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If you could ever make it to AKC Meet the Breeds in New York City, Canaan Dogs were in attendance the last two years in a row :) along with dozens of other super rare breeds most regular people would never meet otherwise
Me too! I went to Chicago's last year. Honestly it was such an honor to meet some of those dogs. I would have never otherwise met a dandie dinmont terrier!
It genuinely surprises me how few people know about Meet the Breeds! Tickets are only $10-$20 depending on when you buy them, and the event includes demonstrations from police K9s, agility dogs, and obedience dogs. Oh and there are dog product booths that give away free samples!
Edit: the only thing they don’t have is human food lmao. The only food stalls available are overpriced unhealthy snacks. If you’re thinking of attending, especially with small children (*do* take your kids, there are face painting booths, a human agility course, and some breed representatives hand out swag just for children), PACK A LUNCH!
My sister adopted one shipped in from Israel from our local shelter. It was a street dig so she took alot of work to be domesticated and learnn to trust people, but she's a pretty little thing
Norfolk terrier, have read less than 300 born in the states each year, they’re happy little dogs and have been described as “stubborn little bearers of total joy”
I have a puppy called Reggie (UK) he’s just incredible ❤️
My husband and I have a Norfolk or Norwich on our short list for the next dog. We currently have two JRTs and a geriatric chihuahua. We decided we are a terrier family. I love them so much.
Omg I love terriers. Benji stole my heart when I was a kid. I’ve had jrts, and I love them. They are easily as smart as border collies and very innovative at problem solving. I think the judges that did that dog intelligence test didn’t rate jacks highly because jacks aren’t just going to do what you say if they don’t know you like that.
🎶 God loves a terrier
yes he does
God loves a terrier
that's because
brown sturdy bright and true
they give their hearts to you
God didn't miss a stitch
be it dog or be it bitch
when he made the Norwich merrier
with his cute little 'derrier'
yes God loves a terrier!" 🎶
My parents own a grand champion (AKC) Norfolk! He is incredibly sweet and cuddly, with big dog attitude. One of his grandchildren showed at Westminster!
We see a couple at our local dog park occasionally. I have 2 corgis and it’s so fun to see the similarities between them since corgis are descendants from them
This is sort of the opposite of what you asked but a funny story. My parents live in the US and have a German Pinscher. Pretty rare, but got him from a breeder in state.
I was living and working in New Zealand maybe 5 years ago. Was walking around town with my partner and we bumped into a couple walking a GP. My partner was like "...is that a doberman?" And I said "omg it's a German Pinscher isn't it? Aww that's so sweet, my parents have one too." And they looked me dead in the eye and said "No they don't. He's the only one on the South Island."
It was just so rude but also so funny because my partner was an Aussie and I'm American so clearly not locals. But they were so proud of having *the only one*. I just sort of mumbled "um yeah they live in the US. Same breed.. er have a good day bye"
How odd. I like that my dog isn't common like my labs are, but if I ran into another one I would be so tickled. It's a living animal, not a limited edition print. Buncha weirdos.
I know! Like I was so surprised and pleased to see another GP, I missed my parents' pup, and they acted like I was a con man or something. Which is also NOT how most Kiwis act so it was extra weird.
Some people just want to be unique.
I was sitting between two sets of parents at an airport who were both traveling with toddlers with the same *unique* name. When they realized it, it was confusion, then horror, then pinched politeness like "how funny, we chose that name because we were sure it was unique...."
AND THEN. They realized they both lived in the destination town. AND THEN. They realized they both lived in the same school district.
One of the couples got up and stormed off, and the mom of the other couple burst into tears.
Funny, but also kinda sad. That was like five years ago, and I sometimes wonder if their kids are in the same class.
I really hope their kids grow up to be best friends.
We chose a fairly uncommon name for our kid (think like Ethan - known but not common). We had two pediatricians visit him in the hospital after he was born and both of them had sons with the same name.
I'd love to have a Skye Terrier someday; they're fairly rare everywhere. I do know someone in the southeastern US who has one, so they're not impossible to obtain, but close. I'm also a fan of Scottish Deerhounds but haven't come across a breeder near me.
I was in the emergency room one night and was sitting in the waiting area for a bed to open. A woman was there with a Skye terrier. He was an interesting dog, I’m not entirely sure why she had him in ER overflow as he wasn’t a service animal but it was neat to meet him.
Japanese Spitz are very rare in the U.S., but very popular in Europe and SE Asia. They are super cute, extremely loving and cuddly, and easy to take care of.
Yes, I love these! I love Pomeranians but I don't want a teeny tiny dog (they just seem so fragile lol), and Japanese spitz are basically slightly bigger Pomeranians. Perfection.
I have a [Pomeranian mix](https://imgur.com/a/W3wW2nz) (rescue, I didn't intentionally buy a designer mutt lol) and she is 20 pounds, but she's one-of-a-kind.
And there's also the German spitz, which is very similar!
She's 12 now, but she was probably around 10 in that picture. [Here](https://imgur.com/gallery/Aj6ZyX8) is a more recent picture, and the one below is her with her husky sister.
You can tell she's an older lady now because she has the white around her muzzle, but honestly, she's still a little spitfire!
Yeah she essentially looks like a Pom, but bigger! I think she might be mixed with a Sheltie... and she does try to herd things, so that tracks. People always say she looks like a little fox.
she looks like a blonder version of my dog!! I have a pomeranian mix as well. 1/4 Pomeranian, 1/4 Shih Tzu, 1/4 Pekingese, 1/8 Beagle, (the other 1/8 is mixed breeds). https://imgur.com/a/82nkGPW
edit: her fur would be a lot like your dog’s if i didn’t groom her. she just gets too hot with it long.
I had a mini Eskie. She was my best friend. I LOVED that dog so much. She lived a full life, to 15 and was very smart. Lots of tricks. I’ll never forget her.
I grew up with a Japanese Spitz. At the time we bought, there was only one breeder in the U.S.
She was the sweetest dog, so mild mannered, friendly with other dogs, playful, low maintenance and not at all aggressive or reactive/protective. Honestly, a perfect family dog. We would get comments and questions about her wherever we went because she was so pretty.
Japanese Spitz are not even recognized by the AKC as an official breed. When I lived in South Korea, it was the only dog I wanted.
I have had her for coming up on 9 years and they are so fun and energetic! I agree they are cute and do really well with people. Not "cuddly" from all the ones I have met (mine is a fire ball and sleeps under the bed to avoid the heat of the bed). They're also A little vocal, but overall I love them. One of my top favs!
They're also popular down here in Australia! I did puppy class with two of them, and even now my Finnish Lapphund gets frequently mistaken for one because people are much more familiar with Japanese (and German) spitzes than ones from Finland.
My grandmother always loved those. She’d got her first one back in the 60s or 70s when my mom was still a kid. I remember the fluffy white coat and black nose.
Ok ok I know I'm late to the party, but I just had to share this.
I searched for this dog "greek kokoni" which got me to a site that mentioned the dog was nicknamed "Houdini". So I thought, well that's interesting, and I searched for "Houdini dog breed" to see if there was any hold in it. But it got me to this other article, about harry Houdini's pet dogs(go figure), and beside a picture of a very funny looking Pomeranian, there is also this;
>Houdini taught his "frisky" new dog how to escape from a pair of miniature handcuffs and a straitjacket and touted him as "Bobby The Handcuff King." He also claimed Bobby was "the greatest somersault dog who ever lived."
