Dogs are probably the most common pet for humans. For centuries, they have been man’s best friend. From Labrador to German Shepherd, from Bulldog to Beagle, from Chihuahua to Doberman, we have seen them all and reared them as well as our pets. But there are plenty of dog breeds out there whom you probably have not even heard of. Here’s presenting top 10 dog breeds you’ve never heard of.
10. Lagotto Romagnolo
The last in the list of ten unique dog breeds is from Romagna sub region in Italy – Lagotto Romagnolo. Its name means “lake dog from Romagna”, originating from the Italian word ‘Lago’, meaning lake. Their heights are around 16-19 inches, while their weight is around 24-35 pounds. They are used as water retriever. Among their many favourite hobbies is to dig.
9. Azawakh
A sighthound dog breeds from Africa, Azawakh grabs the number 9 spot in our list. This long limb canine has its origin in Mali. They weigh around 33-55 pounds and their height is around 24-29 inches. Its bone structure shows clearly through its skin. They also come in a variety of colour – red, blue fawn (that is, with a lilac cast), grizzle, and, blue and black. They have a strong dislike for rains and winter. Azawakh often form complex social hierarchies.
8. Catahoula Leopard Dog
Number 8 on our list of 10 dog breeds you are not aware of is Catahoula Leopard Dog. Named after Catahoula Parish, in the state of Louisiana, in the United States, this dog is used in hunting wild boars. They are also known for the assorted patterns all over their body. They weigh around 50-95 pound and their height ranges from 20-26 inches. There are three versions of this dog, namely, Wright Line, Fairrbanks Lie, McMillin Line.
7. Stabyhoun
The next rare dog breeds in the list is Stabyhoun. Its origin is in Netherlands and is considered as a nation Dutch treasure. Stabyhoun weigh around 45-55 pounds and their height is around 20-21 inches. They are known for having high tolerance towards other animals and children. They are used both as soft-mouthed retriever and a pointer. Stabyhoun are also known by the name of Stabji.
6. Catalburun
Number 6 in our list of 10 dog breeds you are not aware of is Catalburun, also known as Double-Nosed Pointers. A gundog, it it is distinguished by other breeds of dog with its unique feature of a split or double nose. It has been seen that this division in its nose enhances its smelling power and thus it has been extensively used as a hunting dog.
See Also; 10 Most Famous Dogs in History.
5. Bedlington Terrier
Bedlington Terrier claims the fifth spot on this list of top 10 unique dog breeds. Originating from England, this canine fellow is named after the mining town of Bedlington, Northumberland in North East England. They come in blue, liver and tan colours. They are good with children, but usually kills any other dog similar to its weight. Bedlington weigh around 17-23 pounds. Their height is around 15.5-16.5 inches. They have high resemblance to lambs and are extremely good swimmer and have incredible endurance.
4. Mudi
A herding dog breeds originating from Hungary, Modi is one of the rarest dog breeds in the world. Weigh between 18-29 pounds and its height is between 15-19 inches. They sport a short tail. They come in a wide range of colours – black, brown, white, yellow, grey, grey-brown, black merle, brown merle, grey merle and grey-brown merle.
3. New Guinea Singing Dog
As the name suggests New Guinea Singing Dog are found in New Guinea. They have been named such for their unique vocalization. A companion dog by nature, they grow up in height up to 12-18 inches and weigh around 20-31 pounds. They can spread their legs sideways to 90°. Their one single howl can lasts for 5 seconds. Five to eight overtones can generally be distinguished in a spectrographic analysis of the howling.
2. Thai Ridgeback
Originating from Thailand, Thai Ridgeback is an ancient landrace of dog. Their height is between 20-24 inches and weigh around 35-60 pounds. Since they are known for their unique symmetrical ridges over the back of their body, these dogs are quite expensive. Eight distinctive ridge patterns have been identified: needle, feather, arrow, lute, violin, bowling pin, leaf, and saddleback.
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1. Norwegian Lundehund
At number 1 in our list of top 10 dog breeds is Norwegian Lundehund. A small dog breeds of the Spitz type originating from Norway. Its name is a compound noun composed of the elements ‘Lunde’, meaning puffin and ‘hund’, meaning dog. They weigh between 13-15 pounds and grow up to 12-16 inches in height. They are mostly known for having six toes per foot. All the toes are all fully formed, jointed and muscled.