The German shepherd is a member of the AKC's herding group.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a dog registry that was started in 1884 as a "'Club of Clubs'," according to the organization's "About" section on its website. Breeds registered with the AKC are separated into groups based on the breed's history and characteristics. Along with the breed groups, the AKC also recognizes a "Miscellaneous" category that includes dog breeds enrolled in the Foundation Stock Service, a section of the organization for developing breeds for recognition in the other dog groups.
Sporting Group
Sporting group breeds are usually energetic dogs traditionally used for hunting, not including hounds and terriers. These breeds are often still used for hunting and may also compete in sports such as field trials, though they are more often seen as companion dogs now. Pointer, retriever, setter and spaniel breeds are often encompassed in this group, such as the Irish setter, English springer spaniel, Chesapeake Bay retriever and the German short-haired pointer. Though there are exceptions, these dogs require a lot of exercise.
Hound Group
Dogs in the hound group have been, and still are, used for hunting but the traits of these individual breeds vary in terms of size, conformation and hunting technique. This group ranges from small breeds such as the beagle and dachshund to very large breeds such as the Irish wolfhound. Some breeds, such as the bloodhound, track by scent; others are sight hounds that must be able to see the prey in order to chase, such as the greyhound.
Working Group
Due to the generally large size of working group dog breeds, these animals are not recommended for families who would not be able to exercise or train them properly, though most can be simple to train. Working group dogs were bred to serve humans in some capacity, whether as guard dogs or sled dogs, and thus have a lot of energy and like to be occupied with activities. Breed examples are rottweilers, English mastiffs and Portuguese water dogs.
Terrier Group
Terrier group breeds also vary in size but the breeds usually share a lively temperament. A breed's physical characteristics reflect the types of vermin they were bred to hunt, as well as the types of territories where they would be hunting. Many terriers were developed with wiry coats to protect the skin during hunting that need periodic stripping, a specialized grooming technique. Breeds in the terrier group include the Scottish terrier, the Airedale terrier and the West Highland white terrier.
Toy Group
Members of the toy group--for example, the Maltese, the Italian greyhound and the pug--were developed to be companion dogs, especially for the well-to-do, and so the small size is a characteristic breeders were looking for. The size does not make a toy breed, though; small breeds were bred for other purposes as well and exist in other groups. Due to their small size, these dogs now work well for apartment living. Toy group breeds often have hardy temperaments; and the terriers in this group (Yorkshire, silky, toy fox and Manchester) are just as feisty as their larger fellow terriers.
Non-Sporting Group
Dogs in the non-sporting group cover a wide variety of sizes, temperaments and historical backgrounds. These are dogs that are not usually used in sporting or working roles, though some, such as the poodle, may have been used for hunting or guarding in the past. This includes such diverse breeds as the bulldog, Chinese Shar-Pei and Tibetan spaniel. The energy levels and coat textures vary with the breed.
Herding Group
The herding group dogs may be guardians of a flock or herd alongside the working group breeds but these dogs were also used to move the flocks. Even today these dogs will use instinct to herd owners around the house. This group also includes a variety of sizes, as evidenced by the presence of the Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh corgis along with the Old English sheepdog. This group is the most recently added to the AKC; all of these breeds were originally in the working group.
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