Getting to Know Dog Breeds

Golden in colour, these dogs are well known search and rescue dogs as well as great retrieving dogs for hunting game birds. They also are known to be great family pets.

These are a high energy dog breed that is very loyal to their person and has very strong herding instincts. This breed is also known to be one of the smartest dog breeds. These dogs need a lot of physical and mental stimulation in order to live a fulfilled life. They do best with animals such as cattle or sheep that they can herd on a daily basis.

These dogs are meant to be livestock guardian dogs, they are very good at their job and most often they prefer to be left alone to live out with their sheep or whatever animal they are protecting. They are big dogs that are very good at controlling predators around their herd.

These dogs are big gentle giants. They can make great search and rescue dogs and are known for their great ability to swim and perform search and rescue in the water. Their partially webbed feet (like ducks) allow for this to be possible!

Huskies are very vocal, high energy dogs, their purpose was to pull a sled as a team of dogs’ over long distances. These dogs like to run, and they are very good at it. A team of sled dogs that was a big part of history was when the team brought medications to Nome, Alaska in a record 5.5 days to save the towns people. Their thick fur coats allow them to thrive in cold temperatures.

Chihuahuas originated in Mexico where the Aztec people thought of them to hold magical properties, they also used them in religious ceremonies. Today they make some very good household pets! The oldest Chihuahua ever recorded was 23 years old. This is also the oldest dog to have ever lived.

German Shepherds are known to be very loyal and courageous dogs. They make great guard dogs and police dogs due to these strong instincts and their intelligence. They were originally bred to guard and herd sheep.

These are very strong and courageous dogs. They originated in Japan and at one time only the Japanese royalty was able to own these dogs because they were so highly regarded. They are able to hunt big game such as deer and also bears, which shows just how strong and determined they are.

Jack Russell Terriers were named after the man that created the breed “John Russell.” They were created in England in the 19^th century and used to hunt foxes. Today they make great family companions but many of them still have a high drive to hunt small prey such as gophers, rabbits or foxes. 

Poodles are one of the smartest breeds of dogs. Today they are mostly used as pets or show animals. They are a hypoallergenic dog breed due to the decreased shedding and therefore less dander, which is something that many people are allergic to. Today they have become popular due to the breeding of a poodle and a golden retriever to create a golden doodle or other similar breeds, to make great family pets.

Australian Shepherds have gained a lot of interest in the past decade due to their fun, loving personality and their high energy drive. These dogs were originally bred to be herding dogs and many still carry those qualities. They do make great family pets if they are able to have a lot of physical and mental stimulation, like going on walks or playing fetch.

These dogs originated in Switzerland; they were highly regarded mountain rescue dogs. They carried a “cask” on their collar (little wooden barrel) that contained what some believe to be alcohol or some sort of life saving solution that helped save many people that were stranded/injured in the mountains.

Also known as “wiener dogs” this breed makes for a great family pet here in North America. Their unique body structure attracts people to the breed. They originally were bred to hunt small prey inn Europe.

The wolf is thought to be where all the dog breeds originated. It is hard to believe a Chihuahua is related to a Newfoundland, but we think they could be! One theory is that some wolves many years ago started to tame down around humans in order to get food. Then humans began breeding the tame ones to create working dogs and loyal companions. Thousands of years later we are still doing the same!