7.3 Cat and Dog Breeds and Colours

Breeds

Dogs and cats are very popular pets in Canada—they live in approximately 60% of Canadian households (Canadian Animal Health Institute, 2022). Rover, a popular network for pet boarding, found that the most popular breeds in Canada were mixed breeds, followed by the Labrador retriever and the golden retriever (Rover, 2023a). In a review of the most common cat breeds in Canada, they found the domestic shorthair and domestic longhair to be quite popular. These are the equivalent of “mixed breeds” in the cat world, and most people find the colour of the cat to be more important than the breed (Rover, 2023b). From this author’s experience in the clinic, you are much more likely to encounter purebred dogs than purebred cats.

There are associations in many countries that serve as registries for purebred animals. A purebred animal is one who is a single breed, generally recognized by a registry, with no other breeds present in its heritage. In Canada, the principal purebred dog registry is the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), and they determine the breed standards for every purebred in Canada (Canadian Kennel Club [CKC], n.d.). The cat equivalent in Canada is called the Canadian Cat Association (CCA) (Canadian Cat Association [CCA], n.d.a).

Breed is an important factor to consider in the clinic. Different breeds of dogs and cats can be more likely to develop certain diseases, and certain breed and colour combinations have risks as well. For example, white cats with blue eyes are more likely to be deaf.

Different breeds of dogs were bred for different jobs. For example, the standard poodle was used as a water retriever for duck hunting (American Kennel Club [AKC], n.d.a), while Siberian huskies were bred for sled pulling in freezing temperatures (AKC, n.d.b), and the shih tzu was raised as a lap dog for Chinese emperors (AKC, n.d.c).

As you might imagine, and have probably experienced, the breed of a dog can have an effect on personality, implying a genetic relationship. A recent study suggested that socialization as a puppy could also affect personality moving forward (Salonen et al., 2023).

Despite the frequent association of some breeds with friendliness, it is important to remember that even within a breed each individual animal can differ from the norm. Therefore, it is important not to make assumptions in the clinic. It is always advisable to listen to the owner when they tell you about their dog or cat, as they know them best.

Note: In some breeds it is common to tail or ear dock, which means surgically remove portions of the tail or ears. This is a contested procedure and legality varies by province when done for cosmetic purposes. The Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) has banned its members, veterinarians, and RVTs from doing these procedures if not medically necessary (Canadian Kennel Club, 2019).

Additional Common Breeds

Here are some photos of different dog breeds to further demonstrate the diversity within the species.

 

 

 

Colours

Purebred dogs and cats have standardized acceptable colours, as noted by their registries (CKC, n.d., CCA, n.d.a).

Common Canine Coat Colours

• Black
• Chocolate
  • Brown
• Fawn
  • Beige, often with a black face and muzzle
• White
• Merle
  • Generally white coat with another colour spots (red vs. blue)
• Brindle
  • Generally black and orange striped coat
• Tri-Colour
  • Combination of brown, white, and black
    

    

 

 

 

 

 

Note: There are many more colour patterns and solid colours seen in dogs, these are just a sample of some common ones you will encounter.

Common Feline Coat Colours

• Tortoiseshell (tortie)
  • Black and red coat
    • “Red” is the term used by the CAA. Normally this is called “orange” in clinic.
• Calico
  • White, black, and red coat
    • “Red” is the term used by the CAA. Normally this is called “orange” in clinic.
• Tabby
  • Colour pattern often involving splotches and stripes
• Points
  • Refers to the face, paws, ears, and tail
• Solid colour
  • Cat is entirely one colour

 

 

 

 

Note: There are many more colour patterns and solid colours seen in the cat world, these are just some common terms you will encounter.

Colour descriptions adapted from CCA colour and pattern handouts (CCA, n.d.b).

References

American Kennel Club. (n.d.a). Poodle (standard). https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/poodle-standard/

American Kennel Club. (n.d.b). Siberian husky. https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/siberian-husky/

American Kennel Club. (n.d.c). Shih tzu. https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/shih-tzu/

Canadian Animal Health Institute. (2022, September 22). Latest Canadian pet population figures released. GlobalNewswire. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/09/22/2521210/0/en/Latest-Canadian-Pet-Population-Figures-Released.html

Canadian Cat Association. (n.d.a). The Canadian Cat Association (CCA). https://www.cca-afc.com/About/

Canadian Cat Association. (n.d.b). Basic CCA colours. https://www.cca-afc.com/Breeds/Colours

Canadian Kennel Club. (n.d.). About the Canadian Kennel Club. https://www.ckc.ca/en/About-the-CKC

Canadian Kennel Club. (2019, May). ABVMA implements new policies effective July 1, 2019. https://www.ckc.ca/en/News/2019/May/ABVMA-implements-new-policies-effective-July-1,-20

Rover. (2023a). The most popular dog breeds in Canada 2023. The Dog People. https://www.rover.com/ca/blog/popular-dog-breeds/#h-dog-breed-popularity-in-canada

Rover. (2023b). The most popular cat breeds in Canada 2023. The Dog People. https://www.rover.com/ca/blog/popular-cat-breeds/

Salonen, M., Mikkola, S., Niskanen, J. E., Hakanen, E., Sulkama, S., Puurunen, J., & Lohi, H. (2023). Breed, age, and social environment are associated with personality traits in dogs. iScience, 26(5). 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106691

Image Credits
(images are listed in order of appearance)

Awesome black lab by Bob Harmaans, CC BY 2.0.

Golden retriever 2020 1 by Johannes89, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Young mixed-breed dog (aka) by André Karwath (aka), CC BY-SA 2.5.

A domestic longhair cat by Pilarbini, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Felis catus-cat on snow by Von.grzanka, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Shih tzu 3 – Brachycephalie by Sciencia58, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Full attention by Tim Wilson, CC BY 2.0.

Black magic big boy by Magicwolf, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Irish wolfhound by Dux, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Gracethegreyhound by Neurodoc, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Bouledogue anglais by Pleple2000, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Prince by Phil Sangwell, CC BY 2.0.

Labrador retriever (chocolate puppy) by Elf, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Female black Labrador retriever by Kreuzschnabel, CC BY-SA 3.0.

My pug by Gmart1111, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Emily 2000-2007 by Ann Gordon, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Willow by Nick Cowie, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Brindle bullmastiff female by BootsSiR, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Bernese mountain dog by AnetaAp, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Burt the grey tabby kitten by Found Animals Foundation, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Tortoiseshell cat by Elizabeth Iris, Pexels licence.

Erwachsene brown tabby cat by Tomas Andreopoulos, Pexels licence.

Calico cat by pelican, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Siamese kitten by Pixabay, CC0.