Different Dog Breeds
Directory of Breed of Dog

There is a great diversity in shape in pedigree dog breeds, and in a lesser degree, a wide range of tempers. Some breeds are not common and probably more expensive, while others are usually seen, and the price is often an indication of the pedigree. This fact is very important for those interested in exhibitions. Generally, there are around 300 different dog breeds accepted; some of them not admitted in exhibitions but with a great tradition of work in their native countries.
Most known breeds: Each dog has his time, there are changing interests in the dog's world; therefore while some breeds increase their number, others decrease, simply due to fashion.
Why is there such diversity in size and shape of dogs? This is a result of selective reproduction. It's been suggested than only 20 mutations, as the shortened legs, would have been necessary to originate the wide range of present breeds.

Directory of Breed of Dog

The Afghan Dog The Basenji Dog The Basset Dog The Brichon Frise Dog The Borzoi Dog The Briard Dog The Boxer Dog The English Bulldog The Bullterrier Dog The Poodle The Chihuahua Dog The Chow Chow Dog The Cocker Spaniel Dog The Long Bearded Collie The Border Collie Dog The Long Haired Collie The Welsh Corgi Dog The Dalmatian Dog The Doberman Dog The Argentine Dogo The Greyhound Dog The Great Dane Dog The Brussels Griffon Dog The Keeshond Dog The Whippet Dog The Irish Whippet Dog The Lhasa Apso Dog The Pomeranian Lulu The German Shepherd The Belgian Shepherd Old English Shepherd The Zetlander Shepherd The Beagle Dog The Pekinese Dog The Pyrenees Dog The Dachshund Dog The Pointer Dog The Flat Hair Retriever The Labrador Retriever The Golden Retriever Rhodesia Ridgeback The Rottweiler Dog The Saluku Dog The Samoyed Dog The Saint Bernard Dog The Gordon Setter Dog The English Setter Dog The Irish Setter Dog The Shar-Pei Dog The Shih Tzu Dog King Charles Spaniel The Terranova Dog West Highland Terrier The Airedale Terrier Dog The Boston Terrier Dog The Yorkshire Terrier The Scottish Terrier Dog The Jack Russell Terrier The Hungarian Vizsla The Weimaraner Dog

There have been almost 4,000 generations of dogs since the beginning of domestication, and each generation increases probabilities of mutations

Alaskan Malamute Siberian Husky  Basset hound  Labrador Retriever Beagle Leonberger Bobtail German Shepherd Boxer  Belgian Shepherd Bull Terrier Groenendael  English Bulldog Pekingese Caniche Rottweiler Carline Samoyed King Charles Spaniel  Saint Bernard  Chihuahua Schnauzer Chow Chow Irish Setter  Cocker Spaniel Shar Pei Collie American Staffordshire Terrier Dalmatian Yorkshire Terrier Doberman Newfoundland Deutsche Dogge West Highland White Terrier Fox Terrier  Dachshund  Afghan Hound Golden Retriever Spanish Hound

. Through selective mutations some outlines have been fostered, and therefore, the present diversity of breeds has been created.If two breeds with very different physical characteristics, like length of extremities, length of hair, and head shape, are coupled, their descendants will have a mixture of around half way between both parents. Explanation is, that for some reason, mechanisms existing in most of species to limit variations within them, does not work anymore. Presumably, this might be caused by years of selective reproduction for different types of dogs.

Frequently, new characteristics in shape have been developed, and maybe the dog has been the major target for selective reproduction compared with other domestic animals, like cows or cats. In theory, species could even reach  a wider diversity. But recently some strict standards have been enacted to identify breeds, with the predominant criteria that present variations are enough.