Three new dog breeds added to American Kennel Club list

June 15, 2015 8:53 PM

By being added to the list, the trio of rare dog breeds will be eligible to compete in the annual Westminster Dog Show and other prestigious competitions around the country.

Three new dog breeds added to American Kennel Club list

A French farm dog, a miniature herder and a curly-haired truffle hunter have been added to the list of pure-bred canines maintained by the American Kennel Club, the New York-based organization said on Monday.

Among the newcomers is the Berger Picard, a medium-sized, wiry-haired canine hailing from France. The Berger Picard, which belongs to the herding group, is known as an energetic and friendly farm dog, the American Kennel Club (AKC) said.

The Miniature American Shepherd, a small herding dog popular with equestrians and often seen at horse shows, was also added to the list. Like its Australian Shepherd relative, the miniature version can have either brown or blue eyes, or one of each.

Also making the cut was the Italian Lagotto Romagnolo, a medium-sized sporting dog with thick curly hair that is bred to sniff out the valuable truffle mushrooms.

The AKC currently recognizes more than 180 dog breeds.