Although a very rare breed, the American Water Spaniel has its own state-wide fan club as the State Dog of Wisconsin! A truly dual-purpose dog, bred for companionship and top-notch retrieval ability, the AWS is active, muscular, and medium in size. This breed’s unique coat can be solid liver, brown or dark chocolate and ranges from marcel (uniform waves) to closely curled. History The American Water Spaniel developed primarily in the Great Lakes region of […]

Without peer as a cattle herder, the Australian Cattle Dog (ACD) is ready and willing to work all day. Their agility, strength, and courageousness allow them to easily control and move cattle in both open and confined spaces. Stubborn cows don’t discourage this dog they just become more determined to get the job done! The breed can be blue or red (can be in mottled or speckled pattern), with or without black, blue, or tan […]

Courageous and strong, the American Staffordshire Terrier (Am Staff)’s athletic build and intelligence make him ideally suited to many dog sports such as obedience, agility, tracking, and conformation. He is often identified by his stocky body and strong, powerful head. The breed’s short coat can be any color, and either solid colored, parti-colored or patched. History Until the early 19th century, the Bulldog used for bullbaiting in England was more active and longer-legged than the […]

A small to medium-size Nordic type dog, the American Eskimo Dog is known for its bright white coat, jet black points (lips, nose, and eye rims), and erect triangular ears. Although once used as a circus dog, they are primarily companion dogs today and participate in conformation, obedience, and agility competitions. The breed’s white double coat consists of a short, dense undercoat, with longer guard hairs forming an outer coat that stands off from the […]

One of America’s native breeds, the American Foxhound is also one of our rarest. This tall hound sports a close, hard coat that can be any color. The Foxhound in this country is used for four purposes, thus calling for hounds of different characteristics: competitive field trial hounds and “trail” hounds (speed is most important), fox hunting hounds (slow workers with good voices), and pack hounds (15 to 20 hounds or more, used by hunt […]

The largest and oldest of the Arctic sled dogs, the Alaskan Malamute possesses great strength and endurance. He is not designed to race, but rather to carry large loads over long distances. Today, many Malamutes are family pets, but are highly athletic and still capable of enjoying sledding, weight pulling, backpacking, jogging, and swimming with their owners. The Malamute coat is thick and coarse, with a plumed tail carried over the back. The coat usually […]

Large, powerful, and alert, Akitas are a working breed that originated in Japan. Dignified and courageous, the Akita today is popular in the show ring and also participates in performance and therapy work. The breed’s thick double coat can be any color including white, brindle, or pinto. An Akita trademark is the plush tail that curls over his back. History One of seven breeds designated as a national monument in its native Japan, the Akita […]

The undisputed “King of Terriers,” the Airedale Terrier is the largest and hardiest of the terriers and an all-around useful dog. The breed’s coat is hard, dense, and wiry, with a softer undercoat, and comes in both tan and black and tan and grizzle. This breed was one of the first used for police duty in Germany and Great Britain and has also been popular with Presidents, including Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, and Calvin Coolidge. […]

Referred to as an aristocrat, the Afghan Hound’s appearance is one of dignity and aloofness. Well covered with thick, silky hair, very fine in texture, the Afghan hound’s coat is a sort found among animals native to high altitudes. They can come in all colors, and while the breed is an excellent hound (hunting by sight) its popularity here has been generated by the breeds’ spectacular qualities as a show dog. History The Afghan hound […]

The Affenpinscher (translated from German as Monkey-Terrier) is a peppy dog that has the face and impish nature of a monkey. This wire-haired terrier-like breed acts like a bigger dog as he proudly struts around. The coat of an Affenpinscher is usually black, but they also come in gray, silver, red, beige, or black and tan. History One of the most ancient of toy dogs, the Affenpinscher originated in Central Europe (Munich, Germany, and France), […]