You don’t have to become an expert on the hundreds of dog breeds, either. You just have to know about the ten primary genetic breed groups—and the one your dog belongs to—in order to be on top of your game. Unlike the traditional organization of breeds provided by kennel clubs, this groundbreaking, simple ten group system I created follows modern phylogenetic mapping of the canine genome, organizing all of the dog breeds into their original working professions.

The goal is to identify which of the original professions your dog belongs to in order to figure out how he might fit into your life: Is he a toy dog for lap warming? A guardian for protecting property? A herding dog for managing livestock? A bull dog for entertainment? A sight hound for hunting with speed? A scent hound for tracking animals? A terrier for killing rodents? A gun dog for game bird hunting? A natural dog with still wilder instincts? Or is he just a world dog?

As you’ll see, this chapter is broken into ten subchapters—each of which takes a deep dive into one of the ten groups. Search the breed box at the beginning of each subchapter to identify which of the ten groups your dog—or your prospective dog—falls into. Note that there are a few breeds that fall into more than one group. In that case, make sure you read both sections to get a full picture of your canine companion.

Even if your dog is not a purebred, genetics still factor into the equation. Being part one parent’s DNA and part another's does not cancel each parent’s genes out; it just complicates the picture. Certain traits can be diluted or muted, while others might remain intact. One should not assume that all mixed-breed dogs are simply “mutts” belonging to no group at all, when there is clear physical evidence in the form of the dog that there is a strong representation of an underlying function. If a dog’s physical traits indicate that he is strongly expressing the shape of one (or even two) genetic breed groups, then he is more prudently approached as such—if one wishes to be prepared for his intended natural behaviors, provide him the best environment, and set him up for success as a companion.

To think about this another way—a hammer/screwdriver combination tool is still both a hammer and a screwdriver—even if it fails to perform one or both functions very well as a result of the combination. So a Corgi/Bassett Hound is still both a Corgi herding dog and a Bassett scent hound, and will very likely behave accordingly in the right circumstances—baying loudly like a good hound when he trees a cat and having a predilection for herding the children through the house. The results are far from an exact science, but it would be erroneous to proclaim that genetics become obsolete as soon as a dog is no longer a “pure breed.”