What's a dog breed?

People have been breeding dogs since prehistoric times. The earliest dog breeders used
wolves to create domestic dogs. From the beginning, humans purposefully bred dogs to
perform various tasks. Hunting, guarding, and herding are thought to be among the earliest
jobs eagerly performed by the animal destined to be called “man’s best friend.”

For thousands of years, humans bred dogs toward the physical and mental traits best suited
for the work expected of them. The sleek Greyhound types bred to chase fleet-footed prey,
and the huge mastiff types used as guard dogs and warriors, are two ancient examples of dogs
bred for specific jobs.

As humans became more sophisticated, so did their dogs. Eventually, there emerged specific
breeds of dogs, custom-bred to suit the breeders’ local needs and circumstances. The
Greyhound, for instance, was the foundation type for the immense Irish Wolfhound and the
dainty Italian Greyhound. All three have a distinct family resemblance, but you’d never
mistake one for another.

So, then, when is a breed a breed and not just a kind or type of dog? The simplest way to
define a breed is to say it always “breeds true.” That is, breeding a purebred Irish Setter to
another purebred Irish Setter will always produce dogs instantly recognizable as Irish Setters.

Each breed’s ideal physical traits, movement, and temperament are set down in a written
document called a “breed standard.” For example, the breed standard sets forth the traits that
make a Cocker Spaniel a Cocker Spaniel and not a Springer Spaniel.

The AKC standard for each breed originates with a “parent club,” the AKC-recognized
national club devoted to a particular breed. Once approved by the AKC, a standard becomes
both the breeder’s “blueprint” and the instrument used by dog show judges to evaluate a
breeder’s work.

There are over 340 dog breeds known throughout the world. The American Kennel Club
recognizes 200 breeds.