The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), known in Spanish as International Cynological Federation, is the worldwide canine organization responsible for stipulating the standards of each breed of dog, as well as defending their interests and promoting them. In this way, the FCI is responsible for promoting the breeding of breed dogs through fixed parameters.
Currently, the FCI has a total of 91 member countries and contracting partners, in charge of training their own judges to take their pedigrees themselves, since the FCI does not issue them. On the other hand, the International Cynological Federation recognize 343 races, all of them classified in 10 different groups. In addition to the definitive races, the organization groups in a separate category all those that it has admitted provisionally.
In this Animal Expert article we have compiled all the groups stipulated by the FCI and we have incorporated the different races that form them, as well as the country of origin. Keep reading and discover the classification of dog breeds according to the FCI.
Dog breeds of group 1
Group 1 established by the FCI consists of two large sections: shepherd dogs and boyer dogs, except for Swiss boyer dogs. Each of the sections divides the dog breeds that comprise them by country of origin and welcomes the different varieties that are found within each breed, if any. In this way, the races that are within the group 1 of the FCI are the following:
Shepherd dogs
- German shepherd (Germany)
- Australian Kelpie (Australia)
- Belgian Shepherd Dog (Belgium)
- Schipperke (Belgium)
- Croatian Shepherd Dog (Croatia)
- Czechoslovakian Wolfdog (Slovakia)
- Slovak Tchuvatch (Slovakia)
- Catalan shepherd dog (Spain)
- Mallorcan shepherd dog (Spain)
- Autralian sheepdog (United States>
Dog breeds of group 2
The FCI divides this group into three distinct sections: pinscher and schnauzer dogs, molosoids and mountain dogs and Swiss winemakers. Below, we show the complete list of all dog breeds that make up group 2 of the International Cynological Federation:
Pinscher and schnauzer dogs
- Affenpinscher (Germany)
- Dobermann (Germany)
- German Pinscher (Germany)
- Miniature Pinscher (Germany)
- Austrian Pinscher (Austria)
- Schnauzer (Germany)
- Giant Schnauzer (Germany)
- Miniature Schnauzer (Germany)
- Dutch smous dog (Netherlands)
- Black Russian Terrier (Russia)
Dog breeds of group 3
Group 3 of the FCI includes the Terriers dog breeds and it divides them into four large sections: large and medium sized terriers, small size terriers, bull type terriers, company terriers. Below, we show the list with all races classified by sections:
Large and medium sized terriers dogs
- German hunter terrier (Germany)
- Brazilian Terrier (Brazil)
- Kerly blue terrier (Ireland)
- Soft coated wheaten Irish terrier (Ireland)
- Irish imaal glen terrier (Ireland)
- Irish Terrier (Ireland)
- Airedale terrier (United Kingdom>
Dog breeds of group 4
Group 4 of the FCI has a single section consisting of a single breed known as dachshund or dachshund. This breed is native to Germany, was recognized by the FCI in 1955 and three types are distinguished according to their size and service:
- Standard dachshund
- Miniature dachshund
- Dachshund for rabbit hunting
Dog breeds of group 5
In group 5 the FCI groups all those Spitz and primitive type dog breeds, in seven different sections: Nordic sled dogs, Nordic hunting dogs, Nordic guard and grazing dogs, European spitz, Asian spitz and similar breeds, primitive type, primitive type hunting dogs. Here is the list of all the races that make up this group, divided by these sections:
Nordic hunting dogs
- Karelian Bear Dog (Finland)
- Finnish Spitz (Finland)
- Gray Norwegian Elk Hunter (Norway)
- Black Norwegian Elk Hunter (Norway)
- Norwegian Lundehund (Norway)
- Laika from Western Siberia (Russia)
- Laika from Eastern Siberia (Russia)
- Russian-European Laika (Russia)
- Swedish Moose Hunter Dog (Sweden)
- Spitz norrbotten (Sweden)
Asian Spitz and similar races
- Eurásico (Germany)
- Chow chow (China)
- Akita (Japan)
- American Akita (Japan)
- Hokkaido (Japan)
- Kai (Japan)
- Kishu (Japan)
- Shiba (Japan)
- Shikoku (Japan)
- Japanese Spitz (Japan)
- Korea jindo dog (Republic of Korea)
Continental Sample Dogs
- German shorthaired pointer (Germany)
- Dog shows German hairy pig (Germany)
- Dog shows German hard-haired (Germany)
- Pudelpointer (Germany)
- Weimaraner (Germany)
- Old Danish Sample Dog (Denmark)
- Slovakian shorthaired pointer (Slovakia)
- Perdiguero de Burgos (Spain)
