1. Doberman
   Pomeranian
2. Akita
   Cocker Spaniel

Michelangelo's Pomeranian got a front-row seat to the painting of the Sistine Chapel, which includes the famous "Creation of Adam" depiction. According to various reports, his Pomeranian sat perched on a pillow next to him while he worked.

1. Poodle
   Greyhound
2. Jack Russell Terrier
   Yorkshire Terrier

The Jack Russell Terrier was bred to be a working dog and the breed is still classified that way today. Its namesake, a priest named John Russell, was also a hunter and needed a small dog that could help him trap foxes.

1. Barbet
   Pointer
2. Yorkshire Terrier
   Rat Terrier

While most Yorkshire Terriers that are entered in dog shows have hair that is kept long, it requires a great deal of upkeep. Without regular grooming, a Yorkie's hair can grow to more than two feet long.

1. Poodle
   Pekingnese
2. Maltese
   Boxer

Poodles come in three official size varieties, ranging from medium (standard) to small (miniature) to smallest (toy). Don't think they're too fancy, though. Poodles were originally bred to work, specifically helping to retrieve fowl from the water thanks to their superb swimming abilities.

1. Italian Greyhound
   Labrador Retriever
2. Dalmatian
   Golden Retriever

President Ford's pup, named Liberty, enjoyed her own degree of fame during Ford's tenure. People who sent fan mail to Liberty early on were rewarded with a photo of the dog and her signature, meaning her paw print.

1. Chow Chow
   Border Collie
2. Bulldog
   Cairn Terrier

The University of Georgia has had a live bulldog mascot to accompany its team, the Bulldogs, since the mid-1950s. Every bulldog that has served as the team's mascot since then has lived with Seiler family in Georgia.

1. Labradoodle
   English Setter
2. Beagle
   Pug

Beagles have appeared in some pretty popular cartoons, like "The Simpsons," and comics including "The Peanuts" and "Garfield" in their day. They use three kinds of barks to communicate: a regular bark for alerting owners, a hunting howl that sounds like a yodel and a baying noise when they feel sad or hear another dog.

1. American Pit Bull Terrier
   German Shepherd
2. Boxer
   Golden Retriever

The American Pit Bull Terrier often gets a bad rap and their origin — being bred to fight — doesn't help with that perception ... unless you're the U.S. military, who frequently used the breed on recruiting posters and other material during World War I. For what it's worth, pit bulls are often totally loving and great with kids.

1. Labrador Retriever
   Irish Setter
2. German Shepherd
   Chinese Crested Dog

The German Shepherd is a highly intelligent dog, capable of learning commands quickly – including those in, well, German. They are a frequent presence on police forces for their abilities to track suspects and sniff out explosives or drugs.

1. Dachshund
   Corgi
2. Shih Tzu
   Basenji

It's probably not a coincidence that hot dogs and wiener dogs (or dachshunds, if you prefer) have a co-mingled history. Some people believe hot dogs were originally called "dachshund sausages," named for the shape of a German butcher's best friend. Somewhere along the line, one thing's for certain, wieners became known as hot dogs and dachshunds became known, popularly, as wiener dogs.

1. German Shepherd
   Labrador Retriever
2. Boxer
   Yorkshire Terrier

Labrador Retrievers have been the top choice among American dog lovers for 24 straight years, a record according to the American Kennel Club who keeps track of these sorts of things.

1. Beagle
   English Mastiff
2. Australian Shepherd
   French Bulldog

All dogs can swim, right? Not so fast! The French Bulldog isn't a water dog, partly thanks to its physical make-up. Their short, wide skull (a condition known as brachycephaly) makes them a poor mix with pools or bodies of water.

1. Pomeranian
   Boxer
2. Bull Terrier
   Sheltie

A boxer named Brandy earned the world record for the longest tongue on a dog, topping out at 17 inches, roughly four times longer than the longest human tongue on record. Brandy passed away in 2002.

1. Shih Tzu
   Bichon Frise
2. Chihuahua
   Yorkshire Terrier

The Shih Tzu's forehead marking is believed to have originated from a kiss Buddha gave to his own pup. Buddha was traveling with his dog when criminals attempted to rob him. According to legend, the dog transformed into a lion to protect its master and Buddha, to show his gratefulness, kissed the dog on the forehead, leaving the signature mark.

1. Bernese Mountain Dog
   Basset Hound
2. Border Collie
   Cocker Spaniel

Border Collies are particularly adept at herding other animals, such as sheep, thanks in part to their off-their-charts level of intelligence. This capability is believed to be an adaptation of an animal's instinctive predatory behavior to hunt and chase.

1. Rottweiler
   Boxer
2. Labrador Retriever
   Chihuahua

Believe it or not, stray packs of 12 or more of this diminutive breed (and other breeds) nearly overran Maryvale, Arizona, a few years back. County officials attributed part of the problem to a lack of spaying and neutering, literally breeding more problems.

1. Great Dane
   Boxer
2. Jack Russell Terrier
   German Shepherd

Though few may know it, Scooby-Doo was a Great Dane. The breed was chosen for this role because it was believed Great Danes were able to prevent ghosts and spirits from causing their owners harm.

1. Maltese
   Pug
2. Chihuahua
   Pomeranian

It's true! A bunch of pugs together is called a grumble. No one seems to be sure exactly where this term originated, although the Dutch word for a pug, "mopshond," loosely translated means "to grumble" in English.

