Sign inDog breeds and their history
Where does your dog's breed come from? These guides trace each breed's roots, the work it was bred for, and the people who loved it.
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Contents
122 guides
French bulldog Victorian portrait: why this breed charmed an era
Learn why French bulldogs charmed Victorian society, what period portraits reveal about bat and rose ears, and where these images survive today.
French bulldog Viking portrait: the history behind this fun mashup
French bulldogs trace back to the 1800s, long after the Oseberg Viking ship burial of 834 CE, which included horses, dogs, and oxen.
German dog breeds: German Shepherd and Rottweiler history
Learn how German dog breeds like the German Shepherd and the Rottweiler began as working dogs, and how German clubs organised them into named breeds.
German shepherd Renaissance portrait: the history behind the style
Learn why a German shepherd Renaissance portrait is a modern art style rather than history, and see which dogs actually appear in real Renaissance paintings.
German shepherd royal portrait: the real royal story behind the breed
After World War One, anti-German feeling led Britain to rename German shepherds "Alsatians." Discover the real history behind the breed's name change.
German shepherd samurai portrait: the history behind this art style
Learn what a German shepherd samurai portrait depicts, when the samurai era existed, and why the breed never met a real samurai in history.
German shepherd ukiyo-e portrait: the art style behind this trend
Learn what ukiyo-e actually means, why dogs rarely appeared in traditional Japanese prints, and how a German shepherd fits the style today.
German shepherd war dog history: from WWI rescue to WWII service
Learn how German shepherds served in World War II's Dogs for Defense program, and how Rin Tin Tin's rescue in World War I shaped the breed's image.
Golden retriever history: from Scottish estate dog to global favorite
Learn how the golden retriever moved from a Scottish gundog to a Kennel Club-recognized breed in 1913, then spread across Britain, America, and Canada.
Golden retriever medieval knight portrait: the real history
Learn why golden retrievers never met medieval knights, which dogs really appeared in medieval art, and how knight themed portraits take their artistic license.
Golden retriever samurai portrait: the history behind the theme
Learn why golden retrievers never met real samurai, which Japanese dog breeds actually lived then, and how to style a samurai-theme dog portrait for your dog.
Golden retriever ukiyo-e portrait: the art style behind the look
Learn what ukiyo-e means, how Japanese woodblock artists once painted animals, and why a golden retriever ukiyo-e portrait is a modern artistic pairing.
Golden retriever WWII pilot portrait: the story behind the image
Learn what a golden retriever WWII pilot portrait really shows, and discover the documented dogs that actually served alongside wartime pilots and crews.
Goldendoodle in art: why a new breed is already an art subject
Goldendoodles are a recent Golden Retriever and Poodle cross, with coats in colors like cream, gold, and black, plus straight, wavy, or curly textures.
Goldendoodle origin: how this crossbreed began and why
Learn when and why the golden retriever and poodle were first crossed, who gets credit for early litters, and how the goldendoodle became so popular.
Great danes in art: how painters captured this breed through history
Learn why great danes appear in European art, which painters featured them, and how old paintings reveal the breed's history before formal standards.
Greyhound in ancient Egypt: myth, art, and what's true
Learn what ancient Egyptian art really shows about sighthounds and greyhounds, and why historians are cautious about linking these dogs to the modern breed.
Husky history: from Siberian sled dog to global icon
Learn how Siberian Huskies began with Siberia's Chukchi people, reached Alaska in the gold rush era, and starred in the 1925 serum run to Nome.
Husky in art: how this breed has been pictured through time
Learn how huskies have appeared in art, from their Siberian sled-dog origins to the Balto statue in Central Park and its film appearances.
Japanese dog breeds: a guide to the six native spitz breeds
Learn about Japan's six native dog breeds, the Nihon Ken, how geography shaped them, and why some remain rare outside Japan today.
Labrador retriever in art: how the breed has been painted and drawn
Learn how British sporting art and Edwin Landseer's Victorian dog portraits shaped the way gun dogs and retrievers have been painted and drawn.
Labrador retriever medieval knight portrait: fact vs fiction
Learn why a labrador retriever medieval knight portrait is a stylized modern image, not history, and see what dogs medieval knights really kept.
Labrador retriever origin: how a Newfoundland fishing dog began
Learn where the Labrador retriever really came from, why its name points to the wrong place, and how English breeders shaped the dog you know today.
Labrador retriever samurai portrait: the history behind the style
Learn what real samurai portraits show, when they were painted, and why Labrador retrievers are a playful historical mismatch in dog-in-armor art.
Labrador retriever Tudor portrait: why it's a myth
Learn why no genuine Tudor-era portrait shows a Labrador retriever, and discover which dogs truly appeared in Tudor paintings instead.
