Do you ever wonder how dog breeds get their names? Some are so unique it’s hard to imagine how they even came about, while others are pretty self-explanatory. Here we’ve taken the 10 most popular dog breeds in the United States and we explain how they got their names.
#1 – Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever was originally bred as a gun dog, most often hunting waterfowl and retrieving them for their owners. Although the breed does hail from Canada, they are from Newfoundland. Even stranger is that the Newfoundland dog comes from Labrador! This naming system happened because the Labrador Retriever was most often used to retrieve birds hunted in the Labrador Sea.
#2 – German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd Dog has a fairly simple name and reflects it’s full heritage. The breed is a German dog used to herd sheep and other livestock, as well as protect them from other animals and strange people. While few are used as herding dogs today, they’ve become a versatile breed capable of many different jobs.
#3 – Golden Retriever
Another gun dog bred for retrieving waterfowl, the Golden Retriever hails from Scotland. Although the name doesn’t have much of a cited history, it’s speculated that it was used to simply describe the dog we see before us today – a gold-colored retriever.
#4 – Beagle
The Beagle is a small scent hound used for tracking prey such as rabbits and deer. Coming from England, the exact origin of the name isn’t clear, although there are many reasonable assumptions. Some think it derives from the French words “begueule,” or “beugler,” meaning “open throat,” and “to bellow,” respectively. Other possibilities include the word “beag,” meaning “little,” that comes from the Old English, Gaelic and French languages.
#5 – English Bulldog
The Bulldog was aptly named as it was originally bred for bull baiting, a now long-time outlawed bloodsport, in which the dogs were sent on a tethered bull to attack it. Because there are many varieties of bulldog, the English Bulldog gets its name from its English heritage.
#6 – Yorkshire Terrier
This little terrier comes from Yorkshire, England and it’s name aptly reflects that. Although they’re most often seen sitting in laps or being carried around in purses, they were originally bred to hunt and kill rats.
#7 – Boxer
The Boxer is a German breed that many say gets its name from its tendency to stand on its hind legs and “box” while playing. Historians and breed enthusiasts, however, have found literature that points to the name “Boxer” just being a misconstrued version of a German word used to describe the breed.
#8 – Poodle
Although originally bred as hunting dogs in Germany, the 3 types of poodles were officially standardized in France. The name originates from their German name “Pudelhund,” meaning “puddle dog.” This is because they were bred as water retrievers.
#9 – Rottweiler
This German breed gets its name from its origin and purpose. They were originally called the “Rottweiler Metgerhund,” meaning “Rottweil butchers’ dog.” This is because they come from the town Rottweil and they were used to guard livestock and pull carts filled with butchered meat to markets.
#10 – Dachshund
The Dachshund is a German breed that has kept its German name, meaning “badger dog.” This is because they were originally bred to hunt badgers and other burrow-dwelling animals. They are short-legged so they can scent, chase and flush the prey out of their holes and have even been used in the United States to hunt prairie dogs.
