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Where can you determine the breed of a cat? How to recognize a cat breed: distinctive features

Caring for a dog directly depends on the breed. However, it often happens that the owner cannot determine the identity of the animal, which entails natural consequences: improper diet, insufficient or excessive physical activity, incorrect approach to education and training, lack of proper attention to “weak” places in the body. This article will give a detailed answer to the question: how to find out the breed of a dog and provide proper care.

There are various situations, in which it is necessary to identify the dog. Here are some of them:

Determining whether a dog belongs to a particular group

There are three conditional groups, into which all dogs can be divided. This is where you should start studying generally accepted classification. Next detailed review each of them.

Mongrels

Complex polyhybrids are the largest group of dogs. In other words, calculating the ancestors of such an animal is not only practically impossible, but also absolutely meaningless. There is a myth that identifying a mongrel is very easy and simple. This is really a simple task for a dog handler or just an experienced dog breeder, but ordinary person might get into trouble. The fact is that a mongrel puppy can look very cute and beautiful - better than as an adult.

If a person wants to purchase a purebred animal, then it is best to decide on the desired breed, and then go to professional breeders and check the animal for identifying characteristics. Go to the market and buy a dog without preliminary preparation- a matter tantamount to a lottery. This is due to the fact that puppies can be very beautiful and fluffy, so a dishonest seller can deceive the buyer.

Métis

Metis is a dog whose parents belong to the different breeds. If the experiment was successful in a number of ways, then the mixed breeds are called designer dogs. These animals inherit the genes of both parents, so the negative qualities of the parent breeds can be balanced. The opposite often happens: the tendency to hereditary diseases both parents, unpredictability of character, strange appearance, and so on. Mixed breeds are the subject of enrichment for many scammers who breed and sell dogs. This is due to the fact that to distinguish purebred puppy Only an experienced dog handler can remove a mestizo.

If a dog lover wants to buy a purebred animal, then he should not buy a puppy “from hand”. It is recommended to contact a professional breeder who will provide documents confirming the pedigree. This simple method will protect the reader from buying a mestizo.

Purebred dogs

Currently, scientists count approximately 400 different breeds. This figure cannot be specified, because New breeds appear regularly and old ones die out. Also, we must not forget about those breeds that have a very small population. Yes, of course, you can turn to special reference books and study them thoroughly, but lack of experience can prevent you from drawing a correct conclusion. And the choice may take a long time. That is why you need to have an idea of how the breed of an animal is determined and know the methods and methods of identification.

Character and appearance of the animal

Character is the most important behavioral parameter that will help determine whether an animal belongs to a particular breed. However, a person who is not an expert is more likely to be misled than to find the answer to his question. Also, do not forget that each individual is individual, as is the owner’s interpretation of its behavior. That is why inexperienced people should analyze the character of the beast as secondary characteristic. Appearance should come to the fore.

The first step is to highlight the following parameters: dimensions, color, coat length, shape of the head, body and ears.

In reality there are large number“small” signs that will also help you recognize the breed. Among them: the length of the paws, the shape of the ears, tail, and so on.
When compiling characteristics of an animal, it is necessary to take into account the age and gender. So, for example, if you are looking for a breed of dog with short legs, then the search circle narrows noticeably. The following is a comparison of the most suitable dog breeds.

If the breed has been determined, but there is a desire to make sure the animal is purebred, then you can conduct a special psychological test. The fact is that deep instincts and behavioral characteristics reveal the breed of an animal.

Determining the breed of a puppy

Popular question: how to determine the breed of a dog from a puppy early age? As mentioned above, it is quite difficult to determine the breed of a baby without the help of a veterinarian.

First of all, I would like to say that a puppy can be considered purebred only if it has a special chip or documents.

In all other cases, there is a risk that one of the relatively close ancestors belonged to a different breed.

Some tricks will help determine the puppy's identity, but only if the breed has clearly defined distinctive features. For example, Mexican Hairless Dog puppies are easy to distinguish (conditionally) from other breeds. A wrinkled dog with folds is a Shar Pei or Mastiff breed. A beautiful dog with a rat face is a Bull Terrier breed. Also, do not forget about entire groups of breeds. For example, Scottish breeds dogs have unusual and similar muzzles at a very early age.

