Do you want to adopt your very own furry canine companion but you’re unsure about which breed would be an optimum fit for you and your lifestyle? Dogs have been man’s best friend for tens of thousands of years. Scientists and archeologists have even found evidence of dogs being the very first animals which were domesticated by humans more than 30,000 years ago. Since then humans have bred many dogs so they’re exceptional at certain things as a result of which there are around 350 different dog breeds in the world. Discussing about all of them would mean we’d have to publish a novel instead of a blogpost so we’ll talk about the 10 most popular dog breeds out there.
1. German Shepherd
No top 10 popular breeds of dogs list is ever complete without including the magnificent German Shepherd. As the name suggests this breed has its roots in Germany. Special care, an unparalleled amount of effort and implementing tremendous precision to all the meticulous details to create an ideal guard/herding dog resulted in the creation of this breed. Various herding breeds were selected in the late 1800s and crossed with each other under a very stringent selection process. German Shepherds are widely used as police/military dogs, guard dogs, guide/service dog and search & rescue dog are among few of the things this breed is exceptional at.
Since these dogs have natural tendencies to be vigilant and on guard , lack of proper training could result in over-guarding/territorial nature and aggressive behaviour towards strangers or other dogs, so its paramount your German shepherd receives dog training when they’re young.
2. Golden Retriever
This dog breed is perfect for those who are looking for a devoted & loving companion which is extremely playful, placid and nonchalant. This breed originated in great Britain and it is now one of the most popular and versatile dog breeds out there. They were originally bred to be bird dogs which makes them very good bird dogs for bird hunting etc. To add to that they make excellent service dogs, search and rescue dogs etc. However, they’re not guard dogs so counting on them for your security wouldn’t be a nice idea.
3. Labrador retriever
Labrador retrievers are generally considered to be the ideal family dogs because a few of their inherent qualities like their keen desire to work with & please humans as well as their high trainability make them an ideal choice to be a family dog. They are very high energy dogs thus regular exercise and proper training especially dog training for obedience, socialisation and positive behaviour reinforcement are necessary at an early age so your pup becomes well adjusted and doesn’t indulge in negative behaviours like chewing, digging and excessive barking.
4. Pomeranian
These fluffy little fur-balls were bred to be what we call in the dog breed industry “Toy Dogs”. They come in a plethora of colours from all black to all white to everything in between. To describe their personality we can say that they are extremely frisky and friendly little dogs who aren’t intimidated even by other significantly larger/stronger dog breeds. This breed originated in Germany sometime in the late 1800s. They are good with children and they’re known to be extremely capable alert and alarm dogs.
5. Beagle
These medium sized dogs are generally 20-25 inches high and weigh 10-15 kilos approximately. This dog breed is loved all over the world due to its friendly nature , adorable looks and a temperament of ever-present curiosity make them an ideal pet. They’re also used as sniffer dogs because of their astonishing sense of smell.
6. Great Dane
These huge, imposing dogs despite of their formidable and quite terrifying looks are very friendly, great with children, humans and other dogs. They have a strong instinct to guard their loved ones and they rank quite high when it comes the level of activity they need daily. So it’s essential for them to get daily exercise and proper obedience, socialisation and behaviour modification training from a young age.
7. Rottweiler
Continuing with our list we have another enormous dog breed. Rottweilers can grow upto 26 inches high and 50 kg’s in weight. This breed is extremely strong, steadfastly loyal and incredibly devoted to their owners. If not trained properly from a young age these dogs can cause trouble as they’re very strong and have intrinsic guarding tendencies to protect their loved ones.
8. Pug
In complete contrast to our last entry which was strong and imposing , pugs are yet another toy dog . These dogs are highly adaptable and do extremely well both inside and outside of the house. These dogs are also very low maintenance and don’t shed as much as well.
9. Boxer
As our list of top 10 dog breeds nears its end, we have yet another gentle giant who’s friendly, doesn’t bark a lot, extremely gentle and highly trainable. This dog breed requires mandatory training as they’re huge, strong and extremely intelligent, there’s a high chance your boxer might rebel if it doesn’t receive proper dog training
10. Cocker Spaniel
We have one of the most common pet dog breed as our last entry on this list. Cocker’s are extremely smart, gentle and want to please people more than anything
else. They’re also very sensitive to their owner’s response (positive/negative) and they respond accordingly with great accuracy which sets them apart from other dog breeds.
We hope you found our list helpful and it alleviated some of the lingering doubts you might’ve had before adopting your very own pup and adding it to your family.