There are eight (+/- depending on how you sort them) groups of dogs: Working Breeds, Herding Breeds, Sporting/Gundog Breeds, Toy Breeds, Hound Breeds, Terrier Breeds, Non-Sporting/Utility Breeds, and Foundation Stock.
Working breed dogs are generally large dogs who originally served as guard dogs or draft dogs. They were bred to be hardy in their native environment and generally healthy. They are, due to size, prone to elbow and hip dysplasia and unfortunately also tend to have a shorter that average life-span. Most working breeds are fairly laid-back in nature and do not need a constant job or activity. This is not true for all working breeds though - a Siberian Husky tends to need something to do with their time; especially when young. Often on the more stubborn side of life, these dogs frequently take a bit more effort to train; however, do not mistake this for being unintelligent. Often wary of strangers, these dogs bond very strongly with their family.
Notable Breeds: Rottweiler, Great Dane, Doberman Pinscher, Alaskan Malamute, St. Bernard
Probably the most active as a group, herding dogs were bred to attend to flocks. Usually a mid-sized and athletic dog, they were meant to control or move herds of animals rather than protect them. These are not the same as livestock guardian dogs whose job is to protect the flock from external threats such as poachers or natural predators. They do share similar health concerns to livestock guardians (arthritis, hip/elbow dysplasia). Herding dogs tend to need something to do in their day to day life or you risk a destructive dog. Frequently higher energy, these dogs make wonderful pets in active households. They are usually quite smart and take less effort to train than many other groups. Herding dogs need early exposure to children and/or smaller animals if you intend to have them co-exist. While not usually aggressive, herding breeds will be true to their name and herd anything they think needs it.
Notable Breeds: Border Collie, German Shepherd, Rough Collie, Pembroke and Cardigan Corgis
Bred to retrieve or indicate what their human is hunting, these breeds generally have very high endurance and decent resistance to inclement weather. As a whole these breeds tend to be healthy with no prevailing health concerns. Not to say they don’t have health problems but none that define the entire group. Not to be confused with hounds, these dogs are quieter and more observant; preferring to alert with behavior rather than baying. These dogs need a moderate to high amount of exercise but are usually content to spend time with their people once that exercise need is met. These dogs tend to not have a particularly high prey-drive which makes them ideal for active or semi-active families with smaller pets or children.
Notable Breeds: Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Vizsla, Weimaraner, Pointer
Created predominantly for companionship, toy breeds tend to be small in size and very friendly. Most dogs in this category are 25 pounds with some as small as 4 pounds. Some were bred to also hunt small vermin within the home; but the majority started out as companions, generally to the aristocracy. What they lack in size they make up for in personality. There is rarely a dull moment with a toy breed. They generally have only moderate exercise needs as their legs are so short. Toy dogs and children are sometimes at odds. While they can be the best of friends, the child must be taught to be very gentle with such a small dog. Small dogs are usually subject to joint problems in their legs, obesity, and a more common than average occurrence of heart problems.When kept healthy toy breeds have some of the longest lifespans, often reaching to the mid-teens and beyond.
Notable Breeds: Chihuahua, Pug, Papillon, Maltese, Bichon Frise
Bred to track prey by sight or scent, hound dogs are prone to wander if not supervised. They are frequently vocal as they were meant to alert their humans to finding a scent or animal. The scent hounds are usually a bit heavier and come in a variety of body types; however, sight hounds are usually long-legged and svelte. Many of these dogs, especially the sight variety, have massive endurance, but are happy to relax with their family as long as they get some exercise. The long and low varieties such as the six types of Dachshund and the Basset Hound are prone to spinal issues and many hounds have dental issues as well. If some noise doesn’t bother you, hound dogs are wonderful family pets with a very easy-going nature.
Notable Breeds: Dachshund, Basset Hound, Greyhound, Irish Wolfhound, Whippet
Terriers were bred to hunt, usually in smaller areas such as a barn or house. They have a higher than average prey-drive and are usually fairly determined to have things their own way. They are generally very loving with their family (children included) but may not do well with other small pets. These dogs usually have nearly boundless energy when younger and will need some sort of regular activity or you risk a very destructive dog. As a whole these are are hardy dogs who do not tend to have any major health issues as a group; however, larger and smaller members of the group are prone to common size related issues.
Notable Breeds: Scottish Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, Jack Russell, Fox Terrier, Airedale
These are dogs who were bred for a purpose that has since become obsolete or that do not fit well in any other category. They have a wide range of shapes and sizes, coat types, and temperaments. As they were bred to do different things it is hard to put an umbrella of any sort over this group. From the athletic Dalmatian to the sturdy English Bulldog, they really cover pretty much anything you can think of in the canine world. For these breeds you would be best served looking up their original purpose and speaking with owners and/or breeders.
Notable Breeds: Chow Chow, Dalmatian, English Bulldog, Dogo Argentino, Chinese Shar-Pei
This category is rather like the utility group. There is no defining feature for these breeds other than being largely in development and therefore not recognized by many/any large kennel clubs. These are often breeds who have been bred for a specific purpose which they still actively fill but only in a small region or “designer dogs” that are working towards having an actual breed standard. Frequently these dog breeds avoid the health problems seen in over-breeding or inbreeding; however, for some of the more popular “designer breeds” that is not the case. As with the utility group, do your research on a breed in this groups that interests you and speak to people who own and/or breed them to see if they would be a good fit for you.
Notable Breeds: Pyrenean Mastiff, Spanish Mastiff, Tosa Inu, Caucasian Ovcharka, Doodles
Obviously none of this is 100% accurate 100% of the time. These are guidelines/a general overview and there are exceptions to every rule. Each breed profile I do will strive to be more specific to each breed. This is just meant to be a starting point if you have no idea what sort of dogs you might be interested in or seeking out.
