American Kennel Club adds two pure breeds
The American Kennel Club announced Tuesday it’s adding two dogs to its list of purebreds.
The newest good boys and girls? The Mudi (left), a floofy Hungarian farm dog, and the Russian toy (right), a small terrier-type that dates back to the 1700s Russian aristocracy.
The new breeds will now be eligible to compete in AKC-sanctioned events, like the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club show and the club’s own annual championship. The two breeds are eligible to compete in the Herding Group and Toy Group, respectively, the AKC said.
The AKC now recognizes 199 breeds.
Despite the difference in the new breeds’ sizes and appearance, they share many similarities.
The Mudi, pronounced “moody,” wasn’t given a name until the 1930s, but the breed has long been popular herding dogs. The AKC considers them very amiable with high marks in the categories “affectionate with family,” “good with young children,” “playfulness” and “good with other dogs.”
“The Mudi is an extremely versatile, intelligent, alert, agile, all-purpose Hungarian farm dog. His courage is useful for working the most stubborn livestock,” an official AKC description of the breed reads. “The breed is a loyal protector of property and family members without being overly aggressive.”
They are also very trainable and want to be active or otherwise mentally stimulated, which makes them popular dogs for agility training and dock diving. Mudik (plural) have also been deployed as search-and-rescue animals in Europe and the U.S. though the vast majority of them hail from Hungary and Finland.
They have a life expectancy of 12-14 years and there are only about 450 in the U.S.
The Russian Toy is also known for sharing its affection with its owners, but, like other small dogs, can take time to warm up to new people. The AKC considers them loyal, smart and charming.
“And they’re funny. They have quite an attitude,” Minnesota dog breeder Nona Dietrich told the
Associated Press.
“The Russian Toy is a small, elegant, lively dog with long legs, fine bones and lean muscles,” the AKC writes.
While also carrying a life expectancy of 12-14 years, the Russian toy rarely grows heavier than about six pounds compared to the Mudi, which can approach 30 pounds. And with only about 775 in the U.S., the Russian Toy is quite rare, too.
The AKC was founded in 1884 and maintains a registry of dog breeds, with additions coming each year. Last year, the Dogo Argentio, a hunting and working dog, and Barbet, a sporting water dog, were added.
In order for a breed to be recognized by the association, there must be at least 300 dogs of that particular breed spread across 20 states in the U.S. There should also be a “breed standard” that describes the dog’s ideal features, from its nature right down to its toes.
Strangely, some popular “designer” breeds, such as Labradoodles and puggles, aren’t recognized as yet.
The two new breeds won’t be able to participate in any shows just yet. The Westminster Kennel Club last month announced it was moving its 2022 dog show — which was slated for Jan. 22 to 26 — to a later date due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in New York City.