The artist Pablo Picasso owned a dog named Kabul whom Picasso claimed influenced his painting style. Kabul was an Afghan hound. Picasso claimed that he would see Kabul in his mind while painting portraits, thus encouraging him to paint people with longer noses and finer, fluffier hair.

Akita

The Akita was originally bred to hunt bears in Japan. Today they are used as guardians, or in police work.

Hachi-ko was an Akita who is memorialized in bronze at the train station in Tokyo.

Helen Keller brought the first Akitas to the U.S in 1937

The Akita is best known for its loyalty. There are not many breeds of dogs that are as loyal as the Akita.

Akitas are considered a national treasure in Japan. It is also the national dog of Japan.

In Japan, small statues of Akitas are given to the sick and newborn as a symbol of health.

The Japanese Akita and the American Akita are the same breed but look different in some ways. The Japanese Akita is taller, has a little bit longer coat, and has a rounder face then the American Akita

Australian Cattle Dog

The longest lived dog, according to the Guinnes Book of World Records, was an Australian Cattle Dog named Bluey, who lived to be 29.

Basenji

The Basenji is the only dog that does not bark. Instead, it has a unique yodelling and chortling call.

Basset

Bassets can't swim. Their legs are too short to keep their heavy, long bodies afloat.

Basset Hounds are difficult to train and stubborn but they are great with kids and very gentle. 

The Basset hound made famous in the Hush Puppies shoe commercials was named Biggles.

Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltraine on the Dukes of Hazzard had a dog named Flash.

Beagle

Former President Lyndon Johnson howled with his favorite dog, Yuki, a stray rescued by his daughter, Luci, at a Texas gas station. He also had two Beagles named Him and Her.

Bedlington Terrier

Is that a dog or a lamb? Bedlington Terriers have to be one of the strangest dogs I have ever seen.

Bloodhound

The Bloodhound doesn't need to smell blood to find someone who is lost. It is said that his name instead means blooded hound, or aristocratic.

Bloodhounds got their name because they are so bloodthirsty. This is an incorrect statement as the origin of the name is "blooded hound" in the sense of dog of "pure breeding".

This breed was probably first developed in the 7th century at the St. Hubert Monastery in the (now Belgian) Ardennes. They are still today labelled as "chiens de St. Hubert".It was William the Conqueror who took them to Britain. They soon became a traditional gift among royalty and nobility.

Another "false story" about them was spread by Harriet Beecher Stowe in her successful book " Uncle Tom's Cabin". In her novel Mrs Stowe claims they were used for trailing runaway slaves. The dogs actually used were mostly mongrel crosses of vicious temperament.

The bloodhound is the only animal whose evidence is admissible in a U.S. court of law.

Border Collie

The first dog to star in an American movie was Jean the Vitagraph Dog, a Border Collie mix, who made his first film in 1910.

Bouvier des Flandres

President Ronald Reagan was bitten in the behind by Lucky, a Bouvier des Flandres. After several such incidents, Lucky was banished to the family ranch.

Boxer

The Boxer was so named for his manner of fighting - which is that he starts a fight with his front paws like a human boxer.

Bull Dog

Bull-dogs get their name because they were used for bull-baiting. Also bull terriers and boxers were used for bull-baiting

Bulldog puppies are delivered by caesarean section because of their large heads.

Bull Mastiff

In order to promote his 'tough guy' image, boxer Mike Tyson bought a Bullmastiff. However, he neglected the dog, and the breeder, Mimi Einstein of Allstar Kennels, a tiny woman, drove to his house and demanded the dog back!

The mastiff was used for bear-baiting.

Originally mastiffs were used as dogs of war. Later they became watch-dogs.

Tia, a 2 year old Neopolitan Mastiff gave birth to the world’s largest litter in 2005. She delivered 24 puppies by caesarean section. 20 of them survived, setting another record of the most surviving puppies.

Bull Terrier

General George S. Patton owned a bull terrier named Willie.

Petey was a white American Pit Bull Terrier with a ring around one eye, and played alongside a lovable bunch of kids called 'The Little Rascals' in the Our Gang Television Series. The American Staffordshire Terrier is an AKC registered breed, while the APBT is not. The ring around Petey's eye was actually drawn on, which is why it changed from one side to the next between seasons of the TV show.

Cairn Terrier

Toto's role in The Wizard of Oz was played by a female Cairn Terrier named Terry.

Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Did you know that the oldest pure-bred British dog is reckoned to be the Cardigan Welsh Corgi? Their proof of existance has been traced back to dogs brought to Wales by the Celts from the Black Sea around 1200 BC.

