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How many breeds of dog are there in the world?

Wie viele Hunderassen gibt es auf der Welt?

Dogs come in all conceivable sizes, from tiny ones like the Chihuahua to medium-sized animals like the standard Schnauzer, to true giants like the Mastiff, with very different physiques. But how many dog breeds are there in the world? We will deal with this question in the following paragraphs.

How many dog breeds does the FCI recognise?

The abbreviation FCI stands for Fédération Cynologique Internationale. It is the world's largest cynological umbrella organisation. The FCI divides the dog breeds it recognises into a total of 10 different groups, such as herding and driving dogs, terriers and greyhounds. Within the individual groups, there are usually different sections. The group of terriers, for example, is divided by the FCI into four different sections with large, small and bull terriers as well as dwarf terriers.


Currently, the FCI definitively recognises a total of about 350 dog breeds. In addition, there are currently 11 dog breeds that the FCI only recognises provisionally. Just like the definitively recognised breeds, the provisionally recognised breeds can also participate in competitions organised according to FCI rules. However, they can only receive the CACIB (Certificat d'Aptitude au Championnat International de Beauté) after their final recognition by the FCI.

How many dog breeds are there according to other breed associations?

The FCI is the largest and most important canine umbrella organisation. However, it is not the only one. Other large associations are, for example, the AKC from the USA and the KC from Great Britain. The AKC and the KC each recognise about 200 dog breeds, which is well below the FCI's numbers.


Apart from this, there are also other breed associations such as the UKC, originally founded in the USA, which recognises almost 450 different dog breeds, as well as various dog breeds that are still waiting for recognition by one of the large associations.

Which dog breeds are particularly popular?

The number of animals varies considerably depending on the breed of dog. Based on the puppy statistics of the association for German dog keepers (VDH), the German Shepherd, with 10,003 newborn puppies in 2020, is by far the most popular dog breed in Germany.


In second place comes the dachshund with 6,660 births. Places 3 and 4 are occupied by the Deutsch Drahthaar (German Wirehaired) and the Labrador, each with more than 3,000 newborn puppies, followed by the Poodle and the Golden Retriever in places 5 and 6, each with more than 2,000 newborn animals in 2020.


Of course, the puppy statistics of the VDH do not provide any information on how many specimens there are of a particular dog breed in total. But it does at least give an indication of which breeds are popular. If you look at other data, such as the registration statistics from Tasso, the breeds in the top positions may well vary.


According to Tasso, the German Shepherd was the third most popular dog in Germany in 2020, while the Labrador came in second. The French Bulldog, the Chihuahua and the Australian Shepherd followed in 4th to 6th place. In first place among the most frequently registered dogs in the Tasso database, on the other hand, is the mixed breed, which is very likely also the most popular in terms of the total number of dogs living in Germany.

Species-appropriate dog food for all breeds

The various breeds of dogs differ from each other, not only in their appearance. In addition, the nutritional requirements can sometimes vary greatly from breed to breed. To optimally promote the health and well-being of your four-legged friend, you must take this into account when feeding.


In the Bellfor range, you will find the right food for every breed of dog. To choose the right products for your dog, it's best to use our handy online nutrition advisor or call us for free advice from our feeding experts.

How many dog breeds are there - our conclusion

As you can see, the question of how many dog breeds there are in the world is not as easy to answer as one might think at first. While the FCI, as the most important cynological umbrella organisation, recognises about 350 dog breeds, other associations only recognise about 200 or even well over 400 dog breeds.


Depending on the association, the numbers can vary considerably. All the mixed breeds, which of course do not count as dog breeds in their own right, are not even taken into account.


In the end, however, none of this really matters. Because of course every dog, whether mixed breed or pedigree, is something very special and can become a good friend and an important family member for its owner.

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