Dog best breeds & their Characteristics
American Kennel club counts the number of registrations for each dog breed every year and then decides the popularity of dog breed. According to American kennel club, following are the 10 top breeds of dogs.
1-German Shepherd
German shepherd stand at the 1st popularity rank in AKC (American Kennel Club) according to 2012 registration counts. The dog is intelligent, faithful, utterly devoted and suspicious toward strangers.
German shepherd originated from Germany in 1800s as a guard for animal herd, sheep herding and police dog. Now a days functioning as a police helper, contraband detector and a family guard. Other name of this dog is Alsatian.
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| German shepherd dog breed characteristics |
Average Male Size: Height 24-26 inches, weight 75-95 pounds.
Average Female Size: Height 22-24 inches, weight 75-95 pounds
2-Labrador Retrieve
Standing at the 2nd position in popularity rank, Labrador retriever is a moderate kind of dog and not very aggressive in any way. Retriever is a good swimmer and a wonderful helper for fetching game birds. Labrador is kind and playful with children, animals and with other pets. Life span of this dog is about 10 – 12 years. The breed originated from Newfoundland, Canada in 1800s. Black, culled yellow and chocolate are three accepted and approved colors of this dog.
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| labrador dog breed characteristics |
Average Male Size: Height 22.5 -24.5 inches, weight 65 – 80 pounds.
Average Female Size: Height 21.5 – 23.5 inches, weight 55-70 pounds
3-Golden Retriever
Another dog belonging to the retriever family, good at swimming and capable of carrying heavy game over land and water. Have powerful head with strong neck and well-developed fore and hind-quarters. Golden Retriever originated from England in 1800s. Other name of this dog is Yellow Retriever.
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| Golden retriever breed characteristics |
Average Male Size: Height 23-24 inches, weight 65 – 75 pounds.
Average Female Size: Height 21.5 – 22.5 inches, weight 55-65 pounds
4-Beagle
Beagle, 4th at the popularity position, looks like a small foxhound, solid for its size. It is also carried to hunt with hunters. Because of its small size it can easily move in small bushes. It is an excellent child’s dog, gentle, incredibly tolerant and always ready to join in a game or an adventure.
Beagle originated from England in 1300s. Other name of this dog is English Beagle.
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| Beagle breed characteristics |
AVERAGE SIZE OF MALE Height: 13-15 inches Weight: 18-30 pounds
AVERAGE SIZE OF FEMALE Height: 13-15 inches Weight: 18-30 pounds
5-Bull Dog
5th position in popularity rank of AKC, a medium sized dog with shuffling gait and massive and short faced head do not like to be in lap. They are famous because of their massive and adorable wrinkles. Most common color in bull dog are brindle, white, red, fawn, fallow or piebald.
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| Bull dog breed characteristics |
Bull Dog originated form British Isles and it was also used for fighting purposes.
Average weight: 40-50 pounds
6-Yorkshire Terrier
A sharp minded, intelligent and confident dog with compact body stands a 6th position in AKC popularity list. It’s famous for its long and silky hair which are fine, straight and glossy. Color is a hallmark of this breed, with the blue a dark steel blue and the tan a clear tan.
Yorkshire terrier originated from England in 1800s and falls in Terrier family of dogs.
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| Yorkshire terrier breed Characteristics |
AVERAGE SIZE OF MALE Height: 8-9 inches Weight: <7 pounds
AVERAGE SIZE OF FEMAL Height: 8-9 inches Weight: <7 pounds
7-Boxer
The boxer is exemplary in its combination of stylish elegance with strength and agility. It is square-proportioned with good substance and musculature. Its stride is free and ground-covering, with proud carriage. Its head is distinctive, with a broad, blunt muzzle and alert expression. Its coat is short and shiny. It is perfectly suited to serve as a working watchdog.
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| Boxer breed characteristics |
AVERAGE SIZE OF MALE Height: 22.5-25 inches Weight: 65-80 pounds
AVERAGE SIZE OF FEMALE Height: 21-23.5 inches Weight: 50-65 pounds
8-Poodle
The poodle is a square-proportioned dog with proud carriage and elegant appearance. It should move with a light, springy, effortless stride. The poodle stems from working retriever stock, and its conformation should reflect its athletic background. The coat is curly, harsh and dense; if corded, it should hang in tight even cords. The traditional clips stem from functional and decorative tradition; acceptable clips for show purposes are the puppy (for puppies only), English saddle, Continental and (for some non-regular classes only) sporting.
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| Poodle breed characteristics |
AVERAGE SIZE OF MALE Height: 15-21 inches Weight: 45-65 pounds
AVERAGE SIZE OF FEMALE Height: 15-21 inches Weight: 45-65 pounds
9-Rottweiler
The Rottweiler is a medium-large breed, slightly longer than it is tall and robust with a powerful, substantial build. It combines the abilities necessary to drive cattle for long distances as well as serve as a formidable guard dog — jobs that entail great strength, agility and endurance. Its trot is sure and powerful, with strong reach and drive. Its coat is straight, coarse and dense. Its expression reflects the Rottweiler at its best — noble, alert and self-assured.
Confident, bold, alert and imposing, the Rottweiler is a popular choice for its ability to protect. As befitting its self-assured nature, it tends to be headstrong and stubborn and is often domineering. It is reserved, often wary, toward strangers. It may be overly protective if it perceives that its family is being threatened, and it may also attempt to “herd” children. This is a powerful breed that needs socialization, consistent training and daily exercise to be the best it can be — a loyal family member and guardian.
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| Rottweiler breed characteristics |
AVERAGE SIZE OF MALE Height: 24-27 inches Weight: 85-135 pounds
AVERAGE SIZE OF FEMALE Height: 22-25 inches Weight: 80-100 pounds
10-Shih Tzu (Chrysanthemum Dog)
Compact, yet slightly longer than it is tall, the Shih Tzu hides a sturdy body beneath its mantle of luxurious hair. It has a smooth, effortless stride with good reach and drive. Even though its function is that of companion, it should nonetheless be structurally sound. Its expression is warm, sweet and wide-eyed, imparting the impression of trust and friendliness. The long, dense coat is double and fairly straight. Other name of Shih Tzu is chrysanthemum dog.
The spunky but sweet Shih Tzu is both a gentle lap dog and a vivacious companion. It has an upbeat attitude and loves to play and romp. It is affectionate to its family and good with children. It is surprisingly tough and does have a stubborn streak.
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| Shihtzu breed characteristics |
AVERAGE SIZE OF MALE Height: 8-11 Weight: 9-16
AVERAGE SIZE OF FEMALE Height: 8-11 Weight: 9-16