European Dog Breeds
While China may have domesticated the dog 15,000 years ago, Europe is famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) for dog breeding. This has led to countless breeds evolving, from the tiny Pomeranian to the large St. Bernard. Some of the rarer breeds are bit harder to find nowadays, like the Norwegian Lundehund and the Lagotto Romagnolo.
Most of these dogs were bred to act as guard dogs or for hunting. Nowadays, they are used as companions and even take part in shows.
List of Dog Breeds from Europe
Austria
- Alpine Dachsbracke
- Austrian Black and Tan Hound
- Austrian Pinscher
- Styrian Coarse-haired Hound
- Tyrolean Hound
Belgium
- Belgian Shepherd
- Bichon Frisé
- Bloodhound
- Bouvier des Flandres
- Griffon Bruxellois
- Papillon
- Phalène
- Schipperke
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Barak Hound
Bulgaria
- Bulgarian Hound
- Bulgarian Scenthound
- Karakachan Dog
Croatia
- Croatian Sheepdog
- Dalmatian
- Istrian Coarse-haired Hound
- Istrian Shorthaired Hound
- Posavac Hound
- Small Međimurje Dog
- Tornjak
Czech Republic
- Bohemian Shepherd
- Cesky Fousek
- Český strakatý pes
- Cesky Terrier
- Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
- Pražský Krysařík
Denmark
- Broholmer
- Danish Spitz
- Danish–Swedish Farmdog
- Faroese Sheepdog
- Old Danish Pointer
Estonia
- Estonian Hound
Finland
France
- Anglo-Français de Petite Vénerie
- Ariégeois
- Artois Hound
- Barbet
- Basset Artésien Normand
- Basset Bleu de Gascogne
- Basset Fauve de Bretagne
- Beagle-Harrier
- Beauceron
- Berger Picard
- Billy
- Blue Picardy Spaniel
- Braque d’Auvergne
- Braque de l’Ariege
- Braque du Bourbonnais
- Braque Francais
- Braque Saint-Germain
- Briard
- Briquet Griffon Vendéen
- Brittany
- Chien Français Blanc et Noir
- Chien Français Blanc et Orange
- Chien Français Tricolore
- Cursinu
- Dogue de Bordeaux
- French Bulldog
- French Spaniel
- Gascon Saintongeois
- Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Noir
- Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Orange
- Grand Anglo-Français Tricolore
- Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen
- Grand Bleu de Gascogne
- Grand Griffon Vendéen
- Griffon Bleu de Gascogne
- Griffon Fauve de Bretagne
- Griffon Nivernais
- Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen
- Petit Bleu de Gascogne
- Picardy Spaniel
- Poitevin
- Pont-Audemer Spaniel
- Poodle
- Porcelaine
- Pyrenean Mountain Dog
- Pyrenean Sheepdog
- Saint-Usuge Spaniel
- Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Georgia
Germany
- Affenpinscher
- Bavarian Mountain Hound
- Boxer
- Dachshund
- Deutsche Bracke
- Dobermann
- Eurasier
- German Longhaired Pointer
- German Pinscher
- German Roughhaired Pointer
- German Shepherd
- German Shorthaired Pointer
- German Spaniel
- German Spitz
- German Wirehaired Pointer
- Giant Schnauzer
- Great Dane
- Hanover Hound
- Hovawart
- Jagdterrier
- Keeshond
- Kromfohrländer
- Large Münsterländer
- Leonberger
- Miniature Pinscher
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Pomeranian
- Poodle
- Pudelpointer
- Rottweiler
- Small Münsterländer
- Standard Schnauzer
- Weimaraner
- Westphalian Dachsbracke
Greece
Greenland
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
- Glen of Imaal Terrier
- Irish Red and White Setter
- Irish Setter
- Irish Terrier
- Irish Water Spaniel
- Irish Wolfhound
- Kerry Beagle
- Kerry Blue Terrier
- Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier
Italy
- Bergamasco Shepherd
- Bolognese
- Bracco Italiano
- Cane Corso
- Cane di Oropa
- Cane Lupino del Gigante
- Cane Paratore
- Cirneco dell’Etna
- Dogo Sardesco
- Italian Greyhound
- Lagotto Romagnolo
- Levriero Sardo
- Lupo Italiano
- Maltese
- Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog
- Neapolitan Mastiff
- Pastore della Lessinia e del Lagorai
- Pastore Fonnese
- Segugio dell’Appennino
- Segugio Italiano
- Segugio Maremmano
- Spinone Italiano
- Volpino Italiano
Lithuania
- Lithuanian Hound
Malta
Montenegro
- Montenegrin Mountain Hound
The Netherlands
- Drentse Patrijshond
- Dutch Shepherd
- Dutch Smoushond
- Keeshond
- Kooikerhondje
- Markiesje
- Saarloos Wolfdog
- Schapendoes
- Stabyhoun
- Wetterhoun
- Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
North Macedonia
- Šarplaninac
Norway
- Black Norwegian Elkhound
- Dunker
- Eurohound
- Greyster
- Haldenstøver
- Hygenhund
- Norwegian Buhund
- Norwegian Elkhound
- Norwegian Lundehund
Poland
- Polish Greyhound
