Top 10 Dog Breeds

Every good dog has its day, and today’s the day! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 dog breeds. For this list, we’re looking at all varieties of pups from the petite to the huge, and are choosing favorites based on their demeanors and ease of training, as well as their cute and cuddly factors. But to be clear, we love all pooches! Now grab your leash and let’s go for a walk! Good boy!

Although famously featured in the horror film “Cujo,” which is based on the Stephen King novel, the St Bernard is a big friendly creature whose true self is probably better portrayed in the family friendly flick “Beethoven.” Named after the Great St. Bernard Hospice, the dog has roots as far back as 980AD and while they did not carry barrels of brandy, they were indeed bred for life and rescue work in the Alps. The breed was nearly wiped out due to severe winters in the early 1800s but was, happily, crossbred with Newfoundland dogs to restore and preserve their numbers.

Differing slightly in appearance and purpose from its American cousin, the English Cocker Spaniel has been a fixture in the arts in some way for nearly half a century. First appreciated as a quality hunting dog in both dry and wet conditions, the Cocker Spaniel’s lively, lovable, and playful personality endeared it as a welcomed member of many families. As good at being a friend to children as it is driving out woodcocks, the Cocker Spaniel’s intelligent nature also allows it to regularly be employed as a sniffer dog in Cuban airports.

Originally bred in Russia to be working sled dogs, these large wolf look-a-likes are incredibly friendly and are surprisingly light eaters. Smart and highly trainable, the husky is good with children and rarely lets loose its signature howl, but they make poor watchdogs - they just like people too much. Known for their icy blue eyes, huskies may also have brown or amber eyes and may even have one blue and one brown eye. Their fur, meanwhile, can be black, white, red, silver, grey, or brown and keeps them warm in temperatures as low as -75 degrees Fahrenheit.

A common fur-baby today, the Boxer was first bred and intended for dog fighting, bull baiting and even cart pulling. Obnoxiously happy and high-spirited, Boxers are intelligent, quick learners who appear to be the most cat-like of all dogs. They are easily integrated into most dog-loving families as they get along well with and play well with kids and may bond well with cats over a shared dislike of birds. The breed may have earned its name from its boxing-like paw gestures, although many in its native Germany dispute that claim.

Tiny but brave and incredibly loyal, Yorkshire Terriers are protective of their adoptive families and can effectively take over the house if allowed. Noted for their long, silky hair, the Yorkie is descendant of the Paisley and Skye Terriers and was actually bred to be a mouse hunter in Northern England where they were often used in clothing mills and mines. At home, meanwhile, the Yorkie is quite content as an indoor dog and can be excellent watch-puppies due to their suspicious attitude towards strangers.

Whether British, French, or American, today’s bulldogs have roots as far back as 1500, but the breed as we know it didn’t really come to be until the Old English Bulldog was interbred with the Pug. Now considered one of the national animals of Britain, bulldogs of the past were bred and used for the “sport” of bull baiting. Rather than taking down bulls, today’s bulldogs thrive on attention and are quite loving. In addition to having a face only a mother could love, bulldogs are also in the habit of snoring loudly, drooling, and ... well, farting. But we love ‘em anyway.

Coming in colors ranging from lemon, black, tan, white, red, and orange, beagles of some form were recorded in Ancient Greece and are even present in the works of Shakespeare. The modern beagle, however, can be traced back to the 1830s when the Reverend Phillip Honeywood established the first modern pack. In the past, beagles were prized for their hunting ability and are today valued as sniffer dogs owing to their incredible sense of smell. The beagle is also a cartoon mainstay with Snoopy, Underdog, Odie, Mr. Peabody, and Gromit all drawing inspiration from the real life hound.

#3: Golden Retriever

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Charming, devoted, patient, and trainable, the Golden Retriever is an excellent choice for a family dog or a childhood friend. The Golden came to be in the late 1800s when Lord Tweedmouth bred Flat-Coated Retrievers, Tweed Water Spaniels, Bloodhounds, and Irish Setters in his quest to have a retrieving dog that performed well on land and in water. Tweedmouth’s efforts not only paid off, but gave the world a dog well suited to search and rescue work, drug enforcement, and servicing the disabled community.

Properly known as the German Shepherd Dog, the GSD was known as the Alsatian Wolf Dog for much of the 20th century. Developed around 1899, the first recognized German Shepherd was Horand von Grafrath and was owned byMax von Stephanitz, who saw a great herder in the happy little woofer. Intelligent and excellent learners, German Shepherds are often used as scouts in militaries, search and rescue teams, police services and are capable actors... in dog terms. Before we unveil our top dog, here are a few honorable mentions. - Miniature Schnauzer - Dachshund - Great Dane - Poodle - Shih Tzu - Border Collie

Aw, the lab. Friendly? Check. Noisy? Not so much. Smart? Oh heck yeah. Although labs may be yellow, chocolate, or black, these are all one breed and can be found in a single litter. Popular worldwide as a friend, labs are also eager to help out in the world of police work, hunting, security, and as guide and service dogs to the blind and the autistic. A descendant of the St John’s water dog, the Lab’s webbed paws make it a natural swimmer, but also function as a snowshoe of sorts in winter. Do you agree with our list? What’s your favourite breed of dog? For more for-legged Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.