Also Known As... Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bobtail

The Old English sheepdog is a large dog with a shaggy coat. Originally bred in southern England as a drover to help farmers drive their cattle and sheep to the market, it is quite happy today as a companion and family pet.

It was also known as an English shepherd dog and the bobtailed sheepdog because the breed traditionally had their tails docked. This has now just been shortened to 'bobtail'.

Answer: Monkey Terrier

Affenpinschers were bred in Germany, in the 17th century, as rat catchers. Their small size made them perfect for getting into small spaces in the stables to capture the rodents.

From there they came into the homes to perform the same duty and stayed and became loyal family pets. The name is German for 'monkey terrier' as the puppies' faces have a strong resemblance to a monkey.

Answer: Little Lion Dog

The Lowchen is a small, lively, toy breed that has a distinctive mane which is where it derived its name - lowchen meaning 'little lion' in German. They are now also closely clipped around the hindquarters to enhance this look. The rest of the coat is long and wavy in shades of black, white, lemon and/or chocolate.

Lowchens were bred as pets and companions for European royalty and nobility and in 1973 there were only 65 of them registered. This has since been improved by deliberate breeding programs but it is still considered a rare breed.

Answer: The Apollo of Dogs

The Great Danes are a giant working breed descended from the boarhounds owned by the German nobility in the middle-ages. They were used to hunt bears, boar and deer and used as guardians. Today they are more than happy to be a (very large) lapdog requiring little exercise.

As one of the largest dogs, second only to the Irish Wolfhound, they definitely earn their nickname. They are also known as the 'Heartbreak' breed because they are prone to a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy which leaves the heart unable to pump blood around its body.

Answer: Congo Dog

Basenjis were bred as African hunting dogs and were originally known as Congo dogs. The word 'basenji' itself just means 'dog of the bush'. They are an ancient breed and are a triple threat in that they are able to point, retrieve and drive their prey into a net.

They are best known as being the 'barkless' dog but they are able to make a variety of other sounds. They are also distinctive as the only breed that has only one reproductive cycle per year.

Answer: Butterfly Dog

The papillon was originally called the toy spaniel and is known to have been around since at least the 16th century. It was another favourite with the nobility and appeared in paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt, Goya and Toulouse-Lautrec. Marie Antoinette apparently owned one named Thisbe who is rumoured to have sat outside her prison cell while she awaited execution.

They owe their name to their distinctive ears - standing upright and covered in long feathered hair that cascades around their face like butterfly wings. There is a less common version where they are born with pendant ears and are called 'phalene' meaning 'moth'.

Answer: Brushwood Dog

The Shiba Inu is the smallest of Japans six native breeds of dog. They are a small to medium hunting dog originally bred to flush birds and small game which is where they get their sportier nickname from.

Dating back to the 3rd century BC they nearly became extinct in the 20th century and are another dog that needed an extensive planned breeding program for its breed to survive.

Answer: American Gentleman

Boston terriers were developed in America in the late 19th century. They are a cross between the English bulldog and the (now extinct) English white terrier. It was originally named the roundhead, Boston bull, Boston bull terrier and the boxwood.

They have a distinctive tuxedo coat pattern which is what leads to their more common nickname. This can be in traditional black and white or brindle or seal.

Answer: Wolf Spitz

The Keeshond was originally a companion, mouse hunter and guard dog on Dutch ships sailing through manmade waterways. They were known commonly as the Dutch barge dog.

They then became the symbol for the Dutch Patriots party whose leader was named Cornelius with the nickname 'Kees' and they became known as the Keeshond.

They are part of the spitz group - a group with long, thick fur, pointed ears and muzzles and a tail that usually curls over the dog's back. As a large spitz they bear a resemblance to the wolf.

Answer: The Bark Lion Sentinel Dog

The Lhasa apso is a small dog breed from Tibet with a curled feathery tail and long, flowing hair that obscures the eyes and touches the ground. There are many accepted colour schemes, including black and tan, cream, golden, white and red.

The dogs have been around for over a thousand years as guard dogs at the palaces and monasteries up high in the mountains. They were originally named abso seng kye, which translates to 'the bark lion sentinel dog' and are associated with the Tibetan mythical snow lion which is said to protect the country.

Answer: Mexican Hairless

The Xoloitzcuintli are a Mexican dog domesticated by the Aztecs. Their names comes from "Xolotl," which means the god of fire, lightning and death and "itzcuintli," meaning dog.

Their name is fairly obvious as they were originally a hairless breed although there are now some coated varieties. Available in three sizes - toy, miniature and standard - they are devoted family pets.

Answer: The Little Captain

The schipperke is a small breed of dog that is believed to have originated in the 17th century in Flanders. There has been a long informal debate over whether it is a spitz or a miniature sheepdog. In Belgium they are considered a small shepherd in the non-sporting group.

They are also called Belgium barge dogs as they began as rodent hunters on barges and ships in Brussels which is where they gained the name 'The Little Captain'.

Answer: African Lion Hound

There's no question on the Rhodesian ridgeback's classification as it is a large hound renowned for its skill in tracking, baling and baying but never killing lions. It originated from crossing the imported Dutch Boers and other hunting breeds with the African khoikhoi dog.

With their distinctive ridge of backward growing hair on its spine it only comes in a wheaten colour but there are many different shades from pale to nearly red.

Answer: The Grey Ghost

The Weimaraner is a medium sized sporting dog that originated in 19th century Germany. They were originally used to hunt large game such as boar, deer and bears. After these animals started to decline, they were put to work hunting smaller game such as hares and waterfowl.

The breed was created by crossing bloodhounds with several different types of German and French hunting dogs which evolved into this large sleek one coloured dog of either silver or grey.

Answer: Chrysanthemum Dog

The shih tzu is an ancient Tibetan breed dating back a thousand years and it is thought to have developed from the Lhaso apso and the Pekingese. With a long double coat it was used by the Chinese Royals to keep their feet warm in bed.

The tangled mass of hair growing upwards makes its face look like a chrysanthemum from which the name is derived. Introduced to England in 1928, it has since become one of the most popular toy dogs.