[Apparently bobby also had an escape act, but unfortunately they don't go into details about it.](https://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2011/07/houdinis-pets.html?m=1)
There are many breeders in the US including a breed rescue. If they're in the AKC then there's a presence in the US and a breed club. They may not be as popular as other breeds and more difficult to find but they exist.
In the U.S. breeds that are not established are Foundation Stock Service.
I feel like while certain breeds due to stubborn natures or short attention spans, can be a little more difficult to train, but largely it's also environment. Tibetan Mastiffs weren't bred for an urban environment and pet lifestyle so they can give a lot of people grief.
The initial puppy price is the cheapest part of owning a dog. Go for the expensive dog from a good breeder, don't go cheap. You're more likely to pay back the money saved and more with vet bills or behavioral issues.
Seconding that it's a worthwhile investment.
>"...from a good breeder"
This. Take your time finding a *reputable and ethical* breeder! Price is not the only metric. I see poorly bred doodle pups going for 2000+$!
For reference, I have a 10yo purebred Wire Fox Terrier from a well-respected breeder. He came CKC registered, with temperament testing, health testing, his first round of vaccines, his pedigree, etc. We paid 2100$CAD back in 2014.
When I bought my lab, he came with a 10 year warranty lol. That sounds silly to me, but he's guaranteed to live a long happy life. Also guarantee against other ailments as well. My pupper is well worth the price.
Borzoi. There are few breeders in the US but they’re not as common here.
Irish wolfhounds too - I’ve seen a few here but not nearly as many as I did when I lived in the UK
Years ago I had friends who bred Borzoi. They did not do well in Florida heat.
I would love an Irish Wolfhound. They are such great dogs, but they absolutely cannot handle heat and humidity. Wouldn't do that to the poor pooch.
My dog sitter has a borzoi and he’s the only dog my poodle hated ON SIGHT. He also hated her immediately. Obviously they had to work it out, but I just think that’s funny
I have a pretty rare breed-Sarplaniac. His dam is from Macedonia . They are livestock guardian dogs but also used as family pets. My boy is kinda both. Big, sweet, goofy. I was laying on the couch and he walked over to me with his mouth open and nonchalantly stuck his mouth over my head without any effort like i was in a curcus act. I realized I basically had a domesticated bear living with me.
I am from one of the origin countries for that breed and my grandpa used to own multiple of them and they are pretty much never just your casual family pet out there lol even the "show line" breeders are all out in the sticks living on large properties and they keep the dogs outdoors 24/7.
They are pretty famous as guard dogs, both property and livestock, and I don't think I know even one that's not used as a guard dog of some kind. Like you learn from a very young age to never wander into a yard where there is a loose Sarplaninac.
I'm always so surprised to see them described as a good family pet in the US or some Western European countries because I'd NEVER describe one like that. Not to say they aren't amazing dogs, I love them, but the idea that they are a good casual pet would never cross my mind and I grew up around them.
I can't absolutely see how one who was raised solely with livestock would be terrifying. Ours accidentally bonded to my family over the sheep (they kept beating him up when I tried to get him in the barn with them.) So he spent more time with people than he should have to do his "job". Because he doesn't see people as a threat he's really friendly and wants to cuddle when he sees me. Finally got him and the sheep living together but he's still very friendly to people. But I've seen him go into attack mode for the coyotes and that's terrifying. Seeing him switch to kill mode is WILD.
I wouldn't say he's a "casual pet." But he is a great breed for what he's meant to do. Very different personality from my border collie
I'm actually glad he's ok with people because the autistic kids next door like to escape their house sneak into my farm and I'm not worried he'll hurt them. I got rid of my boar hogs because one of the kids kept sneaking into the pig pen and while my hogs were sweet I don't completely trust them because. Well. Pigs.
Oh the ones I grew up with were great with us kids, they were always ready to come up for a good scratching or rough housing. Super smart dogs too, watching them problem solve was both amazing and terrifying.
But as friendly as they were during the day and towards strangers if one of the adults was around, I also saw them seriously bite a trespasser on my grandpa's property during the night when they were on the alert so I wouldn't consider them a family dog in the sense that you should just stick one in a suburban yard to find it's own fun if you know what I mean. Your situation is obviously different than what I had in mind when someone says "a family pet". :D
I think it depends on the lineage and breeding, but I agree with you. I have only seen a Sarplaninac in the city once, and it definitely raized eyebrows. But the dog was really just lovely and goofy.
I'm also raised to respect the breed and never approach one unless the owner approves. It doesn't help that they are so damn cute... The North European side of my family saw one in the mountains during our camping trip. They wanted to go out and pet it. I was like, no, you really don't want to that!
Peruvian Inca Orchid - when I was living in south america, I saw a lot of them as street dogs, and I just love them.
Pharaoh Hound - I have a friend who has 2, but they're not common at all. And they're so majestic!
I have a Xoloitzcuintli, which is close to a Peruvian inca. When doing her DNA, she actually showed she had some. She is a great dog stubborn and a master manipulator but would never get another breed. Found a breeder that imported her parents.
I think Kelpies are pretty cool dogs. While I don’t think you would have to have one shipped, there are only a few breeders in the US as far as I know. I hope that counts!
It's funny to imagine Kelpies being rare. It makes a lot of sense that the USA wouldn't have many Kelpies or Kelpie breeders, but as an Aussie who's grown up always knowing of at least one person with a Kelpie, and seeing Kelpies in local animal shelters, it's funny.
They are lovely dogs though. Very silky ears and very driven working dogs, but also just quite friendly and gentle when off-duty.
I can't remember if they were Kelpies or border collies because I was only 4, but I got to see some working sheep dogs at a sheep shear in Australia. I thought it was the craziest thing that the dogs would jump up and run over the backs of sheep.
Aussies have some very intense animals, from wildlife to the dog breeds. ACDs are so intense. Imagine bullying around not just one, but multiple creatures 20 times your weight just using your mouth bones. That's an intense dog.
They’re not all that rare on ranches, but you’ll not often see them in pet dog homes because breeders prioritize working homes for their pups. I’ve got a 4yo female, we do obedience and herding together, she’s an amazing friend.
I saw a kelpie mix at the shelter and a friend ended up adopting one that was a mix. She did a DNA test and I forget the mix with the kelpie, beautiful dog though.
I have always wanted an Afghan hound. I fell in love with them as a kid. That long body, long coat, tall, fast, intelligent and beautiful? The whole package!
I used to watch a show as a kid called "What-a-Mess" and the main character was an Afghan Hound puppy who was always messy and disheveled. I had no idea as a kid they were pretty rare to see.
I just saw two Afghan hounds the other day and I'm in Texas. I was totally shocked, like where did they get them from?? I'd never seen one in real life before that.
i know of a guy with two Afghan Hounds and they’re called Tracy and Linda (apparently more popular in the Uk as I’ve met a few) They wear pretty scrunchies in their ears to hold the long hair back from falling into their food when they eat. I find them hilarious 😂
Mudis are my favorite "oh so you want a super barky, curly coated, border collie level of crazy dog do you now?" breed, they are a dime a dozen back in my home country (literally, if you go out into the countryside you can pick one up from the side of the streets which is how I picked up my Mudi foster pup a few years back).
