List of Rare Canine Breeds

There are hundreds of different canine breeds, some of which date back to the age of the primal man. As one of the most popular domesticated animals, dogs have earned the title "man's best friend." However, some breeds are rare, and without the intervention of breeders throughout the world, they may eventually go extinct. There are approximately 200 rare breeds.

  1. Toy/Small Companion Breeds

    • Ideal for small homes or apartments, toy and small breeds are less than 22 pounds and shorter than 16 inches. Regardless of their size, most small dog breeds are quite tough and won't back down from a fight. Some rare toy breeds include: Alaskan Klee Kai, a new breed related to the Alaskan and Siberian Husky; Austrian Pinscher, a small terrier used to guard livestock; Biewer, closely related to Yorkshire Terriers; Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, named after King Charles II; Cesky Terrier, quite rare with possibly fewer than 150 left in existence; Coton De Tulear, the "Official Dog of Madagascar"; English Toy Terrier, also known as the Manchester Terrier; Havanese, almost brought to extinction after the French, Cuban and Russian revolutions. Also included in this group are Bolognese, Lowchen, MiKi, Moscow Longhaired Toy Terrier, Norwegian Lundehund, Patterdale Terrier, Russian Toy Terrier, Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, Terrier Brasileriro, Toy Fox Terrier, Tsvetnaya Bolonka, and Xoloitzcuintli (Standard-Toy).

    Rare Hounds and Gun Breeds

    • Hounds are used for a variety of jobs. Sight hounds are typically used by hunters and are very fast, helping to keep prey in sight. Scent hounds are slow, but can follow a scent for miles and are commonly used to track missing persons. Gun dogs are breed to find game and retrieve it, usually birds.

      Rare hound breeds include: Ariégeois; Azawakh, originally bred by nomadic tribes of the Southern Sahara; Basset Artesien Normand, Basset Fauve De Bretagne, and Basset Friffon Vendeen, three of the six original Basset breeds that make up today's standard Basset Hound; Blackmouth Cur, known for its role in the movie "Old Yeller"; Bluetick Coonhound, the Tennessee state dog; Carolina Dog, the first domesticated dog of the Americas; English Coonhound, bred for the rough American climate and terrain; Mountain Cur; New Guinea Singing Dog, typically only seen in zoos around the world; Petit Bleu De Gascogne; Plott Hound, the only American hound without British roots; Redbone Coonhound; Sabuesos Españoles; Schiller Hound; Sloughi, such an old breed it was mentioned in a book written around the 13th century; Transylvanian Hound; Treeing Walker Coonhound, a descendant of the English Foxhound; Tyrolean Hound; Yugoslavian Hound.

      Rare gun hounds are: Blue Picardy Spaniel, Boykin Spaniel, Braque d'Ariège, Braque Bleu d'Auvergne, Braque du Bourbonnais, Braque Dupuy, Braques Français, Deutscher Wachtelhund, Irish Red and White Setter, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Perdigueiro Portugueso, Spinone Italinano, Stabyhoun, Wachtelhund.

    Working Class Dogs

    • Considered to be very intelligent, working class dogs perform a variety of tasks such as guarding property or people, locating drugs or bombs and assisting the disabled. These breeds are typically medium to large and make excellent companions.

      Rare working class canines include: Alapaha Blueblood Bulldog, bred for security and companionship; Argentino Dogo, listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act in 1991; Black Russian Terrier; Boerboel; Canadian Eskimo Dog; Cane Corso, used as an auxiliary warrior in battles; Caucasian Ovcharka, developed from pre-historic molosser breeds; Central Asian Shepherd Dog; Central Asian Ovcharka; German Pinscher, a smaller working class breed, weighing between 25 and 35 pounds fully grown; Hovawart, a very old guard dog, dating back as far as the 1400s; Leonberger, bred to resemble lions and owned by royalty, including Napoleon II and The Prince of Wales; Middle Asian Ovtcharka; Neapolitan Mastiff, bred for war and Roman arena spectacles; Olde English Bulldogge, a cross of half English Bulldog and half Bullmastiff, Pit Bull, and American Bulldog; Spanish Mastiff; Tibetan Mastiff, the grandfather of all mastiffs dating back as early as 1100 B.C.; Tosa Inu, a Japanese breed used in dog fighting.

    Additional Rare Breeds

    • Aidi, Akbash, American Pit Bull Terrier, Anatolian Shepherd, Anglo-Français, Appenzeller Mountain Dog, Australian Kelpie, Batard, Beauceron, Belgian Laekenois, Bergamasco, Berger De Picard, Bleus de Gascogne, Bracco Italiano, Braque Saint-Germain, Briquet Griffon Vendeen, Bruno De Jura, Cao da Serra De Aires, Cão de Castro Laboreiro, Cao de Fila Miguel, Canaan Dog, Catahoula Leopard Dog, Catalonian Sheepdog, Chart Polski, Chinese Foo Dog, Chinook, Cirneco dell'Etna, Danish Broholmer, Dingo, Dogue De Bordeaux, Drentse Partridge Dog, Drever, Dutch Shepherd, English Shepherd, Entlebucher Sennenhund, Estrela Mountain Dog, Eurasier, Fauve De Bretagne, Fila Brasileiro, Finnish Lapphund, French Spaniel, Galgo Español (Spanish Greyhound), German Spitz, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Grand-Anglo Francais Greenland, Griffon Nivernais, G Basset Griffon Verdeen, G Basset Bleu Gascogne, Hamilton Hound, Hanoverian Schweisshund, Hellenic Hound, Hokkaido Ken, Holland Shepherd, Iceland Sheepdog, Jadgterrier, Japanese Spitz, Jämthund, Jindo, Kai Dog, Kangal Dog, Karelian Bear Dog, Karelo-Finnish Laika, Karst Shepherd (Krasky Ovcar), King Shepherd, Kishu, Kirhiz, Kooikerhondje, Kyi-Leo, Lagotto Romagnolo, Magyar Agar, Maremma Abbruzze, Miniature Australian Shepherd, Min-Pei, Mudi, Munsterlander -- Small, Munsterlander -- Large, Norrbottenspets, North American Miniature Australian Shepherd, Norwegian Buhund, Ogar Polski, Old Danish Pointer, Owczarek Podhalanski, Perro De Agua Español, Peruvian Inca Orchid, Picardy Shepherd, Picardy Spaniel, Podengo Canario, Podengo Pequeno, Poievin, Polish Tatra Sheepdog, Polski Owczarek Nizinny, Porcelaine Portuguese Wirehaired Podengo Medio, Pressa Mallorquin, Presa Canario, Pumi, Pyrenean Mastiff, Pyrenean Shepherd, Rastreador Brasileiro, Rat Terrier, Redtick Coonhound, Russian European Liaka, Sarplaninac, Segugio Italiano, Shiloh Shepherd, Slovensky Cuvac, Slovakian Hound, South African Boerboel, South Russian Steppe Hound, South Russian Ovtcharka, Spanish Waterdog, Styrian Mountain, Swedish Vallhund, Telomian, Tennessee Treeing Brindle, Thai Bangkaew, Thai Ridgeback, Tibetan Kyi-Apso, Volpino, Verelade, White Shepherd/White German Shepherd, Wirehair Styrian Mountain.