- Auvergne Braco (France)
- Braco de Airege (France)
- Bourbon Braco (France)
- French Braco - Gascogne Type (France)
- French Braco - Pyrenees Type (France)
- Braco Saint-Germain (France)
- Hungarian shorthaired pointer (Hungary)
- Hungarian hardhaired pointer (Hungary)
- Italian Braco (Italy)
- Portuguese Retriever (Portugal)
- Deutsch langhaar (Germany)
- Great Münsterländer (Germany)
- Small Münsterländer (Germany)
- Blue Spaniel of Picardy (France)
- Breton Spaniel (France)
- Font-Audemer Spaniel (France)
- French Spaniel (France)
- Spaniel Picardo (France)
- Dredger Prediguero (Netherlands)
- Friesian Retriever (Netherlands)
- Griffon shows hard hair (France)
- Espinone (Italy)
- Bohemian showhead with hard hair (Czech Republic)
1. The Xoloitzcuintle dog, Aztec dog or Mexican bald dog
In honor of the truth, the xolos come in two varieties, with or without hair, but if you opt for a hairless dog Little more need be. They are simply Mexican bald dogs, so, what is said hairs you will not pick up ... They also exist in different sizes, there are large and "pocket". If you want to learn more about them (origin, history and characteristics) we recommend our post on the Xoloitzcuintle dog breed.
2. Poodle or poodle
If you are looking for a race of dog that despite having it loose very little hair, bet on the poodle . its hair kind wool, curly and soft has very little tendency to fall. It is as if one of his hairs died, he did not fall to the ground directly but rather he became "entangled" among all the curls and thus saves us a lot of cleaning work at home. Practically the poodle dog does not loose hair (or very little) but it must be sheared from time to time because its mantle tends to grow without stopping. It is an easy maintenance dog, and as we tell you about hair removal at home, the discomfort is minimal compared to other breeds.
4. Spanish water dog
He spanish water dog is a ancient race from the south of the Iberian Peninsula, especially Andalusia and Extremadura. This beauty is a great unknown. You can read more about him in the previous link!
Medium in size, its curly hair very similar to the poodle and other water dogs, makes these dogs do not pull hair. Neither do they require brushing, but their hair is trimmed every so often, since it never stops growing.
Dog breeds of group 9
The penultimate group collects all those companion dog breeds, and divides them into 11 differentiated sections: bichones and similar breeds, poodle, Belgian dogs of small size, hairless dogs, Tibetan dogs, English company spaniels, Japanese and Peking spaniels, small size molosoides, Chihuahuan, dwarf continental spaniel of company and russkiy toy, and kromfohrländer. Below we detail the list of dog breeds that make up each of the sections:
5. Cairn Terrier, dogs that do not loose hair
Didn't you know him? He cairn terrier It is a small dog originally from Scottish Highlands and is in fact one of the breeds of older terriers that exist. It comes in several colors, gray, cream, black or reddish and its hair It is quite hard and gnarly. In addition to being tireless workers, the cairn terrier are some dogs that don't loose hair - They loose very little hair, or practically nothing.
7. Schnauzer
Territorial, independent, brave and ... with an intelligence above average! The schnauzer appears in 3 varieties (standard, giant and miniature) and has a hard hair and a little rough. Despite his hairy and bearded appearance, the schauzer loose little hair... and we love that! Discover many more virtues about schnauzer breed
8. Komondor dog
An unusual dog, did you know him? This is a sheepdog from Hungary, sized very large and ultra curly hair It forms a kind of dreadlocks that look a bit like mops. With this hair so well "interwoven," we can say that virtually the komondor dog is one of those Dogs that don't loose hair. -Discover here 5 facts you did not know about the Komondor dog
Dog breeds provisionally accepted
And finally classification of dog breeds according to the FCI, we found the category of dog breeds accepted on a provisional basis. Here are all those races that have not yet been accepted on a definitive basis and, therefore, cannot qualify for the Certificate of Fitness for International Beauty Champion (CACIB), although they do have access to the titles of the FCI. This category is not divided into sections like all previous groups, and consists of the following dog breeds:
- Thai Bangkaew dog (Thailand), would be part of group 5.
- Shepherd dog from Southeast Europe (Southeast Europe), would be part of group 2.