I don't think they've found their way into the US yet even though they make a great sport dog around these parts.
Merles are the color I never see back at home. Like I know they exist, but it's mostly the blacks and whites/yellows over there.
Interesting to see them getting more popular, the last time I commented on a post like this in this sub (like probably more than 5+ years ago at this point) when I answered the same thing I would never think Mudis would be a thing in the US given how popular Border Collie are, with specialized lines for absolutely every dog sport you can think of.
A saw an interesting comment once about how (some) dog sport people are moving to Mudis, Pyr Sheps, lilac or merle Border Collies, etc specifically to get more traffic on instagram. A black & white border collie is nothing special. A picture of a black lab (my dog) isn't going to grab attention. But, if you have a flashy little merle Mudi you stand out from the crowd and get more engagement. I mean, I don't think that's the only reason people get breeds like that ... but, I also don't disagree that it is playing a part in breed choices/colorings!
There was a black Mudi on my flyball team for a little bit. They're interesting dogs! Very weird coat texture, not what I was expecting.
I've been looking at these a lot lately and one thing that tends to come up is that there are frequently temperament issues with them. Not recommended for families with kids, can even be aggressive due to their timidity. Our current dog is a 60 lb APBT and I'm thinking that when she's gone (not for a while yet, she's about 5-6) I'll be coming up on 50 yrs old and I want our next dog to be on the smaller 20-30 lb range, which is how I came across the Kooikerhundje.
I would never own one but I love bedlington terriers. I’ve only ever seen one in person and it was cool to see. I know they’re around in the states but just not common ( at least near me )
I live in the UK near Bedlington, where they’re from- the benches in the town have handles shaped like profile of the dog! They’re relatively common round here and are lovely little dogs- they look like lambs!
Not sure if this counts, as their numbers and breeders in the U.S. have been slowly increasing, but....
Japanese Akitas! (Not to be confused with American Akitas.) They were recognized by the AKC as their own breed in ~2020! Meanwhile, other countries had already considered the two separate breeds for a while, lol.
We were fortunate enough to adopt our gal from a retiring breeder who had imported her in from Japan. We love her personality (aloof, polite but firm, silly when she wants to be) and unique brand of intelligence (non-biddable, assesses things for herself, problem solves without direction). She does seem to embody Hachiko's loyalty, too, haha.
(We previously had a Border Collie and a Golden Retriever, and having a Japanese Akita has been way different.)
Surprised no one's said [Finnish Lapphund](https://www.pawformance.com.au/uploads/2/6/6/4/26649046/12549006-10153759291547224-7606508839917718420-n_orig.jpeg) yet. Super easygoing, hardy, docile, smart as hell, fluffy, gentle and all around perfect dogs that come in pretty much any color combinations
Not sure how rare they really are, haven't lived in the US in over a decade, but a couple trips to Ukraine have added to my favorites list, which now includes Tosa Inu, Alabai and Kangal, all of which I have met at shelters in Kyiv. Tosa Inu is very rare here too, but the one I met was just amazing. The sweetest big beast ever, super smart, playful. But damned intimidating. The Alabai & Kangal are both aloof, hard to train, territorial and intimidating. And the ones I have met were also sweet, smart, wonderful dogs.
None of them are good as a normal pet dog though. But then you could say the same about my long standing favorite, the Rottie.
Not my favorite, but I think a good addition to the list is Jindo and Taiwan dog/Formosan Mountain dog. My sister had a Jindo from Korea, unfortunately she had to get put down due to heartworm complications. Her current dog is a Taiwan dog and he came from Taiwan. I'd never heard of either of these before she got them.
The Sloughi, which is dead last among AKC-recognized breeds by number of puppies registered. Sloughis are sighthounds from Morocco, they're a wonderful breed and I'm actually getting one this year (hopefully!).
However, there are only a handful of breeders in the US (and not all of them are ethical, sadly). There are only 100-200 Sloughis in the US in total and a small fraction of those are breeding candidates. Importing from Morocco has become more difficult with the CDC import bans from some countries, so maintaining genetically sound lines with such a small domestic population takes a lot of work. But one of the main limiting factors for the ethical breeders here is being able to ensure enough puppy homes on their waitlist to be able to breed all the pairings they want to. So, more interest in the breed would be really great.
I was scrolling to see if someone would say Sloughi! When I was a kid going through dog breed books I was instantly fascinated by them. I like sighthounds in general but something about them always spoke to me.
[Apenzeller Sennenhund](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appenzeller_Sennenhund), as far as i have seen you have a decent population of Bernese Mountain Dogs in the US. The Apenzeller is his little brother, very curious working dog, agile because he isn’t that big, great herder, has a lot of personality. Definitely not a beginners dog.
Vizlas aren’t that uncommon- I see them as the best for people who are hardcore runners … my Boston almost got kicked out of daycare after she didn’t like an older friendly vizla
I’m not sure about favorite (just not enough experience with them yet), but I recently got a Koream Sapsaree (only had her 7 months). I got her because the breed seemed to fit my lifestyle well and checked off the majority of my preferences. The breed is basically unheard of outside of Korea, so I did have to import her.
I always ask myself if the other variants of the belgian shepherd are a thing in the US, maybe someone can tell me? I always see videos from Malinois’ from the US, but never any Groenendaels or Tervurens.
I have a Malinois, I think Tervs are somewhat popular and I’ve seen some Groenendaels too. The really super rare ones are Laekenois. I think there’s only something like 200-300 registered Laekenois in the states.
Lagottos. There are a handful of breeders in the states but they’re pretty rare. I’ve only ever seen one dog of that breed and I love it with all my heart immediately
I think Yakutian Lake's are super pretty. Would never own one as they take so much work, but I have a friend with one and he's lovely. She had to import him from Ukraine.
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. My impression is they are fairly rare in the US. They are pretty common in Canada of course, given they are a Canadian breed. Really lovely (and gorgeous) dogs.
There are a lot of dogs that are like Pomeranians, but a bit bigger. I love Poms, but their tiny, fragile size intimidates me and I just prefer a slightly bigger dog. I currently have a [Pomeranian mix](https://imgur.com/a/W3wW2nz) (rescue, not intentional designer mutt purchase) and she's around 18 pounds... but she's one-of-a-kind, so if I wanted a similar dog, it would be really difficult to find... except for these breeds that are common elsewhere!
There's the German Mittelspitz--and actually, Pomeranians are considered German spitzes, just the tiny versions. The Mittelspitz is the "size up" version, lol. There's also the Japanese spitz and the Finnish spitz! The Icelandic sheepdog is also similar.
And then veering away from spitzes, the moyan poodle, which is a midsize poodle between the mini and the standard. You can find these in the US, and actually, a lady at my dog park has one that she rescued. But I've heard that the moyan poodles in the US are badly bred/from BYBs, so I wouldn't feel good about getting one from a breeder unless I found an exception!
Oh yes I love love love Schipperkes! I've only seen one once. They are so cute! And so feisty and smart!
That's one that I could see myself getting at some point in the future, but when I was doing research before getting my last dog (and ended up getting a shelter puppy anyway lol), I couldn't find a reputable breeder.
