Dog group

A dog group is an official category under the auspices of a kennel club; it comprises many individual dog breeds. The phrase may sometimes refer to categories of dogs, such as hunting dogs.

The major kennel clubs divide the world's dog breeds into Groups based on the type of work or activity for which the dogs were bred, and to a lesser extent other characteristics such as their size and temperament. The distinctions are not cut-and-dried; for example, hunting dogs are divided among the Hound, Gundog and Terrier groups.

Kennel club groups

Dog groups vary from country to country but in general there are seven:

• Gundog Group called Sporting Group in some countries - (includes retrievers, pointers and spaniels)
• Hound Group - (includes sighthounds and scenthounds
• Non-sporting Group
• Terrier Group - (The FCI subdivides terriers, see FCI Terrier Group)
• Toy Group
• Utility Group
• Working Group - (includes sled dogs and herding dogs. The American Kennel Club separates their herding dogs into a separate Herding Group.

Other dog types and dog classifications

Besides official kennel club groupings, there are other official and unofficial ways to classify dogs.

By occupation or original purpose

• Hunting dogs - may include
  • gundogs
    • hounds
    • retrievers
    • pointers
  • terriers
    • hunt terriers
    • curs, feists
• Working dogs - includes a wide variety of recognised and independent breeds
  • herding dogs
• Companion dogs - A wide variety of pets, may include non-working toy dogs, lap dogs and mongrels (mutts) as well as dogs in official groups which are not used for their original purpose, but kept as family pets.

By family

• bulldogs
• hounds
• mastiffs
• pit bulls
• pointers
• retrievers
• setters
• scenthounds
• sighthounds
• sheepdogs
• spaniels
• terriers