Companion Group
Encyclopedia
Companion Group is the name of a breed group of dogs
, used by kennel clubs
to classify a defined collection of dog breeds, and does not necessarily include all dogs kept as companions or pets
. In some kennel clubs the Companion Group is called the Companion and Toy Group. The international kennel club association, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
has companion dogs in Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs.
type are often thought of as companion dogs, but dogs do not need to be small to be considered companion dogs. The term companion dog does not refer to any one type
of dog.
The purpose of this chart is to compare the dog breeds placed by the United Kennel Club (US) in their Companion Dog Group with the way the same breeds are categorised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale and a few other national (major) kennel clubs.
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
, used by kennel clubs
Kennel club
A kennel club is an organization for canine affairs that concerns itself with the breeding, showing and promotion of more than one breed of dog...
to classify a defined collection of dog breeds, and does not necessarily include all dogs kept as companions or pets
PETS
PETS may be an acronym for:* Pet Travel Scheme, which allows animals to travel internationally without quarantine* Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act...
. In some kennel clubs the Companion Group is called the Companion and Toy Group. The international kennel club association, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...
has companion dogs in Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs.
Companion dogs
Companion dogs include any dog kept not for work but as a pet. In particular, small dogs such as those of the lapdogLap dog
A lapdog or lap dog is a dog that is small enough to be held in the arms or lie comfortably on a person's lap. Lapdogs are not a specific breed, but is a generic term for a type of dog of small size and friendly disposition....
type are often thought of as companion dogs, but dogs do not need to be small to be considered companion dogs. The term companion dog does not refer to any one type
Dog type
Dog types are broad categories of dogs based on function, with dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance....
of dog.
United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club (US) defines the dogs in its Companion Dog Group to be "miniaturized versions of their ancestors" except for the English Bulldog and the Dalmatian. Most of the United Kennel Club's Companion Dog Group breeds may be found in other kennel club's Toy or Non-Sporting Groups, although some are in other groups as well.The purpose of this chart is to compare the dog breeds placed by the United Kennel Club (US) in their Companion Dog Group with the way the same breeds are categorised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale and a few other national (major) kennel clubs.
| Breed | Fédération Cynologique Internationale Fédération Cynologique Internationale Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:... |
The Kennel Club (UK) The Kennel Club The Kennel Club is a kennel club based in London and Aylesbury, United Kingdom.The Kennel Club registration system divides dogs into seven breed groups. The Kennel Club Groups are: Hound, Working, Terrier, Gundog, Pastoral, Utility and Toy... |
Australian National Kennel Council Australian National Kennel Council The Australian National Kennel Council is the peak body in Australia responsible for promoting breeding, showing, trialling, obedience, and other canine-related activities and the ownership of temperamentally and physically sound purebred dogs by individuals across Australia. It was formed in... |
New Zealand Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club The New Zealand Kennel Club is the primary kennel club responsible for dog pedigree registration services in New Zealand. They also provide training services, judging for dog shows and many other services relating to dog showing. The organisation was introduced in 1886, it is also a full member of... |
Canadian Kennel Club Canadian Kennel Club The Canadian Kennel Club is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. Beyond maintaining the pedigree registry, the C.K.C... |
American Kennel Club American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official... |
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| Affenpinscher Affenpinscher -History:The breed is German in origin and dates back to the seventeenth century. Its name is derived from the German Affe . The breed predates and is ancestral to the Griffon Bruxellois and Miniature Schnauzer.... |
Group 2/Section 1.1 Pinscher | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |
| Bichon Frise Bichon Frisé A Bichon Frise , is a small breed of dog of the Bichon type. They are popular pets, similar in appearance to, but larger than, the Maltese.-Etymology and History:... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy/Section 1.1 Bichons | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 6 Non-Sporting | Non-Sporting Group |
| Bolognese Bolognese (dog) The Bolognese is a small breed of dog of the Bichon type, originating in Italy. The name refers to the northern Italian city of Bologna.-Appearance:... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy/Section 1.1 Bichons | Toy Group | not recognised | Toy Group | not recognised | not recognised |
