From ancient royal breeds to wolf dogs here are 11 of the rarest breeds on earth.
1). Thai Ridgeback:
The Thai Ridgeback originating from Thailand the Thai Ridgeback came to the United States in 1994 only about a thousand of them exist outside of Thailand and only about a hundred are in the US the ridgeback was originally bred as the guard dog and hunter in Thailand they are prized for their loyalty their name comes from the ridge of fur that grows in the opposite direction down their backs they are one of only three breeds with this feature their lack of popularity outside of Thailand may come from their ferociously protective and territorial nature.
They don't get along well with other dogs than this properly trained they can also be intimidating because of their muscular build their warm home climate means they don't do well in cold weather much like the aza walk the first record of the Thai Ridgeback was more than 350 years ago in Thailand but enthusiasts believe the breed is far older one.
2). Mudi:
The Mudi closely related to the Puli the Moody is a Hungarian herding dog with long corded coat the moody's coat is also thick and curly but nowhere near as corded as the Puli the seperation of moody from Puli occurred in the 1930s a shepherding was mostly replaced by farming in fact although the Moody is quite rare its popularity is rising while the puh-leeze numbers are dwindling the. Moody have a strong herding instinct and a high energy level they love outdoor activity and wide open spaces, their origins are not known as they were discovered as a breed in the 1930s. At that time they were known in Hungary as the driver dog possible to moody descents from a cross between Spitz dogs and herding dogs the breed nearly disappeared when many were killed in World War two the breed was rebuilt from the survivors.
3). Catahoula Leopard dog:
Mikado hula Leopard dog the Catahoula Leopard dog is a striking multicolored dog that originated in the United States specifically Louisiana its name comes from the Catahoula parish in Louisiana where it was first spread the Catahoula was created to deal with the problem of wild hogs over running the state they are also called Catahoula hog dogs and Catahoula occurs theories vary on the origins but many say locals bred their herding dogs with dogs belonging to local. This allows the dogs to run through the soggy and boggy Louisiana bayous and marshlands in 1979 the breed was named the state dog of Louisiana and was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1995 there Louisiana origins and obscurity makes them a rare breed however in Canada they are gaining a reputation for making excellent sled dogs.
4). Finnish Spitz:
The Finnish Spitz the Belington may look like a lamb but this breed resembles a fox the agile and intelligent finished Spitz has erect ears a dense coat and a bushy tail their coat ranges in color from pale honey to deep Auburn Spitz type dogs have existed for several thousand years there development depended on their environment in needs of the local people the Finnish Spitz is Finland's national dog and was bred to hunt game birds squirrel and even large games such as elk and bear in the 19th century Finnish people began crossing this breed with other breeds by 1880 very few examples of the original dog remained to hunters from ill slinky decided to revive the breed bringing it back to its roots this culminated in the breed being recognized by the Finnish Kennel Club in 1892.
5). Bedlington Terrier:
The Bedlington Terrier mistaken for lambs the Bedlington Terrier is known for its curly and pale colored wool coat despite the fluffy appearance this breed is athletic because they were bred for racing and catching vermin the breed comes from northern England which is home to many terrier breeds no one is quite sure of the Bedlington ancestry but it may be related to the dandy din Mont Carey blue and soft-coated Wheaten Terriers the first known as the Bedlington Terrier was called Ainsley's Piper and was born in 1825 landowners and coal miners appreciated the breed for its hunting abilities using them for rats badgers and other vermin their speed and agility naturally led them to be used in racing against whippets in the Victorian era of dog portraiture the Bedlington appears in many works of art from that period the National Bedlington Terrier Club was formed in England in 1877 the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1886.