Special services

Currently on the Internet there is free services, which help people identify dog breeds. To do this, you need to enter the basic characteristics of appearance, and then proceed from the proposed options. Yes, of course, it will be possible to accurately determine the identity of an animal only if it is purebred, but starting help can be obtained even on such sites.

There is another option: communication on forums for dog lovers. On such forums you can post photos and listen to people's opinions. However, you shouldn’t trust the first commentator you come across either.

A short tour of some breeds

There are distinctive features and signs that can greatly narrow the search range. Popular question: what breed of dogs have eyes that fall out and, as a result, blindness? This problem affects small dogs: Chihuahuas, Pekingese, Bulldogs, Japanese Chin, Bullmastiff, Shih Tsu, Pugs, Boxers, Shar Peis and Boston Terriers. These are the dogs that can lose an eye if medical care not provided in the next few hours. It should be noted that any little thing can cause trouble: playing with a child, physical activity, fight with a cat or dog.

Also, many people are interested in dog breeds without the dog smell, because all people have a different sense of smell and sensitivity. And if the found pet does not emit a characteristic smell, then this is an opportunity to greatly narrow the search circle. There are several options: a bald body or a dog that has fur that resembles human hair. In the first case, you should pay attention to the Mexican Hairless Dog and, and in the second case, most likely, the dog is a Yorkshire Terrier.

Another interesting case: the non-barking Basenji dog breed (not to be confused with muteness). If the pet does not make any sounds, then it is recommended to look at photographs of this animal - maybe the “little animal” will turn out to be real African dog. It must be said that this breed is ancient, so it has stood the test of time - the Basenji is not only a very beautiful animal, but also a devoted friend.

If a nanny dog gets into the house, it will take quite a long time to determine the breed. The fact is that such a behavioral trait is inherent in many breeds, but in varying degrees. You also need to consider individual characteristics character of the beast. The best nannies are considered: Collie, Labrador and German shepherd. As you can see, these breeds are completely different.

When a dog has folds, the breed is very easy to determine. If there are a lot of folds, then it is a Shar Pei, a little less - a Mastiff. Small quantity folds indicate Pug or Bulldog.

Particular attention should be paid to the length of your pet's fur. For example, a dog breed with long hair much easier to identify than with wool medium length. You also need to look at the hair structure, because there are absolutely fancy shapes. If you find a dog with dreadlocks, the Komondor breed can be established in a matter of minutes.

The color of the coat should also not be ignored. If the color is multi-colored or two-colored, then the task becomes more complicated. The exception is the spotted dog - the Dalmatian breed. If the dog is one color, the search speeds up significantly. So, for example, if black, gray, white or red dog— the breed is easy to install. It is also recommended to understand whether the animal evokes certain associations. If you find a teddy bear dog, it’s a Newfoundland breed.

Very often the breed is “given away” by the animal’s ears. Yes, of course, this sign is not always able to indicate a specific breed, but it can assist in the search. If the dog has drooping ears, then you should look at dog breeds with drooping ears to speed up the identification of the animal.
If you come across a dog with big ears, you will find the breed much faster if you do not ignore this feature.

To summarize, I would like to say that you can determine the breed of a dog (albeit conditionally) yourself. It is recommended to do this in mandatory, because animal care depends on this knowledge. However, if a person does not have experience with dogs, then it is best not to take the first “little animal” that comes along. The fact is that there are dog breeds for beginners that are relatively easy to care for. Also, do not forget about the love that a pet of absolutely any breed should receive.

People ask the question of how to determine the breed of a cat if they find a kitten on the street or receive it from friends as a gift. It happens that you bought an animal, but with age it shows signs of a certain breed: you want to know what to expect in the future, whether the seller deceived you by handing you a cross with a mongrel cat.

Differences between purebred and outbred cats

No one doubts that outbred kittens - good friends people who can become devoted family members and favorites of others. In beauty, they are also often not inferior to their famous brothers. But still there are differences:

Belonging to a certain breed will allow you to determine in advance the characteristics: size, color, habits. Of course, each animal is individual, but common features tend to persist.
Purebred pussies are more susceptible genetic diseases, and it’s better to know this in advance in order to prevent development by engaging in prevention.
The appearance is very different: the attributes of purebred animals are long or short fur, unusual shape paws, ears, nose, head or tail.
The possibility of mating depends on belonging to a particular breed - you need to select a partner taking into account physiological characteristics.

