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Barron's Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds
Profiles of approximately 150 breeds are arranged by AKC groups. Valuable information on traits, grooming, exercise and nutrition needs, hundreds of color photos and black-and-white line art make this a must reference book.
343 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1998
60 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
D. Caroline Coile
38 books15 followersD. Caroline Coile, Ph.D., is an award-winning writer who has been showing dogs for more than a quarter of a century.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 28, 2023
My little girls and I like paging through my old National Geographic Book of Dogs (ASIN : B001MI46FEv) With its color paintings of dog breeds, it is dated in every way. So I was interested in all the new breeds that were now recognized and what Coile’s approach would be. Each breed is described in detail with very helpful illustrations. All dogs are evaluated for many issues including: temperament, ease of training, susceptibility to specific illness, willingness to accommodate other pets, and view of humans other than their “owner.”
What I equally valued were all the general remarks about what a person should be committed to do in order to have a healthy dog and a good relationship. I’ve set some of them out below.
"Obedience training is essential for all breeds of dogs; it tends to be more critical in larger or more aggressive dogs."
"Many people are interested in finding a dog that doesn’t shed. All dogs lose their hair; in some dogs, typically those with very curly coats, the hair is trapped by the other hairs instead of falling to the floor. In general, thick, double coats tend to shed in great amounts periodically; short, single coats shed less noticeably. No breed is truly hypoallergenic, as it is the dander of the dog, not the hair, that causes human allergies. A clean dog generally creates fewer problems for an allergic person."
"Coat care is another important consideration. Owners tend to underestimate the need for coat care, and overestimate their willingness to keep up a regular coat care regime. The dogs pictured in this book display the result of the maximum level of coat care. The coat care suggested here is average for the maintenance of an attractive coat typical of the breed; maintenance of a show-quality coat will require more commitment."
"All dogs need occasional bathing; long coats generally need bathing more often than short coats. Bathing removes oil and debris that can create matting. All dogs need occasional ear cleaning; only those in which ears are prone to problems are specifically mentioned as needing frequent cleaning. All dogs need tooth care, though many toy breeds suffer from tooth loss and periodontal disease and will need more attention to dental care. All dogs need regular nail clipping."
Highly recommended. 5*
What I equally valued were all the general remarks about what a person should be committed to do in order to have a healthy dog and a good relationship. I’ve set some of them out below.
"Obedience training is essential for all breeds of dogs; it tends to be more critical in larger or more aggressive dogs."
"Many people are interested in finding a dog that doesn’t shed. All dogs lose their hair; in some dogs, typically those with very curly coats, the hair is trapped by the other hairs instead of falling to the floor. In general, thick, double coats tend to shed in great amounts periodically; short, single coats shed less noticeably. No breed is truly hypoallergenic, as it is the dander of the dog, not the hair, that causes human allergies. A clean dog generally creates fewer problems for an allergic person."
"Coat care is another important consideration. Owners tend to underestimate the need for coat care, and overestimate their willingness to keep up a regular coat care regime. The dogs pictured in this book display the result of the maximum level of coat care. The coat care suggested here is average for the maintenance of an attractive coat typical of the breed; maintenance of a show-quality coat will require more commitment."
"All dogs need occasional bathing; long coats generally need bathing more often than short coats. Bathing removes oil and debris that can create matting. All dogs need occasional ear cleaning; only those in which ears are prone to problems are specifically mentioned as needing frequent cleaning. All dogs need tooth care, though many toy breeds suffer from tooth loss and periodontal disease and will need more attention to dental care. All dogs need regular nail clipping."
Highly recommended. 5*
February 13, 2017
There’s very little new information in Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds, Second Edition by D. Caroline Colie, Ph. D. This is a heavily illustrated coffee-table hardback book that profiles all of the breeds approved by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as of 2004. This is by no means a comprehensive dog breed book. This is also an expanded version of The Dog Breed Bible (Barron’s; 2007.)
Most of the information in this book was taken more or less directly from the AKC or the breed’s American club. The breeds are presented in sections as they would be at an AKC-sanctioned dog show, where breeds are placed in one of seven groups. These group names can clash with the group names of national kennel clubs in other countries. For example, the Kennel Club of the UK calls the Non-Sporting Group the Utility Group.
The Good
The photos of the dogs are great. Even if you don’t feel like reading the relatively dry prose, you can enjoy looking at the photos. The photos are large enough to take up about half of the book. One can see how easy it was for Barron’s to throw together The Dog Breed Bible – they just tossed out the pictures.
The book begins with a good, long look at what it means to keep a dog and how to find the right dog to suit your lifestyle. The book ends with a helpful, easy-to read glossary, some drawings and charts of dog anatomy and an index. But the stuff in the middle is under par.
The Bad
Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds sticks with the usual information readers can easily find for free on websites such as the AKC’s site or Dog Breed Info Center. They can also find a lot of this information in older books about dog breeds popular in America, such as books by the late Roger Caras.
