Dog Breeds

The Dogue de Bordeaux, also known as the French Mastiff, has history that goes back several centuries. This is an ancient dog breed that was bred from Roman Mastiffs. This breed is one of France’s oldest dog breeds, and was originally considered to be one of three types of dog breeds: the Bordeaux, Paris, and Toulouse.

The Lagotto Romagnolo is a rare dog breed that originated during the Renaissance period in Italy. They were bred to retrieve waterfowl. “Lago” translated, means lake in Italian This dog breed was also used for a while to sniff out truffles. Most water retrieving dog breeds are thought to have originated from this dog breed. Their sniffing capabilities are outstanding!

The Black Russian Terrier, also known as Blackie, comes from Russia. It is part of the UKC, Guardian Dog Group, and the AKC, Working Dog Group. This dog breed was developed by the Russian military in 1930. The Black Russian Terrier has been used for guarding, as sled dogs, and for herding purposes.

The Welsh Terrier, also known as the Old English Terrier comes from Wales. It is part of the AKC/UKC, Terrier Group. This breed came in to existence during the 1700’s, and was used to fox hunt, catch badger, and otters.

The Smooth Fox Terrier comes from the U.K. It was used for hunting foxes below the ground. This dog breed is part of the UKC/AKC Terrier Dog Group. These Terriers rode in saddlebags on horses, and were released when it was time to chase foxes underground. It is a very old dog breed that originated during the seventeenth century.

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever, also referred to as “Chessies” originated from the U.S during the 19th century. This breed belongs to the UKC Gun Dog group, and the AKC Sporting Dog group. The Chessie was bred from two Newfoundland-type dogs that were found in an English shipwreck. Newfoundlands, Irish Water Spaniels, and hounds were believed to have contributed to the Chessie gene pool.

The Whippet originated from the U.K, and is part of the UKC, Sighthound Group, and the AKC, Hound Group. This dog breed first came about more than 100 years ago, and was used for racing and catching rats. This breed was bred in the late 19th century. It is spectacular in track racing over short distances, and reaches high speeds in seconds. The Whippet was named the “poor man’s racehorse” as it was used for gambling in the U.K by the working class.

The Samoyed originated from Siberia, and is part of the Northern, UKC, and Working, AKC groups. This breed gets its name from the Samoyed people, a nomadic tribe from the Siberian Tundra. The Samoyed was used as a hunter, herder of reindeer, and also as a sled dog.

The Pekingese, otherwise known as the “lion dog,” originated from China. This dog breed is part of the UKC, Companion breed, and the AKC, Toy breed. The Pekingese dog breed has been around in China since the Tsang Dynasty, during the eighth century. The nobility enjoyed this dog breed.