• I am a breed in the Working group; their history possibly going back as far as 700 b.c.

• I was rediscovered in Italy in the 1940′s. I am a heavy-boned, massive, awe inspiring dog bred for use as a guard and defender of owner and property. I am characterized by loose skin, over my entire body, abundant, hanging wrinkles and folds on the head and a voluminous dewlap.

• My essence is my bestial appearance, astounding head and imposing size and attitude. Due to my massive structure, my characteristic movement is rolling and lumbering, not elegant or showy.

Correct Answer: Neapolitan Mastiff

• I am a breed in the Hound group; an American breed eligible for registration in the American Kennel Club in 2009 and for competition in 2010.

• I am a speedy and compact nocturnal hunter named for the mottled (or ‘ticked’) black-and-blue pattern of my glossy coat. I am well-muscled but sleek and racy, never chunky or clumsy.

• My baying, bawling, and chopping bark is music of the night to coon hunters. We crave affection and are deeply devoted to those who provide it; we have tremendous prey drive.

Correct Answer: Bluetick Coonhound

• I am a breed in the Sporting group; my name refers to ‘pino,’ the thorny undergrowth found in Italy’s Piedmont region. It was there that my all-weather, all-purpose breed was first bred to work alongside human huntsmen on the hilly terrain of Alpine Italy.

• I am a squarely and solidly built all-around hunter – muscular and powerful, built more for endurance than speed. My dense coat has a natural, unclippered look and comes in various colors and patterns. My face conveys the breed’s abundant Old World charm; I have soft sweetly expressive eyes set off by shaggy eyebrows and a tufted beard.

•  I am sociable, docile, and patient, sometimes stubborn but always endearing. My strengths as hunter’s companions include intelligence, a great nose, soft mouth, the ability to retrieve on land or lake, and the stamina to work all day and eagerly ask for more.

Correct Answer: Spinone Italiano

• I am a breed in the Herding group; a breed recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2015.

• I am a medium-sized dog slightly longer than tall of rustic appearance with an abundant coat covering all parts of my body. I have hair of three different textures that form naturally occurring loose mats, or ‘flocks’ (strands of hair woven together, creating flat layers of felted hair), covering the body and legs. The flocks offer protection from the fierce cold and wild predators of the Italian Alps – my ancestral homeland.

• I am bright, loyal, loving, and trainable with a dash of mountain-dog independence. I watch over loved ones with a serene vigilance – wary of strangers until properly introduced.

Correct Answer: Bergamasco

• I am a breed in the Non-Sporting group; an ancient Chinese breed dating back more than 2,000 years to the Han Dynasty.

• I am a compact, medium-sized dog – a broad ‘hippopotamus’ muzzle; a blue-black tongue; small, sunken eyes with a scowling expression; tiny triangular ears; abundant folds of loose skin about the head, neck, and shoulders. My tapered high-set tail is blanketed by a harsh, sandpapery coat.

• I am a strong, regal, independent guardians famous for intelligence and loyalty. They are suspicious of strangers and other dogs. I am a serene dog but they will meet a perceived threat with tenacity and vigor.

Correct Answer: Chinese Shar-Pei

• I am a breed in the Toy group; direct translation is “lion dog.”

• I am a sturdy, lively, alert toy dog with long flowing double coat. I have a distinctively arrogant carriage with head well up and tail curved over the back. I must be compact, solid, carrying good weight and substance.

• My head is round, broad, wide between eyes, in balance with my overall size being neither too large nor too small. My expression is warm, sweet, wide-eyed, friendly and trusting. My eyes are large, round, not prominent, placed well apart, looking straight ahead. Very dark. My sole purpose is that of a companion and house pet; it is essential that my temperament be outgoing, happy, affectionate, friendly and trusting towards all.

Correct Answer: Shih Tzu

• I am a breed in the Terrier group; originated in England and accepted by the American Kennel Club in 1991.

• I am strongly built, symmetrical and active, with a keen, determined and intelligent expression. I am active, fearless, and endlessly entertaining – 10 to 14 inches in height.

• I give the appearance of being square. My full face should be oval in outline and be filled completely up, giving the impression of fullness with a surface devoid or hollows or indentations, i.e., egg shaped. My head profile should curve gently downwards from the top of the skull to the tip of the nose.

• I am a breed in the Working group; an ancient guardian dog.

• I can stand 26 inches at the shoulder and weigh well over 100 pounds. It’s impossible to discuss my breed without leaning on words like ‘powerful,’ ‘muscular,’ massive,’ and ‘substantial.’ I am quite light-footed and will meet a perceived threat with surprising agility.

• My broad head, with its high-set, V-shaped ears and expressive brown eyes, projects a noble, sagacious expression. I am a densely coated giant that is mellow and calm around the house, sweetly devoted to family, and aloof and territorial with strangers.