Dog Breeds

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador is one of the most popular family dogs in the world. It originally helped fishermen in Newfoundland retrieve nets and fish from the water.

💡 Did you know? Thanks to its gentle nature and eagerness to learn, it is often trained as a guide or rescue dog.

Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever was bred in Scotland as a gundog to retrieve game. It is known as especially friendly, patient and good with children.

💡 Did you know? Its 'soft mouth' lets it carry a raw egg without cracking it.

German Shepherd

The German Shepherd was originally bred to herd sheep. Today it is one of the most important service and police dogs.

💡 Did you know? The film dog 'Rin Tin Tin', a German Shepherd, became a Hollywood star in the 1920s.

French Bulldog

The French Bulldog is a small, muscular companion dog with characteristic 'bat ears'. It is playful, affectionate and needs little exercise.

💡 Did you know? Because of its short nose it breathes poorly and can barely swim.

Poodle

The poodle is highly intelligent and eager to learn and was once used as a water-retrieving gundog. Its coat sheds very little.

💡 Did you know? The elaborate haircuts originally had a practical purpose: keeping joints and organs warm in cold water.

Beagle

The beagle is a small scenthound with an exceptional sense of smell, bred to hunt hares and rabbits in packs. It is cheerful and sociable.

💡 Did you know? Because of its fine nose it is used at airports to detect prohibited food.

Dachshund

With its short legs and long body, the dachshund was bred to hunt in fox and badger burrows. It is known as brave and strong-willed.

💡 Did you know? 'Dachshund' literally means 'badger dog': after its original job.

Rottweiler

The Rottweiler is a powerful, self-assured dog that once drove cattle and served butchers as a guard and draught dog. It needs consistent training.

💡 Did you know? Its name comes from the town of Rottweil, where it guarded cattle dealers' money in a pouch on its collar.

Boxer

The boxer is a muscular, playful dog with a short muzzle, bred in Germany. It is patient and good with children and stays playful for years.

💡 Did you know? The name probably comes from the way it uses its front paws like a boxer when playing.

Pug

The pug is a small companion dog with a round head and curled tail, originally from China. It is affectionate and easygoing.

💡 Did you know? For centuries it was a fashionable lapdog at European royal courts.

Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is the smallest dog breed in the world, named after a Mexican state. Despite its size it is bold and self-assured.

💡 Did you know? A full-grown Chihuahua usually weighs only 1.5 to 3 kilograms.

Border Collie

The Border Collie is regarded as the most intelligent dog breed and was bred to herd sheep. It needs plenty of exercise and mental stimulation.

💡 Did you know? It controls flocks with an intense, almost hypnotic stare known as 'the eye'.

Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky was bred as a sled dog in Siberia and can run enormous distances in the cold. It is tireless and sociable.

💡 Did you know? In 1925 husky teams carried life-saving serum in a famous relay to remote Nome, Alaska.

Dobermann

The Dobermann is an elegant, alert dog bred by a German tax collector as a guard dog. It is very loyal and quick to learn.

💡 Did you know? It is named after its breeder, the tax collector Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann from Apolda.

Bernese Mountain Dog

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a large, good-natured farm dog from Switzerland with a tricolour coat. It pulled carts and guarded the farm.

💡 Did you know? Despite its size it is known as gentle and especially patient with children.

Cocker Spaniel

The Cocker Spaniel is a cheerful gundog with long floppy ears and a silky coat. It was bred to flush out birds.

💡 Did you know? Its name comes from hunting the woodcock.

Dalmatian

The Dalmatian is unmistakable with its white coat and black or brown spots. It once ran alongside horse-drawn carriages as a 'coach dog'.

💡 Did you know? Puppies are born pure white: the spots only appear in the first weeks.

Jack Russell Terrier

The Jack Russell Terrier is a small, energetic hunting terrier bred for fox hunting. It is bold, nimble and needs plenty to do.

💡 Did you know? It is named after the English parson John 'Jack' Russell, who created the breed in the 19th century.

Australian Shepherd

The Australian Shepherd is an agile herding dog: despite its name, developed mainly in the USA. It is very active and eager to work.

💡 Did you know? Many 'Aussies' have striking blue or two-coloured eyes.

Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is a small companion dog with a long, silky coat, bred at the Chinese imperial court. It is affectionate and calm.

💡 Did you know? Its name means 'lion' in Chinese, after its lion-like mane.

Maltese

The Maltese is a tiny companion dog with a long, pure-white coat. It is playful, gentle and was already a favourite lapdog in antiquity.

💡 Did you know? Its coat barely sheds because it lacks a dense undercoat.

Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier is a tiny terrier with a long, silky coat, originally bred to catch rats in textile mills. It is bold and lively.

💡 Did you know? Despite its size it has kept the confident character of a true terrier.

Chow Chow

The Chow Chow is a sturdy dog from China with a dense lion-like coat and a serious character. It is independent and reserved.

💡 Did you know? It has a blue-black tongue: a rarity it shares with only a few breeds.

St. Bernard

The St. Bernard is a giant, good-natured dog kept by monks at the Great St Bernard Pass in the Alps as a rescue dog. It tracked people buried in the snow.

💡 Did you know? The famous little brandy barrel on its collar, however, is a legend with no historical basis.

Great Dane

The Great Dane is one of the tallest dog breeds and looks elegant despite its height. It was bred to hunt wild boar but is now a gentle companion.

💡 Did you know? Standing on its hind legs it can top two metres: the 'Apollo of dogs'.

Pekingese

The Pekingese is a small companion dog with long fur and a flat muzzle, bred at the Chinese imperial court. It is dignified and strong-willed.

💡 Did you know? In China it was considered sacred: commoners were forbidden to own one on pain of death.