Rare Dog Breeds

There are more rare dog breeds in the world than you might expect although there are very few of each breed. However as with any animals there will always be people who want to own a dog that is almost one of a kind.

Although these rare dog breeds can be hard to find, they are not necessarily more expensive than their more common counterparts, it is simply finding them that is the issue.

Most of the rare dog breeds in the world have come about as people have bred dogs to suit a certain job or place in the world. For example, hunting dogs used by Eskimos would be bred to have white fur to camouflage themselves, and as such these dogs would be bred in small numbers. Another way this could come about if the breeds were exclusive.

Such as being used by royalty, where only they were allowed to own the breed to serve as guardians and companions. However there is a twist in rare dog reeds, as many of the breeds have become more popular, breeding of them has increased, and this has led to them becoming common, and no longer rare, a good example is the Shar Pei, which is now officially recognized everywhere.

There are 6 groups of rare dogs; Companion, Herding, Sporting, Spitz, Terrier and Working, these dogs have all been bred for purposes and most of the groups give an idea of what the dogs do.

There are also problems associated with having only small numbers of a breed of dog available, a major issue is that of breeding, and inbreeding. If there are fewer than twenty dogs of a rare breed then it is almost certain that all the dogs are directly related and any breeding between them may lead to deformed or very susceptible puppies.

Certain breeds are also naturally more susceptible to certain diseases and illnesses, a specialised working dog bred to work in very cold conditions may have a very high risk of getting arthritis in older age, whilst a companion dog may have a tendency to develop heart problems more often than normal dogs.

As such there are pros and cons to owning rare dog breeds, including the cost of finding them, feeding them and possibly expensive health costs, on the other hand you have not only the chance to own a rare and exotic pet, but also to help the survival of a breed of dog, one that may disappear with out your help.

If you own a rare dog breed please let us know, contact us and send a photo and description in.