The World's Most Healthiest Dog Breeds

It might surprise that while reading this list what dogs are known to be healthier than others. When choosing out a dog for a companion or as a new addition to the family you need to consider a lot of options. For one, you want your puppy dog to live a long healthy lifestyle. A good step to ensure that you get a dog that will survive and live life to the fullest is to get a breed that is known to not have that many health issues.

Of course while the breed of a dog will not largely determine how healthy or long it will live. The more important factors that determine this are diet, lifestyle and how well the dog is taken care of; it is still interesting to see what dogs seem to have less health problems than others.

Basenji

The first dog breed that we are going to look at is the basenji. This particular dog breed is known to live a long healthy life. Although it does lack the ability to bark, this dog often does well. The most common problems for Basenjis are hips and leg issues, although usually these are easily treated by a vet.

Greyhounds

The common race dog is indeed very healthy and a great dog to have as a member of the family! Greyhounds are known to have dental problems however so make sure that you feed them a diet that is rich in raw meat and bones! Never feed a dog cooked bones or meat!

Beagles

A beagle is a great dog; in fact I have a small one myself. These pups are known to have some problems with eyes as they age. So far mine is doing great!

Poodle

This might come as a surprise but poodles are the healthiest dogs in the world. Due to their large size however some of them develop problems as they get older.

Although the pure breeds listed above are great choices keep in mind that it has been proven that mutts are the healthiest dogs in the world especially as they age. Most people would prefer a pure breed but hey mutts are great dogs too!

Remember a healthy diet, lots of exercise, playtime, and love and care will give a dog the best chance it has at living a long healthy lifestyle. Remember to take your pet to the vet regularly so that you can keep an eye on its health!

For more information on keeping your dog healthy and strong you might want to read this article as well on my blog!

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Understanding Dog Breed Groups

Dog Breed Groups are categories of dogs that meet specific criteria like, skill sets, personality, health issues, grooming and more. Dogs that belong to a certain group have some essential characteristics in common. Major kennel clubs like, the American Kennel Club (AKC) decides what breeds belong to a particular group. The AKC recognizes more than 170 dog breeds, and other registries worldwide recognize several hundred other breeds.

Terrier Group

Dogs in the Terrier Group have unique personalities; dogs in this group are feisty and energetic. They were originally bred to hunt and kill vermin. Terriers may have little tolerance for other animals, including other dogs. They make engaging pets, and need owners that can match the dog's lively character.

Hound Breed Group

Hounds were originally bred to hunting dogs. There are two types of hounds, scent-hounds and sight-hounds. Scent-hounds have acute scenting needed to hunt and follow their quarry. Sight-hounds have intense eyesight so they could find chase down larger game.

Working Group

Originally Working Group dogs were bred to perform tasks like; guarding property, pulling sleds and performing water rescues and other tasks that require strength and endurance. Many working dogs do not make suitable pets for the average family because of their large size and willpower and the potential for injury that they present.

Toy Dog Breed Group

Dogs with small size but strong personalities characterize the toy group. They make the ideal indoor dogs, even though many of them are lovable bundles of energy. Toy dogs are very popular with city dwellers and those without much living space. The toys make idyllic apartment dogs and they are terrific lap warmers on nippy nights.

Sporting Group

Members of this Group include; pointers, retrievers, setters, and spaniels. These dogs are athletic, good runners, great swimmers, and excellent hunting companions. Due to their nature, sporting dogs need lots of exercise to keep them mentally and physically active. This group is very intelligent, partly because they were bred to have the skills needed to track down animals.

Non-Sporting Group

The Non-Sporting group is not as well-defined as some of the other groups. Dogs in this group are usually medium-small and they include such well-known breeds as the Bulldog, Poodle and Keeshond. This group has sturdy animals with different personalities and appearances like the Chow-Chow, Dalmatian, and French Bulldog. Breeds in the Non-Sporting Group are a varied collection in terms of size, coat, personality and overall appearance.

Herding Dog Breed Groups

The dogs that make up the Herding Group, created in 1983, were once members of the working group. All breeds in this group are able to control movement of animals (herding). Well known herding dogs include; Australian Cattle Dogs, Australian Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and the Border Collie. In general, these intelligent dogs make excellent companions and respond beautifully to training exercises.

Why Are Dog Breed Groups Important?

People usually choose a dog based on what they know about a specific dog breed. Unfortunately this is not the best way to choose a pet and many times it doesn't work out for the pet or owner. Knowing specific information about the dog breed groups will help you narrow-down the selection process.

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