Two new dog breeds recognized by American Kennel Club

The American Kennel Club (AKC) announced recently that the dog breeds Nederlandse Kooikerhondje and Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen (GBGV) received full recognition, bringing the total number of AKC-recognized breeds to 192.  

The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje (photo courtesy of the American Kennel Club)

According to an AKC release, the Nederlandse Kooikerhondje (pronounced Netherlands-e Coy-ker-hond-tsje) is a spaniel-type dog that originated hundreds of years ago in Europe as a duck hunter. They are energetic, friendly and alert dogs that have a moderate activity level and are in need of regular mental and physical activity to be happy. To keep them free of tangles, their medium-length coat requires weekly brushing.

As for the Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen (GBGV, pronounced Grahnd Bah-SAY Grif-FON Vahn-DAY-ahn), this breed belongs more in the hound group. These dogs were bred as rabbit and hare hunters in France, the release states, and come with a lot of stamina and speed. This is a laid-back, intelligent, friendly breed that gets along well with other dogs. GBGVs are also courageous and passionate, with a high activity level-which means they need vigorous exercise. The GBGV's coat is rough and straight and needs weekly brushing to prevent matting.

The Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen (Shutterstock.com)

Both breeds are said to make great companions. “We're excited to welcome these two breeds into the AKC family,” says Gina DiNardo, AKC's executive secretary, in the release. “These are two very different dogs-a duck hunter and a scent hound-and they make wonderful companions for a variety of people.”

Both breeds became eligible to compete in their respective groups on Jan. 1. To become an AKC-recognized breed, there must be a minimum number of dogs geographically distributed throughout the United States, the release states. Along with this, there must be an established breed club of responsible owners and breeders.