The Westminster Six: The Newest Dog Breeds of 2011

This week's dog appreciation series can't be complete without welcoming the newest breeds introduced during the 135th Westminster Dog Show held last February 14-15, 2011 in New York City.

If you missed the show two months ago, you can find some of the highlights over at Boston.com's Big Picture. 

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was first held in 1877 and is considered to be the second longest continuously held sporting event in the US, the Kentucky Derby being the first.

Entry into the Show is governed by the American Kennel Club, and is based on exacting criteria including a certain population level in the country, geographic distribution and the existence of a parent club to watch over their breed. With these six new additions, a total of 179 breeds were represented at this year's Show. 

These photographs were taken by Juliana Sohn and are more evocative than objective, but they give you an enigmatic and awe-inspiring feeling that you just can't find in the usual pictures on the Internet today.  The beautiful portraits are truly a testament of the skill of Ms. Sohn, as well as the training evident in these dogs and their handlers.

Of course, these images wouldn't be complete without a little description of these fine four-legged subjects, so continue reading below to get an idea of what these new breeds are like.

The Bluetick Coonhound pictured above is an athletic and compact hound. The breed is a tracker, hunting down raccoon and other small game. Its name comes from the dark blue speckled or tickling pattern on its body.

The Boykin Spaniel belongs to sporting group. This compact all-around hunter was developed in the early part of the 20th century for retrieving waterfowl. As such, it is known for being a steady dog that doesn't rock the boat, so to speak. It is now the official state dog of South Carolina.

The Cane Corso is an old Italian breed, but was only introduced into the United States in the late 1980s. It belongs to the working group and was bred to protect livestock on farm properties. That heritage is evident in its name which can be translated from its Latin origins as guardian or protector. Despite its powerful build, it is very friendly among family and friends.

The Icelandic Sheepdog is a popular breed in its native country. This herder is a lively and friendly dog, known to greet and play with strangers. Any other description you find online will include the words alert, inquisitive, cheerful, enthusiastic and the like. Definitely a boon for anyone who comes home from a long and tiring day.

Another entry into the working group is the Leonberger. A large and impressive looking breed, they are surprisingly quite graceful. The males can be easily identified by their lion-like mane, possibly giving rise to their name. They were first kept as watchdogs on farms in Germany and are now known to be good family dogs.

Rounding off the list is the Redbone Coonhound. Another versatile hunter, the breed was developed to handle small and big game as well as possess a beautiful mahogany-like coat. It has been known to chase larger mammals such as mountain lions and bears.

All of these striking portraits were taken by Ms. Sohn for Time magazine during the 135th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. You can find the original photographs of these six new breeds over at the Time website.