Understanding Pure Breed Dogs
Pure breed dogs have evolved to perform a specific function to assist mankind. This function could be choosing a dog and bitch that were excellent sheepdogs, great guard dogs, or simply wonderful 'lap' dogs or pets. In palaces and amid society circles, dogs with excellent temperaments plus good looks were selected for generations to become today's Companion Dogs.
Pure breed dogs are predictable in both looks and temperament. This is because such breeds have been formally described and recognized and generations recorded in Stud Books by registration bodies recognised by country governments.
By the mid-1800's men who worked their dogs in a variety of ways formed themselves into breed associations which drew up the original Breed Standards based on the physical traits required for dog to do the job it was bred for. This shifted the focus from function to physical characteristics.
On 4th April 1873, the Kennel Club (UK) the first of today's recognized Kennel Clubs was founded. Then came the American Kennel Club one year later with the Canadian Kennel Club following by 1880. In Australia there used to be Kennel Clubs in each of the States but in 1958, the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) was born.
There are two listings on this page, an alphabetical list and a list according to the Group to which the breeds belong in Australia.