Rare Dog Breeds

Rare Dog Breeds
(Uncommon Dog Breeds)

Akbash dog
Photo by Levent Sadık Küçükdaban

This page includes breeds that are either extremely rare in absolute population numbers or dog breeds that may be relatively common in a certain region of the world, but still considered rare in the rest of the world.

Experimental dog breeds, as well as new or re-created dog breeds may be rare as well, but have been grouped on a separate page: New dog breeds >>

Note that rare dog breeds are not necessarily unusual. 'Rare' only refers to their geographical distribution and/or formal recognition. Instead, unusual dog breeds are characterized by some untypical, distinctive feature or extraordinary origin.

Czechoslavakian wolfdog
Photo by Elena Rizzo

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CanineInformationLibrary.com and caninebreeds.bulldoginformation.com

Puli
Photo: Tero Miettinen

For a complete list of rare dog breeds, see below:

Aidi
Akbash (and other Turkish breeds)
Alangu Mastiff
Alapaha blue blood bulldog
American Hairless Terrier
American Treeing Coonhounds
American Staghound
Arubian Cunucu Dog
Azawakh
Bakharwal Dog
Banter Bulldogge
Basenji
Beauceron
Belgian Laekenois

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The Canine Information Library 2003-2009 © All rights reserved by CanineInformationLibrary.com and Caninebreeds.bulldoginformation.com.
Original idea, design and development by C. Marien-de Luca. Photos of upper right corner (from left to right) Husky pup and European wolf cub by Eric Isselée. Catalan sheepdogs photo by Global Photographers. No part of Bulldoginformation.com and Canininformationlibrary.com may be copied, distributed, printed or reproduced on another website without the owner's written permission.

Taigan dog
Photo: Natalia Sinjushina

Catahoula leopard dog
"Whiterock's Cali"
Photo by Deborah Cheramie

Catalan Sheepdog
Chong Qing Dog (and other Chinese dog breeds).
Cirneco dell'Etna
Cretan Greyhound
Czechoslavakian wolfdog
Danish Farmdog (Danish Chicken dog)
Dingo
Dorset Olde Tyme Bulldogge
Dutch Shepherd
Ecuadorian Hairless Dog
Fila Brasileiro
Galgo Español
Hokkaido inu
Kaikadi dog
Kai inu (and other Japanese dogs)

Catalan sheepdogs black and grizzle

Kintamani dog
Photo: Ira Kurnia Santoso

The Uncommon Dog Breeds (Hardcover)
by Kathryn Braund
The book was written in 1975, so understandably not all dog breeds that were considered rare at that time still are so today, but nevertheless this is a great reference book on the topic. Includes the following breeds: Akita, American Treeing Coonhounds, Anatolian Shepherd dog, Australian Cattle dog, Australian Kelpie, Australian Shepherd, Bearded Colie, Bichon Frise, Border Collie, Canaan dog, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Finnish Spitz, Greater Swiss Mountain dog, Hairless breeds, Ibizan hound, Miniature Bull Terrier, Pharaoh Hound, Portugeses Water dog, Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Tibetan Terrier, Toy Fox Terrier
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