All Creatures Animal Clinic

The Herding Group dogs share a common desire to drive or gather other animals by stalking, barking or nipping. They tend to be very intelligent and are able to work with both human commands and their own judgement. These dogs tend to be easily trained, moderately friendly, task oriented and cooperative. Most require regular grooming and all of them need plenty of stimulation and exercise to be happy and well behaved.

The Hound Group dogs share a common desire to pursue and catch mammalian quarry, either by scent or by sight. They tend to be self-motivated to hunt and they do not wait for human commands to track their prey. Hounds tend to be considered stubborn and are not as easily trained as some breeds. Hounds are generally very friendly, playful and affectionate. Most have little grooming requirements and all of them need regular exercise and stimulation to stay healthy and out of trouble. Microchipping, fenced in yards and leashes are a must with hounds since they will run off after a scent or a fast moving target. Many hounds are noisy and can produce a wide range of sounds, including the infamous hound howl known as "baying".

The Non Sporting Group dogs are the most diverse group of breeds, they have very little in common except for they tend to have a history of being bred solely for companionship. Since this group is a "catch all" for dogs that do not fit in other categories, each breed should be evaluated individually.

The Sporting Group dogs share the common desire to locate game, flush out game, or bring back downed game for their human companion. They tend to be cooperative and rambunctious, and are generally easy to train. Some require regular grooming, but all of them need a lot of stimulation and exercise to keep them well behaved.

The Terrier Group dogs share the common desire to kill vermin and rodents by digging or following prey underground. They tend to be harder to train and they are better with people than other animals. Most require regular grooming and, since they tend to be very high energy, they need plenty of exercise and playtime.

The Toy Group dogs are similar to the Non Sporting Group dogs in that the breeds are so diverse, it is unrealistic to try and ascribe characteristics to the entire group. Most toy breeds are miniature versions of larger dogs in other groups and most were bred for companionship or adornment. Ease of training and friendliness vary, though all toy breeds tend to be less hearty/sturdy and very high energy. Many can be noisy ("yappers") and most require regular grooming.

The Working Group dogs share the common ability to use their brains or brawn in service to humans by protecting, carting or rescue. They tend to be intelligent and hearty. The ease of training and friendliness vary by breed and service category, but most require regular grooming and many are also considered noisy. These dogs tend to need a lot of mental stimulation and physical exercise or they can be destructive.

The "Designer" and Mixed breed dogs are any dog bred from two or more different breeds, whether intentional or not. While "mutts" have always been common, there is a newer trend of breeding two specific types of dog to get a specific look or set of characteristics- these are "Designer" dogs. Due to the mixed background, it isn't possible to ascribe exact characteristics to these dogs. Usually, the behavior and other attributes are any combination found in the parent breeds.