Classification of breeding dogs

A scheme of breeding dogs must be related to the development of science on the one hand and the discipline considered itself on the other side.  Superficially similar animals have been separated from others and called the races.  They are developed parallel to the breeding of domestic dogs. Here, the focus was on the purpose-breeding. Dogs were given tasks that they were bred for.

The animals that were most appropriate for the specific use, were used for breeding. The discipline was thus primarily directed towards a purpose, behind the appearance. This, too, resulted in a classification of breeds – animals that were bred for the same purpose, were grouped into races. In addition, the aspect of the regional origin of dog breeds played a role in the assignment. All these aspects are reflected in the current classifications of races.
Mainly the purpose of the following dog types are distinguished:
Shepherd dogs (such as the Cattle Dog), which the shepherds used at work including specialized herding dogs (such as sheepdogs, Collies, Border Collie), Cattle Dogs (for example, Appenzeller Sennenhund) and livestock guardian (for example, Kuvasz).
Watchdogs (for example doberman) and guard dogs, for example (German Spitz).
Barn dogs e.g. (Pinscher and Schnauzer)
Society Dogs (for example, Havanese, Papillon), and companion dogs
Highly specialized hunting dogs for different aspects of hunting including bloodhounds, Flushing Dogs, Saupacker, pointing dogs, retrievers, Ferreting, Bracken, and scent hounds, which hunt in a pack, like the Beagle.
Greyhounds such as Azawakh

The modern breed of domestic dogs is pure bred dog breeding compared with the period of domestication of the very young. They only began in the mid-19th Century with the increasing industrialization and has its origins in the most highly industrialized countries related to the knowledge about the laws of inheritance.

They used systematic breeding the aim to achieve certain physical characteristics, and it bred common breeds. Breeding has been documented in stud books and pedigrees. The starting point of this discipline, was purpose-bred dogs.

Thus, we agree today it is a race from various angles. The problem with this scheme is that it changes in the course of breeding, both the original purpose of a race as well as their appearance. A regional mapping of breeding dogs is usually not possible anymore.
A classification of canine breeds is maintained by the Cynologique Federation Internationale (FCI). From a current 340 breeds which are recognized (as at April 2009). This system is historical and not taken into account the degree of genetic relatedness between the different races. The FCI-recognized breeds, are all systems that are divided into 10 groups, and in turn subdivided into various sections:

Saluki, a greyhound race.
Group 01: Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs).
Group 02: Pinscher and Schnauzer – Molossoid – Swiss Mountain Dogs and other breeds.
Group 03: Terriers.
Group 04: Dachshunds.
Group 05: Spitz and primitive types.
Group 06: Running dogs, bloodhounds and related breeds.
Group 07: Pointing.
Group 08: Retrievers – Flushing Dogs – Water Dogs.
Group 09: Companion and Toy Dogs.
Group 10: Sighthounds.

There are many breeds not recognized by the FCI, as well as a number of existing breeds, such as the extinct Basset Artois, Braque Belge and Harlequin Pinscher, which are deleted from the FCI classification scheme.

Some dog breeds

One of the smallest recognized dog breeds includes the Chihuahua (FCI-Nr. 218) weighing 0.5-3.0kg and a height below 20cm.  The largest dog breeds include the German Mastiff (FCI-Nr. 235) with a minimum of 80cm at the withers Dogs and the Irish wolfhound (FCI-Nr. 160) with up to 95cm, to the rare breeds of the Curly Coated Retriever.

In some breeds, the breeding goes so far that the dogs suffer health problems such as shortness of breath or eye problems or that the birth process can no longer run, as with the English bulldog. For others, the natural features have been greatly exaggerated: wrinkling (Shar Pei); fur structure and so on. Such breeding objectives is now known as suffering.