The American Kennel Club has been around for lots of years. They offer registration for dogs and can impart a certified electronic or printed document that displays the roots of a dog and all the other important information of the origin of the dog. The American Kennel Club has been the advocate for dog owners and dogs in this country for many years.

As of right now the AKC recognizes over 160 breeds of purebred dogs. These vary from the tremendously common dogs like the Labrador retrievers and the Cocker Spaniels to the more obscure breeds such as the Petit Basset Griffon Venden or the Borzoi.

Each one of the familiar breeds is part of a bigger category or group, which signifies the initial breeding purpose of the dog and recognizes their distinct character. Some dogs were bred for herding or hunting while a few were just bred for pets.

The breeds in the sporting group include pointers, retrievers, setters and spaniels. These breeds necessitate regular and revitalizing exercise. They are good at hunting and other field activities and they have many natural instincts for water and woods.

Hounds were bred for hunting in the past. They tend to have enormous resilience and an sharp sense of smell to follow their prey. This group would contain Beagles, Basset Hounds and Bloodhounds.

Dogs from the working group include Siberian huskies and Great Danes. These dogs were predictably bred to labor at pulling sleds or performing water rescues. Terriers are another group and they are in general feisty and spunky in behavior. They were initially bred to hunt and kill vermin.

The toy group was largely bred as a pet and as faithful to their label they tend to be petite but energetic. There are small dogs in every group however, so all diminutive 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 unique individuality and you need to check them out to see which one appeals to you.