Dog Breeds You Might Not Know Are Related

With their impressive size and distinctive mugs, it's not shocking to learn that the Dogue de Bordeaux, Mastiff, Bullmastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff and Tibetan Mastiff are all members of the same clan. In fact, the Tibetan Mastiff is one of the world's oldest breeds and considered to be the progenitor of other Mastiff breeds.

Not all small, fluffy white dogs are closely related, but many of them can claim membership to the Bichon family, including the Havanese, Bichon Frise, Maltese, Coton de Tulear and Bolognese.

Members of the Spitz family, such as the Keeshond, Chow Chow, Norwegian Elkhound, Finnish Spitz and Pomeranian, can often be identified by thick coats and fluffy tails that curl over their backs. Spitz-type dogs date back as far as several thousand years, developing into separate breeds as various tribes bred them to bring out certain qualities, according to the American Kennel Club.

Ever wonder which came first, the Miniature or Standard Schnauzer? The larger version came first, with the Miniature Schnauzer coming into existence when Germans wanted the perfect farm dog in a smaller (and, therefore, less costly to feed) package. The Standard Schnauzer was bred with the Affenpinscher and black Poodles to create an excellent ratter in a smaller package.

With his distinctive corded coat, you might expect the Komondor to be related to the Puli, but it's thought that the breed's actually related to the Caucasian Ovcharka. Though they don't share terribly similar looks at first glance, both have long and impressive histories as flock-guarding dogs.

The Leonberger, a German giant breed dog, became popular in the mid-19th century when creator Heinrich Essig of Leonberg marketed the breed to celebrities and wealthy people of the era. Essig's records are not very detailed, but it's believed that the breed came from longhaired Saint Bernards, a black-and-white (Landseer) Newfoundland and a white Pyrenean Mountain Dog.

No need to call Scooby and the gang—the history of the Great Dane is no mystery. Breeds in his background are believed to include the tall Irish Wolfhound, the enormous Mastiff and the sleek Greyhound.    

You know the funny face of the Brussels Griffon has to have a story, and we've got the scoop. This smart and sensitive breed was created in Belgium about 200 years ago from a blend of the English Toy Spaniel, Pug and a small German Terrier.

Though it's fair to say that many members of the Terrier group share bloodlines, some can be traced quite clearly, as is the case with the Cesky Terrier, a breed created in 1949 in the former Czech Republic by breeding the Scottish Terrier and Sealyham Terrier.