Chihuahua

The smallest breed of dog recognized by the American Kennel Club is the Chihuahua, which stands six to nine inches at the top of the shoulders and weighs two to six pounds.

The Chihuahua, is also the one that usually lives the longest. The Chihuahua is a Central American Indian dog. Named for the region of Mexico where they were first discovered in the mid-19th century, the Chihuahua can live anywhere between 11-18 years.

The Taco Bell dog is actually a female Chihuahua named Gidget.

Chow Chow

Chow Chows are known for their bluish-black tongues and gums.

Originally from China, the Chow Chow's name (Songshi Quan), literally translated, means "puffy lion dog".

The Chow is a non-sporting dog.

Chow Chows were originally bred for three reasons: 1) of course, for a great pet/hunter/helper; 2) to keep people warm with their furry hides; and 3) as food (like pigs or cows).

Chows have a double coat and a distinctive ruff. Chows are suspicious of strangers and are very loyal to their owners. To ensure a well mannered animal these dogs need early socialisation.

Sigmund Freud was assisted in his psychotherapy sessions by Jo-Fi, who was a Chow. Freud thought that Jo-Fi would move closer to patients as they became less stressed.

Collie

Lassie was played by several male dogs, despite the female name, because male collies were thought to look better on camera. The main "actor" was named Pal.
Lassie, the TV collie, first appeared in a 1930s short novel titled Lassie Come-Home written by Eric Mowbray Knight. The dog in the novel was based on Knight's real life collie, Toots.

In the late 1800's, Lassie type Collies were known as Scottish Sheepdogs.

Dachshund

Dachshunds are the smallest breed of dog used for hunting. They are low to the ground, which allows them to enter and maneuver through tunnels easily.

The dachshund is one of the oldest dog breeds in history (dating back to ancient Egypt.) The name comes from one of its earliest uses - hunting badgers. In German, Dachs means "badger," Hund is "hound."

E.B. White, author of many books such as Charlotte's Web, had a love-hate relationship with his dog Fred, a Dachshund. He once wrote that he'd rather train zebras to balance clubs on their noses than attempt to teach a Dachshund to do anything.

Dalmations

Dalmations, with all those cute black spots, are born white.

Inbreeding causes 3 out of every 10 Dalmatian dogs to suffer from hearing disability.

In the original 101 Dalmatians movie, Pongo has 72 spots,
Perdita has 68 and each of the puppies has 32.

Dobermann Pinscher

The Dobermann is a creation of Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a Thuringian nightwatch and tax-collector, who started mixing breeds such as the Rottweiler, the Pinscher, the Greyhound etc. until he obtained the type of dog he wanted: brave, somewhat aggressive, and with a strong temperament.

English Mastiff

Zorba, an English Mastiff, is the heaviest dog on record, weighing 343 lbs at the age of 8 in 1989.

Foxhound

The oldest American breed is the American Foxhound. This dates back to 1650!
George Washington had 36 foxhounds, and one was named Sweetlips.

The most prolific mother award goes to Lena, an American foxhound who gave birth to 23 puppies in June 1944, in Ambler, Pa. The little miracles, black and white spotted puppies, all lived and reached maturity.

German Shepherd

Rin Tin Tin was the first American dog movie star and signed his own contracts for 22 movies with a pawprint.

A German Shepherd guide dog, named Orient, led her blind hiker the entire 2100 mile Appalachian Trail

Roy Rogers had a horse named Trigger and a German Shepherd dog named Bullet.

These breeds of dogs is or has also been given the name "Alsatians". During and after the First World War, anything German had fallen in disgrace in some parts of the world. For that reason the German Shepherd Dog was at least temporarily rebaptised: the Alsatian. This name was correct anyway as Alsatia (now mostly called Alsace) was the area where the breed had originated from. Only it was not at all times clear to everybody whether Alsatia was inside or outside Germany.

Golden Retriever

The first search and rescue dog on the scene of the World Trade Center disaster on September 11. 2001, was Bear, an 11 year old Golden Retriever. He began recovery efforts immediately, working 18 hour days in the beginning.

The world record for the most tennis balls held in the mouth by a dog at one time is five. Augie, a golden retriever owned by the Miller family in Dallas, Texas, USA, successfully gathered and held all five regulation-sized tennis balls on July 6, 2003.

Great Dane

The Great Dane isn't the largest breed of dog but the Irish Wolfhound is. They can be as high as 3 feet at the shoulder.