Labrador retriever Viking portrait: the history behind the image
Learn what a labrador retriever Viking portrait actually shows, what dogs Vikings really kept, and when the labrador breed was developed in England.
Mutt origin: where the word and the mixed-breed dog came from
Learn where the word mutt came from, how it split from mongrel and purebred, and why most dogs in history would now be called mutts.
Pit bull mix in art: from Petey to Sergeant Stubby
Learn how pit bull type dogs appeared in early film and wartime photography, from Our Gang's Petey to Sergeant Stubby's medals.
Pit bull mix origin: where this mixed breed really comes from
Learn why 'pit bull' describes several terrier types, how English origins led to American mixes, and why shelter labels often miss the mark.
Poodle explorer portrait: the history behind this art style
Learn what a poodle explorer portrait is, why poodles suit this historical art style, and how their water-retriever past and classic coat clip connect to it.
Poodle in art: how this breed became a painter's favorite
Learn why painters kept choosing poodles, see Rembrandt's famous 1631 self-portrait, and find out how the poodle clip moved from function to fashion.
Poodle royal portraits: how courts across Europe painted this breed
Learn how poodles moved from German water dogs to French and Spanish royal courts, and what their portraits reveal about history and grooming.
Poodle WWII pilot portraits: the real story behind the art
Learn what poodle WWII pilot portraits actually show, including the documented case of Perkin, a poodle mascot with RAF 41 Squadron in 1943 and 1944.
Poodles in baroque oil paintings: why they appear in portrait art
Learn why poodles appear in baroque oil paintings, including Rembrandt's 1631 self-portrait, and what these portraits reveal about dogs.
Presidential dogs: famous White House dogs through history
Learn which dogs have lived in the White House, from George Washington's foxhounds to Joe Biden's German Shepherds, and the stories behind them.
Pug history: from Chinese imperial courts to European royalty
Learn how pugs began as companions in ancient China, traveled to Europe with Dutch traders, and became favorites of royal courts and dog show clubs.
Pug in art: from the House of Orange to Hogarth's Trump
Learn how pugs appeared in European art, from the House of Orange legend to William Hogarth's paintings of his pug Trump.
Rottweiler and Roman emperor portraits: fact or myth?
Learn whether a real Roman emperor portrait of a rottweiler exists, and what Roman sources actually say about the breed's working-dog origins.
Rottweiler history: from Roman cattle dogs to modern working breed
Learn how the Rottweiler traces back to Roman drover dogs, nearly vanished in the 1800s, and was rebuilt into the working breed you see today.
Rottweiler Victorian portrait: what Victorian-era art really shows
Learn why genuine Victorian-era rottweiler portraits are rare, where the breed actually was in the 1800s, and how to spot a misdated photo.
Saint Bernard in art: how painters shaped the breed's legend
Learn how Edwin Landseer's 1820 painting shaped the Saint Bernard's image, why the brandy barrel is a myth, and where to see the original works today.
Saint Bernard origin: how a monastery dog became a rescue legend
Learn how the Saint Bernard breed began at a Swiss Alpine hospice, from its monk-kept ancestors to the naming and standard set in the 1880s.
Shiba inu and samurai: what history actually says
Learn what history says about shiba inus and samurai, including the breed's documented hunting role and its near-extinction in the twentieth century.
Shih tzu history: from Chinese imperial palaces to global icon
Learn how the shih tzu began with small Tibetan dogs, lived in the Chinese imperial court, nearly vanished, and became a popular companion breed today.
Shih tzu in art: how imperial China painted its lap dogs
Learn what Chinese court paintings actually show of the shih tzu's ancestors, why painters favored these dogs, and how the breed later reached western art.
Shih tzu origin: what DNA and old records actually show
Learn where the shih tzu breed came from, what DNA studies confirm about its old East Asian roots, and how a small group of surviving dogs rebuilt it.
Thomas Gainsborough's dog paintings: the story behind Tristram and Fox
Learn how the painter Thomas Gainsborough portrayed his own dogs and a friend's Pomeranians, and what historians know about these famous dog paintings.
Togo: the Siberian Husky who led the 1925 serum run
Learn how Togo, a Siberian Husky owned by musher Leonhard Seppala, led the longest and most dangerous leg of the 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska.
What were Australian shepherds bred for?
Learn what Australian shepherds were originally bred for, how ranch work shaped their body and temperament, and what that history means for owners today.
What were basset hounds bred for? Their original job explained
Learn what basset hounds were originally bred for, from hunting rabbits and hares on foot to the traits that shaped their body and temperament.