Dog

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Terminology for dogs

Dog, in common usage, refers to the domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris (originally classified as Canis familiaris by Linnaeus in 1758, but reclassified as a subspecies of the wolf, Canis lupus, by the Smithsonian Institution and the American Society of Mammalogists in 1993). The word is sometimes used to refer collectively to any mammal belonging to the family Canidae (as in "the dog family"), such as wolves, foxes and coyotes.

Related Topics:
Linnaeus - 1758 - Wolf - Smithsonian Institution - American Society of Mammalogists - 1993 - Mammal - Canidae - Foxes - Coyotes

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Dog is also a term used by breeders to specifically denote a male domestic dog. The female is known as a bitch. A group of dogs is called a pack. A young dog or dog that is not yet fully grown is called a puppy. The words pooch and poochie are generic, generally affectionate terms for a dog, as is doggy (sometimes doggie), often used by children. Many additional terms are used for dogs that are not purebred; see Terms for mixed-breed dogs. Toy dogs are so called because of their small size; similarly for Lap dogs, with the additional connotation of an affectionate attachment between human and dog.

Related Topics:
Male - Female - Bitch - Terms for mixed-breed dogs

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