Great Danes are not from Denmark by the way. They were bred in Germany for hunting wild boars.

Apartment life is just fine for Great Danes. Despite their size, according to the AKC, life in an apartment can suit a Great Dane quite well. They are not as high energy as other breeds, but despite their couch potato ways, daily exercise is important.

Great Danes grow incredibly fast. Within a span of just 1 year, , Great Danes go from just a handful of fluffy puppy to being able to stand up on their hind legs and look a 6-foot tall man eye-to-eye.

They really don’t eat that much. A full grown Great Dane eats about 2 cups of dry dog food in a day.

Great Danes can be remarkably gentle. That is, once the period of rapid growth passes and they gain full control of their body, bringing an end to accidental injuries due to clumsiness.

They must have people. Great Danes are an extremely sensitive breed and do not fare well without close contact with their human family.

Anxiety can kill Great Danes. There is increasing evidence that bloats, a condition in which the stomach gets air in it and twists, or torsions, is related to anxiety.

Great Pyrenees

The Great Pyrenees dogs are so sensitive to anesthesia that it can kill them. Great caution is required for any surgery for this breed.

Carrying packs and hauling artillery through the mountains were both jobs that the Great Pyrenees did during WWII. These dogs are known for having double dewclaws and a thick white coat.

Greyhound

Developed in Egypt about 5,000 years ago, the greyhound breed was known before the ninth century in England, where it was bred by aristocrats to hunt such small game as hares.

The Greyhound is the fastest breed, it can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour.

Greyhounds are used as hunting-dogs because of their qualities as scent-hounds. Though their eyesight and their speed are superior to those of most other breeds, they don't have a very keen nose.
That's why they are only used for certain types of hunting in which eyesight and speed matter more than a keen sense of scents.
Apart from being used as hunting-dogs, they are also used for racing.
In Egypt only royalty were allowed to have greyhounds. Out of respect for those dogs they were never sold, only given as presents.
They are the only dogs named in the Bible (Proverbs 30, v.29-31 King James Version ).

Their name is a bit of a mystery as few greyhounds are actually grey. Some etymologists think "greyhound" is a misunderstanding of an earlier name such as Great Hound or Greek Hound.

Husky

The real hero of the 1925 Serum Run was really Togo. The 12 year old husky led his sled dog team through 260 miles of blowing Alaskan blizzard to deliver emergency diphtheria serum to Nome. Balto received most of the fame because he led the final 55 miles.

Irish Setter

Jim Kjelgaard wrote a series of books about an Irish Setter named Big Red.

Irish Wolfhound

The gigantic Irish Wolfhound is so strong that he can pick up a Mastiff or Bulldog. When he was pitted against either in a fight, he would pick his opponent up by the back and simply shake him to death.

The tallest breed of dogs in the world is the Irish Wolfhound.

Labrador

The Labrador Retriever ranks top as guide and rescue dogs. Also excelling in tracking, retrieving, watchdogging, search and rescue, police work, mine-detection, assistance to disabled, sledding, carting, agility, and competitive obedience

The Labrador Retriever originated in Newfoundland, Canada (probably a crossing between the extinct St John´s Water Dog and the Newfoundland Dog) where it was used to haul the fisherman´s nets from the icy waters to shore.

Endal, a yellow Lab, helped rehabilitate a Gulf War veteran. He also saved Allen's life, when Allen was struck by a car and knocked from his wheelchair, unconscious. Endal pulled him into the recovery position, covered him with a blanket and grabbed his cell phone. After no response, he walked to a nearby hotel and raised the alarm.

Newfoundlands

Newfoundlands have webbed feet, making them great swimmers and divers.

It was recorded in 1815 that while escaping from Elba Island, Napoleon Bonaparte was swept overboard. Napoleon was saved by a Newfoundland dog who jumped into the water to save him.

The name of the Newfoundland in the book "Peter Pan" was Nana.

A Newfoundland accompanied Lewis and Clark on their travels.

Pekingese

Pekingese dogs were sacred to the emperors of China for more than 2,000 years. They are one of the oldest breeds of dogs in the world.

Two dogs survived the sinking of Titanic, yes that's right, two DOGS survived. They escaped on early lifeboats carrying so few people that no one objected. Miss Margaret Hays of New York brought her Pomeranian
with her in lifeboat No. 7, while Henry Sleeper Harper of the publishing family boarded boat No. 3 with his Pekinese, Sun Yat Sen.