Breed descriptions begin with its history, then move on to its temperament, upkeep notes, a bulleted list of major health concerns and ends with “Form and Function,” a short conclusion about the confirmation of a dog breed and why the breed was created. There are also a couple of sidebars and a short black and white illustrated chart pointing out major points in the breed standard.
The Ugly
All of the dog breeds described focus on the ideal physical and mental specimen of that particular breed. The book never mentions what the average pet-quality dog is like. It never points out strange quirks within the breed or list reasons as to why the breed could be abandoned or relinquished to shelters. That information, which breed rescues could easily provide, would make the book far more valuable to potential dog owners. Hopefully, this information will be added in future editions.
Also, anyone who disagrees with the practices of docking tails and cropping ears for purely cosmetic reasons in order to win dog shows will be a little sickened by the photos of docked tails and cropped ears.
Most of the information in this book was taken more or less directly from the AKC or the breed’s American club. The breeds are presented in sections as they would be at an AKC-sanctioned dog show, where breeds are placed in one of seven groups. These group names can clash with the group names of national kennel clubs in other countries. For example, the Kennel Club of the UK calls the Non-Sporting Group the Utility Group.
The Good
The photos of the dogs are great. Even if you don’t feel like reading the relatively dry prose, you can enjoy looking at the photos. The photos are large enough to take up about half of the book. One can see how easy it was for Barron’s to throw together The Dog Breed Bible – they just tossed out the pictures.
The book begins with a good, long look at what it means to keep a dog and how to find the right dog to suit your lifestyle. The book ends with a helpful, easy-to read glossary, some drawings and charts of dog anatomy and an index. But the stuff in the middle is under par.
The Bad
Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds sticks with the usual information readers can easily find for free on websites such as the AKC’s site or Dog Breed Info Center. They can also find a lot of this information in older books about dog breeds popular in America, such as books by the late Roger Caras.
Breed descriptions begin with its history, then move on to its temperament, upkeep notes, a bulleted list of major health concerns and ends with “Form and Function,” a short conclusion about the confirmation of a dog breed and why the breed was created. There are also a couple of sidebars and a short black and white illustrated chart pointing out major points in the breed standard.
The Ugly
All of the dog breeds described focus on the ideal physical and mental specimen of that particular breed. The book never mentions what the average pet-quality dog is like. It never points out strange quirks within the breed or list reasons as to why the breed could be abandoned or relinquished to shelters. That information, which breed rescues could easily provide, would make the book far more valuable to potential dog owners. Hopefully, this information will be added in future editions.
Also, anyone who disagrees with the practices of docking tails and cropping ears for purely cosmetic reasons in order to win dog shows will be a little sickened by the photos of docked tails and cropped ears.
Read
December 16, 2013 When i picked up this book up in the library I was looking for an easy book to get away by reading. However, as I read about the different type of breeds of dogs it really caught my attention. I started to wonder why some of the dogs where in the group that it was in it made me want to learn more. There are seven different groups of dogs: Hound,Working,Terrier,Toy,Sporting,Non-Sporting,and Herding. I will discuss the three groups that really interested me: Sporting, Hound and Working.
Sporting dogs are modern hunters. They hunt with armed hunters to expand the hunters ability by locating,moving,or bring back birds. This group of dogs are unique because when they run they freeze in stride and point at the game.In my opinion i think the golden retriever is the best dog because its good with kids,and cute.In 2003 the AKC (American Kennel Club) ranked the golden Retriever 2nd of all dogs.
The hound group is one of the oldest groups of dogs. Of course when you hear hound you think of the grey hound ( fastest dog in the world).Well in fact all of the hound family are built just like the grey hound.these dogs are not like the other groups of dogs because the traditional dog when hunting they would hunt by both scent and sight.Not the hounds they couldn't wait for direction from the hunter so commonly they would lead the way. surprisingly my favorite hound dog isn't the grey hound it the Rhodesian Ridge-back. I like it because it has this unique ridge right down its spine.
The working dogs are the ones that put their bravery on notice for human.These can easily be divide between guarding, sledding,and rescue breeds. They are know for their great intelligence.i like the boxer because they remind me of pit bulls so I assumed they would be part of the terrier group.
I would remand this book to dog owner and future dog owners. If you have any question of why your dog is behaving a certain way this book would answer your question. this book tell you where the dog originate from and tell how they was used when they was bred.It also give the national ranking of the dog by the American Kennel Club and how the they behave with children and other animals. So if your looking for a book to find facts about your dog or dogs in general grab this book i recommend it.
Sporting dogs are modern hunters. They hunt with armed hunters to expand the hunters ability by locating,moving,or bring back birds. This group of dogs are unique because when they run they freeze in stride and point at the game.In my opinion i think the golden retriever is the best dog because its good with kids,and cute.In 2003 the AKC (American Kennel Club) ranked the golden Retriever 2nd of all dogs.
