Grouping & Classes

Here you can find all those breeds whose main task was and still is herding or driving livestock.

Pinscher and Schnauzer belong to the domestic dogs, they differ mainly in coat type and size and are bred for versatile purposes. The term Molosser stands for large, heavy dog beasts, Swiss farm dogs are called Sennenhunde.

Terriers were originally bred as hunting dogs to drive foxes and badgers from their burrows. As a rule, they are small to medium-sized breeds. A distinction is made between "High-legged Terriers", "Low-legged Terriers", "Bull-type Terriers" and "Dwarf Terriers".

The term Dachshund indicates the original breeding purpose of the breeds known as Dachshunds or dachshunds. As a pronounced hunting dog, used for hunting work under the ground, for rummaging and for welding work, he enjoys high esteem. At home, however, he is also an attentive guard.

In the case of Spitz, a distinction is made between European and Asian breeds, which, by the way, are not genetically related to each other, with a few exceptions. The term Urtyp stands for the Urrassen of the domestic dog. Group 5 also includes the Nordic sled and hunting dogs and the Nordic guard and herding dogs.

Breeding for hunting purposes is the origin of many breeds. Running dogs are supposed to be able to track game over long distances, welding dogs have the task of tracking down injured game - in hunter's language "welding" stands for bleeding. What they all have in common is a pronounced hunting instinct and excellent scenting ability, which makes them particularly capable of working out and following game tracks.

Pointing dogs are the most common and versatile hunting dogs, which indicate to the hunter that there is game in front of him by pausing without making a sound.

To search for something and bring it to the master is what the term retrieve stands for and that is also what distinguishes the retrieving dog. A retriever dog searches for game independently in unclear terrain and drives it to the hunter. The water dog supports fishermen and hunters in water game areas. They are all characterized by the impulsive disposition to rummage and retrieve.

Companion dogs have above all the task to keep the human company and to serve him as a social partner. The name of the companion dog also says it all: it is supposed to accompany people. According to the VDH guidelines, a dog is also considered a companion dog if it has taken the first step in the multi-stage training system by passing the companion dog test.

Hardly any other animal can keep up with them. Greyhounds, especially the Greyhound, are among the fastest land animals in the world, only the cheetah is faster. The English name "sighthounds" expresses that it is typical for the greyhounds to use speed and sight to overtake the prey to be hunted.