| Boston Terrier Boston Terrier The Boston Terrier is a breed of dog originating in the United States of America. This "American Gentleman" was accepted in 1893 by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting breed. Color and markings are important when distinguishing this breed to the AKC standard. They should be either black,... |
Group 3 Terriers/Section 3: Bull type Terriers | Utility Group | Group 7 (Non Sporting) | Non-Sporting Group | Group 6 Non-Sporting | Non-Sporting Group |
| Brussels Griffon | Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 3: Small Belgian Dogs/3.1 Griffons (no. 80) | Toy Group (Griffon Bruxellois) | Group 1 (Toys) (Griffon Bruxellois) | Toy Group (Griffon Bruxellois) | Group 5 Toys (Griffon (Brussels)) | Toy Group |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Cavalier King Charles Spaniel The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small breed of Spaniel-type dog, and is classed as a toy dog by most kennel clubs. It is one of the most popular breeds in the United Kingdom. Since 2000, it has been growing in popularity in the United States. It is a smaller breed of spaniel, and Cavalier... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 7: English Toy Spaniels (no.136) | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |
| Chihuahua Chihuahua (dog) The ' is the smallest breed of dog and is so named for the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Chihuahuas come in a wide variety of sizes, head shapes, colors and coat lengths.-History:... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy/Section 6: Chihuahueño | Toy Group (two breeds) | Group 1 (Toys) (two breeds) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys (two breeds) | Toy Group |
| Chinese Crested | Group 9 Companion and Toy/Section 4: Hairless Dogs | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |
| Coton De Tulear Coton de Tulear The Coton de Tuléar is a small breed of dog. It is named for the city of Tuléar in Madagascar and for its cotton-like coat.-Appearance:Multiple registries with differing standards describe the Coton de Tuléar, but in general, it has very soft hair, comparable to a cotton ball, a prominent black... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy/Section 1.1 Bichons | Toy Group | not recognised | not recognised | Group 5 Toys | not recognised |
| Dalmatian Dalmatian (dog) The Dalmatian is a breed of dog whose roots are often said to trace back to Dalmatia, a region of Croatia where the first illustrations of the dog have been found. The Dalmatian is noted for its unique black- or brown-spotted coat and was mainly used as a carriage dog in its early days... |
Group 6 Scenthounds and Related Breeds/Section 3: Related breeds | Utility Group | Group 7 (Non Sporting) | Non-Sporting Group | Group 6 Non-Sporting | Non-Sporting Group |
| English Bulldog | Group 2, Section 2: Molossoid breeds | Utility Group | Group 7 (Non Sporting) (British Bulldog) | Non-Sporting Group | Group 6 Non-Sporting | Non-Sporting Group |
| English Toy Spaniel | King Charles Spaniel (no. 128) by a different name: Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 7: English Toy Spaniels | Toy Group (King Charles Spaniel) | Group 1 (Toys) (King Charles Spaniel) | Toy Group (King Charles Spaniel) | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |
| French Bulldog French Bulldog The French bulldog is a small breed of domestic dog, related to the English bulldog and American bulldog.-History:The origin of the modern French Bulldog breed descends directly from the dogs of the Molossians, an ancient Greek tribe. The dogs were spread throughout the ancient world by Phoenician... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 11: Small Molossian type Dogs | Utility Group | Group 7 (Non Sporting) | Non-Sporting Group | Group 6 Non-Sporting | Non-Sporting Group |
| Havanese Havanese The Havanese is a dog breed of the Bichon type, developed from the now extinct Blanquito de la Habana . The Blanquito descended from the also now extinct Bichon Tenerife, which was introduced to the Canary Islands by the Cubans... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy/Section 1.1 Bichons | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |
| Italian Greyhound Italian Greyhound The Italian Greyhound is a small breed of dog of the sight hound type, sometimes called an "I.G.", or "Iggy" for short.-Appearance:The Italian Greyhound is the smallest of the sighthounds, typically weighing about and standing about tall at the withers... |
Group 10 Sighthounds/Section 3: Short-haired Sighthounds Piccolo Levriero Italiano (no. 200) | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |
| Japanese Chin Japanese Chin The Japanese Chin , also known as the Japanese Spaniel) is the dog of Japanese royalty. A lap dog and companion dog, this toy breed has a distinctive heritage.-Appearance:... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 8: Japan Chin and Pekingese | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys (Japanese Spaniel) | Toy Group |
| Lhasa Apso Lhasa Apso The Lhasa Apso is a non-sporting dog breed originating in Tibet. It was bred as an interior sentinel in the Buddhist monasteries, who alerted the monks to any intruders who entered... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 5: Tibetan breeds | Utility Group | Group 7 (Non Sporting) | Non-Sporting Group | Group 6 Non-Sporting | Non-Sporting Group |
| Löwchen Löwchen The Löwchen is a breed of dog that once had the dubious distinction, like the Portuguese Water Dog and the Havanese, of being the rarest dog in the world. Even today, the breed generally has fewer than a few hundred new registrations each year worldwide.-Appearance:The Lowchen is a breed with a... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy/Section 1.1 Bichons (no. 233, Petit chien lion) | Toy Group (Lowchen) | Group 1 (Toys) (Lowchen) | Toy Group (Lowchen) | Group 5 Toys | Non-Sporting Group |
