Back in high school I had the amazing experience of learning on a farm! As a kid from Boston, the only real animal connection I had was with a black stray cat that hung around my Hyde Park complex, who I named Shadow. I would follow him around and take notes of his behavior (I read Jane Goodall’s autobiography twice). This was when I fell in love with animals. Skip ahead 4 years to 8th grade when I learned of an Agricultural HS that I could apply to…I jumped at the chance. When I was accepted I was determined to be an Animal major with a concentration in Canine Science. With that I was able to groom dogs that teachers, students, and clients brought in. I also learned about showmanship and training. I have been fortunate to work with some great dogs and learn from the difficult ones. Though each dog has its own personality and has lived its own life that shapes who it is, true bred dogs share common characteristics. Here are my favorite breeds to work with from each group of the American Kennel Club. (This was difficult)
Hound Group:
Irish Wolf Hounds
These loving, furry, giants stand at 32 inches and weigh 120 pounds! They were originally used for big game hunts (they had a lot of guts!).
https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/irish-wolfhound#/slide/1
Sporting Group:
Vizsla
Friendly and energetic, Vizslas will have you going all day. If you are a fan of showmanship you’ll have a hard time finding a dog with a more graceful gate.
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/vizsla/
Working Group:
Akita
Most of us have heard the story of Hachiko, the loyal Akita who waited for his master to return from work at the train station for 10 years. A beautifully sad story to match a truly complex breed. The Akita’s temperament can be dangerous if not trained correctly but their loyalty to their owners never waiver.
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/akita/
Toy Group:
Affenpinscher
I’ll admit, the only reason I like this little guy so much is because he look like an Ewok from Star Wars. I haven’t found a toy breed I truly love yet.
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/affenpinscher/https://www.yahoo.com/enter…
Terrier Group:
Norfolk Terrier
What’s better than a tator tot? A walking…tator tot. Who knew you could fit adorable and daring in a 9 inch wither body! Plus, out of all the wire haired breeds these pups are definitely the fastest to pluck!
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/norfolk-terrier/
Herding Group:
Old English Sheep Dog
The pain of grooming and/or the heavy groomers bill are completely worth it when it comes to these pups. They are gentle, kind, and like most herding breeds, incredibly smart! So get over the fluff bum that is the stubborn, jackass corgi and accept this fluffier, better bum.
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/old-english-sheepdog/
https://www.bravotv.com/blogs/rocco-roni-sheepdog-fluffy-butt-kim-kardas…
Non-Sporting Group:
The Standard Poodle
I’ve only gotten to work with a couple of breeds in the Non-Sporting group, but poodles are by far the most fun dogs to groom. Though each dog has its own personality, I have found poodles to be patient and able to endure hours of grooming. They are also exceptionality smart and independent. Training them can be difficult but once they trust who’s in charge they behave beautifully.
http://www.vetstreet.com/dogs/poodle
Miscellaneous Group:
Russian Toy
I haven’t worked with any doggos in the Miscellaneous group, so I picked this little guy because I figured he wouldn’t make anyone’s favorite list besides his humans. Apparently they are real snuggle bugs and aren’t as annoying as their other tiny dog friends.
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/russian-toy/