The American Kennel Club has an 8 Group System. This is a system shared with many other non-Fédération Cynologique Internationale Kennel Clubs, however it adds an extra group. All of these groups but one have breeds with a common original purpose in.
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8 Group System
The American Kennel Club's 8 Group System is shared with many other non-FCI members, but with one extra group. They all contain dogs that were bred for a specific purpose. These groups are a less broken down than the FCI. This is the hierarchy:
Example Breed: Norwegian Buhund
Groups
The American Kennel Club Groups are as follows:
- Hound Group
- Terrier Group
- Working Group
- Herding Group
- Sporting Group
- Non-Sporting Group
- Toy Group
- Miscellaneous Class
Realignment
In October 2007, the AKC Board of Directors formed a committee to look at possibly expanding it groups to better serve the sport. An initial proposal by the realignment committee was made in 2009 for the March 2010 Delegate Meeting but was sent back to the Board by the committee before a vote was made on it. The Board then reformed the committee to study a new proposal based on new information. On November 14, 2011, the Board accepted a new proposal to be sent to the delegates for a vote in March 2012. Among the proposed changes are a split of the Sporting and Hound groups into two separate groups and the working into three separate groups.