Top 10 Dog Breeds

The beagle was bred as a hunting dog. It is a scent dog and uses its keen sense of smell to find what it is looking for. Dogs similar is appearance have been around for more than 2000 years. The modern breed was developed in England around the 1830s.

Beagles have a gentle disposition. They are generally not aggressive - neither are they timid. They are intelligent dogs. When they have picked up a scent they can be hard to recall.  They have become popular family pets in recent times because they are really gentle with children. However, they are pack animals and do tend to suffer from separation anxiety when left alone for extended periods.

Their lifespan is 10-15 years which is about average for their size.

The Yorkshire Terrier is a small terrier which was developed in England during the 19th century. It generally doesn't weigh more than about 7 pounds so it truly a toy terrier type. It has become popular as a companion dog. It was introduced into North America in 1872.

The Yorkie tends to shed hair at a lower rate than other breeds.

They tend to be active, curious dogs. They can be overprotective of their owners. This is one of the reasons they make ideal companion dogs but they may not be suitable for families with young children.

They are eager to please and easy to train. They are keen to receive praise or other reward. They were originally developed as a working breed and do require both mental and physical stimulation.

They do tend to bark a lot and make excellent watchdogs. Proper training can help minimize the barking habit.

The St Bernard originated in the western part of the European alps. It was bred for alpine rescue. It is a very large dog. The average weight of a St Bernard is between 140 and 260 pounds. The earliest records of the St Bernard go back as far as the early 1700s.

There are both long haired and short haired types of St Bernard.

The last recorded instance of a St Bernard dog being used for a mountain rescue was in 1955.

The St Bernard is a very calm dog and loves both adults and children. It is sometimes known as a gentle giant. It is a good idea to start to socialize them when they are still puppies, They will bark at strangers. Their large size tends to be a deterrent against intruders.

The Siberian Husky is a medium sized working dog which originated in the north eastern region of Russia known as Siberia.

Its coat is thicker than most other dog breeds and consists of two layers - a topcoat of straight guard hairs and a thick undercoat which insulates against both heat and cold. The coat requires weekly brushing.

They eyes can be blue or brown or even one of each.

An adult dog normally weighs between 45 and 60 pounds.

The husky howls rather than barks. They benefit from regular obedience training.

They need regular companionship of people or other dogs.

They tend to live from 12-14 years.

The Labrador is a highly intelligent breed of dog which was originally bred in England as a type of gun dog retriever.

It has become one of the most popular breeds of dog in both the United States and the United Kingdom. It is frequently trained as a guide dog for the blind.

It is also used as a therapy dog and in many areas of law enforcement.

The most common colors are shades of yellow or chocolate.

They are a medium sized dog normally weighing between 65 and 80 pounds.

They have webbing between their toes which helps make them excellent swimmers.

The Labrador has a good reputation as a dog for all ages of children and is good with other dogs. They have a very even disposition.

They are very active dogs which love exercise. They love retrieving balls, sticks or just about anything else which is thrown.

It is a good idea to start their leash training early. They do tend to pull when being walked.

The Golden Retriever is another breed of dog that was originally bred as a gun dog. the word retriever comes from the fact that they could pick up game in their mouths and bring it back without damaging it.

They are quite large dogs. An adult normally weighs between 55 and 75 pounds.

They love being in the water.

These dogs need a substantial amount of exercise. They also have a tendency to roam so they should be kept in  a fenced area.

They love to play and are easy to train. They have been used as guide dogs for the blind and hearing dogs for the deaf.

Golden Retrievers have a gentle disposition and they are the third most popular family dog in the United States.

The German Shepherd is a large working dog which originated in Germany. An adult dog weighs between 50 and 90 pounds. The German Shepherd first made its appearance around 1900. It is the second most popular breed for families in the United States. It is also still used as a working dog performing such roles as search and rescue and military duties.

They are very intelligent dogs and are able to learn simple tasks very quickly.

They can become over protective of their family and territory and need to be socialized when they are quite young.

The English Cocker Spaniel is yet another breed which was developed in England as a gun dog. The word Cocker in their name derives from Woodcock which is one of the birds they used to hunt.

At the prestigious Crufts Dog Show in the UK the Cocker Spaniel has been the most succesful breed in winning best in show.

Cocker Spaniels come in a wide variety of colors.

They are energetic dogs which make great family pets. They do not like being alone and enjoy the companionship of their family. They should be socialized at a young age. They generally get along well with children, adults and other pets.

The Boxer dog breed was also developed in Germany. The breed was originally used as a hunting dog. It would pursue animals such as bear or boar and hold them until the hunter arrived. It is a medium sized short haired dog with a bright and playful temperament. They are normally patient and gentle with children which makes them a popular family choice,

Boxers can be prone to cancers and heart disease. Around 20% of boxer pups die before they are 7 weeks old.

They are an athletic breed so regular exercise is very important. They are excellent jogging companions.

The three most common types of bulldog are the English Bulldog, The American Bulldog and the French Bulldog. They are all stocky muscular dogs with a characteristic wrinkled face and pushed up nose. The coat is short and sleek. They are one of the few breeds with a naturally short tail.

Bulldogs have a tendency to form strong bonds with children. They had a reputation as an aggressive dog in earlier times but breeds have worked hard to breed out the aggression.

Bulldogs generally have quite short lives, At 6 years old they already start to show signs of aging. They have a tendency to put on weight if not regularly exercised.

The Bulldog is the mascot of the United States Marine Corps.

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