Dog breeds have been around forever, but most of the breeds we know were the result of an explosion of dog breeding in the 1800s. Ancient breeds of dog included the molossus, a Roman breed of war dog, now extinct. Today, breeds beget new breeds. For example, the cockapoo may indeed be a brilliant new innovation, but to find the genesis of hybrid dog breeds, look no further than the golden retriever, which was bred from other breeds of gun dogs, thought to include at least some of the following breeds: Labradors, spaniels, Newfoundlands, setters and Russian trackers. Given their popularity, golden retrievers may be the most popular crossbreed.

Go back far enough and all dogs are crosses between other kinds of dogs. Some dogs acquired their distinctive shapes or looks only recently, due to deliberate human intervention or crossbreeding with a similar breed. Sometimes this was done on purpose, to emphasize a specific characteristic. At other times, it was done to broaden the gene pool of a breed that numbered too few individuals to stay healthy without fresh genetic material.

Of course, our love for our dogs goes beyond breeds. We love them because of our personal associations with them, or with something deeper, a proto-soul that touches us on an emotional level. This deeper connection we have with our canine companions is something almost spiritual, which, since the qualities of our personalities can be weighed and measured, can be drawn out and illustrated. Take this personality quiz and we will guess your favorite dog breed!