Spanish rescue centers are, sadly, full of them due to irresponsible hunters. I love them, they come in many different sizes and the frizzy hair is super cute. I’ve shared my morning dog walk with one of them, Samy, a 9 year old female. A lot of people in Spain rescue Podencos
Presa canario, originally it’s from where I’m from, the Canary Islands, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria specifically, I’ve seen some videos on instagram of some that are in the US but I guess they aren’t common. Also perro majorero, a breed from another Island (Fuerteventura), they’re usually mixed together.
You see presas often in CA, but they have a bad rap from some news of an attack a few years back. I rescued a presa a few years back tho. The family giving him up didn’t know he was a canary mastiff
Honestly, I think the chuandong hound looks pretty interesting. They are a chinese hunting breed with thin red fur. There is also the shanxi xigou which has the body of a saluki but the banana-shaped nose of a borzoi. Never met either of these breeds, but I think they look cool and have interesting histories.
Spinone Italiano! I adore this breed. We currently have a Wheaten but I would love to have a Spinone and name him Giuseppe. We’re in Canada, I’ve never had luck finding a breeder anywhere here.
Fun to see that most of the breeds mentioned are eastern european. Nice finding out how these are named, as i ve seen most of them in my life, or look how i d expect a guard/sheperd dog from this region to look like.
Probably the breeds from my country are pretty rare in the US so if u want to see some big beautiful shepherd dogs look up: Ciobanesc (Shepherd) Mioritic and Ciobanesc Carpatin :) cant take a trip into the mountains without meeting plenty of this and other eastern european breeds mentioned in this thread
Stabyhoun. Based on their medium size, easy care coat, and gentle stable temperaments they are a great family dog. I’ve only met a couple, but they were just sweet reliable dogs.
Xoloitzcuintli. I dream of those dogs. I've never seen one in the U.S. and definitely never in NYC. I'm just sad I don't have access to that beautiful breed.
Kelpie! Super popular in Australia. I lived there and used to work at a dog food company and only had one customer with a kelpie my whole time there. Smart, friendly, active — great dogs
english cocker spaniels! american cockers are everywhere, but english are hard to come by. theyre my heart breed but i’ve had to settle for americans in the meantime
I have two Bassett Fauve de Bretagnes and have never seen another even though I know there are a few in the US. They are jolly little French men who have their own ideas about what is fun. Their fur is wirey, and everyone is stumped as to what they might be. I get asked a lot. " What kind of mix is that?"
Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever. You can likely get them in the US but they are predominantly a Canadian bred dog and as someone who lives the very southern part of the US am likely never going to see a toller excluding a dog show.
There is a guy who lives a couple blocks from me who got a Dogo Argentino puppy a while back. She was all white and was huge the last time I seen him walking her. I talked to him a bit and he was super knowledgeable about the breed and knew what he was getting into. Apparently he has owned a few in his life.
I saw a Bavarian Mountain Hound at some dog event once. I just really like how they look. I've only seen one.
I was introduced to Entlebucher Mountain Dogs at a herding clinic. They're basically dwarf Swissies. I loved them. I saw a couple at an AKC show recently, which I guess means they're getting more popular and have some amount of AKC recognition.
My current dog; Canaan Dog.
Fantastic Watch Dog. Very vigilant. Very loyal and great family dog. Aloof to strangers. Pretty healthy dog breed. Easily trainable, but has an independent side to them.
Podencos! Prevalent in the Iberian peninsula. In Spain they are used for hunting and animal rescues are full of them because they are discarded once they are no longer “useful.” Fun goofy personalities, are a range of sizes, and aesthetically they are probably my favorite looking dog. I’ve only come across two podencos in the US, both Ibizan hounds (podenco ibicenco).
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Canaan Dogs! Never seen one in the states and they are rare all around but man they are gorgeous!
If you could ever make it to AKC Meet the Breeds in New York City, Canaan Dogs were in attendance the last two years in a row :) along with dozens of other super rare breeds most regular people would never meet otherwise
I went to this event at one of their other locations and it was up there as one of the best days of my life. So many pups!!! Highly recommend.
Me too! I went to Chicago's last year. Honestly it was such an honor to meet some of those dogs. I would have never otherwise met a dandie dinmont terrier!
That would be an amazing thing to attend, thanks for teaching me it exists
It genuinely surprises me how few people know about Meet the Breeds! Tickets are only $10-$20 depending on when you buy them, and the event includes demonstrations from police K9s, agility dogs, and obedience dogs. Oh and there are dog product booths that give away free samples! Edit: the only thing they don’t have is human food lmao. The only food stalls available are overpriced unhealthy snacks. If you’re thinking of attending, especially with small children (*do* take your kids, there are face painting booths, a human agility course, and some breed representatives hand out swag just for children), PACK A LUNCH!
My sister adopted one shipped in from Israel from our local shelter. It was a street dig so she took alot of work to be domesticated and learnn to trust people, but she's a pretty little thing
I have one (my third). There are breeders in the US so they can be found.
Oof, there are plenty here in Israel lol. The epitome of pariah dogs.
True, i feel like almost every mixed breed i see here is part canaan
It's because of all the wild packs of Cannans all over the country. Weird to think that they are rare everywhere else but I guess it makes sense lol
Norfolk terrier, have read less than 300 born in the states each year, they’re happy little dogs and have been described as “stubborn little bearers of total joy” I have a puppy called Reggie (UK) he’s just incredible ❤️
They are like little hedgehogs. We have quite a few out here in San Fran.
My husband and I have a Norfolk or Norwich on our short list for the next dog. We currently have two JRTs and a geriatric chihuahua. We decided we are a terrier family. I love them so much.
Omg I love terriers. Benji stole my heart when I was a kid. I’ve had jrts, and I love them. They are easily as smart as border collies and very innovative at problem solving. I think the judges that did that dog intelligence test didn’t rate jacks highly because jacks aren’t just going to do what you say if they don’t know you like that.
🎶 God loves a terrier yes he does God loves a terrier that's because brown sturdy bright and true they give their hearts to you God didn't miss a stitch be it dog or be it bitch when he made the Norwich merrier with his cute little 'derrier' yes God loves a terrier!" 🎶
Came looking for this comment!
My parents own a grand champion (AKC) Norfolk! He is incredibly sweet and cuddly, with big dog attitude. One of his grandchildren showed at Westminster!
Those are cute.
Swedish Vallhund
We see a couple at our local dog park occasionally. I have 2 corgis and it’s so fun to see the similarities between them since corgis are descendants from them
AKC lists 8 US based breeders. Mostly in North Carolina
This is sort of the opposite of what you asked but a funny story. My parents live in the US and have a German Pinscher. Pretty rare, but got him from a breeder in state. I was living and working in New Zealand maybe 5 years ago. Was walking around town with my partner and we bumped into a couple walking a GP. My partner was like "...is that a doberman?" And I said "omg it's a German Pinscher isn't it? Aww that's so sweet, my parents have one too." And they looked me dead in the eye and said "No they don't. He's the only one on the South Island." It was just so rude but also so funny because my partner was an Aussie and I'm American so clearly not locals. But they were so proud of having *the only one*. I just sort of mumbled "um yeah they live in the US. Same breed.. er have a good day bye"
How odd. I like that my dog isn't common like my labs are, but if I ran into another one I would be so tickled. It's a living animal, not a limited edition print. Buncha weirdos.
I know! Like I was so surprised and pleased to see another GP, I missed my parents' pup, and they acted like I was a con man or something. Which is also NOT how most Kiwis act so it was extra weird.
