What is a dog breed and which are you?

A dog breed is simply a particular type of dog. All dogs are one species.

Across the world there are estimated to be upward of 360 recognised dog breeds. From small breeds like miniature dachshunds to large breeds like the cane corso, all dogs are descended from the same animal - the grey wolf, which humans domesticated.

Different dog breeds have been bred by humans to perform different tasks, such as herding and guarding, or as companion breeds - pets. Now, as in the distant past, we continue to enjoy the kindness and companionship of dogs - earning them the title of 'man's best friend'.

Before you find out more about our favourite canine friends, it's time to take the ultimate dog quiz and find out, which dog breed are you?

If you think that dogs are bred only for their appearance, then you’re barking up the wrong tree!

When a new dog breed is created, some dogs with particular characteristics are chosen by humans and are intentionally bred to keep those qualities - a process known as artificial selection that occurs across many generations of dogs. While training a dog can help improve these abilities, inherited genetics play a role.

While all dogs are individuals, you can think of them as varying from the baseline of their breed. For example, boarder collies are athletic, energetic and clever, while an occasional individual might be less so. This is why we can describe certain breeds as suitable, or unsuitable, for particular roles.

Over the years, humans have created clever canine companions for specific jobs including herding, guarding, retrieving and hunting.

Dogs have been helping humans for centuries, taking on important jobs that rely on their intelligence, instincts, senses, and special training. Let's explore the different types of working dogs and the breeds best suited for each role.

Service dogs, or assistance dogs, are trained to assist people with disabilities. Tasks given to these dogs may include guiding their owners around, alerting them of hazards or sounds, retrieving items for them or detecting when their owner is about to experience a medical episode. Some service dogs are even trained to be a physical support in circumstances like this.

Common service dog breeds are the labrador retriever, golden retriever, German shepherd and standard poodle. These breeds are large enough to act as guides and to retrieve items for someone with physical difficulties. They have high working intelligence (their ability to learn behaviours and commands) and are typically calm and friendly with people.

Did you know? In the UK, assistance dogs are allowed in shops, restaurants and other businesses where animals are forbidden. This reflects their special duties as more than pets. It sounds strange to say it, but an assistance dog is in the same legal category as a wheelchair under the Equality Act - banning them is disability discrimination.

Unlike service dogs, therapy dogs don't typically perform physical tasks but they do offer emotional comfort in places like hospitals, schools and nursing homes. Their calm and friendly nature help people feel relaxed, bring joy and also provide comfort for them emotionally.

Breeds that make great therapy dogs include many of the smaller, companion dogs, such as Cavalier King Charles spaniels, and family pet breeds like labradors, golden retrievers and poodles.

Small or 'toy' breeds can fit on a lap without being too heavy and are typically calm and people-focused, happy to be cuddled, making them good for frail clients. Medium or larger breeds, while also tolerant and sociable, can form a reassuring physical barrier between a patient and a source of anxiety. Even the giant, goofy Great Dane is sometimes trained as a therapy dog!

Search and rescue dogs are trained to locate missing people trapped after natural or human-made disasters, lost in wilderness areas, and in urban environments too. A dog's sense of smell, agility and size, allow them to find things we would never notice.

A dog has an extremely sensitive nose. Certain dog types used for hunting, known as scent hounds, have had their sense of smell supercharged by selective breeding. The bloodhound, has 125-300 million olfactory receptors in their nose compared to a human's 6 million. Talk about a super smeller!

Dogs used for tracking can follow a scent over very long distances, even after several days. Scent hounds like bloodhounds and beagles are used for their noses, whereas working dogs such as German shepherds, border collies, labradors and golden retrievers lend their general intelligence and energy to the task.

Did you know? Search and rescue dogs are trained using human volunteers to stand in for the lost person. When they find their target, the dogs are praised and rewarded, making the whole task feel like a stimulating game to them.

Dogs also have their roles in law enforcement and personal protection.

Detection or 'sniffer' dogs have a strong sense of smell and are trained to identify specific substances, often illegal or harmful ones. Dogs are also able to detect diseases such as diabetes and cancer, so they have started to be trained for these purposes too. Breeds that thrive on scent work are beagles, springer spaniels and German shepherds, to name a few.

Guard dogs are trained to deter or confront intruders or trespassers. Loyal and protective breeds are chosen for this work, in which their training only adds to their fierce instincts. Bulky dogs with an intimidation factor, such as doberman pinschers, rottweilers and bull mastiffs, thrive in jobs like these. So does the loyal and versatile German shepherd, the classic police dog.

Farmers use herding dogs to guide and manage their sheep, cattle and other livestock. Shepherd breeds such as border collies and Australian cattle dogs are born for this work. They are highly intelligent and responsive, able to interpret signals from their humans even on the other side of a field, and have a bred-in drive to herd things together.

While herding dogs move livestock around, there is also a job for protecting livestock when the farmer isn't present. A big group of defenceless-looking prey is an irresistible temptation to predators such as foxes, wolves and dingoes.

Enter the livestock guardian dog, such as the Great Pyrenees or the Kangal shepherd dog. These shaggy giants are bred to stay outdoors with the herds. Their thick coats, a little like a sheep's fleece, protect them from the weather, while their fierce loyalty and protective nature mean they will drive off predators from what they consider their flocks!

What happens when a dog's 'job' is simply being a family pet? Unless an owner wants to do a specific sport or activity with their dog, it's become more common to choose a dog breed based on family and household needs. Prospective owners look at temperament, trainability, the amount of exercise needed and, yes, looks.

While we've mentioned several specific dog breeds in this round-up, we would be doing dog-kind a massive disservice if we didn't speak on behalf of the mutt. A mutt is a cross-breed, or mixture of different dog breeds, which results in a pup with a random-seeming assortment of characteristics from both parents.

As some people prefer 'pure' breeds, this can mean that crosses can be overlooked when it comes to adoptions. However, things are changing! While the standard dog breeds are still pup-ular, there has been a shift towards intentionally mixing breeds. A new breed combination needs a new name - by mixing those of the two parents. As a result, you can now find crosses like the labradoodle (labrador and poodle), morkiepoo (Maltese, Yorkie and poodle), and whoodle (wheaten terrier and poodle).

Could this result in other mixed breeds getting a better re-pup-utation? Hopefully so: many of the dogs in shelters are crosses waiting for loving homes. While their breed history may not be fully known, the rescue shelter can advise prospective owners on whether or not a dog is a good fit.

One thing is for certain: no matter the breed, all dogs are paw-sitively great!

Chasing more Bitesize facts about our furry friends? Follow our lead!

• Why do we love pets?

• How were our favourite animals domesticated? A brief history of pets

• Why do dogs eat grass?

• Dogs with jobs: Four paw-fessions for a human’s best friend

• Galaxy Pugs