Top 10 Rarest Dog Breeds in the World

What is the most popular dog breed that can be found almost everywhere around the world in abundance? Without any doubt, it’s a Labrador Retriever as per the numbers and charts.

Many other breeds are said to be among the top breeds such as Golden Retriever, Rottweiler, Poodle, French Bulldog, German Shepherd, Pug, and several others.

But what are the rarest dog breeds? Well, as per our research, there are a number of rare dog breeds that can hardly be found outside their origin countries. Many of them are on the verge of extinction because of less breeding or other domestic issues.

So, today, in this list, we are going to feature the 10 rarest dog breeds and we are sure you may have not heard about at least one of them before.

10 Rarest Dog Breeds in the world

Azawakh

Image credit: Franco Vannini via Flickr

Originating from West Africa, Azawakh is a sighthound that is used as a hunting dog in African countries. This energetic breed has lots of power and it can run for hours. Although the Azawakh has been an officially recognized breed by the AKC since 2011, it is not much popular outside its origin region. Azawakh can rarely be found in the US, Canada, and European countries.

Mudi

Image credit: ccho via Flickr

Mudi is a Hungarian breed along with 2 other rarest and weirdest breeds; Puli and Komondor. Mudi is a working dog and is used for herding purposes. It is a high-energy breed that is not suitable for inexperienced owners. Apart from the fact that Mudi has an exceptional temperament, it is not usually found outside Hungary.

The Mudi dog has recently made it into the recognized dog breeds by AKC as they announced the recognition of Mudi with AKC.

Ovcharka

Image credit: RebaSpike via Flickr

Also known as the Caucasian Shepherd Dog, Ovcharka is a guardian breed from the mountains of the Caucasus. The Ovcharka is a fearless and confident but low-activity breed. They are commonly bred in their place of origin but are hardly found outside their region. They are excellent guard dogs which is why they are currently being used as prison guard dogs in Russia.

Double-nosed Andean Tiger Hound

Wikimedia Commons

Now, this is an interestingly weird dog breed having a split nose which sometimes looks like a double nose. Their nostrils are clearly divided and have a significant distance between them that can be noticed easily. They are among the rarest breeds not only around the world but also in their origin country. Some of these hounds can be found in Bolivia.

Russian Toy

image credit: Jonathan_Nelson via Flickr

The Russian Toy went almost extinct twice in the 1920s and 1990s respectively but fortunately, it was able to make it again. It is a small-sized terrier that was bred from the English Toy Terrier in Russia. No one knew about this cheerful dog breed outside Russia until the 1990s. The Russian Toy dog has a close resemblance to the Prague Ratter and Chihuahua; both are among the smallest dog breeds in the world. In a recent announcement, AKC recognized Russian Toy Dog.

Saluki

Image credit: M.P.N.texan via Flickr

With no more than 2000 dogs in the US, Saluki is another rare dog breed that is not much common outside its origin; the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East. It is classified as a hound and is equally popular in the Gulf and the 2 European countries; Germany and Britain. Saluki is said to be one of the fastest dog breeds and they can reach a speed of around 68 km/h.

Xoloitzcuintli

Image credit: Petful.com via Flickr

Xoloitzcuintli or the Mexican Hairless Dog is not only the rarest dog breed but also among the oldest breeds that date back to over 3500 years ago, and interestingly, they just got fame in the 1950s. Currently, they are considered the cultural heritage and symbol of Mexico City. They were on the verge of extinction in the late 1940s but thanks to FCI as they made efforts to save this breed.

Brussels Griffon

Image credit: ccho via Flickr

The Brussels Griffon is a toy dog breed that originated in the city of Brussels, Belgium in the 1800s. The Brussels Griffon is a sensitive dog that has a big heart. Despite the fact that it is one of the rarest dog breeds, the Brussels Griffon dogs have been featured in many films such as Sweet November and Teaching Mrs. Tingle.

Karelian Bear Dog

Image is taken from Wikimedia Commons

The Karelian Bear Dog is a Spitz type of dog that originated in Finland in the 1940s. It was originally bred as a dog to bark at the big game but was also used as a hunting dog. As it was bred to be a game dog, it is aggressive by nature. It is currently being used at several places for bear control. As it can hardly be kept as a pet at home, it is not much popular; therefore, it is said to be among the rare breeds. Interestingly, the Karelian Bear Dog is one of the top 10 dog breeds in Finland.

New Guinea Singing Dog

Image credit: Just chaos via Flickr

Also known as the New Guinea Highland Dog, this dog has a unique vocalization. It is most probably the rarest dog breed and not much information is available about this dog. They can’t easily be domesticated as they tend to escape to the wild. They are said to be among the endangered dog breeds and are kept in Zoos in the US and UK. Apart from that some of these furbabies roam around in the villages in New Guinea.

Wrapping it Up:

So, these were the 10 rarest dog breeds in the world and we believe there are many others. Is there any breed(s) on this list that you haven’t heard about before today? Do you think there is another breed that should be on this list? Ping us through the comment form below.

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