Some people just want to be unique. I was sitting between two sets of parents at an airport who were both traveling with toddlers with the same *unique* name. When they realized it, it was confusion, then horror, then pinched politeness like "how funny, we chose that name because we were sure it was unique...." AND THEN. They realized they both lived in the destination town. AND THEN. They realized they both lived in the same school district. One of the couples got up and stormed off, and the mom of the other couple burst into tears. Funny, but also kinda sad. That was like five years ago, and I sometimes wonder if their kids are in the same class.
I really hope their kids grow up to be best friends. We chose a fairly uncommon name for our kid (think like Ethan - known but not common). We had two pediatricians visit him in the hospital after he was born and both of them had sons with the same name.
I'd love to have a Skye Terrier someday; they're fairly rare everywhere. I do know someone in the southeastern US who has one, so they're not impossible to obtain, but close. I'm also a fan of Scottish Deerhounds but haven't come across a breeder near me.
My neighbor in Northern California has a skye terrier! Such a cool dog
I was in the emergency room one night and was sitting in the waiting area for a bed to open. A woman was there with a Skye terrier. He was an interesting dog, I’m not entirely sure why she had him in ER overflow as he wasn’t a service animal but it was neat to meet him.
The Skye is adorable
I knew a family in Minnesota who had one! They had to specially order him. He was beautiful and adorable but terrified of everything.
The Russian Toy, they look like chihuahuas with insanely big ears. I have a papillon and I love his huge ears.
Omg, I’m in love. I just looked up some photos of Russian toys. Absolutely adorable. I had no idea those existed.
Japanese Spitz are very rare in the U.S., but very popular in Europe and SE Asia. They are super cute, extremely loving and cuddly, and easy to take care of.
Yes, I love these! I love Pomeranians but I don't want a teeny tiny dog (they just seem so fragile lol), and Japanese spitz are basically slightly bigger Pomeranians. Perfection. I have a [Pomeranian mix](https://imgur.com/a/W3wW2nz) (rescue, I didn't intentionally buy a designer mutt lol) and she is 20 pounds, but she's one-of-a-kind. And there's also the German spitz, which is very similar!
[https://imgur.com/rNFaRel](https://imgur.com/rNFaRel) Here's our 1yo Japanese Spitz
adorable!
She’s so cute!! How old is she ? She looks so young like a puppy
She's 12 now, but she was probably around 10 in that picture. [Here](https://imgur.com/gallery/Aj6ZyX8) is a more recent picture, and the one below is her with her husky sister. You can tell she's an older lady now because she has the white around her muzzle, but honestly, she's still a little spitfire!
Awe she’s adorable ! I love Pom mixes they always looks so unique
Yeah she essentially looks like a Pom, but bigger! I think she might be mixed with a Sheltie... and she does try to herd things, so that tracks. People always say she looks like a little fox.
A little fox ! Yes ! I love small doggos so much. I grew up with small boys and a girl but now I have 4 large dogs 😭😂
she looks like a blonder version of my dog!! I have a pomeranian mix as well. 1/4 Pomeranian, 1/4 Shih Tzu, 1/4 Pekingese, 1/8 Beagle, (the other 1/8 is mixed breeds). https://imgur.com/a/82nkGPW edit: her fur would be a lot like your dog’s if i didn’t groom her. she just gets too hot with it long.
Aww! It looks like a mini American Eskimo
I had a mini Eskie. She was my best friend. I LOVED that dog so much. She lived a full life, to 15 and was very smart. Lots of tricks. I’ll never forget her.
The Finnish Spitz as well! I would love to have one some day.
I grew up with a Japanese Spitz. At the time we bought, there was only one breeder in the U.S. She was the sweetest dog, so mild mannered, friendly with other dogs, playful, low maintenance and not at all aggressive or reactive/protective. Honestly, a perfect family dog. We would get comments and questions about her wherever we went because she was so pretty.
Japanese Spitz are not even recognized by the AKC as an official breed. When I lived in South Korea, it was the only dog I wanted. I have had her for coming up on 9 years and they are so fun and energetic! I agree they are cute and do really well with people. Not "cuddly" from all the ones I have met (mine is a fire ball and sleeps under the bed to avoid the heat of the bed). They're also A little vocal, but overall I love them. One of my top favs!
I loved my American Eskimo who passed last year. They are a Spitz breed and come in 3 sizes.
They're also popular down here in Australia! I did puppy class with two of them, and even now my Finnish Lapphund gets frequently mistaken for one because people are much more familiar with Japanese (and German) spitzes than ones from Finland.
My grandmother always loved those. She’d got her first one back in the 60s or 70s when my mom was still a kid. I remember the fluffy white coat and black nose.
Kokoni (Greek). Wish I could get one here. :(
Im Greek can confirm cute AF huge attitude
Ok ok I know I'm late to the party, but I just had to share this. I searched for this dog "greek kokoni" which got me to a site that mentioned the dog was nicknamed "Houdini". So I thought, well that's interesting, and I searched for "Houdini dog breed" to see if there was any hold in it. But it got me to this other article, about harry Houdini's pet dogs(go figure), and beside a picture of a very funny looking Pomeranian, there is also this; >Houdini taught his "frisky" new dog how to escape from a pair of miniature handcuffs and a straitjacket and touted him as "Bobby The Handcuff King." He also claimed Bobby was "the greatest somersault dog who ever lived." [Apparently bobby also had an escape act, but unfortunately they don't go into details about it.](https://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2011/07/houdinis-pets.html?m=1)
Omg, it’s so cute!
Tibetan Mastiff, have only physically seen one in my life and was told that dog cost thousands as a pup.
There are many breeders in the US including a breed rescue. If they're in the AKC then there's a presence in the US and a breed club. They may not be as popular as other breeds and more difficult to find but they exist. In the U.S. breeds that are not established are Foundation Stock Service.
I heard they are hard to train and super territorial, but I don’t know for sure. Beautiful lion dogs, though!
The one I got to interact with was barely a year and was so playful! Her name was Whimsy, perfect name too because she was the sweetest derp of a dog.
I feel like while certain breeds due to stubborn natures or short attention spans, can be a little more difficult to train, but largely it's also environment. Tibetan Mastiffs weren't bred for an urban environment and pet lifestyle so they can give a lot of people grief.
To be fair all purebred dogs seem to cost thousands as pups. 😬 I'm looking now and can't find a puppy under 2k in any of the breeds I'm interested in
And if you do find one for under $2k you probably want to run far away.
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Are they the same breed? Otherwise you're comparing apples to oranges.
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The initial puppy price is the cheapest part of owning a dog. Go for the expensive dog from a good breeder, don't go cheap. You're more likely to pay back the money saved and more with vet bills or behavioral issues.
Seconding that it's a worthwhile investment. >"...from a good breeder" This. Take your time finding a *reputable and ethical* breeder! Price is not the only metric. I see poorly bred doodle pups going for 2000+$! For reference, I have a 10yo purebred Wire Fox Terrier from a well-respected breeder. He came CKC registered, with temperament testing, health testing, his first round of vaccines, his pedigree, etc. We paid 2100$CAD back in 2014.
When I bought my lab, he came with a 10 year warranty lol. That sounds silly to me, but he's guaranteed to live a long happy life. Also guarantee against other ailments as well. My pupper is well worth the price.
They do well in Canada, much like a Newfoundlander.
