for healthy happy puppies
Choosing the Right Breed for You
With so many different breeds to choose from it is important to research thoroughly. We have put together a brief summary of each breed group with a brief description of the typical characteristics. For a more detailed description of a particular breed of dog take a look at our breed profiles. The profiles will provide you with all the essential information regarding the breed.
It is important to conduct research into the different breeds of dogs so that you can find the breed which is most suited to you, your family and life style. There are vast differences between each dog breed, they vary greatly in size, personality, intelligence and all have different demands. The following article will provide you with the basic information on the different breeds of dogs.
Gundog Group
This breed of dog is bred primarily to hunt or retrieve in the field. The gundog group includes hunt, point and retrieve breeds such as the German Wirehaired Pointer, Cocker Spaniel, Hungarian Viszla and Golden Retriever. Breeds in this group are extremely active, and will require a substantial amount of exercise. These dogs, if kept as pets, may become destructive if they are not trained and exercised adequately. It is important that they have regular exercise or they may start chewing or barking.
Working Group
This group of dogs are highly intelligent, sharp and very able. They make excellent companions and are very loving and eager to please. These dogs include the Siberian Husky, Boxer and Rottwelier. These dogs are very sturdy, well built and strong minded dogs. They were bred to guard, protect and work. They are not always suitable for the family environment. They will require a lot of training from an early stage to ensure that they are well socialised and are friendly in all situations. This breed will also require a substantial amount of exercise. To get assistance with the training process the Clicker Training DVD will provide you with the appropriate information and techniques.
Utility Group
This group includes the Poodle, Chow Chow and Tibetan Terrier. There is great variation within this group; they differ greatly in size, temperament and personalities. These dogs make great companions, it is important that they are trained correctly and socialised from an early age. They require a moderate amount of exercise and they should not be left alone for long periods of time as they start chewing furniture and start barking. If you intend leaving your dog for a short period of time it is important that you leave suitable toys to occupy them.
Pastoral Group
This group of dogs need sufficient exercise, grooming and training. There is great variety within the group from the Border Collie to the German Shepherd, Old English Sheepdog to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. These dogs are very energetic and alert, they respond extremely well to training and are quick learners. Breeds in the herding group can make excellent pets however depending on their size, characters and coats they have different exercise and grooming demands.
Hound group
This group was originally bred for hunting purposes. There are three different categories within the hound group. There is the Sight hound, Scent hound and the large game hound. The scent hounds, include breeds such as the Bloodhound and Beagle. It is important to note that these breeds will scent and once they pick up on a smell they will follow it, it can sometimes be difficult to call them back. Therefore training is essential and when first exercising them, it is recommended that you keep them on the lead.
The Sight Hounds include the Whippet and Greyhound. These dogs require a high level of exercise, and particularly enjoy running. The sight hound is not well suited to a busy family environment as they require a lot of time dedicated to them to exercise, however the make a very loving companion.
Finally the large game hounds include the Rhodesian Ridgeback and Elkhounds. These dogs are courageous and tremendously powerful. They make outstanding guard dogs.
Terrier Group
Bull Terriers, Scottish Terriers and West Highland White Terriers are all part of this group. They were originally bred to hunt vermin or to fight. They can make very good pets but socialisation and training is imperative as they can get very defensive over their territory and belongings. They require a moderate amount of exercise, if they bored they may start to chew or bark.
Toy Group
These dogs are all very small, they are always a sensible choice for older people as they require substantially less exercise than other larger breeds and can live in a smaller space. They are a very faithful friends and make a great companions for life. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Toy Poodle, Pug and Chihuahua are all part of the toy group.
Try Purina's Dog Breed Selector and find out which breed/s will suit you best!
