Aunt Mary's Doghouse

It's A Dog's Life - Ask Milo

By Mary Cody

The 7 Categories Of Dogs

Last issue we talked about the wisdom in choosing a dog to fit your lifestyle and personality. We reviewed the pros/cons of puppies, young adult dogs and seniors.

Now let's move on with our discussion and cover the topic of breeds. The American Kennel Club recognizes 143 breeds. One of our reference books, Legacy of the Dog, pictures 200 breeds. I've heard of another book with 400 breeds represented.

With such a vast number of dogs I can't possibly do justice to the subject in one small column. But we can examine a sampling of the more familiar breeds and the seven groups they are divided into. The groups are: Sporting, Non-Sporting, Herding, Hound, Working, Terrier and Toy. In addition to these I nominate an eighth category to include Shelter Dogs.

Let's look at each category.

Sporting: Picture an autumn hunting scene captured on canvas. A marsh land with birds taking flight and a dog poised pointing at the quarry. The dog pictured would be a setter, a pointer, a spaniel type, a retriever or any one of a few lesser known breeds. What these dogs all have in common is their love of surf, turf and retrieving.

Over time we've brought sporting dogs in from the field and successfully adapted them to family life. Keep in mind we've modified their behavior but their genes still carry the code for sports activity. If you've got an active sporting family or lifestyle consider a breed from this category. Milo votes for the Yellow Labrador Retriever. Managing the youthful spirit of a lab can be a challenge but once they calm down they make fabulous pets.

Working: This category boasts most of the extremely large breeds such as Bullmastiff, St. Bernard, Leonberger, Great Pyrenees, Great Dane, Akita, Rottweiler, Doberman, Siberian Husky, and Bernese Mountain Dog. Some of these breeds can exhibit domineering personality traits (i.e. Akita, Rottweiler, Doberman) and should be socialized properly. The mildest temperaments in this group are found in the snow dogs (i.e. Samoyed, St. Bernard, Newfoundland and Siberian Husky). If you have a lax attitude towards obedience training you'll need to put more effort into training (and have patience) or move on to another category.

Terriers: This group is known for their collective ability to hunt small animals. They were developed to control vermin that plagued food storage supplies. Their strong limbs, strong muscles and unusual head shape make them well suited to digging. (If you cherish your yard you may want to reconsider this group).

Terriers can be boisterous in vocal expression, feisty in attitude and demonstrate an earnest exuberance for life. Coat types are smooth, soft or wire. I've heard that some of these breeds are quite headstrong and can hold their ground in a challenge. Breeds found in this group are American Staffordshire Terrier, Fox Terrier, Airedale, Jack Russell Terrier, Bedlington Terrier, Bull Terrier, West Highland and Scottish Terriers.

We've fostered many American Staffordshire Terriers (unfortunately stigmatized as pit bulls) that have totally won our hearts over. Our experience is that they can be sweet, gentle, happy and loyal companions. Remember, the Little Rascal's dog Petie was a pit.

Non-Sporting: Dogs designated to this category have lineage that does not quite fit into the other groups or, they have a specific occupation or unique look. Examples would be the miniature poodle that performs on stage, the Dalmatian whose original job was to run ahead of the fire truck to clear the way, or the Chow Chow - bred as a silent guard dog. Other dogs in this group are the Boston Terrier, Shar Pei, Keeshond, Lhasa Apso and Japanese Spitz.

Herding: If you've seen the movie Babe, you're already familiar with one member of this group - the Border Collie. Herding dogs are in essence farm hands bred to herd livestock such as sheep. Overall herders are smart, active and diligent. Some of these breeds require extended amounts of time engaged in meaningful activity. For the Border Collie a quick walk around the block is not going to make him happy for long. You've got to enjoy being active with your dog or else neither of you is going to be happy. In fact you might even investigate getting involved together in a sport called agility. Some of the other herding breeds are the Australian Cattle Dog, Bearded Collie, Belgian Sheepdog, Kuvasz, Puli, Shetland Sheepdog and Welsh Corgi.

Hounds: Some of these breeds are typically depicted as detectives in cartoons. These breeds are noted for their keen sense of sight or scent. Scent hounds such as Bassets, Dachshunds, Elkhounds, Bloodhounds and the Beagle are known for keeping their nose to the ground hot on the trail of whatever interests them. It can be a challenge to get them to come when called or distract them from their mission because they can't focus past their own nose. If you chose a dog from this group it might be fun to get involved in search/rescue work.

The sighthounds are a study in elegance and grace. Consider the poise of a Greyhound, Borzoi or Afghan - their slender bodies and long legs. We're seeing more and more Greyhounds living in town, rescued from race tracks where they were discarded. Their owners always boast about what great couch pets they make once they are nurtured with human kindness.

Toy: This group was bred to be irresistibly cute and sweet - well maybe not always sweet. These are the small, cuddly lap dogs that enjoy pampering and recognition as a status symbol of the leisure class. Included in this group are Chihuahua, Papillon, Pomeranian, Shih Tzu, King Charles Spaniel, Pug, Italian Greyhound, Yorkshire Terrier and Mini Pinscher. If you rent your home and have limitations on pet size this is the group to consider.

One additional comment. We're often asked by people claiming allergies to dogs, what breeds are hypoallergenic or do not shed. From what I've read so far there is no such breed. There are however breeds whose coat is hair-like as opposed to fur-like. This would include Bichon Frise, Poodles, Tibetan Terrier, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, Shih-tzu, Wire Fox Terrier and the Maltese. Our groomer at Pup 'N Suds said it is more likely that the allergy problem is dog dander which can easily be controlled with regular bathing and a good conditioner.

Shelter Dog: No, you certainly won't find this motley crew listed anywhere as a category. If you did it would contain every known breed (yes, purebreds end up in shelters too) and a delightful mix of cross-breeds affectionately known as mutts. (And also mutt-mutts, those interesting combinations that defy positive identification). I must admit I'm biased to this category after having fostered so many of them.

At first glance inside a shelter these dogs don't appear to show much promise. Having been abandoned, or worse, they are usually (and justifiably) frightened, tentative, depressed, road weary waifs. They've experienced it all, the good, the bad and the ugly. And even after all this adversity they are still willing to forgive and give their love unconditionally.

For the average person the commotion, odor and volume of dogs at the pound can be overwhelming. But the selection and adoption process can be made easier by talking to a knowledgeable volunteer. Since these people work closely with the dogs they can quickly point out some dogs matching the criteria of your lifestyle and personality. There truly is no greater reward than helping a friend in need by giving a shelter dog a second chance at a great life.

One local volunteer group, Orphaned Pets, specializes in shelter dog adoptions. They take the stress out of the selection process. Their available dogs have been vet checked, temperament tested, fostered in a home and given as much training as time allows. You can contact them at 973-882-8363 for more details or visit their web site at www.op.petfinder.org.

Next month we'll talk about puppy mills and how to select a reputable breeder. All for now - it's time to take Milo for a walk through his town, Montclair. (Any questions? askmilo2000@yahoo.com)

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