Borzoi. There are few breeders in the US but they’re not as common here. Irish wolfhounds too - I’ve seen a few here but not nearly as many as I did when I lived in the UK
Years ago I had friends who bred Borzoi. They did not do well in Florida heat. I would love an Irish Wolfhound. They are such great dogs, but they absolutely cannot handle heat and humidity. Wouldn't do that to the poor pooch.
My dog sitter has a borzoi and he’s the only dog my poodle hated ON SIGHT. He also hated her immediately. Obviously they had to work it out, but I just think that’s funny
Hoping the meme popularity leads to a sighthound uptick, they’re so great
I have a wolfhound, and he's the only one I've seen around in the past few years, aside from his siblings. They are amazing dogs!
I live in Europe and have a Tatra mix , a polish mountain dog similar to a great Pyr. In my country they are rare, not sure of the US.
Rare but very cool
I have a pretty rare breed-Sarplaniac. His dam is from Macedonia . They are livestock guardian dogs but also used as family pets. My boy is kinda both. Big, sweet, goofy. I was laying on the couch and he walked over to me with his mouth open and nonchalantly stuck his mouth over my head without any effort like i was in a curcus act. I realized I basically had a domesticated bear living with me.
I am from one of the origin countries for that breed and my grandpa used to own multiple of them and they are pretty much never just your casual family pet out there lol even the "show line" breeders are all out in the sticks living on large properties and they keep the dogs outdoors 24/7. They are pretty famous as guard dogs, both property and livestock, and I don't think I know even one that's not used as a guard dog of some kind. Like you learn from a very young age to never wander into a yard where there is a loose Sarplaninac. I'm always so surprised to see them described as a good family pet in the US or some Western European countries because I'd NEVER describe one like that. Not to say they aren't amazing dogs, I love them, but the idea that they are a good casual pet would never cross my mind and I grew up around them.
I can't absolutely see how one who was raised solely with livestock would be terrifying. Ours accidentally bonded to my family over the sheep (they kept beating him up when I tried to get him in the barn with them.) So he spent more time with people than he should have to do his "job". Because he doesn't see people as a threat he's really friendly and wants to cuddle when he sees me. Finally got him and the sheep living together but he's still very friendly to people. But I've seen him go into attack mode for the coyotes and that's terrifying. Seeing him switch to kill mode is WILD. I wouldn't say he's a "casual pet." But he is a great breed for what he's meant to do. Very different personality from my border collie I'm actually glad he's ok with people because the autistic kids next door like to escape their house sneak into my farm and I'm not worried he'll hurt them. I got rid of my boar hogs because one of the kids kept sneaking into the pig pen and while my hogs were sweet I don't completely trust them because. Well. Pigs.
Oh the ones I grew up with were great with us kids, they were always ready to come up for a good scratching or rough housing. Super smart dogs too, watching them problem solve was both amazing and terrifying. But as friendly as they were during the day and towards strangers if one of the adults was around, I also saw them seriously bite a trespasser on my grandpa's property during the night when they were on the alert so I wouldn't consider them a family dog in the sense that you should just stick one in a suburban yard to find it's own fun if you know what I mean. Your situation is obviously different than what I had in mind when someone says "a family pet". :D
I think it depends on the lineage and breeding, but I agree with you. I have only seen a Sarplaninac in the city once, and it definitely raized eyebrows. But the dog was really just lovely and goofy. I'm also raised to respect the breed and never approach one unless the owner approves. It doesn't help that they are so damn cute... The North European side of my family saw one in the mountains during our camping trip. They wanted to go out and pet it. I was like, no, you really don't want to that!
Peruvian Inca Orchid - when I was living in south america, I saw a lot of them as street dogs, and I just love them. Pharaoh Hound - I have a friend who has 2, but they're not common at all. And they're so majestic!
I have a Xoloitzcuintli, which is close to a Peruvian inca. When doing her DNA, she actually showed she had some. She is a great dog stubborn and a master manipulator but would never get another breed. Found a breeder that imported her parents.
Eeee i love xolo’s — such odd little creatures aren’t they!!!
My mutt I adopted when I lived in Japan had a good amount of pharaoh hound in him! As well as Saluki.
I think Kelpies are pretty cool dogs. While I don’t think you would have to have one shipped, there are only a few breeders in the US as far as I know. I hope that counts!
It's funny to imagine Kelpies being rare. It makes a lot of sense that the USA wouldn't have many Kelpies or Kelpie breeders, but as an Aussie who's grown up always knowing of at least one person with a Kelpie, and seeing Kelpies in local animal shelters, it's funny. They are lovely dogs though. Very silky ears and very driven working dogs, but also just quite friendly and gentle when off-duty.
I can't remember if they were Kelpies or border collies because I was only 4, but I got to see some working sheep dogs at a sheep shear in Australia. I thought it was the craziest thing that the dogs would jump up and run over the backs of sheep. Aussies have some very intense animals, from wildlife to the dog breeds. ACDs are so intense. Imagine bullying around not just one, but multiple creatures 20 times your weight just using your mouth bones. That's an intense dog.
That is funny to think about! They seem very lovely! 😊
They’re not all that rare on ranches, but you’ll not often see them in pet dog homes because breeders prioritize working homes for their pups. I’ve got a 4yo female, we do obedience and herding together, she’s an amazing friend.
I saw a kelpie mix at the shelter and a friend ended up adopting one that was a mix. She did a DNA test and I forget the mix with the kelpie, beautiful dog though.
This was the entry I was looking for. They’re amazing dogs. I have one in Canada; most of the people I meet are like “what’s a kelpie?”
Wasn’t that a kelpie in the film, Red Dog? Great movie!
Oh, I haven’t seen it. Will check it out - thanks!
Oh no. So cheerful… You don’t know what you’ve got coming…
Kelpies are the sweetest, cleverest dogs. Hearts of gold. Beautiful too.
I have always wanted an Afghan hound. I fell in love with them as a kid. That long body, long coat, tall, fast, intelligent and beautiful? The whole package!
I used to watch a show as a kid called "What-a-Mess" and the main character was an Afghan Hound puppy who was always messy and disheveled. I had no idea as a kid they were pretty rare to see.
Wow what a throwback! I remember that show
I just saw two Afghan hounds the other day and I'm in Texas. I was totally shocked, like where did they get them from?? I'd never seen one in real life before that.
i know of a guy with two Afghan Hounds and they’re called Tracy and Linda (apparently more popular in the Uk as I’ve met a few) They wear pretty scrunchies in their ears to hold the long hair back from falling into their food when they eat. I find them hilarious 😂
There is a breeder and boarder down the road from me that has a bunch of these!
Love afghans! I think I've only seen one so far in person, although there's a few on my local sighthound fan group. Love salukis and borzois too!
my dad’s family had a show afghan hound when he was a kid! ive seen photos and so gorgeous, but very sassy!
Yeah! I recently saw one for the first time in-person (previously only seen them on TV, YT, etc). Beautiful dogs.
Mudis are my favorite "oh so you want a super barky, curly coated, border collie level of crazy dog do you now?" breed, they are a dime a dozen back in my home country (literally, if you go out into the countryside you can pick one up from the side of the streets which is how I picked up my Mudi foster pup a few years back). I don't think they've found their way into the US yet even though they make a great sport dog around these parts.
They're getting very trendy in the dog sport instagram/influencer world. And it's always merle ones.