- Danish and Swedish farm dog (Denmark, Sweden), would be part of group 2.
- Pastor of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Croatia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia), would be part of group 2.
- Gonczy Polsky (Poland), would be part of group 6.
- Uruguayan Cimarrón (Uruguay), would be part of group 2.
- Russian dog toy (Russia), would be part of group 9.
- Australian shepherd stumpy tail (Australia), would be part of group 1.
If you want to read more articles similar to Classification of dog breeds according to the FCI, we recommend that you enter our What you need to know section.
11. Shi Tzu
An ancient breed originating from China which despite its size is a good guard dog. The Shitzu they are good-natured dogs, they don't need much exercise and they loose very little hair! If you don't want to brush your long hair every day, you can always choose to wear it with a good haircut, since the short mantle although it does not look so much is much easier to maintain.
If you prefer small dogs, do not miss:
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Origin of the Spanish water dog
The Spanish water dog has as predecessor the old barbet dog, the water dog that has given way to other breeds such as the poodle or poodle and the different breeds of water dogs (Spanish, Portuguese, French or Romagna among others). Its presence in the Iberian Peninsula dates back at least to the year 1100 BC. but it is unknown exactly what the exact origin is and if there were other races in its development.
During the 18th century the Spanish water dog was used as a working dog in activities such as grazing and hunting. Likewise and due to his ability to swim, fishermen in northern Spain occasionally used him as an assistant. Its population was mainly in Andalusia and was known as "The Turkish dog".
Later and with the appearance of other breeds in the country, the Spanish water dog ceased to be the main assistant in the work of grazing and hunting, thus decreasing its population. They were mainly replaced by the German shepherd and the Belgian shepherd Malinois. Currently the Spanish water dog is still a popular and well-known dog but its work has been changing, being currently one of the most popular sports dogs in Spain.
Physical characteristics of the Spanish water dog
The water dog is very similar physically to the current French barbet because of its common origin. It is a dog Medium-sized, rustic and athletic build, very muscular. The head is strong, elegant and with a flattened cranial roof. Naso-frontal depression is mild and shallow. The slightly oblique eyes range from hazelnut to brown. The ears are medium insertion, triangular and drooping.
The body is medium, robust and slightly longer than tall although we speak of a fairly proportioned dog. The back is straight and strong, while the rump bends gently with respect to the horizontal. The chest is wide and deep. The belly is slightly collected.
The measures and weights of the Spanish water dog are usually:
- Male height: between 44 and 50 centimeters
- Female height: between 40 and 46 centimeters
- Male weight: between 18 and 22 kilograms
- Female weight: between 14 and 18 kilograms
The tail of this dog is of medium insertion and, unfortunately, the FCI standard of the breed indicates that it must be amputated between the second and the fourth vertebra, something that we do not recommend at all in Animal Expert. Fortunately, this cruel and unnecessary custom is being lost worldwide and is even illegal in many countries. In addition, today, the FCI accepts dogs of all breeds with whole tails, even when their standards indicate that the tails should be amputated.
The Spanish water dog's coat is long, curly and woolly. Curls are shown from birth. On the other hand, it is important to highlight that although there are three-color Spanish water dogs, black and fire or hazelnut and fire, those accepted by the FCI are the following:
- Unicolor: White, black or brown.
- Bicolor: White and black or white and brown.
Spanish Water Dog Character
The Spanish water dog, perhaps because of its long tradition as a working dog, is usually a dog very obedient and with a natural predisposition for learning. That is due, in part, to their intelligence, which we should regularly stimulate with training, dog skills and other activities that we consider appropriate, both physical and mental.
It is also a dog very faithful and attached to its owners, brave and with a very balanced character. In general, they tend to show hunting and grazing instincts, an inheritance of the activities they have developed over generations.
The care of the Spanish water dog's coat will require extra effort by the owners since tangles and dirt accumulation are common. It is recommended to leave a length of between 3 and 12 centimeters, however, the fur should be brushed practically daily If you want to maintain a beautiful and tangle-free look. For a perfect finish it is ideal to go to the dog grooming every two months approximately. Still we can bathe them at home using nutritious shampoos and conditioners that soften the coat and make brushing easier.
Another aspect to highlight is physical exercise That this breed requires. We must understand that it is an active dog that will need a minimum of two to three daily walks, combined with games (ball, frisbee or running) and mental stimulation activities (canine skills and obedience, mainly). An activity that combines both aspects mentioned is agility, a very complete and recommended sport for this breed.