This is interesting! There are only 2% in the world purebred cats, all the rest often turn out to be crossbreeds or non-purebred kittens.

How to determine the breed of a cat, what to do for this

How to find out the breed of a cat? Most a clear sign- appearance. Carefully examine the animal, note the presence of features of the fur, paws, eyes, head, and other parts of the body. Grab a cat guide with photos (it won't be hard to find one) and start comparing. Surely your pussy will look like some kind of kitten.

Pay attention! In your search, you should remain realistic: the chance of meeting an expensive, outlandish breed is significantly lower than any common one, especially if you just picked up a baby. However, even such a situation occurs.

If your independent search does not lead to success, then you should visit a veterinarian, post a question on cat owner forums, visit breeders or a club for lovers of these animals. Often the animal is not purebred, but retains the characteristics of its parents. In any case, it is possible and necessary to determine the cat’s breed.

What signs can be used to determine the breed of a cat?

Exists a whole series ways to determine the breed of a cat. All of them include a thorough examination of the pet, which will reveal common signs of belonging to one type or another.

How to determine by color

If your pet's fur coat stands out as something unusual, this may indicate an exotic origin. For example:

Black muzzle, paws, tail - a typical sign of the Siamese color is found in Siamese, Himalayan, Balinese, Neva and Thai pussies.
A similar color, but with white socks, is found in Snow Shows, Ragdolls, and Burmese.
The uniform mousey, blue type is a sign of the British, Russian Blue, Korat, Chartreuse, Nibelung.
Sandy - Somali and Abyssinian.
Spots and stripes are found in Bengals, Egyptian Mau, Siberian, Safari, Savannah.
Brown coat of Havana Brown, Tiffany Chantilly.

It is not possible to independently determine the breed of a cat in all cases: it is better to entrust this matter to specialists, conduct a test, find out the opinion of people who have been breeding for many years.

Finding out the breed of a cat without official documents is quite difficult. It is necessary to take into account the size of the animal, the structure of its ears, eyes, tail, paws. The length and shape of the coat, as well as its absence, have special meaning, as well as the structure of the skeleton. You can also determine the breed of a cat by its color. However, this method is not accurate because there are more than 200 subspecies of breeds that differ slightly.

What is a breed?

Breed is a cat classification category. It is established by phenological clubs responsible for a specific cat breed, officially confirmed by tests, documented and meeting basic standards.

Only one whose pedigree is officially confirmed by the organization is considered a purebred cat.

In most cases, it is useless to determine the breed of a kitten, since its color can change radically with age. Pedigree can be reliably determined only after the mustachioed pet reaches one year of age.

Various colors

The colors of all cats are based on only two basic shades: red and black, but their derivatives, many patterns and various combinations, have led to the formation of a significant number of fur coat colors. They need to be studied from several angles, paying attention to similar signs and differences in the colors of domestic and street animals, outbred and purebred representatives of the species, as well as mixed cat breeds.

Many colors are found in all categories of kittens, but in purebreds the color is more intense and sharp than in outbreds.

Some of the colors can only be found in purebred representatives of the species, since this requires a scrupulous and very carefully selected selection of parents during mating. Some colors are found only in outbred cats, since as a result of selection, the genes responsible for shades were turned off in purebred animals, so it should be special attention approach the choice of a kitten that has an unusual color.

Most often, the coats of ordinary cats and cats have the following shades: tabby, tortoiseshell, white and piebald.

It is almost impossible to find monochromatic colors in purebred cats.

Original and unusual breeds cats - description, appearance, character

Cat groups

Depending on the color there are 3 large groups cats, which are divided into 25 subgroups. These divisions help to correctly determine the cat's breed. Future owners who are choosing a pet for the first time should make their purchase with special care. It is best to rely on the kitten's pedigree and the reputation of the seller.

Many groups of cats are quite similar to each other, but it happens that sellers are scammers who are trying to sell outbred kittens under the guise of purebred ones.

Plain or multi-colored

Cats with one type or two colors are quite common. Outbred animals can be recognized by the following color contrasts, namely:

white;
red or red;
black;
blue (silver);
chocolate;
lilac;
creamy.

