The Poodle has been around since at least 400 years.  In the 18th century, the Miniature Poodle and the Toy Poodle were bred in England. The smaller varieties of the breed became popular with royalty and the Miniature and Toy Poodles were bred from the larger Standard Poodles. The three sizes of Poodle are all […]

Miniature Schnauzers were developed in Germany in the late 1800s by cross-breeding Standard Schnauzers with Affenpinschers and Poodles. Originally bred to serve various functions of farm life such as herding, guarding and ratting around the house and barn, Standard Schnauzers were bred down into a smaller form, most likely to serve the main purpose of […]

The Newfoundland gets its name from its place of origin: the island of Newfoundland in eastern Canada. A native breed known as St. John’s Dog (also the founding breed of the modern retrievers) is thought to have bred with mastiffs, most likely the Great Pyrenees or the Tibetan Mastiff, to produce this large, hard-working breed. […]

The name Papillon is derived from the French word meaning butterfly. The name is attributed to the long haired ears that are shaped like butterfly wings. The breed is also sometimes known as the Continental Toy Spaniel. The breed history dates back to early toy spaniels of the 13th to 15th centuries and are depicted […]

This little dog comes from the ancient city of Peking, (now called Beijing) two thousand years ago. Only royalty and noblemen were allowed to own the dog, and people without noble rank were required to bow to the dog when in its presence or passing in the street. It was believed the dogs chased away […]

The Pomeranian breed is the smallest member of the spitz family and is classed as a toy dog breed. Although the breed did not originate there, Pomerania (northeast region of Germany) is the area where the original type of Pomeranian dog was bred and the reason behind the breeds name. The Pomeranian we know of […]

The true origins of the Pug breed are still unclear, as the first Emperor of China destroyed all records relating to the breed during his reign between 221 and 210 B.C. What is known is that this toy breed has enjoyed a pampered life as a pet of many a member of royalty. Pugs have […]

The Rottweiler is a breed that has been known throughout history. It’s known as one of the oldest herding dogs and dates back to the days of the Roman Empire. When part of the Roman army needed to move through Europe, they used Rottweilers to keep their cattle in line. In the Middle Ages, butchers […]

Samoyeds are listed as one of the ancient dog breeds. They have been bred and trained for at least 3,000 years. They originate from Siberia, where they worked with hunters and fishermen called Samoyeds. Their duties included hunting for reindeer, guarding camps and pulling sleds. Their sledding ability was used extensively in exploration. The breed […]

The St. Bernard breed has a long history. They are believed to be descendants of the molosser type dogs that were brought to Switzerland by the Romans. The earliest record of the breed is from 1707. Commonly used as farm dogs, St. Bernards earned their keep by herding and guarding livestock as well as hunting. […]