| Maltese | Group 9 Companion and Toy/Section 1.1 Bichons | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |
| Miniature Pinscher Miniature Pinscher The Miniature Pinscher is a small breed of dog, originating from Germany. The breed's earliest ancestors were a mix of Italian Greyhounds and Dachshunds... |
Group 2/Section 1.1 Pinscher (Zwergpinscher, no. 185) | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |
| Papillon Papillon (dog) The papillon , also called the Continental Toy Spaniel, is a breed of dog of the Spaniel type. One of the oldest of the toy Spaniels, it derives its name from its characteristic butterfly-like look of the long and fringed hair on the ears. A papillon with dropped ears is called a phalène... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 9: Continental Toy Spaniel (one breed, two forms, Papillon and Phalène Phalène The Phalène is the drop-eared version of the Papillon, a toy breed also known as the Butterfly Dog or the Continental Toy Spaniel .-History:... ) |
Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |
| Pekingese Pekingese The Pekingese, or "Peke" is an ancient breed of toy dog, originating in China. The breed was favored by the Chinese Imperial court, and its name refers to the city of Beijing where the Forbidden City resides... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 8: Japan Chin and Pekingese | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |
| Petite Brabancon | Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 3: Small Belgian Dogs (no. 82) | not recognised | not recognised | not recognised | not recognised | not recognised |
| Pomeranian Pomeranian (dog) The Pomeranian is a breed of dog of the Spitz type, named for the Pomerania region in Central Europe . Classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size, the Pomeranian is descended from the larger Spitz type dogs, specifically the German Spitz... |
Classified as a size of German Spitz - Group 5 Spitz and primitive types/Section 4 European Spitz | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |
| Poodle (includes Poodle (Miniature) and Poodle (Toy)/Solid & Multicolored) | Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 2: Poodle (all poodles are considered sizes of the same breed) | Utility Group | Group 7 (Non Sporting) | Non-Sporting Group | Group 6 Non-Sporting (Miniature)/Group 5 Toys (Toy) | Non-Sporting Group (Miniature)/Toy Group (Toy) |
| Pug Pug The pug is a "toy" breed of dog with a wrinkly, short-muzzled face, and curled tail. The breed has a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, and a compact square body with well-developed muscle. They have been described as multum in parvo , referring to the pug's personality and... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 11: Small Molossian type Dogs | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |
| Russkiy Toy Russkiy Toy The Russkiy Toy is a very small breed of dog originally bred in isolation in Russia from the English Toy Terrier. There are two types, smooth haired/coated and long haired, which were known by a variety of different names until brought together under the same standard as the Russkiy Toy in 2000... |
Provisional, 2006, Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 9: Continental Toy Spaniel and Russian Toy | not recognised | not recognised | not recognised | not recognised | not recognised |
| Schipperke Schipperke A Schipperke is a small Belgian breed of dog that originated in the early 16th century. There has been a long informal debate over whether this type of dog is a spitz or miniature sheepdog.- Description :... |
Group 1 Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs/Section 1: Sheepdogs | Utility Group | Group 7 (Non Sporting) | Non-Sporting Group | Group 6 Non-Sporting | Non-Sporting Group |
| Shih Tzu Shih Tzu The Shih Tzu is a breed of dog weighing with long silky hair. The breed originated in China and is among the earliest breeds. Shih Tzu were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1969... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 5: Tibetan breeds | Utility Group | Group 7 (Non Sporting) | Non-Sporting Group | Group 6 Non-Sporting | Toy Group |
| Tibetan Spaniel Tibetan Spaniel The Tibetan Spaniel is a breed of assertive, small, intelligent dogs originating in the Himalayan mountains of Tibet. They share ancestry with the Pekingese, Japanese Chin, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, and Pug... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 5: Tibetan breeds | Utility Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Non-Sporting Group | Group 6 Non-Sporting | Non-Sporting Group |
| Tibetan Terrier Tibetan Terrier The Tibetan Terrier is not a member of the terrier group, the name being given to it by European travelers to Tibet who were reminded of terriers from back home when they first encountered the breed... |
Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs/Section 5: Tibetan breeds | Utility Group | Group 7 (Non Sporting) | Non-Sporting Group | Group 6 Non-Sporting | Non-Sporting Group |
| Yorkshire Terrier Yorkshire Terrier The Yorkshire Terrier is a small dog breed of terrier type, developed in the 19th century in the county of Yorkshire, England to catch rats in clothing mills. The defining features of the breed are its size, to , and its silky blue and tan coat... |
Group 3 Terriers/Section 4: Toy Terriers | Toy Group | Group 1 (Toys) | Toy Group | Group 5 Toys | Toy Group |