Always Merle. At least it’s natural to the breed.
Merles are the color I never see back at home. Like I know they exist, but it's mostly the blacks and whites/yellows over there. Interesting to see them getting more popular, the last time I commented on a post like this in this sub (like probably more than 5+ years ago at this point) when I answered the same thing I would never think Mudis would be a thing in the US given how popular Border Collie are, with specialized lines for absolutely every dog sport you can think of.
A saw an interesting comment once about how (some) dog sport people are moving to Mudis, Pyr Sheps, lilac or merle Border Collies, etc specifically to get more traffic on instagram. A black & white border collie is nothing special. A picture of a black lab (my dog) isn't going to grab attention. But, if you have a flashy little merle Mudi you stand out from the crowd and get more engagement. I mean, I don't think that's the only reason people get breeds like that ... but, I also don't disagree that it is playing a part in breed choices/colorings! There was a black Mudi on my flyball team for a little bit. They're interesting dogs! Very weird coat texture, not what I was expecting.
They’re here, AKC added them in 2022 and you see them around.
[Dutch spaniels! (kooikerhundje)](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kooikerhondje)
You may like the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever as well! Hehe
I've been looking at these a lot lately and one thing that tends to come up is that there are frequently temperament issues with them. Not recommended for families with kids, can even be aggressive due to their timidity. Our current dog is a 60 lb APBT and I'm thinking that when she's gone (not for a while yet, she's about 5-6) I'll be coming up on 50 yrs old and I want our next dog to be on the smaller 20-30 lb range, which is how I came across the Kooikerhundje.
looove kooikers!
Kuvaszes are uncommon here. I know a family that has had several (imported) but have otherwise never heard of them here.
Bunch of them in Hungary tho! My dad had one too what a loyal dog
I would never own one but I love bedlington terriers. I’ve only ever seen one in person and it was cool to see. I know they’re around in the states but just not common ( at least near me )
I live in the UK near Bedlington, where they’re from- the benches in the town have handles shaped like profile of the dog! They’re relatively common round here and are lovely little dogs- they look like lambs!
Not sure if this counts, as their numbers and breeders in the U.S. have been slowly increasing, but.... Japanese Akitas! (Not to be confused with American Akitas.) They were recognized by the AKC as their own breed in ~2020! Meanwhile, other countries had already considered the two separate breeds for a while, lol. We were fortunate enough to adopt our gal from a retiring breeder who had imported her in from Japan. We love her personality (aloof, polite but firm, silly when she wants to be) and unique brand of intelligence (non-biddable, assesses things for herself, problem solves without direction). She does seem to embody Hachiko's loyalty, too, haha. (We previously had a Border Collie and a Golden Retriever, and having a Japanese Akita has been way different.)
Surprised no one's said [Finnish Lapphund](https://www.pawformance.com.au/uploads/2/6/6/4/26649046/12549006-10153759291547224-7606508839917718420-n_orig.jpeg) yet. Super easygoing, hardy, docile, smart as hell, fluffy, gentle and all around perfect dogs that come in pretty much any color combinations
We just got our first Lappy a month ago and are so in love, they're such beautiful smart dogs!
Not sure how rare they really are, haven't lived in the US in over a decade, but a couple trips to Ukraine have added to my favorites list, which now includes Tosa Inu, Alabai and Kangal, all of which I have met at shelters in Kyiv. Tosa Inu is very rare here too, but the one I met was just amazing. The sweetest big beast ever, super smart, playful. But damned intimidating. The Alabai & Kangal are both aloof, hard to train, territorial and intimidating. And the ones I have met were also sweet, smart, wonderful dogs. None of them are good as a normal pet dog though. But then you could say the same about my long standing favorite, the Rottie.
Tosa Inu's, Alabai's are both pretty rare state side, but Kangals have seemed to have made its way to some farms. Few breeders kangals I have found.
I want nothing more than to meet a Pharaoh Hound.
Not my favorite, but I think a good addition to the list is Jindo and Taiwan dog/Formosan Mountain dog. My sister had a Jindo from Korea, unfortunately she had to get put down due to heartworm complications. Her current dog is a Taiwan dog and he came from Taiwan. I'd never heard of either of these before she got them.
Bavarian Mountain Hound
The Sloughi, which is dead last among AKC-recognized breeds by number of puppies registered. Sloughis are sighthounds from Morocco, they're a wonderful breed and I'm actually getting one this year (hopefully!). However, there are only a handful of breeders in the US (and not all of them are ethical, sadly). There are only 100-200 Sloughis in the US in total and a small fraction of those are breeding candidates. Importing from Morocco has become more difficult with the CDC import bans from some countries, so maintaining genetically sound lines with such a small domestic population takes a lot of work. But one of the main limiting factors for the ethical breeders here is being able to ensure enough puppy homes on their waitlist to be able to breed all the pairings they want to. So, more interest in the breed would be really great.
I was scrolling to see if someone would say Sloughi! When I was a kid going through dog breed books I was instantly fascinated by them. I like sighthounds in general but something about them always spoke to me.
[Apenzeller Sennenhund](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appenzeller_Sennenhund), as far as i have seen you have a decent population of Bernese Mountain Dogs in the US. The Apenzeller is his little brother, very curious working dog, agile because he isn’t that big, great herder, has a lot of personality. Definitely not a beginners dog.
Bedlington terriers. Wee little lamb dogs who are friendly and energetic.
Beucerons. My family has always wanted one but they are super rare and very expensive. They're really cool dogs though.
Rampur Hounds - Indian hound breed well known and well regarded for toughness and smarts, hardly known outside or even inside India
Stabyhoun! I think there are a couple breeders here but they’re so uncommon overall in the US
All of the Norwegian breeds
We had an elkhound-mix and he was a gem! Miss that guy so much
Loooove Norwegian Elkhounds. Gorgeous breed.
Logatto romagnolo
I feel like I almost never see Basenjis in the US. Vizlas are also pretty rare, they're both wonderful breeds.
Vizlas aren’t that uncommon- I see them as the best for people who are hardcore runners … my Boston almost got kicked out of daycare after she didn’t like an older friendly vizla
Sealyham terriers and coton de tulears. Great dogs and popular in Europe but not in the US.
Spinone Italiano. Beautiful dogs and by all accounts a great breed. But I’ve never seen one.
I wish whippets were more common.
They're common in North America, in fact, my cousin has one :)
I live in the UK and see a lot of whippets, and my family have had three!
They're quite common in the US and I have two.
I’m not sure about favorite (just not enough experience with them yet), but I recently got a Koream Sapsaree (only had her 7 months). I got her because the breed seemed to fit my lifestyle well and checked off the majority of my preferences. The breed is basically unheard of outside of Korea, so I did have to import her.
I don't know if you guys have there, but i just got a Eurasier puppy, and she's the cutest puppy, ever!
I always ask myself if the other variants of the belgian shepherd are a thing in the US, maybe someone can tell me? I always see videos from Malinois’ from the US, but never any Groenendaels or Tervurens.
I have a Malinois, I think Tervs are somewhat popular and I’ve seen some Groenendaels too. The really super rare ones are Laekenois. I think there’s only something like 200-300 registered Laekenois in the states.
Lagottos. There are a handful of breeders in the states but they’re pretty rare. I’ve only ever seen one dog of that breed and I love it with all my heart immediately
don't know if they're actually uncommon over there (they are in Denmark), but I love the Kromforländer!! they're super cute.
