Note: This page and its related articles are undergoing major revision. See Wikipedia:WikiProject Dog breeds/General for more info.
Dogs have been selectively bred for thousands of years. Initially the selections would have centred on domestication and useful qualities such as hunting ability. Later dogs were also selected to give attractive and distinctive forms resulting in a vast variety of types. The point at which a new variety becomes a breed can be difficult to decide. National kennel clubs often differ in their recognition of breeds and rare breeds may not be recognised outside their home country.
Many traditional breeds recognised by the main registries are said to be "purebred". Only individuals whose parentage consists only of other purebred examples of the breed are regarded as part of that breed. This concept has caused controversy both because of the difficulty of regulation and because of the possible genetic consequences of a limited population.
The list below uses a wide interpretation of "breed". Breeds listed here may be traditional breeds with long histories as registered breeds, rare breeds with their own registries, or new breeds that may still be under development. Please see individual articles for more information.
Dog breeds can be divided into different families, such as:
Dog breeds include:A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V
See also: List of cat breeds
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Dog breeds may also be grouped into similar types such as pit bulls
Ainu Dog
Coton De Tulear
Schipperke
Dogue de Bordeaux
Flat Coated Retriever
Galgo Español
Giant Schnauzer
Great Dane
Hovawart
Irish Wolfhound
Irish Wolfhound
Karelian Bear Dog
Karelian Bear Dog
Keeshond
Kuvasz
Neapolitan Mastiff
Newfoundland
Old English Sheepdog
Perro de Presa Canario
Rhodesian Ridgeback
External links