Breeding Reference Libraries
The Scottish Terrier, often called the Scottie, is one of five types of terrier that originated in Scotland. It is thought to be one of the oldest of the Highland terriers, although its origin is undocumented. The breed may have originated as early as the 1400s, but did not gain popularity until the reign of King James VI, who gave a Scottish Terrier to the French monarch as a gift. The breed...
The Swiss Hound is scent hound used for hunting hare in Switzerland. It was popular in Italy during the 15th century and in France during the 18th. The lines of the breed may have been mixed with French scenthounds. There are four varieties of Swiss Hound: Bernese Hound, Jura Hound, Lucerne Hound, and Schwyz Hound. The breed is lean and medium sized. It is strong with a lean head and long...
The Schipperke is a Belgian breed which originated during the 16th century and officially became a breed during the 1800s. The origins of the breed are often debated; the dog is either a member of the terrier, spitz, or miniature sheepdog family. The breed was once a working breed which provided security and vermin-control on Belgian barges. The breed is still an excellent boat dog. During...
The Samoyed is a breed of dog which was originally bred to pull the sleds of nomadic reindeer herders from Siberia. The breed was developed not only to pull sleds, but also to assist in herding and keep its owners warm at night, acting as their blanket by sleeping on top of them. Following the Russian Revolution, the Samoyed became obsolete for these people, but enough of the dogs had been...
The Saluki may be the oldest breed of dog; its history can be traced nearly 7000 years, and it is definitely one of the earliest breeds to diverge from wolves. Historically the breed's purpose was coursing and hunting in packs, sometimes in tandem with falcons to locate the prey for the breed to chase down. The breed once traveled with nomadic desert tribes throughout the Middle East. The breed...
The Saarloos Wolfhound is a cross between a Eurasian Wolf and a German Shepherd which originated in 1921. The breed was created by Leendert Saarloos in an attempt to improve the German Shepherd's immunity to distemper. The breed is a wolf-like dog which is imposing, yet reserved. In the past, the breed has been trained as both a rescue dog and a guide dog for the blind.
The Russian Spaniel was bred according to Russian hunting requirements following World War II. The breed is a cross of various European spaniel breeds. The breed is similar to a Cocker Spaniel, but taller with a longer body.
The Rough Collie is a herding breed which originated in Scotland and Wales. The breed was bred to be nimble enough to herd sheep and goats in the highlands, and capable of covering up to 100 miles in one day. The original Collie was interbred with English sheepdog types, the Borzoi, and possibly the Irish Setter. The breed eventually became somewhat more of a fashion item due to its popularity...
The Rottweiler is an ancient working breed. Its ancestry reaches back to the Roman Empire, when working dogs traveled with the army to assist with herding the cattle. These breeds, whose descendants became today's Rottweilers, included Roman War Dogs, Sheepdogs, and Molosser type breeds from England and the Netherlands. It was not, as many think, bred for dog fighting. The population of the...
The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a South African hound also known as the Van Rooyen's Lion Dog, the African Lion Hound, or the African Lion Dog. The breed has been known to hunt anything from upland birds to larger, more dangerous game such as boar, deer, stag, moose, and lions. It is named from its ability to keep a lion at bay while waiting for its master to make the kill. There is question...