The hound group is one of the oldest groups of dogs. Of course when you hear hound you think of the grey hound ( fastest dog in the world).Well in fact all of the hound family are built just like the grey hound.these dogs are not like the other groups of dogs because the traditional dog when hunting they would hunt by both scent and sight.Not the hounds they couldn't wait for direction from the hunter so commonly they would lead the way. surprisingly my favorite hound dog isn't the grey hound it the Rhodesian Ridge-back. I like it because it has this unique ridge right down its spine.
The working dogs are the ones that put their bravery on notice for human.These can easily be divide between guarding, sledding,and rescue breeds. They are know for their great intelligence.i like the boxer because they remind me of pit bulls so I assumed they would be part of the terrier group.
I would remand this book to dog owner and future dog owners. If you have any question of why your dog is behaving a certain way this book would answer your question. this book tell you where the dog originate from and tell how they was used when they was bred.It also give the national ranking of the dog by the American Kennel Club and how the they behave with children and other animals. So if your looking for a book to find facts about your dog or dogs in general grab this book i recommend it.
November 11, 2025
Bought this for $2 at a thrift store, my special interest is animals, I have never been happier.
August 15, 2012
It turns out I'm not so interested in most purebred dogs. I think books like this underestimate the value of a good old mutt. The photos are pretty good, though the descriptions of the various breeds gets a little repetitive. Dogs make excellent stocking stuffers. That's all.
March 16, 2024
Great book
Read
June 5, 2021Reread this entire book today; childhood favorite. Revived my longtime interest in Clumber Spaniels and French Bulldogs. My next dog will likely be a mutt/mixed breed, but it’s always nice to refresh on the typical characteristics and typical required care of parent breeds.
January 21, 2018
Nice pictures of mostly American and European breeds.
April 3, 2018
Dogs>cats
August 29, 2021
I think that this book is very good. It has a lot of beneficial information included inside. Thank you for this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2019
I loved this book it makes you learn so much about all the other dog breeds in the world my favorite was the Siberian Husky
July 31, 2007
This book is full of information for those considering a new dog or just wanting to learn more about their dog. Basically, I wanted to determine which breed of dog would work best with my lifestyle and preferences. This book helped me narrow down my choices and eliminate some breeds I thought I wanted (based on cuteness) because they wouldn't necessarily be the best fit for me. The book has descriptions, as well as pictures and charts, that explain the temperament, characteristics, history, and features of each breed. The charts make it easy to compare breeds. I've read some Amazon reviews of this book, and many of them comment on how accurate the information is. Best of all, the information is presented in a format that is easily understandable by those of us who aren't as familiar with breeding, showing, AKC regulations, etc.
March 26, 2013
I got this encyclopedia as a Christmas gift, and I got so excited about it I read it on the way home. Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds explains all about specific breeds; their origin, behavior, appearance, and even includes heights and weights of both female and male breeds. This book also categorizes the different classes of dogs: Sporting, Terriers, Hounds, Nonsporting, Herding, and Toy. I would definitely recommend this guide to anyone looking into adopting a dog or simply yearning for the information.
April 10, 2008
I find this book to be the best dog breed encyclopedia out there. Just enough information on each breed to be thought provoking, but not so much as to become tedious. This book offers a fair assessment of the personality traits of each breed, as well -- it doesn't sugar-coat every breed, but rather tells you the pros and cons of each type of dog. If you are thinking of adding a dog to your life, check out this book.
August 26, 2012
The title of the book is in fact a self explanatory description of what the book is about. I ended up reading this book because we had just bought a new puppy and was unsure of the history of the breed. It is enjoyable to look through and learn about how certain breeds came to be in existence as well as the pictures of so many different dogs. The book is a good addition to the variety of different books we have for our coffee table as well as a great reference book for dog lovers/owners.
December 2, 2012
A great reference about almost every breed of dog, inspired by our recent viewing of the KAC Thanksgiving Dog Show. So many wonderful dogs, with ratings given for their varying exercise needs, affection levels, playfulness, trainability, etc. and delightful personality/upkeep info. Bulldogs! Tibetian spaniels! English sheepdogs! Affenpinschers!!!! I want to meet them all.
July 14, 2014
Describes purebred dogs from throughout the world with color pictures. The history and maintenance of each breed is covered in short profiles for over 150 breeds. Registration rankings in the United States are also given.
January 24, 2009
Beautiful pictures and I liked the ratings and evaluations of the dogs. Good book.
July 26, 2009
I absolutely love this book. I constantly am lookin ghtrough it and reading about all my favorite dog breeds. It has: history, upkeep, breed standards and more in it, a must have for dog lovers.
September 6, 2009
This was the first dog i ever read through the whole entire thing it was crazy it took a long time.
December 3, 2010
Great informational book.
December 15, 2010
I think it was a wonderful book.
December 21, 2010
IT WAS VERY GOOD I LIKED IT
November 18, 2013
Good book I kinda know all my dogs
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews