What motivates your crossbreed dog?

Crossbreed dogs have risen in popularity over recent years, from Poodle crossbreeds like Labradoodles, Goldendoodles and Schnoodles to Spaniel crossbreeds like Cockerpoos, Cavachons and Sprocker Spaniels!

The combinations of breed mixes are enormous, so we thought we’d put together a breed group guide to help you understand your crossbreed, whatever wonderful mix they are. 

Simply find your dog’s two breed types, and discover what is likely to motivate your dog so you can power up your training and playtime together! 

Let's look at the 7 dog breed groups

Gundog breeds

Some gundog breeds for you: Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel, Vizla, Weirmeiraner, Pointers

So, what were Gundogs bred for? 

Gundogs were bred to find, flush out and retrieve game. This means they often love playing sniffing games or a good game of fetch!

Hound breeds 

Some Hound breeds for you: Whippets, Greyhounds, Saluki, Dachshunds, Beagles,  Basset Hounds

So, what were Hounds bred for? 

Hounds were bred for their sight or scentwork abilities. Sighthounds were bred to spot, hunt and chase, while Scenthounds were bred to use their noses to hunt out their prey. 

Learn more about the power of sniffing for dogs here.

Discover 5 tips for tapping into your dog’s natural desire to chase here.

Pastoral breeds 

Some Pastoral breeds for you: Collies, German Shepherds, Corgis, Sheepdogs, Australian Shepherds, Australian Cattle Dogs

So what were Pastoral breeds bred for?

They were generally bred for herding and working with livestock, which can lead to them enjoying herding and controlling movement! 

Discover how your dog’s prey drive can power up your play. 

Terrier breeds

Some Terrier breeds for you: Staffies, Border Terriers, Bull Terriers, Jack Russells, Border Terriers, Fox Terriers, Airedales, Bedlingtons

So, what were Terriers bred for?

Terriers were generally bred for hunting vermin, although the bull terriers and Staffies were originally bred for bull-baiting. These breeds love a game of tug, but you may find you want to choose a durable tug toy, so they’re not quickly destroyed! Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Utility breeds

Some Utility breeds for you: Poodles, Dalmations, Schnauzers, French Bulldogs, Akitas, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs

So, what were Utility breeds bred for?

Utility breeds were bred for jobs as diverse as the mix of dogs included in the breed group. 

Poodles, for example, were bred for hunting and retrieving ducks and water birds, so they often like water! English and French Bulldogs were bred as companion dogs, so they enjoy spending time with their humans. And Dalmatians were bred to hunt and guard. 

Discover our best dog training toys for Poodles,  French Bulldogs and Doodles.

Toy breeds

Some Toy breeds for you: Bichon Frise, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Chihuahua, Pug, Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier

Toy breeds were mostly bred to be wonderful companion dogs. That means they love spending time with their humans…. And what better to do together but play?! 

Learn more about the human-dog bond here. 

Discover our best dog training toys for small dogs

Working breeds

Some Working breeds for you: Boxers, Dobermans, Newfoundlands, Mastiffs, Malamutes

The working breed group were generally bred for guarding, search and rescue or hunting. They tend to be big dogs with a lot of strength who thrive on being given a job to do!

Discover our best dog training toys for strong working breeds

At Tug-E-Nuff, we specialise in making awesome dog training toys for all breeds of dog. Every dog and their human benefits from the power of interactive play. 

We hope this blog has helped you discover what style of play might motivate your crossbreed best.

Find all our top breed toy picks here.