How Popular Dog Breeds Have Changed Over Time

Dogs have been our furry companions for thousands of years, but many years ago, they served as hunters and didn’t look the same as they look today. Many breeds have undergone changes in their appearance and consequently, their behavior. Many of us wouldn’t suspect that our pets that look like stuffed animals today actually used to hunt and protect houses.

Bright Side decided to check out how some dog breeds have changed over time and compared the breeds of the last couple centuries to today’s.

Whippet

The whippet is a medium-size dog that was bred to hunt small animals such as rabbits. Still, this dog remains the fastest in the world.

Bull Terrier

The differences in appearance are obvious. Modern bull terriers have an altered skull and thick abdomen. They still are athletic and strong today.

Skye Terrier

The Skye Terrier is a medium-size dog. It was bred in Scotland to hunt and kill badgers, otters, and foxes. Nowadays, most people don’t use these dogs for such purposes and appreciate the breed as versatile companions.

Bulldog

The name “Bulldog” derived from bull baiting dogs that were used for sport. After just 100 years, the English Bulldog has transformed quite a bit. All the breed’s features have become more extreme.

St. Bernard

Nowadays, this breed is not thought of as a highly skilled work dog as it was in the past. The St. Bernard can’t do much work compared to the past mainly due to the fact that they quickly overheat.

Pug

The pug is a brachycephalic breed and their traits have become exaggerated. As a result, they have heart and breathing problems, high blood pressure, and low blood oxygen levels.

Toy Poodle

The Toy Poodle was bred in the 18th century primarily for companionship, but they were also used as mushroom hunters. This dog originally had a triangular head with a long muzzle and wide ears that drooped.

Dobermann

It’s also called the Doberman Pinscher and was originally a medium-large breed of domestic dog that was bred around 1890 by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann. Traditionally, their ears were cropped, however, today in some countries, it is illegal to do so which is why modern Dobermans often have normal ears.

Pomeranian

The Pomeranian is of the Spitz breed, classified as a toy dog because of its small size. The breed became popular in the 18th century when Queen Victoria owned a small Pomeranian. The size of the breed had decreased by half and is still decreasing.

Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier appeared in the middle of the 19th century and is considered a relatively new bread. The Yorkshire Terrier is slightly smaller than the original breed and is considered to be more of a fashion accessory than a hunter.

Which breed of dog do you have? Write a comment below and share it with your friends if you found it interesting.