Have you ever wondered why rottweilers make better guard dogs than pugs? Or why beagles and basset hounds have long droopy ears, but huskies do not? And why do Labs like to swim so much anyway? Some of the characteristics that dogs of the same breed share can be traced back to what they were originally bred to do. Labs were bred to be good swimmers so that they could retrieve downed waterfowl for hunters. Rottweilers were originally bred to protect livestock, while pugs were bred solely to be your best friend. The American Kennel Club has created seven groupings of dogs based on their original breeding and characteristics. This handbook introduces you to some of the most popular breeds from within these groups to give you a better understanding of what makes dogs of different breeds tick.