How Many Dog Breeds Are There?

One of the first questions that come to our minds when we talk about a dog is, how many dog breeds are there? Well, this is not the only question that comes to our mind. As many as 80% of the dog breeds on this planet are descendants of wolves. The domestic dog is really a canid which is available widely throughout the globe. Hence, the dog evolved from an old, extinct and with the domestic dog being its closest living relative.

The geneticist estimate that there are around forty different breeds of dogs in the world which are varieties of the larger dog breeds. If we are to count the purebred domestic dogs, it may number as much as one hundred and twenty breeds. This is also just a rough estimation but it may still prove to be very much higher if we include the registered and hybrid dogs in the calculation.

In order to determine the number of dog breeds in the worldwide group, we need to go a step further and put in the term ‘wolf’ in between the two words ‘dog’. Now, what do you think about a dog that is bred to be a shar pei? That is quite an extreme breed of a dog, to say the least. You will then notice that there are more breeds that are classified under the category of ‘wolf Hybrid’ than under the category of ‘wolf’ alone.

There are also several other dog breeds that are categorized as ‘wolf Hybrid’ such as the Chinese pug, English bulldog, and the jaguarundi. Most of these breeds were bred to be strong or to have the capability of handling big predators. However, some are only bred for the purpose of going into competition. The word ‘wolf’ in between the words ‘dog’ and ‘Hybrid’ gives us another set of criteria which must be employed while calculating how many dog breeds are there on the planet. However, this list of hybrid breeds is not complete, and there are still other breeds of dogs which are not part of this hybrid group.

So, how many dog breeds are there? The answer to this question depends largely on how knowledgeable you are about dog breeds, and how much information you have on the subject. If you are familiar with the breeds and their characteristics, it would be very easy to compile the information needed to answer this question, provided you know where to look. For example, you can conduct an online search for ‘new breed dogs’, and you will get several hits. The other option would be to visit your local library and check out books on dog breeds or to purchase some guides on the subject. If you are willing to invest a little time, you will probably find the answers you seek on your own.

If you want to know how many new breed dogs are there, it helps to know the most common types of hybrid dogs. If you look at the family tree of dogs, you will see that the different breeds act as ancestor to many of the breeds we know today. Therefore, you will also find traces of several other breeds as well, such as the Alaskan Malamute, the Irish Wolfhound, and the Alaskan Gentleman Mule. Many of these can be traced back to a single gene, which was responsible for their creation. Other examples of breeds that contain a new breed gene are the Cairn Terrier, the British Shorthair, the Norwich Terrier, and the Toy Poodle.

How many new breed dogs are there? In terms of sheer numbers, this question can be answered by looking at the official records of dog registrations. In the United States, the AKC estimates that there are at least two to three thousand breeds of dogs alive today. This number includes purebreds, mixed-breed pairs, and registered dogs. Since the AKC doesn’t keep statistics on the numbers of purebreds or mixed-breeds, you will have to rely on other sources for your information. Check out the web sites of national dog clubs and organizations, as well as websites of national organizations dedicated to rescuing dogs.

The question “How many dog breeds are there?” can be easily answered if you know where to look. And that’s the beauty of it: you don’t have to look very hard, because so many dog breeds are still around. The purebred dog breeds that you’ll find listed in books and magazines are not as common as they once were. Because of this, when you do search the web for information, it might take some time before you find the information you’re looking for. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t keep trying, because the more you learn about dog breeds, the more wonderful your future pet will be!