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Parson Russell Terrier 101: Spirited, Agile, and Loyal
The name is the first thing that trips people up. The UK Royal Kennel Club renamed the breed in 1999…
Bullmastiff Guide: Personality, Size, Temperament
Size gets all the attention with this breed, but the job explains more. A Bullmastiff was built to track an…
Great Pyrenees Guide: Majestic, Calm, and Protective
A Great Pyrenees guards livestock on its own, with no shepherd directing the work. The breed was developed in the…
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog: Strong, Loyal, and Gentle
Only about 350 to 400 Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs were left by 1945, according to the AKC (2017). The breed…
Gordon Setter Guide: Elegant, Bold, and Affectionate
A Gordon Setter weighs more than any other setter. The black coat with chestnut tan markings is what people notice…
Glen of Imaal Terrier Guide: Tough, Low-Profile, and Loyal
Glens of Imaal were bred to follow badger and fox down their holes, which is a strange job history for…
Giant Schnauzer 101: Powerful, Intelligent, and Protective
Giant Schnauzers started out on Bavarian cattle routes, moving herds to market and guarding the farms they came from. They…
Greyhound 101: Gentle, Fast, and Surprisingly Lazy
Most people who say a Greyhound runs 45 mph are repeating an encyclopedia. Measured galloping speed in racing dogs tops…
Harrier Dog Breed Guide: Energetic, Pack-Oriented, and Playful
Harrier dogs fill the gap between the Beagle and the English Foxhound. They were bred in England to follow hare…
Havana Silk Dog Guide: Rare, Silky, and Sweet-Natured
Breeders rebuilt this toy-sized bichon to look like the early Cuban dogs. It’s rare, and compared with the Havanese it…
Havanese 101: Cheerful, Small, and Full of Charm
The AKC calls the Havanese the only dog breed native to Cuba. It’s a toy breed from the bichon family…
Ibizan Hound Guide: Sleek, Fast, and Sensitive
Ibizan Hounds hunt rabbits on the Balearic Islands, and they find them with their noses and ears about as much…
Komondor Guide: Dreadlocked Guardian With Fierce Loyalty
The AKC breed standard, approved in 1994, describes a working dog that spends the greater part of the year in…
Irish Terrier 101: Fiery, Loyal, and Full of Heart
Irish Terriers stand about 18 inches (45.5 cm) at the withers and wear a whole red coat, per FCI Standard…
Irish Water Spaniel Guide: Curly, Smart, and Spirited
Of all the spaniels, the Irish Water Spaniel is the tallest. It’s a gundog from Ireland that retrieves waterfowl, and…
Irish Wolfhound 101: Giant Size With Gentle Soul
Irish Wolfhounds come from Ireland, where they were bred to hunt wolves. These days most of them spend the day…
Italian Greyhound Guide: Delicate, Sweet, and Lively
Italian Greyhounds stand roughly 13 to 15 inches at the withers, which makes them the smallest of the sighthounds. The…
Japanese Chin 101: Regal, Quiet, and Affectionate
The Japanese Chin has no working history. As a toy companion breed it was developed solely as a lap dog,…
Fila Brasileiro Guide: Protective, Strong, and Devoted
Ask about the Fila Brasileiro and the first thing most people bring up is where it’s illegal. The United Kingdom,…
Field Spaniel 101: Calm Demeanor and Hunting Instincts
Most people who meet a Field Spaniel guess it’s a big Cocker or a small, dark Springer. Neither is right,…