The name "Pekinese" really suggests the correct origin. "Pekinese" dogs could only be kept at the Imperial Court and were kind of sacred. Their possession was forbidden for "non-royals". When in 1860 British and French troops overran the Summer Palace at Peking, the Imperial Guards got orders from the Emperor to kill his reputedly semi-divine "Pekinese dogs". A few escaped the slaughter, and were taken to Queen Victoria's Court.

The ancient Chinese royalty loved the Pekingese, carrying them tucked into the sleeves of their royal robes.

Pharoah Hounds

Pharoah Hounds are the only breed that blushes, their ears, nose and eyes become pink when they get excited.

Pit Bull

Teddy Roosevelt's pit bull, Pete, once ripped off a French ambassador's pants at a White House event.

Pomeranian

Two dogs survived the sinking of Titanic, yes that's right, two DOGS survived. They escaped on early lifeboats carrying so few people that no one objected. Miss Margaret Hays of New York brought her Pomeranian
with her in lifeboat No. 7, while Henry Sleeper Harper of the publishing family boarded boat No. 3 with his Pekinese, Sun Yat Sen.

One of the few living things famous scientist Isaac Newton cared for was his dog Diamond, a Pomeranian. Newton didn't get along well with people, but he loved his dog. In one famous incident, Diamond tipped over a candle that burned up several years of Newton's work on gravity- but he just commented that she couldn't know what damage she had done.

Poodle

French poodles did not originate in France. Poodles were originally used as hunting dogs in Europe. The dogs' thick coats were a hindrance in water and thick brush, so hunters sheared the hindquarters, with cuffs left around the ankles and hips to protect against rheumatism. Each hunter marked his dogs' heads with a ribbon of his own color, allowing groups of hunters to tell their dogs apart.

Walt Disney's family dog was named Lady. She was a poodle.

It's actually a German breed. Its name comes from the Old German word 'pudeln' meaning to splash in puddles. It was originally a retrieving breed.

John Steinbeck wrote Travels with Charley, an autobiographical book about his journeys with his Poodle.

Prime Minister of England Winston Churchill owned a miniature Poodle.
Despite the frequent association of Churchill with the British symbol, the bulldog, he didn't own one. He doted on his Miniature Poodle who was named Rufus.

The Poodle sheds (moults) the least, that's why the poodle needs all that trimming. Poodles probably derive from a French waterdog, the Barbet.

The Poodle haircut was originally meant to improve the dog's swimming abilities as a retriever, with the pom-poms left in place to warm their joints.

Pug

Pugs have an ancient history; in fact, the earliest reference to them was found in China in 600 BC.

Most pugs, are fawn, which is a light tan color. Their little faces have a black muzzle. There are also pugs that are solid black, and further sorted into blue black or rusty black, the distinction of which is beyond me. There's also a variety of fawn Pug called the apricot fawn- these are sort of orangish. Finally, there's the rare silver pug, which are whitish. Pugs can also be albino, being white in color with pink face.

Pugs are classified as Toys, or small dogs. They are actually the largest of the Toys, weighing between 14 and 18 pounds.

Pugs are one of few breeds that were created with no purpose in mind, other than being lap dogs (which they're very good at). They are very loving and friendly, and make surprisingly good watchdogs, as they have a deceivingly deep bark.

One of the cutest things about pugs is their curly tail, which resembles a little pig tail. The tail should have what's called a double curl, meaning it curls back on itself. If a pug walks around with his tail uncurled, something's wrong.

In ancient China, it was preferable for pugs to sport three wrinkles on the forehead and a vertical bar, forming the Chinese character for "Prince"

The name Pug is believed to have derived from this dog's resemblance to the pug monkey.

Saint Bernard

The most successful mountain rescue dog ever was a St Bernard, named Barry, who lived during the early 1800's and saved 40 lives.

The Cincinnati Reds baseball team had a mascot named Schottzie.

Saint-Bernard dogs are called so because they were first bred in Clairvaux, when Saint-Bernard was the Abbot there. It was the Hospice of Saint-Bernard, a monastery along the Saint Bernard Pass, in the Swiss Alps that first used them to rescue lost travellers. But this was long after Saint-Bernard had died.
Moreover Clairvaux, Saint Bernard's home-abbey, is not in a mountainous area and there would be little use for the famous mountain dogs.

For Stephen King's "Cujo" (1983), five St. Bernards were used, one mechanical head, and an actor in a dog costume to play the title character.

Saluki

One of the world’s oldest breeds of dog is the Saluki. It is thought to have been developed in Ancient Mesopotamia around 3000 B.C.

