by Court Moss

Created on: August 13, 2008

The American Kennel Club (AKC) was born in the late 1880's and has moved on to become a well known registry for purebred dogs. Over many years changes were made as well as additions. And each year a new breed is added to their roster by the AKC Board of Directors.

Once a dog is registered, it is then placed in one of seven categories. Each category showcases what the breed was originally bred for, essentially leaving history to have an important role in this factor. However, there is an eighth category that contains dogs that haven't yet made it through the registry.

THE SPORTING GROUP

The Sporting Group, which can also be called the Gundog Group, is made up of retrievers, pointers, spaniels, and setters. They are bird dogs with intelligent hunting abilities in water and field settings. They are naturally alert and active, thus making them extremely likeable and well-rounded companions.

The breeds listed in this category are:

American Water Spaniel
Brittany
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Clumber Spaniel
Cocker Spaniel
Curly-Coated Retriever
English Cocker Spaniel
English Setter
English Springer Spaniel
Field Spaniel
Flat-Coated Retriever
German Shorthaired Pointer
German Wirehaired Pointer
Golden Retriever
Gordon Setter
Irish Setter
Irish Water Spaniel
Labrador Retriever
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Pointer
Spinone Italiano
Sussex Spaniel
Vizsla
Weimaraner
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

THE HOUND GROUP

The Hound group, like the Sporting breeds, are known for being used for hunting. However, their style of hunting and game is very different from the Sporting Group.

Some use their heighten sense of smell to follow trails while others have a gift of stamina as they run. And some are known for their ability to produce a sound called baying, which is somewhat of a drawn out howl.

The breeds listed in this category are:

Afghan Hound
American Foxhound
Basenji
Basset Hound
Beagle
Black and Tan Coonhound
Bloodhound
Borzoi
Dachshund
English Foxhound
Greyhound
Harrier
Ibizan Hound
Irish Wolfhound
Norwegian Elkhound
Otterhound
Petit Basset Griffon Venden
Pharaoh Hound
Plott
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Saluki
Scottish Deerhound
Whippet

THE WORKING GROUP

Most people have seen most of these breeds as giants, and rightfully so. They were bred for either guarding, pulling, or performing water rescues. And they still are considered valuable today and have many job opportunities for them.

They are solid companions because of their dedication to their owner and are very intelligent. Their strength

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