The Dogue de Bordeaux, also known as the French Mastiff, has a long and sometimes unclear history. This breed was known around southern France (particularly the Bordeaux region) as early as the fourteenth century. Its ancestors are not known for sure, but may include the Bullmastiff, the Bulldog and the Greco-Roman Molossoids. Throughout their long […]

Dobermans were bred relatively recently. In the late 1800s, a tax collector named Louis Dobermann hoped to create a dog to help him with his job. Because he often had to travel through bandit-infested areas with large amounts of cash, he decided to breed a dog that was strong, intelligent, loyal, and fierce. A number […]

The ancestors of the American Bulldog are the Mastiffs of the British Isles. In the 11th century, these Mastiffs were bred with Spanish Alaunts to produce the Bulldog. Strong and tenacious, Bulldogs were used in herding and hunting tasks. As their name suggests, dogs of this breed were also used in bull-baiting. This “sport” involved […]

Akitas originate from the northeast region of the Japanese island Honshu. The ancestors of the modern Akita, the Matagi dogs, flourished in this area centuries ago. The Matagi were hunting dogs that fed themselves on large game like elk, boar, and antelope. Recent dating efforts show that these dogs are one of the oldest breeds. […]

The Airedale Terrier is named after a valley in West Riding of Yorkshire. The river Aire runs through the valley and on its shores lived the people who first bred this dog. The offspring of Welsh Terriers and Otterhounds, the Airedale was bred with hunting in mind. During the 19th century it was not unusual […]

The Afghan Hound has been noted for its elegance and hunting abilities for millennia. In fact, distant ancestors of today’s Afghan Hound were mentioned in Egyptian papyruses that are over 4,000 years old. Native to Sinai, this breed is thought to be one of the oldest breeds of sight-hounds (dogs that hunt by sight rather […]

The Chihuahua is a distinctive breed known for its small size – in fact, it is the smallest breed of dog in the world. Information on the origins of the Chihuahua is mixed, but the general consensus is that they come from the Chihuahua region of Mexico. They were considered holy in many ancient civilizations […]

As its name suggests, the Tibetan Terrier originated in Tibet. It’s one of the oldest breeds of dog. The original owners of these dogs were Tibetan monks. These monks lived high in the Himalayas and cherished the dogs that lived with them. Thought to be good luck charms, these dogs were never sold. Instead, they […]

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, a small dog breed of the spaniel variety, has existed for centuries. Century old tapestries and paintings of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels along with aristocratic families have proved this. This is not a working dog breed, but instead, has been kept as a loyal companion of the rich. This dog breed […]

The Cairn Terrier is one of the older breeds of terriers, dating back to the 1500s. Originally from Scotland, this breed gets it name from its hunting abilities. A cairn is a rock den where badgers or foxes lived. The Cairn Terrier became known for its ability to crawl down into these dens and make […]