The Saluki is represented in Sumarian carvings dated back to 7000 BC. It is said that "Whenever one sees the word 'dog' in the Bible it means the Saluki.

Samoyed

The Samoyed is in the "Working Group" as classified by the American Kennel Club. Working group dogs are associated with (and often bred for) jobs such as water rescue, guard roles, herding, and pulling sleds. In general, dogs in the Working Group are "quick to learn,...intelligent, capable...and make solid companions." While some working dogs are not appropriate pets for families, the Samoyed is an excellent family companion.

The Samoyed dog was originally bred by the Samoyedic peoples of Siberia.

What is it about the Samoyed that enables it to withstand low temperatures?
Dense, double coat of fur.

As is typical of many working dog breeds, the Samoyed is intelligent, willing, and eager to please. It is a gentle dog, very suited to families with children. It is a loving, friendly dog, but not given to aggressive displays of friendship. Since it is friendly and not an aggressive dog, it does not make a good guard dog.

Saying a dog is hypoallergenic is always a relative term of course, but the Samoyed is a good pet for individuals and families with allergies because the Sam produces no dander. This can make its hypoallergenic trait even more effective than dogs who depend on minimal shedding.

If you've seen a Samoyed, you know why they have that nickname. The upturned mouth and black markings at the mouth, with all that white (or biscuit in some cases) fur, definitely looks like a smile. The American Kennel Club even has it in its breed standard for the Samoyed: "...the mouth should be slightly curved up at the corners to form the 'Samoyed smile.'"

A Samoyed named Etah was the lead dog of a sled team used by Roald Amundsen on the first expedition to reach the South Pole.

Scottie

Franklin D. Roosebelt once spent $15,000 to have a destroyer return to the Aleutian Islands and retrieve his Scottie, Fala, who had been accidentally left behind.

Shar Pei

The Shar Pei has very loose skin all over its body. This was developed for the purpose of dog fighting. The loose skin makes it harder for the opponent to pin the dog down.

Shih Tzu

Many people think they are Chinese, but they were first bred by Tibetan monks and sent to the Chinese emperors from time to time as gifts.

The "chrysanthemum-faced dog" gets its name from the way its hair grows outwards from the centre of the face.

Shih Tzu are assertive little dogs. They are not the best choice for very small children as they may feel bothered by poking little fingers, but they generally get along fine with older children and other pets.

The full name is Tibetan Shih Tzu Kou, or Tibetan lion dog.

Shih Tzu were bred as companion dogs but they do need exercise, and they love doing things with their owners. In North America they have been competing and winning titles in Agility since the 1990s.

Shih Tzu are very susceptible to both heat and cold. In cold weather they do need to wear coats, especially if they are pet Shih Tzu with a close trim.

Spaniel

Marie Antoinette's dog was a spaniel named Thisbe.

Barbara Bush's book about her English Springer Spaniel, Millie's book, was on the bestseller list for 29 weeks. Millie was the most popular "First Dog" in history.

Richard Nixon's dog, Checkers, was a cocker spaniel. The dog had actually been given to Nixon's daughters, but has gone down in history because of Nixon's famous 'Checkers speech.'

Nor are spaniels from Spain. The origin of the name spaniel seems to be related to French "espanir" and Italian "spaniare". Verbs that mean"to crouch", "to flatten". Cocker spaniels hunted for woodcocks. Springer spaniels flushed partridge, pheasants and hares.

The "spring" in Springer Spaniel referred to this dog's ability to spring or startle game

Welsh Terrier

President John F. Kennedy's favorite dog was Charlie, a Welsh Terrier. He used to swim with the President- an unusual feat for a terrier!

Whippet

Whippets can reach a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour.

Wolfhound

The largest breed of dog recognized by the American Kennel Club is the Irish Wolfhound, which stands 30 to 35 inches at the top of the shoulders and weighs 105 to 125 pounds

Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier's coat can grow up to 2 feet long.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the smallest dog on record was a Yorkshire Terrier in Great Britain who, at the age of 2, weighed just 4 ounces.

A 12 lb Yorkshire Terrier named Oliver once defended an elderly woman from an 80 lb Akita. The woman escaped to safety and the Yorkie survived with only nine stitches.

Some breeds of dogs have been specially trained for specific jobs. Yorkshire Terriers were originally meant for rat-catching.

In 1998, Olive Oyl, an 8-year-old Russian wolfhound, set a record for the most jump rope skips made by a dog. The jump rope made 63 revolutions, with Olive Oyl leaping each time, becoming a Guinness Book of World Records holder.