Brief Description the Different Groups of Dog

Having said that, there is regular controversy in the Group regarding which breeds should or should not be included, and only in 1999 the Leonberger was taken out to join the newly revised Working Group. In other countries some of the breeds fall into different groups, in part because there are often more actual groups making it possible to split the breeds further.  However, the Shih Tzu, for example, regularly finds itself m the Toy Group in other countries, including the USA, while in some countries the Tibetan terrier finds itself being judged with the Terrier Group rather than with the Utility Group.

In general the Utility breeds were not developed for any specific purpose or, it they were, their original purpose has fallen into decline; the Dalmatian, once used as a coach dog; the Poodle once a water dog and the Bulldog, .used for bull-baiting, are prime examples.

Indeed the Utility Group is rather a 'mixed bag', but all the breeds seen together make for interesting observation as they differ so greatly in style, size, personality and so many other ways. Some are as small as 23-25.5 cm (9—10 in), while others like the Japanese Akita and Dalmatian are at the larger end of the scale in the canine world. Some have easy temperaments, others are more difficult to control, and undoubtedly some are among the most spectacular of breeds. The Lhasa Apso and Shih Tzu are indeed eye-catching with their long, flowing coats, quite spectacular, especially in show-trim, while the Chow Chow and Shar Pei are unique in their own way.

Unlike several rather similar breeds of dog within other groups, it is not really possible to directly compare many of the breeds in the Utility Group with any others. Of course, one can compare the different sizes of Poodle against each other, but technically these differ only by size. To find a comparison between the Boston terrier and Tibetan Terrier is difficult in anything other than the fact that they share, for some inexplicable reason, the word 'Terrier'. Several dogs within the Group are Spitz breeds, and although they vary, they share a common ancestry. For size, color or temperament, those considering one of the breeds within this Group have endless choice and, in effect, the decision depends on one's preference.