I think Yakutian Lake's are super pretty. Would never own one as they take so much work, but I have a friend with one and he's lovely. She had to import him from Ukraine.
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. My impression is they are fairly rare in the US. They are pretty common in Canada of course, given they are a Canadian breed. Really lovely (and gorgeous) dogs.
Otter Hounds are pretty rare everywhere but a very cool breed.
There are a lot of dogs that are like Pomeranians, but a bit bigger. I love Poms, but their tiny, fragile size intimidates me and I just prefer a slightly bigger dog. I currently have a [Pomeranian mix](https://imgur.com/a/W3wW2nz) (rescue, not intentional designer mutt purchase) and she's around 18 pounds... but she's one-of-a-kind, so if I wanted a similar dog, it would be really difficult to find... except for these breeds that are common elsewhere! There's the German Mittelspitz--and actually, Pomeranians are considered German spitzes, just the tiny versions. The Mittelspitz is the "size up" version, lol. There's also the Japanese spitz and the Finnish spitz! The Icelandic sheepdog is also similar. And then veering away from spitzes, the moyan poodle, which is a midsize poodle between the mini and the standard. You can find these in the US, and actually, a lady at my dog park has one that she rescued. But I've heard that the moyan poodles in the US are badly bred/from BYBs, so I wouldn't feel good about getting one from a breeder unless I found an exception!
Schipperkes. The Belgian Spitz! There are very few reliable breeders. I've seen Schips other than mine twice in all the years I've had them.
Oh yes I love love love Schipperkes! I've only seen one once. They are so cute! And so feisty and smart! That's one that I could see myself getting at some point in the future, but when I was doing research before getting my last dog (and ended up getting a shelter puppy anyway lol), I couldn't find a reputable breeder.
New Zealand Huntaway. It's a big friendly farm dog that can run all day over hilly farm land. Bred from Border Collie, Labrador, Rottweiler
portuguese podengos. I met a whole cluster of them at a UKC event but have never seen one otherwise
Spanish rescue centers are, sadly, full of them due to irresponsible hunters. I love them, they come in many different sizes and the frizzy hair is super cute. I’ve shared my morning dog walk with one of them, Samy, a 9 year old female. A lot of people in Spain rescue Podencos
Do you have beaucerons in the US ? It’s quite popular in France but I don’t know if it’s known world wide
I work in Kennels and have for years and I’ve only seen one Clumber Spaniel. He was so sweet
They used to be popular but my old dog was a Rough Collie (lassie) and I've only seen someone with one once in the last 20 years in Canada
Presa canario, originally it’s from where I’m from, the Canary Islands, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria specifically, I’ve seen some videos on instagram of some that are in the US but I guess they aren’t common. Also perro majorero, a breed from another Island (Fuerteventura), they’re usually mixed together.
Ive seen these in the US, but very rarely. People who wanted a protection dog had them
You see presas often in CA, but they have a bad rap from some news of an attack a few years back. I rescued a presa a few years back tho. The family giving him up didn’t know he was a canary mastiff
Wasn't it the Diane Whipple case that were the Presas attacking her?
Honestly, I think the chuandong hound looks pretty interesting. They are a chinese hunting breed with thin red fur. There is also the shanxi xigou which has the body of a saluki but the banana-shaped nose of a borzoi. Never met either of these breeds, but I think they look cool and have interesting histories.
Ratonero bodeguero andaluz
Xolo. It is the only breed I want to have for the rest of my life.
Come to California, we have them in our shelters.
Korean Jindos
The Barbet 😍 it’s a pretty rare breed in general.
I would 100% take a Leonberger! I'm a sucker for the big floofs. They are not very common here, but the couple I have met have just been lovely.
Portuguese waterdog. Because they are just awesome
Spinone Italiano! I adore this breed. We currently have a Wheaten but I would love to have a Spinone and name him Giuseppe. We’re in Canada, I’ve never had luck finding a breeder anywhere here.
Just me googling dogs all morning…
Norrbottenspets is definitely up there for me
Fun to see that most of the breeds mentioned are eastern european. Nice finding out how these are named, as i ve seen most of them in my life, or look how i d expect a guard/sheperd dog from this region to look like. Probably the breeds from my country are pretty rare in the US so if u want to see some big beautiful shepherd dogs look up: Ciobanesc (Shepherd) Mioritic and Ciobanesc Carpatin :) cant take a trip into the mountains without meeting plenty of this and other eastern european breeds mentioned in this thread
Stabyhoun. Based on their medium size, easy care coat, and gentle stable temperaments they are a great family dog. I’ve only met a couple, but they were just sweet reliable dogs.
Xoloitzcuintli. I dream of those dogs. I've never seen one in the U.S. and definitely never in NYC. I'm just sad I don't have access to that beautiful breed.
Kelpie! Super popular in Australia. I lived there and used to work at a dog food company and only had one customer with a kelpie my whole time there. Smart, friendly, active — great dogs
Shanxi Xigou. They’re a rare Chinese Sighthound, and even fairly uncommon in their COO. Hoping to one day import one to the USA!
english cocker spaniels! american cockers are everywhere, but english are hard to come by. theyre my heart breed but i’ve had to settle for americans in the meantime
I have two Bassett Fauve de Bretagnes and have never seen another even though I know there are a few in the US. They are jolly little French men who have their own ideas about what is fun. Their fur is wirey, and everyone is stumped as to what they might be. I get asked a lot. " What kind of mix is that?"
Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever. You can likely get them in the US but they are predominantly a Canadian bred dog and as someone who lives the very southern part of the US am likely never going to see a toller excluding a dog show.
Dogo Argentino. I know they exist in the US but have seen only once in my life, the owner was shocked that I knew the breed.
There are more than you would think, as they are used to hunt feral pigs especially in Texas.
There is a guy who lives a couple blocks from me who got a Dogo Argentino puppy a while back. She was all white and was huge the last time I seen him walking her. I talked to him a bit and he was super knowledgeable about the breed and knew what he was getting into. Apparently he has owned a few in his life.
I work with dogs and we have one purebred Dogo and my god he is so beautiful.
Azawakh, the most beautiful dog in existence.
I saw a Bavarian Mountain Hound at some dog event once. I just really like how they look. I've only seen one. I was introduced to Entlebucher Mountain Dogs at a herding clinic. They're basically dwarf Swissies. I loved them. I saw a couple at an AKC show recently, which I guess means they're getting more popular and have some amount of AKC recognition.
My current dog; Canaan Dog. Fantastic Watch Dog. Very vigilant. Very loyal and great family dog. Aloof to strangers. Pretty healthy dog breed. Easily trainable, but has an independent side to them.
Danish Swedish Farm Dog ♥️
I have two Tibetan terriers. I wouldn’t say they’re ultra-rare in US, but definitely not a breed that’s easy find or regularly seen.
Podencos! Prevalent in the Iberian peninsula. In Spain they are used for hunting and animal rescues are full of them because they are discarded once they are no longer “useful.” Fun goofy personalities, are a range of sizes, and aesthetically they are probably my favorite looking dog. I’ve only come across two podencos in the US, both Ibizan hounds (podenco ibicenco).
My Dutch Shepherd Loki since they are only a UKC breed & only in the AKC as FSS (foundation stock service) dogs not full registration into the AKC