Seven Rare Dog Breeds
1. Cesky Terrier
This terrier breed was created in Czechoslovakia and is one of the rarest breeds in the world. In 1980, these dogs were brought to America and became recognized by the American Kennel Club. They are small breed weighing in between 10 and 25 pounds. They have silky fur that varies in shades of gray to jet black.
2. Finnish Spitz
This dog comes all the way from Finland and is the national dog of this country. It was bred to hunt a wide range of animals, like small rodents such as squirrels, to larger game like elk and bears. In Finland, this dog is still used regularly for hunting. It is a small to medium-sized dog, the standard weight is around 20 to 30 pounds. The coat is fluffy and comes in grey, brown, black, and fawn.
3. Bedlington Terrier
Another terrier that makes the list is the Bedlington Terrier. It’s small like the Cesky, averaging around 20 pounds. Unlike the Cesky’s silky fur, it has a curly coat similar to a poodle. These dogs come from England where they were used in a variety of ways such as hunting vermin in the mines to racing for sport. They are also known for resembling lambs with their curly light-colored coats. However, puppies are born with near black coats that lighten over time.
4. Thai Ridgeback
The Thai Ridgeback is one of three breeds that have a ridge of hair on its back that run in the opposite direction of the rest of its fur. Two other breeds with this unique characteristic are the Phu Quoc Ridgeback and the Rhodesian Ridgeback. This medium-sized dog is around 50 pounds and sports a short coat that comes in solid colors like red, black, fawn, and blue.
5. Karelian Bear Dog
Another dog from Finland is the Karelian Bear Dog. It’s a hunting breed, specializing large game such as moose, bears, and boars. They also make great protection dogs and are territorial. Their coat makes them very recognizable with most of their body being black and the rest white. They weigh between 40 and 50 pounds.
6. Hovawart
This breed is a working dog that excels in search and rescue, as well as guarding. They are suspicious around strangers, but are loyal and loving towards their families. They are a large breed, often reaching over 100 pounds. Their coat is long and comes in three colors: black, blonde, and gold and black.
7. Catahoula Leopard Dog
This is the state dog of Louisiana. As the name would suggest, these dog’s coats are spotted and come in many different colors and textures. White splashes can appear on their chest and paws. They also have striking eyes such as amber, brown, grey, ice blue, and a mix of green and blue. They are a medium to large breed, sometimes reaching a 100 pounds, and were originally bred to hunt wild boars.
