The American Kennel Club registers dogs and provides a certified in print or electronic certificate that displays the family tree of a dog and all of the other notable information regarding the pedigree of a dog. The AKC has long been the backer for dogs and dog owners throughout the country.

Right now the AKC recognizes more than 160 purebred breeds of dogs. These range from the more obscure like the Borzoi or the Petit Basset Griffon Venden to the more well-liked like the Labrador Retriever, the Cocker Spaniel or the German Shepherd.

Every one of the known breeds is part of a larger category or group, which signifies the primary breeding purpose of the dog and recognizes their marked individuality. Some dogs were bred for herding or hunting while a few were just bred for pets.

A important group is the sporting group, which includes retrievers, setters and spaniels. Members of this group require regular and revitalizing exercise. Many of them have innate instincts in the water and woods and they are often good at hunting and other field activities.

Hounds were bred for hunting in the past. They tend to have enormous staying power and an acute sense of smell to chase their quarry. This group would take in Beagles, Basset Hounds and Bloodhounds.

The working group was dogs that were bred for working such as pulling sleds or performing water rescues. The next group is the Terrier group and they were formerly bred to chase and kill vermin. Terriers usually have characteristically lively and spunky personalities.

The toy group was mainly bred as a pet and as true to their name they tend to be small but bouncy. There are undersized dogs in every group however, so all small dogs are not categorized into the toy group. Some of the toy breeds include the spunky Chihuahua and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The next group is the non-sporting group and it includes such breeds as the Chow-chow and Dalmatian. The Poodle is also part of the non-sporting group.

The herding group is the latest classification that just came about in 1983. These breeds were in the past part of the working group. These dogs were bred to herd other animals such as cattle or sheep. These include the Corgi and the Shetland Sheepdog. Each group of breeds has their own distinctive character and you need to check them out to see which one appeals to you.