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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

Schipperke (pronounced Skip-er-kee) is a small Belgian breed of dog that originated in the early 16th century. There has been a long ongoing debate over whether this type of dog is a spitz or miniature sheepdog. Schipperkes were formally recognized as a breed in the 1880s and their first standard was written in 1889. The […]

The Scottish Terrier’s roots go as far back as the 1600s, however the breed was not official until the late 1800s. The first standard was written in 1880 by J.B. Morrison and has remained the heart of all standards written since. In 1882 the Scottish Terrier Club was organised with officers in both Scotland and […]

The Shar-Pei is a Chinese breed of dog that has been around for centuries, perhaps even as far back as 200BC. The breed was mostly used by peasant farmers. The strength and willingness to work shown by these dogs meant that many farmers used them for guarding, herding and hunting game. This breed’s signature folds […]

The Shetland Sheepdog looks like a miniature version of the Rough Collie, (the Lassie dog) and both dogs are descendants of Border Collies that inhabited Scotland. The Border collies were crossed with the Icelandic Yakkin, (a small dog that is now extinct), on the Scottish island of Shetland. The end result by 1700 was the […]

Recent DNA analysis confirms that this is one of the oldest dog breeds, dating back to the 3rd century BC, and only one of a handful of ancient breeds still alive today. Descended from the primitive dogs of the ancient people of Japan, the Shiba Inu was bred to hunt small wild game, boar and […]

Recent DNA analysis confirms that the ancestors of today’s Shi Tzu breed are among the most ancient dog breeds. Skeletal remains from human settlements have been dated ten thousand years ago in Tibet. Several Chinese and Tibetan breeds evolved from the Gobi Desert Kitchen Midden Dog, a scavenger. There are several theories about the origin […]

As you may have guessed by their name, the Siberian Husky originates from Siberia. They’re thought to be one of the oldest breeds of dogs in the world and were originally used by the Chukchi tribe as a working dog – their seemingly tireless energy helped them in their sled pulling, reindeer herding and watchdog […]

The Spanish Water Dog is an ancient breed. Its exact origins are debated, but it is known that a woolly coated water dog inhabited the Iberian Peninsula around 1110 AD. It is possible that Turkish merchants brought the dog into Spain and traded it to Spanish farmers and shepherds. By the 18th century, the water […]

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier finds its roots in the world of 19th century British fighting dogs. Bred from bulldogs and other local terriers, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was known for its courage and gameness. A dog was considered “game” if he was willing and able to keep at a certain task despite the risk of […]

The Standard Poodle goes back nearly 400 years. The breed originated in Western Europe where they were bred as retrievers. Several countries claim to be the home place of this breed, including Germany, Denmark, and France. The name “Poodle” likely comes from the German word “Pudle,” which is a word for someone who likes to […]

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 […]

The West Highland Terrier originated in Poltalloch, Scotland. They were originally called the Polatalloch Terrier, as well as the Roseneath Terrier. In the mid 19th century, Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm started this breed. The story goes that the Colonel kept a group of light coloured terriers as hunting dogs. One day while on a hunt, […]

The Yorkshire Terrier originated from Yorkshire but its descendants were several types of Terrier from Scotland, which were brought to Yorkshire by working men who developed the breed for the purpose of rat catching.  These descendants are believed to have included the Clydesdale Terrier, the Waterside Terrier and the Old English Terrier. The Paisley Terrier […]