Dog Breeds A to Z

Check out our DOG BREED LIBRARY!

Looking to get a dog? Please do your research first.

Check out our list of Links to Information on over 30 Breeds for breed characteristics and traits below.

Check out our round up of posts about different breeds and specific dogs here including most affectionate, best family dogs, smartest, best for apartments, best therapy dogs and best sporting dogs.

Dogs come in lots of different shapes and sizes and have been bred for so many different purposes. There are over 200 recognized dog breeds worldwide and that doesn’t include all the recent designer mixes. The American Kennel Club currently registers 197 dog breeds.

So how do you go about choosing the right breed for you and your family? Too often, people do not do their research and look for the wrong qualities in dogs. This just increases the number of dogs in shleters.

Read here for 21 Questions to ask before you foster or adopt a puppy.

All dogs are different but each breed has their own history and typical traits, exercise requirements, sizes and personalities. The American Kennel Club classifies dog breeds into eight main groups:

Hound group
Terrier group
Working group
Herding group
Sporting group
Non-sporting group
Toy group
Miscellaneous group

Herding dogs are smart and active and enjoy herding, working dogs like to have mental and physical stimulation or a job, sporting dogs like sports, water dogs usually like swimming, retrievers like retrieving, toy and companion dogs like their people (we call Kilo the Pug our velcro dog).

However there are many other things to evaluate depending on your needs like shedding/allergies, size, compatibility with kids. It is very important to get a dog that fits your family, lifestyle, budget, level of activity, accomodation and personality.

Check out our round up of posts about different breeds here.

Check out what we have learned from experts and friends about the most popular dog breeds on Talent Hounds in our Dog Breed Library List below by clicking on the breed you are interested in. Submit your photos on our Facebook Page to have your dog featured and add your experience in comments.

This information is subjective and interactive and is meant to complement information from owners, vets, experts, trainers and resources like the CKC and AKC.