breed standards

Is a Bichon Frise a Toy Breed – AKC and RKC Disagree

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A small white curly-coated Bichon Frise standing beside the words explaining that toy is a show group rather than a size class

Ask whether a Bichon Frise is a toy breed and the honest answer is that it depends on which kennel club wrote the list. The American Kennel Club files the Bichon Frise in the Non-Sporting Group. The Royal Kennel Club (formerly The Kennel Club) files the same breed under Toy. Neither registry is wrong, because … Read more

Phalene vs Papillon – What Each Kennel Club Actually Says

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A toy spaniel with erect ears beside one with fully dropped ears

A Phalene is the drop-eared form of the Papillon, and whether that counts as a separate breed depends on which rulebook you open. The American Kennel Club, the United Kennel Club and the Royal Kennel Club register and judge both ear types as one breed. Federation Cynologique Internationale Standard No. 77 splits them into two … Read more

Dachshund Size Classes Are Set by Chest, Not Weight

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A title card stating that chest measurement, not body weight, decides a dachshund size class under FCI Standard No. 148

The FCI sets dachshund size classes by chest measurement in centimetres, while the American Kennel Club and the Royal Kennel Club set them by body weight. That split is why the same dog can register as a miniature in one country and fall outside the class in another. FCI Standard No. 148, published 2021-05-25, names … Read more