Spanish Water Dog Education
Mainly due to its attached and faithful character, the Spanish water dog will need to start quickly in socialization, that is, the process in which it will learn to relate with different people, animals and environments. This process lasts a lifetime and is indispensable for avoid fears and unwanted reactions in his adult stage. Through socialization, the dog learns to relate, also understanding the "norms" of human, feline and dog communication.
Remember also that socialization begins when the dog is still a puppy that remains with his mother, separating him too early can impair the learning of this process. Generally, a well socialized water dog will get along with other animals and unknown people, although it is usually somewhat reserved compared to other more outgoing breeds.
The Spanish water dog is a very intelligent dog and with which it is very simple to work obedience and other exercises. It will be essential to teach our dog basic obedience orders. Apart from improving our relationship with him and encouraging good communication, teaching obedience orders to our Spanish water dog will be very beneficial for him, since it is a dog that requires regular mental stimulation. It is also very interesting to teach canine skills or various tricks, such as teaching your dog to paw. All these exercises will help you stay distracted and avoid negative behaviors.
Do not forget that the Spanish spaniel has a very developed instinct for grazing, so it can exhibit this type of behavior towards different people in the family, especially in children. We recommend always supervising the games and being aware of the possible appearance of this behavior.
Spanish water dog health
The Spanish water dog is considered one of the healthiest that exist and have no tendency to suffer from hereditary problems, however and as with all dogs, the most common diseases recorded are:
- Cataracts: it is one of the most common canine health problems. It consists of the opacification of the lens and the symptoms are the same that humans suffer.
- Follicular dysplasia: abnormal growth of the hair follicle, which instead of growing outward grows inward, causing pain and discomfort in the dog, regardless of possible infections such as pustules and papules. It mainly affects black dogs.
- Distichiasis: it is an abnormal growth of the eyelashes, mainly on the palpebral edge.
To avoid late detection of any of these diseases we always recommend going to the veterinarian every 6 months approximately. In the same way, we will follow the dog's vaccination schedule and regular deworming (external and internal). If you follow our advice, you will enjoy a healthy and happy dog between 10 and 14 years old.
Brain size
In a matter of brain size ... the truth is that sometimes it does matter. Normally a larger size indicates a greater proportion of neuronal tissue and greater deductive capacity, but in relation to dogs and cats, the latter show more neurons despite having a head size, usually smaller.
Dogs have about 160 million neurons, while cats have about 300 million.
Social relationships
In general, the most intelligent mammals are determined by the greater or lesser capacity for social relations since it is a determining factor in the capacities of animals.
In that sense, the canines win the battle being the great social animals par excellence. It is confirmed that solve more problems related to communication and living together with other beings what improves these capacities. Also, by that same rule, animals that live with large groups of people and other animals can develop new skills that others could not in isolation.
Domestication of animals
As we have said, intelligence or the ability to learn new skills is related to living with humans. Hence, domestication is also a factor that can influence the intelligence or not of animals.
In that sense, the dogs they have been domesticated for more than 16,000 years, while about 9,500 years ago cats entered homes. It is also true that this is determined by the fact that dogs have more physical strength and are more "useful" for the different cultures of the world.
On the other hand, emotional ties are not decisive, although they do help coexistence and the ease of establishing new social relationships. It is the case of dogs and the relationship so special that it can unite a person.
And the winner is…
The truth is that dogs seem to win this little battle, but the pussies and their owners don't agree too much we fear each other. In fact, even generations and generations of Ancient Mesopotamia would have risen from their pharaonic tombs to dismiss this claim that dogs are smarter. We already know that the Egyptians believed in the divine superiority of cats.
However, the conclusions of studies, such as that of the Canadian Cancog Technologies Institute, state that cats are more likely to make mistakes, while dogs have more ability to memorize items and learn tasks.
Despite the above, it is true that the answer should be a bit broader since some cat breeds may exceed the deductive abilities of some dog breeds and, of course, there are differences between each of the animals that make up these breeds. In fact, there are many ways to stimulate your partner's intelligence with fun games or smart feeders that also allow you to not eat everything at once.
Are all dog breeds equally intelligent?
Obviously not. Just as not all human beings are.
There are certain races that, by genetics, have more memory or more learning capacity. It also depends on the environment in which you have developed your skills, but, no doubt, there are smarter races just as there are stronger races or with more hair. Each one has its characteristics.
If you want to know which is the smartest dog breed, read our article right here 😉
And you do you think? Which is the smartest animal?
