Not every dog is a house pet – some help the police, some work as guide dogs, while these 10 breeds just want to get moving! Here are the sportiest dogs in the world.

Whether we're talking about dogs specifically bred for sporting purposes, or just pooches that are especially energetic, these breeds are some of the fittest around.

In this dog guide, we'll take a look at our picks for the top 10 sportiest dog breeds in the world.

While many of these sporting dogs are friendly, funny, and full of energy, others can go a bit too far.

Here's what you need to know about these breeds!

While many of these dogs are defined as "sporting" because they are literally bred to participate in various animal sports (most of which surround gambling and are seriously cruel), others are a little different. Many doggos are highly intelligent and therefore capable of learning to complete all sorts of activities.

These 10 dog breeds have been handpicked by us for being some of the strongest and most capable mutts on the market.

Strong and agile, the Labrador retriever is a dog breed that's low-key sporty. With its incredibly intelligent and powerful brain, it's a dog breed ripe and ready for all kinds of obedience competitions, freestyle and trick events, and agility trials. There are no mass spectator sports that involve the Labrador retriever, but that's a good thing.

Beagles are small and athletic creatures that love to play chase, fetch, and other similar games. Few sports are better for the humble beagle than tracking tests, ball games, and anything to do with obedience or tricks. They are adorable, smart, and incredibly keen to please their humans, no matter whether they are being watched by a crowd.

While not a spectator sport, the bloodhound was bred to hunt for deer, rabbits, and wild boars. They have fulfilled this role since they first appeared in the Middle Ages and are largely successful on account of their speed, strength, and most importantly, their strong sense of smell. While not a sport, that latter talent also makes them perfect for use by police and law enforcement to track people via scent.

Due to their history of hunting, the Jack Russell terrier is one of the most energetic and sporty dogs out there. Famous for its ability to enjoy games like fetch, catch, and tug, these little dogs are much stronger and more willful than you'd expect from them when you see them. With short hair and piercing eyes, these wild and wonderful doggos are great pets and make great athletes.

Is there any dog that looks the part better than the pointer, when it comes to a conversation around sports? The pointer is one of the sportiest dogs in the world. Strong, lean, and muscular, these doggos are extremely fast and good runners, have a high degree of agility, and a strong hunting drive.

The humble barbet is a curly-haired fluff ball intent on doing anything that revolves around water. It is a breed designed to retrieve game from swamps and marshes and, as such, the barbet is innately sporty in not only its physical characteristics but its original purpose. Joyful and devoted, these are doggos that will always be happy to do for a swim, play catch, and engage in sports.

The basset hound has one of the dog kingdom's most powerful noses and, as such, is the perfect dog for scent tracking. These short-coated doggos have huge ears and powerful muzzles that are capable of picking up smells and following them all the way to the source. As such, they are featured in a variety of competitive tracking sports and have been used in hunting for many years.

Let's be real – it's kind of in the name! The golden retriever is not only one of the sweetest doggos in the world, but also one of the sportiest. Forever keen to play a game of fetch, to practice agility training, go swimming, and perform obedience tests, these fluffy wonders can be extremely loyal and acquiescent if you train them right.

One of the smartest dogs to have ever walked the planet, the border collie is a sporty wonder that can be taught many tricks. Due to their incredible intelligence, once fully trained, the border collie can be put to work doing nearly anything you want from them. When then combined with their extremely impressive physique, their sportsmanship is nearly unparalleled.

There's no freedom for the greyhound - just small boxes, gun shots, and racetracks rimmed with cheering spectators. Bet on by the masses and expected to perform to their absolute best (or risk being put down), these skinny creatures are fast, muscular, and possibly the sportiest dogs in the world. Still, that doesn't stop them from also being one of the most unethical dog breeds out there.

Sporting dog breeds face many different challenges and, more specifically, abuse at the hands of humans. In many areas of the world, greyhound racing has become highly controversial and something that is being banned, and it's not the only animal sport being outlawed.

But most doggos are sporty because they like to run and exercise, or just simply due to physical traits that give them that extra edge.