The American Kennel Club started off the new year by officially recognizing two new dog breeds, CNN reported on Friday.
The two new breeds are the barbet, a French water dog, and the dogo Argentino, a hunting dog from Argentina, according to CNN.
“Both are unique, offering dog lovers very different choices,” Gina DiNardo, AKC executive secretary, said in a press release.
The barbet is “a smart, even-tempered dog with a happy, friendly nature,” according to the press release from the AKC. It was originally used to hunt waterfowl, and is “loyal and loves to be near its owners.”
The dogo Argentino is “confident, courageous, loyal and affectionate with their family,” according to the AKC’s release. It was originally raised to hunt larger game, such as boar and mountain lion, and “is not for the inexperienced dog owner.”
“As always, we encourage people to do their research to find the best breed for their lifestyle when looking to add a dog to their home,” DiNardo said in the press release.
The American Kennel Club is the oldest pureblood dog registry in the United States, according to The Associated Press. In order to be recognized by the AKC, there must be at least 300 dogs of a breed in at least 20 states.
Now that they have been recognized by the AKC, the barbet and the dogo Argentino can compete in many breed-judging dog shows, though they will not be eligible to compete at the Westminster Kennel Club show until 2021, according to The Associated Press.