It was brought in the Middle Ages, now it can be lost. The five rarest dog breeds in the world

It is difficult to determine the number of dog breeds that exist in the world today. counter. There are about 400 of them and many of them are very popular and well known. So, there are more German Shepherd Dogs in the world. After all, they serve not only as companions and friends, but also in the police and army. Another popular breed of service is the Malinois or Belgian Shepherd Dog, which is famous for its intelligence and is therefore used to search for drugs and explosives.

Many breeds, such as the Pekingese, have gone out of fashion and can now only be found among dedicated professionals. And others like the Pomeranian or the French Bulldog are at the peak of their popularity.

But there are five dog breeds you’ve probably never heard of. Although their history goes back several centuries. Petplan writes about it.

norway lundehund

The Norwegian Lundehund is considered one of the rarest dog breeds on the planet due to its unique traits that no other breed has. It was bred to hunt seagulls on coastal cliffs, on islands off the Norwegian coast. Seagulls were an important food source for the farmers living on these islands.

The agile Norwegian Lundehund has developed characteristics ideal for climbing rocky cliffs. It has six fingers on each front paw, movable ears and a flexible neck that can be bent backwards by touching its tail with its head.

The Norwegian Lundehund has the same jaw structure as the Varanger dog, a fossil found in Russia about 5,000 years ago. Both the Varanger dog and the Norwegian Lundehund have two fewer teeth than any other dog breed. They also know how to completely cover the ear canal with their ears and have incredible flexibility.

This endangered Spitz breed was on the verge of extinction during the Second World War but was restored by Norwegian breeders. In the 1930s, the only remaining purebred Lundehunds lived in the fishing village of Mastad on Veroy Island.

The Norwegian Lundehund is known for its cheerful and affectionate nature. And perfect for active families.

Lagotto Romagnolo

Curly-haired Lagotto Romagnolo dogs are often confused with poodles. However, it is the oldest aquatic hunting dog breed in the world. It was bred for a practical purpose in the Romagna region of Italy in the Middle Ages. Dogs of this breed were used to hunt ducks in swamps. Lagotto is translated from the local dialect as “duck dog”. Dogs of this breed are muscular, durable, and their thick coats are almost waterproof. The Lagotto Romagnolo or Italian Water Dog also has a very keen sense of smell. Now dogs of this breed are used to search for truffles, the most expensive mushroom in the world.

The ancient breed was on the verge of extinction in the 1970s, but was revived by a dedicated Italian breeding group. Lagottos are renowned for their playfulness, docile nature and stamina. Therefore, they are ideal for “silent hunting” for truffles, as they can walk and explore tens of kilometers in a day.

Azavakh

Azawakhs are loyal guardians and are known as the most extraordinary hounds. Dogs of this hunting breed perceive their prey not by smell, but by sight. This graceful, long-legged breed originated in the Sahel region of Africa, where it was trained to guard nomadic camps. They are also called the Tuareg Hound. They were used to hunt gazelles and coyotes, so these dogs can run very fast and are very durable. They also tolerate heat very well.

Azawakhs are very similar to another rare breed of dog, the Saluki. The nomads called it “idii n’illeli”, meaning “hound of free men”.

Famous for their fawn color in America, Azawakhs were first introduced in the 1980s and were added to the American Kennel Club in 1997.

otter hunting dog

The English Otterhound is critically endangered, according to the Kennel Club. This hound is less common than the white rhino. There are about a thousand of them in the world. It is believed that Otterhounds were bred in the Middle Ages to protect fishing nets from otters. But after otter hunting was banned in England, Otterhounds almost disappeared.

Like its close relative the Bloodhound, this friendly breed can spot any treat thanks to its keen sense of smell. He also loves walking and rolling in mud.

Whimsical

This Hungarian breed, whose name is in harmony with the English pessimistic, “gloomy”, on the contrary, is famous for its optimistic and very cheerful character. The Mudis breed has less than a thousand dogs in the world and is rarely found anywhere outside of Hungary. This unique dog, with its pointed ears and wavy fur, is believed to have emerged in the 1800s and naturally evolved from a cross between the famous Pumi and Puli breeds. Highly intelligent, the Moody is often used to herd sheep and cattle, and is also praised for being an effective guard dog.

With its boundless energy and innate desire to explore, Moody is the perfect partner for those who enjoy the outdoors and outdoors. Grumpy dogs are characterized as intelligent, alert and “always active” which makes them similar to the Border Collie.

We will remind you that earlier Focus wrote about the rarest cat breeds. By the way, officially cat breeds are much smaller than dog breeds. There are about 200 of them.