Meet the Strangest Dog Breeds

Nature can sometimes surprise us and really make our jaws drop. Today, we want to show you some of the strangest dog breeds of all. Some of them will make us laugh, while others might have us questioning if they’re even a dog.

The strangest dog breeds

Chinese Crested

Do you remember when we talked about the Sphinx cat? Well, some might say that the Chinese Crested dog—the one in the main photo—is the canine version. Most of his body is hairless. However, he does have hair on his tail, the lower part of his legs and on his ears.

He also has a crest of hair on his head which really does characterize him. This breed might make you think of the movie 101 Dalmations since Cruella de Vil had a dog like this. His name is due to the belief that this breed originally came from China during the 18th century. 

Peruvian Dog

This breed has an important similarity to the previous one – they don’t have hair either! As for his name, people believe that Spanish conquistadors found one of these dogs among the Inca nobility during the sixteenth century.

The Peruvians treated these dogs as if they were gods and they were always part of their ceremonial acts. In fact, they’re recognized as National Heritage of Peru.

Researchers believe that their lack of hair is due to a genetic malformation. Because of this, they tend to contract diseases more easily than dogs who have a protective layer of hair.

Bedlington Terrier

If you think that all terriers look like small sheep, you won’t believe this animal when you see it. He has a lot of hair on the top of his head and on the tips of his ears and legs. 

His skull has the same shape as that of a sheep, and he has a curved back that makes his whole body look strange. This breed hasn’t been around for very long. It’s believed that it was first raised in Bedlington, England, and is a cross of the Dandie Dinmont terrier and the Whippet. Its job? Hunting rats!

Puli

Of course, we had to include this dog on the list of strangest dog breeds. That’s because it’s pretty hard to tell if he’s a dog or a mop! He’s the official dog of Hungary, and always has his pink tongue sticking out from his huge amount of black hair, which looks like dreadlocks.

It seems that the first Puli dog was seen in the ninth century, when Prince Arpad’s tribe settled in the Hungarian steppe. However, experts haven’t confirmed this theory and some believe they were actually imported by the Mongols. So what’s the truth? We don’t know, but we do know that this is a very special dog. 

Tibetan Mastiff

It’s hard to tell if this one is a dog or a bear. His enormous amount of hair really grabs our attention and is, without a doubt, his most attractive characteristic. In addition, he has a noble face with a fat, round and heavy body, which makes him a very funny looking animal.

Some people call this breed the lion dog because the shape of his head is similar to that of the king of the jungle. He’s also known as the Tibetan Bulldog and, believe it or not, it’s the most expensive dog in the world. Depending on their shape and appearance, there have been owners who have been willing to pay up to two million euros for one of these dogs. 

Originally, these dogs pulled sleds and wagons. They were also used as guardians and herding dogs, and are very versatile.

So, what do you think of the strangest dog breeds? Do you have a favorite? We have ours!