, when George Hall and his family immigrated to Australia from their home in the north of England.  The family moved to the recently...

  The Australian Kelpie was first recognized as a distinct breed beginning in the 1870’s, but its ancestors go back much further in time.  There is much debate over the true origin of the Kelpie, but...

  There are few breeds with as disputed a history as the Australian Shepherd.  The Australian Shepherd was largely developed in a time before written records were kept of dog breeding. ...

  The Silky Terrier shares its history with the Australian Terrier until the second half of the 1800’s.  At that time, Australia was becoming more prosperous and more urbanized.  Residents of the sev...

  The origin of the Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog is a mystery, and a hotly debated one.  The breed was developed in extremely rural areas and was bred exclusively as a working dog.  These fac...

  The Australian Terrier is one of the oldest native Australian breeds.  Much of the development of the Australian Terrier was not recorded and has been lost to history.  However, a great deal can be...

  Very little is known for sure about the history of the Austrian Black and Tan Hound.  The breed enters the written record in the mid-19th Century meaning that it has been in existence sinc...

  Although not pure bred until the 20th Century, the Austrian Pinscher is a very old breed that can trace its origins back many centuries.  Paintings from the 1700’s show dogs that are...

  The Azawakh was developed by nomadic tribes living in one of the most challenging places on Earth.  By necessity, these people traveled lightly, and consequently left behind few archaeological reco...

  Since man began documenting his world through writing, painting, and sculpture; canine companions have been included in these written and visual records of the ancient world.  The primitiv...

  The history of the Barbet is lengthy and impressive; an ancient European Water Dog, the breed was developed in France, and referenced for centuries in European historical documentation.  A...