- Polish Hound
- Polish Hunting Dog
- Polish Lowland Sheepdog
- Polish Tatra Sheepdog
Portugal
- Barbado da Terceira
- Barrocal Algarvio
- Cão da Serra de Aires
- Cão de Castro Laboreiro
- Cão de Gado Transmontano
- Cão Fila de São Miguel
- Estrela Mountain Dog
- Portuguese Podengo
- Portuguese Pointer
- Portuguese Water Dog
- Rafeiro do Alentejo
Romania
- Carpathian Shepherd Dog
- Bucovina Shepherd Dog
- Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog
- Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog
Russia
- Black Russian Terrier
- Buryat-Mongolian Wolfhound
- Bolonka
- Borzoi
- Caucasian Shepherd Dog
- Central Asian Shepherd Dog
- Chortai
- Chukotka Sled Dog
- East Siberian Laika
- East European Shepherd
- Karelian Laika
- Karelo-Finnish Laika
- Moscow Watchdog
- Nenets Herding Laika
- Russian Spaniel
- Russian Toy
- Russo-European Laika
- Sakhalin Husky
- Samoyed
- Siberian Husky
- South Russian Ovcharka
- Sulimov Dog
- West Siberian Laika
- Yakutian Dog
- Yakutian Laika
Slovakia
- Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
- Slovakian Rough-Haired Pointer
- Slovenský Cuvac
- Slovenský Kopov
Slovenia
Spain
- Alano Español
- Basque Shepherd Dog
- Burgos Pointer
- Ca Mè Mallorquí
- Can de Chira
- Can de Palleiro
- Cantabrian Water Dog
- Carea Castellano Manchego
- Carea Leonés
- Catalan Sheepdog
- Erbi Txakur
- Galgo Español
- Ibizan Hound
- Lobito Herreño
- Maneto
- Mastiffs
- Pachón Navarro
- Pastor Garafiano
- Perdigueiro Galego
- Perro de Pastor Mallorquin
- Perro de Presa Mallorquin
- Perro Majorero
- Podenco Andaluz
- Podenco Canario
- Podenco Valenciano
- Presa Canario
- Pyrenean Mastiff
- Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz
- Ratonero Mallorquin
- Ratonero Murciano
- Ratonero Valenciano
- Sabueso Español
- Spanish Mastiff
- Spanish Water Dog
- Valdueza
- Villano de Las Encartaciones
- Villanuco de Las Encartaciones
Sweden
- Danish–Swedish Farmdog
- Drever
- Hällefors Elkhound
- Hamiltonstövare
- Norrbottenspets
- Schillerstövare
- Smalandstövare
- Swedish Elkhound
- Swedish Lapphund
- Swedish Vallhund
Switzerland
- Appenzeller Sennenhund
- Bernese Mountain Dog
- Bruno Jura Hound
- Continental Bulldog
- Entlebucher Mountain Dog
- Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
- Schweizer Laufhund
- Schweizerischer Niederlaufhund
- St. Bernard
- St. Hubert Jura Hound
- Swiss mountain dog
- White Swiss Shepherd Dog
Turkey
- Akbash
- Aksaray Malaklisi
- Kangal
- Kars
- Rize Koyun
- Tonya Finosu
- Zerdava
United Kingdom
- Airedale Terrier
- Beagle
- Bearded Collie
- Bedlington Terrier
- Bloodhound
- Border Collie
- Border Terrier
- Bull Terrier
- Bulldog
- Bullmastiff
- Cairn Terrier
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Clumber Spaniel
- Curly-Coated Retriever
- Dandie Dinmont Terrier
- English Cocker Spaniel
- English Foxhound
- English Mastiff
- English Setter
- English Springer Spaniel
- English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan)
- Field Spaniel
- Flat-Coated Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- Gordon Setter
- Greyhound
- Harrier
- Jack Russell Terrier
- King Charles Spaniel
- Labrador Retriever
- Lakeland Terrier
- Lancashire Heeler
- Manchester Terrier
- Miniature Bull Terrier
- Norfolk Terrier
- Northern Inuit Dog
- Norwich Terrier
- Old English Sheepdog
- Otterhound
- Parson Russell Terrier
- Patterdale Terrier
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Plummer Terrier
- Pointer
- Rough Collie
- Scottish Deerhound
- Scottish Terrier
- Sealyham Terrier
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Skye Terrier
- Smithfield
- Smooth Collie
- Smooth Fox Terrier
- Sporting Lucas Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Sussex Spaniel
- Welsh Hound
- Welsh Sheepdog
- Welsh Springer Spaniel
- Welsh Terrier
- West Country Harrier
- West Highland White Terrier
- Whippet
- Wire Fox Terrier
- Yorkshire Terrier
European Dogs by Size
Large European Dog Breeds: Barbet, Basset Hound, Briard
Medium European Dog Breeds: German Shorthaired Pointer, Border Collie, Norwegian Elkhound
Small European Dog Breeds: Italian Greyhound, Papillon, Yorkshire Terrier
As the list indicates, many of these breeds come from France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom. But the Soviet Union was also known for its dog breeds. However, it has become difficult to trace the exact country where a particular breed may have emerged after it collapsed.