Dog Breeds
It's important to know the origins of a dog because every dog comes with a certain amount of personality and physical characteristics determined by her breed- or her mix of breeds.
For instance, you can be pretty sure your adopted Golden Retriever will be a devoted family companion. And, because of her breed characteristics, you would also expect your Golden to be exuberant and boisterous, enthusiastic about trying everything to please you.
Mixed breed dogs, the fabulous Mutts, contain mixtures of breed characteristics that will influence their behavior in somewhat predictable ways. You could expect a cross between a Border Collie ("This is a dog that needs a job.") and a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon ("The wirehaired pointing griffon needs daily exertion, either in the form of jogging, games or a run in the field.") to be a high-energy pet who will depend on you to interact a lot with her on a daily basis.
Use our Dog Breed List to make a selection of the personality and physical characteristics you want in an adopted dog.
List of Dog Breeds
Search our list of dog breeds to get the 411 on any of 152 breeds--everything from size, country of origin, temperament, care and an in-depth look at the history and evolution of the breed. Find the perfect breed(s) for you- or just have fun, learning about the variety of packages in which man's best friend can appear.
Where to Adopt
The pet adoption experience at different types of shelters can be vastly different, so take the time to visit the home page of your local groups to see which you might enjoy working with most.