1. Jack Russell Terrier
   Pomeranian
2. Maltese
   Bulldog

The Maltese, which actually does have origins in the island nation of Malta, is a good hypoallergenic pup option for people with allergies. It doesn't shed, but experts recommend daily brushings to keep them looking in tip-top shape.

1. Bull Terrier
   Alaskan Malamute
2. Cocker Spaniel
   Irish Wolfhound

Target has used the Bull Terrier in its advertising, aptly named "Bullseye." Bullseye is white with Target's red circle logo painted around his eye.

1. Airedale Terrier
   Miniature Pinscher
2. Cocker Spaniel
   Sheltie

Paul Sperry, the founder of the Sperry shoe company and its popular Top-Sider boat shoes, drew inspiration from his shoe design for boaters (who need sure-footed traction) from the grooves he noticed on his cocker spaniel's paw.

1. Chinese Shar-Pei
   Shetland Sheepdog
2. Greyhound
   Basenji

The Shetland Sheepdog is a barker. In fact, they love barking to the point it borders on excessive by most accounts. This is a pooch that might be better suited for suburban or country living.

1. Basset Hound
   Cocker Spaniel
2. English Springer Spaniel
   Pointer

The Basset Hound sits low to the ground anyway, which makes their floppy ears of particular use. Known to have a strong sense of smell, their ears help bring scents up to their nose.

1. Border Collie
   French Bulldog
2. Greyhound
   Pembroke Welsh Corgi

There's a reason the travel company named itself after this super-quick breed. Greyhounds have been known to reach speeds upward of 45 miles per hour, getting there in as few as four or five strides.

1. Chihuahua
   Chow Chow
2. Poodle
   Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise (pronounced bee-shon free-zay) will always remind you of a white powder puff, although they are sometimes complemented in color around the ears such as cream or buff.

1. English Mastiff
   Rottweiler
2. Akita
   Poodle

Rottweilers were bred to be protectors and work diligently. They enjoy being around their owners at all times, forming strong bonds that serve them well in their "guard dog" role.

1. Alaskan Malamute
   Siberian Husky
2. Australian Shepherd
   Great Dane

The Alaskan Malamute is essentially a sled dog, so it's probably not best to keep them penned up in a house all day. This pup was named Alaska's state dog in 2010, thanks to the effort of a group of schoolchildren.

1. Pug
   Chow Chow
2. Rottweiler
   Beagle

Not only was Freud's Chow Chow, Jofi, able to discern when a patient's appointment was complete, the famous psychoanalyst used Jofi to help calm patients and to do more thorough assessments of their conditions.

1. Labrador Retriever
   Greyhound
2. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
   Akita

The Akita, named for the Akita area of Japan, is well-built for cold, snowy conditions. The town's location ensures challenging winter conditions, but the Akita is right at home in the climate.

1. Sheltie
   Siberian Husky
2. Jack Russell Terrier
   Australian Cattle Dog

The Siberian Husky is made to run ... and run ... and run. Researchers aren't sure why, but this breed of dog is able to run far distances without getting tired or winded. Too bad the same can't be said of us!

1. Doberman
   Rottweiler
2. Boston Terrier
   Afghan Hound

The Doberman's history begins in the tax world, having been bred initially by a tax collector who toted large amounts of cash and was seeking protection. The dog is named for that man — Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann.

1. Bloodhound
   Corgi
2. Saint Bernard
   Bichon Frise

Corgis come in two varieties, Cardigan Welsh and Pembroke Welsh. Welsh legend asserts that these dogs were used by fairies and elves to transport them from place to place. Some believe you can see the tiny markings of a miniature saddle in the print on the dogs' back.

1. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
   Yorkshire Terrier
2. American Staffordshire Terrier
   Jack Russell Terrier

Surprise! King Charles II loved this dog breed so much that he named it after himself. The "Cavalier" part of the dog's name also comes from the royal figure, who was known as the "Cavalier King."

1. Pekingese
   Boston Terrier
2. Pointer
   Havanese

Hailing originally from Havana, the Havanese dog breed nearly went extinct until some Cubans who left during the country's 1959 Cuban revolution smuggled their dogs out with them.

1. Shih Tzu
   Mastiff
2. Basset Hound
   Chow Chow

The Mastiff didn't get left behind when pilgrim John Goodman set sail for the New World. Despite the fact these dogs can amass nearly 200 pounds, the master would not leave his best friend behind.

1. Finnish Spitz
   Affenpinscher
2. Chesapeake Bay Retriever
   Weimaraner

Weimaraners are renowned for their gray coats and uniquely-colored eyes, typically gray or blue, which shift colors as they get older. This breed can have either short or long coats.

1. Papillon
   West Highland White Terrier
2. Norwich Terrier
   Toy Poodle

With it taking six months or more to train these fiercely independent and willful little creatures, you best have a lot of time on your hands ... and a lot of patience to go with it!

1. Saint Bernard
   Rat Terrier
2. Old English Sheepdog
   Samoyed

The Saint Bernard has been depicted in art over the years wearing a barrel around its neck. Used as a rescue dog, Saint Bernards have been known to carry necessities like food and water.

1. Whippet
   Dalmatian
2. Saluki
   Scottish Terrier

Dalmatians are renowned for their spotty coats, a fact well played out in Disney's "101 Dalmatians." Cruella De Vil's quest for a black-and-white spotted coat meant she would stop at nothing!

1. Cairn Terrier
   Wheaten Terrier
2. Scottish Terrier
   Airedale Terrier

The Airedale Terrier differs from the remainder of the terrier population, which are typically small, in that it can grow to be up to two feet tall and weigh in at nearly 60 pounds. Their size has earned them their kingly designation.