Get ready because there are new dogs in the neighborhood.
The American Kennel Club has added the Mudi and Russian Toy to its registry of purebred dogs. This allows breeds to compete in the Herding Group and Toy Group in competitions and brings the number of dog breeds recognized by the organization to 199.
“We are thrilled to have two unique breeds join the registry,” said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. said in a press release. “As always, we encourage people to do their research to find the right breed for their lifestyle.”
Joining the Herding group, the Mudi is an all-around, medium-sized, versatile farm dog, according to the club. They are playful and affectionate and can be a loyal family dog. In addition to their friendly demeanor, they require very little grooming aside from occasional bathing and brushing.
A sleek, smaller dog with roots in Russian aristocracy, the Russian Toy is lively, active and cheerful, according to the club. An addition to the toy group, the Russian Toy loves human company, but can seem shy or hesitant around people outside of its family. While joining the list at the same time as the Mudi, they are quite different as their grooming needs reflect this. The Russian toy needs a lot more attention with a minimum of weekly brushing.
Although these dogs are only added to the registry now, they have been around for a while and have their own history. Due to recent interest and following from owners of these breeds, they have been added to the growing list this year.