If the cat's color consists of one, two or three colors that are not particularly bright, it is most likely that the animal is outbred.

Complex colors

It is rare to see cats with complex colors, but you can see pets with speckled or tortoiseshell-colored fur. A cat's coat can have several different tones with very conventional, blurred boundaries. Most often this color is found in females.

Complex colors include the group of tabby colors. This category includes animals with predominant two tones in their fur. The shades contrast very strongly and form a beautiful pattern.

It is the animals of this group that are very popular among breeders, since crossing representatives of this species allows you to get unusual shades in the offspring.

Siamese color

The Siamese color is very common and known to many. There are two extreme groups of Siamese color. In the first group, light colors dominate the coat, but the paws, muzzle and tail are always dark. Representatives of the second type have dominant dark coat colors, white paws, muzzle and tail.

This shade is found in 7 cat subspecies, differing in some way:

Blue

One more is enough known color is blue. The wool has rich blue and silver shades. There are no clearly defined spots.

It is found in 6 cat breeds:

Sand color

Cats belonging to this category have very beautiful sandy hair.

According to the latest data, there are more than a hundred cat breeds in the world, and this list is updated from time to time.

Despite the fact that the majority of domestic cats belong to the outbred group, many cat owners, having picked up another kitten on the street or taken from a nursery, try to discern breed characteristics in it and assign it one or another origin.

Sometimes breeders can help in this matter. They examine the animal, make a verdict regarding the breed and, if your pet really is a representative of one of the official breeds, issue a certificate of the beginning of the pedigree in the first generation.

Such animals can be used for breeding. If you don’t have the opportunity to visit the breeders, but want to find out the breed of your pet, try following the following tips for determining the breed.

Color

When determining the breed of a cat, first of all, pay attention to distinctive features animal, since it is they who distinguish one breed from another. Cats for the most part are built typically - not like dogs, in which breed diversity is determined by differences in height, weight, size and other parameters.

Important! There is no clear division according to breed characteristics in cats, since it is almost impossible to achieve uniform color and linear forms, based on the characteristics of their genetics. Eat certain factors, according to which the animal can be culled for exhibition or breeding work, but in general the characteristics of the breeds are quite vague.

There are certain groups into which animals are divided according to the type of coat color. Light-colored wool with dark tan marks on the face, paws and tail classifies the animal as a Siamese group.

Massive and very solid look have animals with wild ancestry - these are Norwegian forest cats, savannas and Siberians. The Ragdoll, a soft and affectionate creature, also gains weight up to twelve kilograms due to its gigantic size.

Did you know? Some people have a tendency to psychological illness called ailurophilia. It manifests itself in too much adoration for representatives of the cat family. However, such affection does not harm health - cat owners reduce their likelihood of suffering a heart attack or stroke by as much as thirty percent by keeping their furry pets at home. This is some fluffy therapy.

Small cats because of their genetic characteristics rarely gain more than three kilograms of weight. Tiny cats and babies grow up to a maximum of twenty centimeters.

Among them are the charming munchmins and lambkins with short legs, hairless bambinos, which are very difficult to care for because of their hairless skin, Asian girls from Singapore and Dwelf with sphinx blood.

Exterior features suggest the division of cats into three categories. Just like people, these animals can be muscular, tightly built or stocky, thin or flexible.

By characteristics such as a dense, strong physique - one that is distinguished by short legs, a round head, a wide back and a thick tail - one can identify the breed of bobtail, British and American cats, as well as rex.
Skinny cats They are distinguished by long thin limbs, a pointed muzzle with graceful features, a thin tail and a flexible body with beautiful dry muscles. This includes animals of Asian breeds - Balinese and Thai cats. They are graceful and graceful.

As for muscular sporting animals, they give the impression of strong animals. Average, undistinguished linear body dimensions, such as a rounded head, strong paws, medium rounded chest and normal back length, are found in animals of Turkish origin, Maine Coons and Americans with wavy hair.

