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 […]

The English Bulldog has been around for a while, although its ancestors were quite different in temperament than the Bulldog of today. These dogs were originally bred for the sport of bull baiting. This betting sport required the dog to attack and subdue a bull. Naturally, the dogs bred for this task would have to […]

Cockers are one of the oldest known kinds of Land Spaniel. They are descendants of the original Spaniels from Spain and have become a family known to be much diversified in type, size, colour and hunting ability. Before the 17th century, all Spaniels belonged in one group. Eventually, they were grouped based on size and […]

By looking at its name, it’s easy to get the idea that the French Bulldog originated in France but that isn’t quite the case. This breed actually comes from Nottingham, England. The bulldogs of that area and time were big and tenacious which made them great for baiting bulls, but not as desirable as a […]

As its name suggests, the German Shepherd was first bred in Germany. The forefathers of this breed were working dogs that were bred selectively for their intelligence, agility and strength. These dogs resembled the modern German Shepherd, but varied from region to region. In 1899, a German man named Max von Stephanitz purchased one of […]

All Schnauzers were developed in Germany in the 19th century on the farmlands of Wurttemberg and Bavaria. The Giant Schnauzer (known in Germany as Riesenschnauzer) was developed by crossing the standard variety, which was developed first, with the black Great Dane and other herding breeds, for the purpose of herding and guarding. Until the 20th […]

Golden Retrievers were first bred in Scotland during the mid 1800’s. Because of an upswing in the number and quality of hunting guns during that time, hunters found that they were losing a lot of game. In order to combat this, Sir Dudley Marjoribanks decided to breed a type of dog that would be inclined […]

Known as “the Apollo of all dogs,” the Great Dane is an ancient breed dating back to 3000 BC Egypt. The Dane we know today was developed not in Denmark but in Germany, where it was used for hunting wild boar. The name can be traced to the 18th century, before which the breed was […]

The Greyhound is an old breed originally thought to be related to Egyptian dogs. Recent DNA analysis, however, shows that they’re more likely related to a dog used by the ancient Celts. They were introduced to the United Kingdom in the 5th and 6th century BC. Their name derives from the word “grighund.” “Hund” was […]

Italian Greyhounds are an ancient breed, dating back over 5,000 years. Evidence of their remains has been found in Egyptian tombs and drawings of the breed were found in the ruins of Pompeii. These dogs were mostly used as companions, but some have been used for rodent catching and falcon hunting. By the Middle Ages, […]

The Jack Russell Terrier has its origins in foxhunting. Jack Russell’s derive their name from Reverend John Russell. Rev. Russell was a keen huntsman. He wanted to create a breed of dog which had long enough legs to keep up with hounds, stamina to continue the chase and the courage to chase foxes that had […]

The little Japanese Chin is an ancient Japanese breed adored by the royal houses for over a thousand years. Originally from China these dogs were given as gifts to the Japanese royalty, although the exact time period is debated. Some put it at around the year 1000 and others around the mid 6th or 7th […]

The Keeshond is a medium breed of dog originating from Germany and Holland. It is a member of the Spitz group of dogs which include Pomeranians, Chow Chows and Alaskan Malamutes. The breed came to prominence during the Dutch Revolution as the symbol of the Dutch Patriot political party. The leader of this party, Cornelius […]

The Labrador Retriever hails from the island of Newfoundland in Canada, where small water dogs known as St. John’s Dogs were used to retrieve fowl and fish, and pull boats. Fishermen brought this loyal and hardworking breed to Britain in the early 19th century, where Lord Malmsbury famously took to it for its hunting skills, […]

Often called the gentle giant, the Leonberger is a large, muscular, regal looking dog with a double long haired coat and bear like paws. The long, waterproof outer coat is durable, straight, and fits close to the body.

The Maltese is a toy breed and a companion dog, which has been in existence for centuries. Even though its exact origins are not known, it is believed that the Maltese descended from a Spitz type dog. The breed name is thought to have originated from Malta. There are several accounts that refer to the […]

Miniature Pinschers are well-balanced, compact little dogs. They are often mistaken for miniature versions of Dobermans as they’re very similar in appearance but the two are not related.  Historical paintings and artifacts suggest that Miniature Pinschers have been around for far longer than Dobermans and it is believed that they are a result of cross […]

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. […]