The American Kennel Club (AKC) is the premier authority on pure breed dogs in the United States, and has been the leading authority on dogs in the United States since it was founded in 1884. The AKC catagorizes all recognized dog breeds into eight official groups:

Sporting

The Sporting class is composed of 26 breeds, including the top two most popular dogs in the United States, the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever. Sporting dogs typically have high energy levels and an affinity for water and hunting.

Hound

There are 22 dog breeds in the hound class, with Beagles and Dachshunds being the most popular. Historically used for hunting, hounds have a keen sense of smell and a distinctive bark known as “baying.”

Working

Working dogs include the popular Rottweiler and Boxer breeds, as well as 22 other breeds. Working dogs are suited for guarding, pulling sleds, and rescues. Most working dogs are large, solid, strong dogs with an independent temperament.

Terrier

With 27 breeds in this category, the Terrier class is the largest official AKC group. The American Staffordshire Terrier (aka "Pit Bulls") and Schnauzers are the more popular dogs in this class. Recognized by their wiry coats, terriers are energetic, playful dogs with a strong hunting instinct.

Toy

The Toy class includes 21 breeds, many of which are extremely popular pets, such as Yorkshire Terriers, Chihuahuas, Pugs, Pomeranians, and Shih Tzus. As their name suggests, toy dogs are usually quite small and are very companionable.

Non-Sporting

There are 17 dogs in the Non-Sporting class, and these dogs vary in size, appearance, and temperament. Non-Sporting dogs include such diverse breeds as Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Dalmatians, and Bichon Frises.

Herding

The popular German Shepherd is part of this class of 18 breeds. The dogs in this class were formerly part of the Working group of dogs, but due to their uncanny ability to move livestock and other animals, the Herding group was established by the AKC in 1983.

Miscellaneous

The miscellaneous class is for dogs that are working towards AKC recogntion. A breed first must be enrolled in the Foundation Stock Service, must have a parent club, and have a signigant number of registerable dogs. While in the miscellaneous class(typical a period of 1-5 years) the owners/ breeders of the breed prove that they are ready for full AKC recognition. After a period of time the AKC evalutes the breed and discusses with the parent club wether they want full recognition. When a breed is fully recognized it is moved to its appropriate group (see those above).This class is composed of nine specialty breeds, including the Dogue de Bordeaux , Norewegian Buhund, Pyrenean Shepherd, and Redbone Coonhound.


Non-AKC Breed Types
The AKC also recognizes 52 breeds in a special category, called the Foundation Stock Service®. These dogs can’t be registered with the AKC, but some breeds can participate in certain AKC competitions.

See also:

Mixed Breeds

Some newer dogs that, while growing in popularity, are mixed breed and have not yet been recognized by the AKC. These include breeds like the Labradoodle, a mix between Labradors and Poodles. They are often referred to as "designer dogs."