Coat type

According to the structural features of the wool fiber, cats are also divided into three types - hairless, smooth-haired and long-haired animals. The easiest animals to identify are those that have hair that is partially or completely absent.
Hairless cats include different types, whose skin is partially or completely covered with folds, lefties and minskins with fur fringes on the muzzle, ears, inside paw

Important! Cats that lack a tail are more susceptible to diseases of the reproductive system and musculoskeletal system, since the nerves that control the functioning of the back of their body emerge from the spine, not covered by the cartilage of the tail. Therefore, any minor injury to the back of the body can lead to temporary or permanent immobility, incontinence and chronic pain.

Beautiful short hair with a wavy sheep-type structure is observed in all Rex cats - in appearance, their fur coat looks like a short astrakhan fur. If the coat is curly, but long, it is still the same Rex: Bohemian with Persian ancestors, Silkirk and La Perma with luxurious wavy feathering on the tail and chest.

American wirehair cats are not rex cats, but they even have curled whiskers, since the gene responsible for the wavy structure of the coat is dominant in them - it is not difficult to recognize the breed of such a cat from a photo.

The very long, straight hair of animals of the following breeds can reach twenty or more centimeters. Caring for her is difficult, but the effort is worth it.

The following breeds of cats are insulated for winter: Norwegian, Turkish, the already mentioned Neva Masquerade, Napoleons with their famous childish expression on their faces, Maine Coons and Burmese animals with a special charm.

Muzzle

The features and shape of the muzzle are determined by the shape of the skull. Modern breed standards allow different shapes heads of the same breed.

The best proof of this is siamese cats, which for a long time were exhibited with round muzzles, and over the past fifteen years, through the efforts of breeders, they have acquired sophisticated features. The desire to achieve an extreme appearance of an animal is not welcomed among cat breeders, since the cat must be harmonious.

Facial features can improve, as happened with the Persians. Their head rounded, so their muzzle flattened even more, and their ears also became rounder and smaller.
There is a so-called roundness factor. It starts at ten, and as it decreases, the cats' faces become longer. All kittens, as well as exotic cats, can be distinguished from ordinary animals by their round heads and flat muzzles, since the structure of the skull determines the features and shape of the muzzle.

Ears

Unusual placement of the ears on the head - characteristic feature breeds with mutations. Scottish Folds have forward-hanging ear tips, and they droop in kittens at three weeks of age. The British and exotics also show off their ears down.

Graceful - owners of ears curved back, this feature is not manifested in any other breed. Ears of particularly large sizes are found mainly in Abyssinian cats, sphinxes (those without hair) and orientals.

All cats of Asian origin have big ears Attached is an elongated muzzle with subtle, expressive features.

Did you know? In the small town of Talkeetna, which is located in the state of Alaska, the mayor was domestic cat. His name was Stubbs, and he held this honorary post from April 1977 to July 2017- all his long cat life.

In most cases, the similarity between their pets and expensive breeds noticed by owners is far-fetched. Unlike dogs, cats are quite typical; linear dimensions rarely differ between individuals, with the exception of particularly characteristic mutated breeds.

True, there are cases when a “nobleman” found on the street or taken from a nursery turns out to be a high-breed animal. Then its owner has the opportunity to obtain a certificate from the evaluation commission and establish a pedigree line in the first generation.

To do this, you need to compare the external parameters of your pet with the above standards and classify it as one or another breed, and then seek advice from professionals.

However, even if your pet is classified as a simple domestic cat, do not be upset. He loves you, and will love you no matter what happens - that's what makes domestic cats so valuable.

In this article I will tell you how to find out the breed of a dog. I will list the features external structure inherent various dogs I’ll tell you at what age you can determine the breed of a puppy.

Having found a puppy on the street or adopted it from a friend, the owner will be puzzled by the definition of the breed.

There are about 350-400 species of dogs in the world. A veterinarian will help you avoid getting confused in determining the type of puppy; he will also carry out vaccinations and the necessary examinations. Many puppies do not look like their parents, and therefore it is difficult to name the exact age at which all the signs of a particular breed appear. The coat will give a good clue as to origin, however, it changes from puppy to adult at the age of 1 year.

A puppy's coat changes to that of an adult at 1 year of age. Therefore, you shouldn’t judge a breed by its fur.

Determination methods

After carefully examining the puppy, you can draw up its portrait or begin searching for its parents.

