How can you tell what breed a dog is?

Question

What I mean by that is what characteristics and features do you have to look for in each dog in order to tell what breed they are? For example how do you tell the difference from say a doberman pincher, and say a rottweiler terrier, or any of the dog breeds that there are? Also where did they get their names from such as boxer, pitbull, doberman pincher, and so forth and so forth? Thanks for your answers in advanced.

Answer 1

Once you've been around dogs enough, you don't need to look at specific features, such as the shape of the ear, to know what breed a dog is. It just comes naturally. People look at all its features, including color, body shape (square, long, etc.), hair type, tail type, angulation, head shape, depth of chest, ear shape, eye shape, etc., etc.

However, if you're looking at a mixed breed you can look at specific features and say they look like the "ear of a Dachshund" or whatever.

When I was a kid I was dog crazy. I had tons of books that I regularly read and studied. Then I started going to dog shows and it just came naturally.

I can easily tell nearly all breeds of dog, but I understand where you're coming from because I look at horse breeds and wonder how people can tell them apart. A few are obvious but most look all the same to me.

Many breeds were created in countries that don't speak English, so their names are often in other languages. Most breeds' names have their creator's name, their function or their geographic place of origin.

Dachshund means "Badger Dog" in German. This was its original function.
The Doberman was created by a guy named Dobermann. "Pinscher" (I think) refers to a smooth-coated dog with features similar to the Dobe and other breeds.
The Boxer had an unusual way of playing/fighting where he waved his paws in the air like a human boxer.
The American Pit Bull Terrier is more complex. American is obvious. The breed was originally created with a mixture of Bulldog and Terrier. Pit referred to its original function, of fighting in "pits" where people bet on the outcome.

Answer 2

"Breed type" is, basically, another way of saying "what this breed of dog is supposed to look like".

Once you've spent time around a breed (or breeds) and gotten a sense of breed type, it becomes very easy to tell when a dog is not purebred -- they will lack some features of their own breed type, and have those of another (or others, depending on how they are mixed).

A Rott/Terrier mix could never look like a Doberman, for example (even if it was black/rust), because the body types of both the Rottie and most terriers differ greatly from that of a Dobe. The head may be blocky, like a Rott, or bluntly muzzled, like a terrier, but it would not have the elegant sweep of a Doberman.

Answer 3

Can't add much to that first answer except to agree - you know what breeds dogs are just by looking, just like you know whether someone's male or female just from their face!

Breeds have incredible variety, from tiny chihuahuas to huge mastiffs - if an alien came to Earth, you'd never be able to explain these two breeds were actually the same species!! Even different spaniels look different to each other - different length ears, head-shapes, different body proportions and coats. Once you know breeds well enough, you can see the characteristics of certain breeds in cross breeds. I saw a shetland sheepdog cross whippet the other day, that was a good example - sheltie head, whippet legs, and a coat that was sheltie length but whippet colour!

Breed names are chosen by the people who start the line usually - they might be named for their intended use e.g retrievers are for retrieving hunted game, pitbulls were put in pits to fight, allegedly.

Chalice

Answer 4

Hmm, well. Breeds can be determined a few different ways. Body structure, markings, personality and sometimes even the bark. Each main breed has been bred for centuries for a specific job, and therefore their names give hints either to a type of behavior or job. Boxers, they punch with their front paws. Irish Wolfhounds were bred to hunt and kill wolfs attacking sheep herds, and so on. Dobermans shoulders stand farther apart than a Rottweiler Terrier's do, also if the ears are left un-docked Dobermans are floppier. Hope that helps. If you have more specific breed questions you can email me. :)

Answer 5

You can look online or visit a veterinary office to see pictures of the different dog breeds. If you are looking at a mixed breed, it will be hard to tell for sure just by looking at it. It's best, of course if you know its parents and what breeds they are. You can go to a pet store or an animal shelter and get some information. You can go to the library. You can look at specific breed groups or rescue groups. You can find a lot of information online. Just google the dog breed.

Answer 6

I adopted a dog from the kill pound and they told me she was shih tzu x terrier. When I got her home and cleaned her up, I knew she was not shih tzu, as I have one. I spent hours and hours on the internet, studying the smaller breeds on the AKC site. I finally decided she was at least part Lhasa Apso. I started studying all the Lhasa Apso sites I could find, and she fit the looks and personality perfect. She is a pure bred Lhasa all the way. Just lots of studying. Some mixed breed dogs, one would never be able to determine.

Answer 7

well rotti is smaller the a doberman it's just reading up in dogs and different breeds will help if you never heave been around dogs . Well you got people here that heave been around dogs and can tell what breed is what dog wile when it comes to mutts is a little bit harder now days just because you heave owners that don't take care of their dogs and end up with a litter of who knows what and then it's just a guess game .
try petfinder.com they heave all the info on breeds with pics. too

Answer 8

I belong to several wolf conservation organizations and years ago was visiting one in Colorado. They had two beautiful white animals in one of the enclosures, Luna (f) and Rowdy (m). Luna had been sold to her previous owners as a "high-content" wolf/dog. She was, in fact, 100% White German Shepherd. Rowdy had been sold as a "low-content" wolf/dog and he was, in fact, 100% Arctic Wolf.

Point is, with some breeds that are very similar and ALL mixes, the only way to be 100% certain what you have is a DNA test.

Otherwise, Cleoppa has it right- just study! Repetition and recognition go hand in hand.

PS: This 'no way of knowing content' is another reason why wolfdogs can be so dangerous.

Answer 9

Here's a link to the American Kennel Club. They have lists of all registered dog breeds, along with descriptions.

http://www.akc.org/breeds/

Wikipedia also has a list with links to more information on specific breeds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dog_breeds

Answer 10

Check out this link to PBS. Excellent show with good scientific information.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/dogs/about.html

Identifying any species or breed in this case, comes with exposure to many types and examples. Learn about and understand what makes each breed unique then practice identification and it will become second nature.