In the 4th century BC, Aristotle began to classify living beings according to his experience and observation, detailing all his knowledge in the book "The Parts of Animals". Later, in the 18th century, botanist Carl Nilsson Linnæus created a system of binomial nomenclature to classify all living things. Currently, we continue to use the taxonomic method created by Linnaeus to classify living organisms.
In this article on our site, we will teach you what the taxonomy of the domestic dog is, starting by explaining what the taxonomy is.
What is taxonomy?
Taxonomy is a branch of biology that is responsible for organizing the phylogenetic tree according to a taxon classification system.
A taxon is a group of beings that share a set of defined characteristics that is assigned a taxonomic category, a name in Latin, a copy that we call "type" and has been published in a scientific journal. Once all this is assigned, the taxon gets a correct name.
Likewise, to arrive at a correct name, within the taxonomy there is a discipline called Nomenclature that is in charge of regulating all the steps to follow, including the assignment of the Latin name, for a living organism to enter one taxon or another.
Taxonomy of the domestic dog
Next we will detail the taxonomy of the dog, explaining why it belongs to each of these taxa:
- Domain: Eukarya (Eukaryotes). For being multicellular organisms whose nuclei are true.
- Animalia Kingdom . For having locomotion capacity , being nourished by ingestion, having sexual reproduction, consuming oxygen and having embryonic development.
- Subkingdom: Eumetazoa. By present tissues proper as epidermal or connective tissue.
- Filo: Chordata. For having a dorsal chord or notochord in one of its embryonic stages.
- Subphylum: Vertebrata. Because it presents an internal skeleton bone.
- Class: Mammalia. Because it is an amniotic mammal (the embryo develops within four layers) homeothermic and has mammary glands, hair and jaws.
- Subclass: Theria. The embryo forms in the maternal uterus rather than in an external egg.
- Infraclass: Placentalia. The embryo fully develops in the uterus.
- Order: Carnivora. Jaw adapted to meat consumption.
- Suborder: Caniformia. Relatively long snout and non-retractable claws.
- Family: Canidae. They are digitigrade (they rest on the fingers and not on the heel). Canids are wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals and other similar species.
- Subfamily: Caninae. Only canid subfamily with non-extinct species.
- Gender: Canis. Dogs, Wolves, Jackals, Coyotes and Dingoes
- Species: Canis lupus, the wolf.
- Subspecies: Canis lupus familiaris, the domestic dog.
Dog breeds according to the International Cinological Federation (FCI)
The International Cynological Federation is a world canine organization, made up of 94 countries. Which propose the different breeds of dogs and their country of origin. It regulates the creation of breed clubs and associations, defines breed standards and manages pedigrees. The FCI currently recognizes 344 breeds, each originating from a single country.
Below we show you the nomenclature of some of the breeds recognized by the FCI and their origin, collected in 10 groups:
Group 1. Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs)
- German Shepherd - Germany
- Belgian Shepherd - Belgium
- Mallorquin Sheepdog - Spain
- Catalan Shepherd Dog - Spain
- Beauce Shepherd - France
- Briard or Pastor de Brie - France
- Bearded collie or bearded collie – Great Britain
- Border collie – Great Britain
- Rough collie – Great Britain
- Smooth collie – Great Britain
- Bobtail – Great Britain
- White Swiss Shepherd - Switzerland
- Australian Shepherd – United States
- Basque shepherd Iletsua / Gorbeiakoa - Spain
- Boyero or Bouvier de Flanders - France
Group 2. Pinscher and Schnauzer type dogs - Molossoid - Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs
- Dobermann – Germany
- Pinscher – Germany
- Miniature Pinscher – Germany
- Giant Schnauzer – Germany
- Schnauzer – Germany
- Miniature Schnauzer – Germany
- Dogo Argentino – Argentina
- Shar pei – China
- Boxer – Germany
- German Mastiff or Great Dane – Germany
- Rottweiler – Germany
- Dogue mallorquín or Ca de Bou – Spain
- Dogo canario – Spain
- Dogue de Bordeaux – France
- Bulldog – Great Britain
- Bullmastiff – Great Britain
- Mastiff – Great Britain
- Neapolitan Mastiff – Italy
- Spanish Alano – Spain
- Newfoundland – Canada
- Leonberger – Germany
- Spanish Mastiff – Spain
- Pyrenean Mastiff – Spain
- Pyrenees Mountain – France
- Saint Bernard – Switzerland
- Bernese Mountain Dog – Switzerland
Group 3. Terriers
- Airedale terrier – Great Britain
- Yorkshire terrier - Great Britain
- Fox terrier – Great Britain
- Kerry blue terrier – Ireland
- Andalusian Winemaker Ratonero – Spain
- Valencian Buzzard – Spain
- Jack Russell Terrier – Australia
- West Highland White Terrier or Westy – Great Britain
- Scotishterrier or scotty – Great Britain
- English Bull Terrier – Great Britain
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier – Great Britain
- American Staffordshire Terrier – United States
Group 4. Dachshunds
Dachshund or Dachhound – Germany
Group 5. Spitz type and primitive type dogs
- Samoyed – Russia
- Alaskan Malamute - United States
- Siberian Husky – United States
- German Spitz – Germany
- Chow chow – China
- Akita Inu – Japan
- Shiba Inu – Japan
- Podenco canario – Spain
- Ibicenco Hound – Spain
Group 6. Bloodhounds, trail dogs and similar breeds
- Spanish Hound – Spain
- Basset Hound – Great Britain
- Beagle – Great Britain
- Dalmatian – Croatia
Group 7. Sample dogs
- German Shorthaired Pointer or Kurzhaar – Germany
- German Wirehaired Pointer or Drahthaar – Germany
- Weimaranner – Germany
- Burgos Pointer – Spain
- Epagneul Breton – France
- Pointer – Great Britain
- English Setter – Great Britain
- Setter Gordon – Great Britain
- Irish Setter – Ireland
Group 8. Hunting retrievers, hunting retrievers or water dogs
- Labrador retriever – Great Britain
- Golden retriever – Great Britain
- English Cocker Spaniel – Great Britain
- English Springer Spaniel – Great Britain
- American Cocker Spaniel – United States
- Spanish Water Dog – Spain
Group 9. Companion dogs
- M altese Bichon – Italy
- Bichon Frisé – France-Belgium
- Poodle – France
- Chinese Crested Dog – China
- Lasha Apso – Tibet
- Shih Tzu – Tibet
- Chihuahua – Mexico
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel – Great Britain
- French Bulldog – France
- Pug or pug – Great Britain
- Boston terrier – United States
Group 10. Greyhounds
- Afghan Hound – Afghanistan
- Saluki – Middle East
- Greyhound – Great Britain
- Spanish Greyhound – Spain