6). Swedish wall hound:
The Swedish wall hunt also known as Viking dogs the Swedish wall hunts are athletic obedient agile and excel at tracking and herding the breed comes in numerous colors and tail lengths from bobtail to a full curl tail the Vall hand is a very old Spitz type breed and dates back over a thousand years to the time of the Vikings nickname Viking dogs experts believe this breed descended from the Kandra dystrophic breeds of the British Isles which includes sky terriers and Welsh Corgis numerous up to the early 1900s the Vall hand breed declined between the first and second world wars in 1942 a breeding program was put into place to save the vol hunt and in 1943 the Swedish Kennel Club officially recognized the breed in the following year the standard for vol hunts was updated and the breed became known as vast goats pets after the Swedish province where the revived breeding originated.
7). Otter hound:
The otter hound the large stocky otter hound which is slightly longer than it is tall hails from Great Britain once again its body shape allows it to trot at a slow pace for long distances it has a rough outer coat and an oily inner coat that protects it both from brambles and cold water this strong athletic breed was bred to hunt otters again ergo the name and they even sport webbed feet the otter hounds sense of smell allows the breed to track otters through running water and over all sorts of terrain the otter hounds strong prey instinct gives it a single-minded intensity when on the hunt it's temperament though is amiable and affectionate making it a good family pet but its ability to think on its feet and hunt alone makes for a rather stubborn dog not traditionally kept as a pet the otter hound breed retains a lot of the qualities originally bred into it otter hunting reached its peak of popularity in the years preceding World War one however in 1978 England banned otter hunting because water pollution had already hurt the otter population two years later Scotland also banned otter hunting the packs were broken up and the dogs sent to private owners or mink hunting packs today fewer than 800 otter hounds exist worldwide.
8). American Fox hound:
The American Fox hound the American Fox hound is leaner than its English cousin it was bred in the United States to hunt foxes and other game like the English counterpart they are bred to hunt in packs and can run for hours while giving chase the breed was created by crossing French and English hounds in the 17th and 18th centuries George Washington in fact owned American fox hounds and bred them as fox hunting in a group declined so did the breed making them rare despite all of their good traits if you have one it could be related to George Washington's dogs.
9). Norwegian Linda hound:
The Norwegian Linda hunt Linda hunt is Norwegian for puffin dog this breed comes from the remote Lofoten Islands off the coast of Norway they were bred to hunt puffins on steep vertical cliffs and have six toes on each foot and elongated rear footpaths like many hunting they are smart energetic dogs a good London hunt could catch 30 puffins a night puffins nests in caves and these dogs developed the flexibility to be able to go in there and get them their heads can bend straight backwards until they touch their spines by the 1900's nets were being used to catch puffins instead and need for the dogs declined as with the Harrier when the need declined so did the breed there are very few London's left in existence.
10). Hairier:
The hairier the AKC first recognized the hairier in 1885 this old hunting breed hails from England they were bred to hunt in packs for rabbits and hair hence their name hairier the Harriers appearance is so similar to beagles and fox hounds that some people mistake the dog for one of those breeds like with fox hounds a weekly wipe down with a damp cloth and minimizes shedding Harriers are outgoing and friendly dogs who like an active lifestyle and they're known for having a sense of humor and for being the class clown because of their independence and breeding they need lots of training and exercise it's not strange that such a fun-loving breed would be considered rare but when England outlawed hunting hares by chasing them the demand for the dog dropped some enthusiasts are concerned the breed will go extinct in 10 to 15 years.
11). English Foxhound:
The English Foxhound the English Foxhound is an old breed that was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1909 in 1995 there were only 35 fox hounds registered with the AKC bred as hunting dogs they were used in large packs for fox hunting known for their loyalty and gentleness the English Foxhound is today considered a good companion for an active household the Fox hound is a small dog that can weigh between 55 and 75 pounds at one time British hunters put down their dogs at the age of 7 because it was believed the dogs lost their effectiveness as a hunter today fox hounds are retired at the age of 7 and are often put up for adoption another interesting fact about these dogs involves their fur if you have a dog allergy this may be the dog for you they are light shudders rubbing the dogs down with a damp cloth minimizes the shedding even more.