Purebred Puppies

What makes a dog purebred

A purebred puppy has two parents of the same breed, and behind them a line of dogs of that same breed going back generations. That is the whole definition, and everything people like about purebreds follows from it. When the same kind of dog is bred to the same kind of dog for long enough, the results stop varying much. The puppy in front of you is a small copy of a shape that has already settled.

It is worth saying what that gives you in plain terms: you can look up what the adult looks like, how big it gets, what its coat does, and what it was originally bred to spend its days doing — and the dog you bring home will land close to that description. For anybody planning around a house, a car, a yard or a family routine, that is genuinely useful information to have in advance.

The written standard behind each breed

Every established breed has a standard: a written description of the ideal adult dog, agreed by the people who have kept the breed going. It covers proportions, head shape, coat texture and colour, movement, and temperament. Breeders work toward it, and it is the reason a Labrador Retriever bred in one state and a Labrador Retriever bred in another still look and act like the same dog.

Standing next to the puppies, the standard shows up as consistency. A litter of Pembroke Welsh Corgis all have the same low, long build and the same upright ears. A litter of Shiba Inus all carry the same curled tail and the same self-possessed expression. You are not guessing which traits came through — they came through, because that is what the line does.

Knowing the grown dog from the puppy

The most practical thing a purebred gives you is the finished picture. A Great Dane puppy is going to be a very large dog. A Maltese is going to stay a lap dog. A Poodle is going to keep its coat rather than leave it on the sofa, and a Beagle is going to keep using its nose for the rest of its life. None of that is a surprise, which makes it easy to buy the right crate the first time, choose the right car, and set up a routine that still fits in two years.

Temperament arrives with the same reliability. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are companionable and soft-natured. Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are sociable, biddable and food-motivated, which is why they turn up everywhere as working dogs. Australian Shepherds and German Shepherds are clever and keen to be given a task. Boxers stay playful for years. Bulldogs — English, American, Victorian, Olde English — are unhurried, affectionate and very fond of a good nap. These are old, stable characteristics, not marketing copy, and they hold up in the aisle at the store.

The breeds, grouped by size

At the small end are the companion breeds, and this is the deepest part of the collection. The Maltese, the Havanese, the Shih Tzu, the Lhasa Apso, the Pomeranian, the Papillon, the Yorkshire Terrier and the Toy Poodle are all dogs that were developed to live indoors beside people, and centuries of that shows: they travel well, settle quickly, and take up about as much room as a cushion. Alongside them sit the small working and terrier types, the Mini Schnauzer and the Mini Dachshund among them, which bring the same portability with a bit more spark.

The middle of the range is where the sporting, hound and herding breeds start appearing at a size that still fits an ordinary house. The Beagle, the Boston Terrier, the Dachshund, the French Bulldog, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, the Shiba Inu, the Italian Greyhound and the Mini Poodle all land here. They are the sizes you can lift into a car and walk as far as you feel like walking, which is a large part of why this band is the most popular one in the store.

At the large end are the dogs most people picture when they picture a dog. The Labrador Retriever, the Golden Retriever, the Great Dane, the Bernese Mountain Dog, the Boxer, the Dalmatian, the Weimaraner, the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier and the bulldog family all sit here, and every one of them is a dog whose adult size you can look up before you buy the crate.

Grouped by what they were bred to do

Size is one way in. Original purpose is often the more useful one, because it explains what the dog will actually want from a Tuesday.

The retrievers and gundogs — Labrador, Golden, Cocker Spaniel, German Shorthaired Pointer — were bred to work alongside a person all day and check back in constantly. That is why they are so easy to train, so keen on fetch, and so happy to be underfoot in a kitchen.

The herders — Australian Shepherd, German Shepherd, Shetland Sheepdog, Pembroke Welsh Corgi — were bred to think on their feet and take direction at a distance. They pick up new skills at a speed that surprises first-time owners, and dog sports suit them down to the ground.

The terriers — Cairn, Jack Russell, West Highland, Silky — were bred to be brave, busy and self-starting. They bring the most personality per pound of anything in the collection, and they are marvellous company for anybody who enjoys a dog with opinions.

The companion breeds — Maltese, Havanese, Bichon Frise, Cavalier, Shih Tzu, Coton de Tulear — were bred for one job only, which was to be good company indoors. They have had centuries to get good at it, and it shows in how quickly a puppy of any of them settles into a lap.

And the guardians and northern breeds — Rottweiler, Doberman Pinscher, Siberian Husky, Samoyed, Keeshond — bring presence, a spectacular coat, and a clear sense of who belongs in the house. They are handsome dogs and they know it.

Choosing your breed

Start with the finished dog rather than the puppy. Look up the adult size and picture it in your hallway, in your car and on your sofa, because every breed here will get there. Then look at the coat: a close coat is a weekly mitt, a double coat is a brush plus a proper session when it turns over, a long silky coat is daily combing and a groomer on the calendar, and a curly coat is combing plus a trim every couple of months.

Then think about the day. A breed built to work beside a person is at its best in a household that likes being outdoors; a breed built for company indoors is at its best in a household that spends its evenings at home. Both of those are good lives, and matching the two is most of what choosing well means.

Come and meet the purebred puppies

Breed research gets you a long way and then stops. What a coat actually feels like, how a Corgi moves across a floor, how much dog a Great Dane really is — those land in person and nowhere else. Come and meet a few and let the shortlist sort itself out.

Our puppies come from our network of licensed breeders, and our team can talk you through a particular puppy’s parents and how it has been raised so far. We have a store in Orlando and a store in Nashville. Find directions and hours, and if you would like to spread the cost, ask about financing while you are with us. Every puppy here goes home with its vet records, its vaccination history and a health warranty, and our team will walk you through what those cover.