Criteria for drawing up a portrait of a dog:

Dimensions
External differences
Features of wool
Brand
Expert help

Dimensions

Dogs of small, medium, large and giant breeds differ in growth dynamics, weight at certain periods of life and maximum height at the withers.

Small animals are often indoor and ornamental breeds. The weight of such individuals does not exceed 10 kg. The height at the withers of adult pets is 14-30 cm. Small pets have their own giants; exceeding the extreme height limit can be no more than 5 cm.

Before choosing a dog, you should familiarize yourself with the existing breeds

Medium-sized dogs can weigh between 11 and 27 kg. This group is the largest and has about 200 breeds. The average height of adults is 35-55 cm.

Large breed dogs reach a height of 57-75cm. the weight of adult dogs is 30-60 kg.

Representatives of giant species can grow up to 65-90 cm. And weight varies from 55 to 90 kilograms.

External differences

The length of the body and paws, the width of the back and chest will help determine the breed of the adult dog. It is necessary to carefully examine the pet's bones.

A narrow skeleton refers to the chest and pelvis that are the same width. If the paws and muzzle are long, then the dog can be classified as a hound or greyhound breed, which has a streamlined body shape and a dry constitution, a lean belly and a voluminous sternum. The ribs of such breeds extend down to the elbows. The legs are muscular. The neck is set high and the head is elongated. The ridge on the back of the head can be very prominent.

The most popular greyhound and hound breeds include:

English hound
Bloodhound
Russian piebald
Griffon Vendée
Otterhound
Scottish greyhound

The middle skeleton is characterized chest, which is wider than the pelvis. This is the largest category of dogs that can be registered under. various breeds, for example Finnish Spitz and.

A wide, developed chest and a heavy pelvis indicate a wide bone structure. The physique is presented in rough forms. Such dogs are strongly built, muscular, have large paws and a deep chest. The skull is wide with a clearly defined stop point. The nose and jaws are strong, the nostrils are wide.

Pedigree animals must always be sold with documents

All dogs can be classified as broad-boned dogs. large breeds. The most popular of them:

Central Asian Shepherd
Labrador
Rafeir

Short bone can be defined as a square torso and short hind legs. Often shortened bones are found in indoor species - Pekingese and.

Features of wool

There are 5 types of wool that characterize the breed.

The normal coat is of medium length and has a soft undercoat underneath. It can be found in shepherd dogs, huskies, and pugs.

The pet's long coat can be without undercoat or with undercoat. This type of coat is worn by spaniels.

Smooth coat without undercoat is characteristic of pinschers, boxers, and terriers. Bright representatives of breeds with hard hair -.

Curly hair has an undercoat underneath that is curled into a curl. , Portuguese water dog, Lagoto Romagnolo are typical representatives with curly hair.

Hairless pets belong to the breeds or Mexican Hairless Dog.

Wool pores can only partially determine the breed

Brand

A brand is a mark on the inside of the ear or groin that determines ownership of a pet and helps identify the animal. In order to determine the breed by its mark, you need to contact a dog handler or veterinarian.

Expert help

By showing the puppy to a veterinarian or dog handler, you can even find out whether it belongs to any breed group.

However, only a DNA test will help you find out the 100% correct answer.

Materials for a DNA test of coat color and origin must be collected carefully; this is best done by a veterinarian. Determining the breed takes 2-3 weeks, after which the owner of the animal receives a complete pedigree of the pet from three generations.

Where to buy purebred dogs

You can buy a puppy with a pedigree and a passport in specialized nurseries and from breeders. When buying a puppy, you should decide on the purpose of getting a dog. If you want to participate in exhibitions with your pet, you should pay attention to the absence of defects. In this case, it is better to contact kennel clubs, where a complete pedigree and passport will be provided.

If participation in exhibitions and competitions is not a priority for the future owner, then you can purchase a puppy at the poultry market or from breeders, however, here the chance of being deceived is somewhat higher. Puppy resellers falsify documents and animal passports in order to sell them at a higher price. If you purchase an animal from a breeder, it is better to ask permission to see the puppy’s parents to make sure there are no external defects.

A puppy without documents can be bought cheaper, but a pet without a passport and pedigree is considered outbred.

Breed does not make a dog better or worse; care and love will help the puppy grow up healthy and well-mannered dog, who will be loved regardless of whether she has a pedigree passport.