Top 10 Most Unusual Dogs in the World

Puli Dog originates from Hungary and has been nurtured by the Magyars for thousands of years, used for herding livestock and sheep. There was a time when this breed was almost extinct during the Second World War, but it was later restored and became popular as it is today.

The unique feature of the Puli dog lies in its naturally corded coat, tightly woven together, making the dog look like a mop. The cords will grow long enough to touch the ground if not trimmed. However, these thick cords help prevent wetness and reduce pain from impacts. The standard coat color is black, with some variations in gray.

The personality of Puli dogs is lively, active, and very friendly, rarely showing aggression. They are also very loyal and affectionate towards their owners. They enjoy playing with children and get along well with other pets in the family, being cautious around strangers. These Puli dogs are particularly intelligent, active, and easy to train, making them excellent companions. They enjoy physical activity, so you need to take Puli for walks or runs. They also enjoy water and are very good swimmers. Pulis have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years and can live longer if in a good environment.

The Lundehund, also known as the Norwegian Lundehund, is a breed of dog in the Spitz group originating from Norway, exhibiting many physical characteristics unlike any other breed. One of them is having six toes on each foot. Moreover, its shoulder and neck bones are very flexible, allowing the dog to spread all four legs flat on the ground in both directions. Its ear canals can also automatically close to prevent dirt and water from entering. It is extremely agile in swimming and capable of climbing almost vertical rock faces. This breed was initially trained for hunting puffins.

The Lundehund is well-suited for family life, being very friendly and affectionate, particularly fond of children and cheerful with family members. They require daily walks and runs. Their fur often sheds, so daily grooming is necessary, as is bathing when needed. This breed does not do well with dry or kibble food as it can cause digestive issues. The Lundehund has an average lifespan of around 12 years.

The Xoloitzcuintli, also known as the Xolo, is a rather peculiar breed of companion dog that first appeared in Mexico. According to historical records, this breed emerged around 3500 years ago, specifically during the era of the Aztec civilization in North America. In ancient times, the Xoloitzcuintli was revered by the ancient Aztecs as a sacred animal. Therefore, they were often kept for the primary purpose of serving as sacrificial animals and pets. Renowned not only in Mexico but also spread widely from South America to Europe.

The hairless Xolos are unusual not only for their hairless skin but also for their long necks, bat-like ears, round eyes, and sleek bodies. The hairless dogs are known to be highly intelligent and affectionate, bonding closely with their owners. They are very loyal and devoted to their owners and family members. Additionally, Xolos have a calm and gentle nature, are obedient, and thrive on affection. One peculiar aspect is that these dogs should avoid direct sunlight and require regular bathing. They can live up to 20 years.

The unique feature of Catahoula Leopard Dogs lies in their ability to climb trees for hunting prey. It is believed to be one of the oldest dog breeds in North America. Its outstanding hunting ability has always been praised by Native Americans. The breed is named after its place of origin, the Catahoula region in Louisiana, USA. Catahoula dogs are robust and can be trained as hunting dogs, police dogs, or simply as family pets.

The Catahoula Leopard Dog measures approximately 51 to 66 cm in height and weighs around 22.5 to 40.5 kg. They have a single-layered, short, and dense coat with various colors, often black, gray, white around the neck, face, legs, and tail, with brown usually appearing around the face and legs. Their eyes are multicolored, usually sky blue or white with blue flecks. The tail can be long and reaching the hocks or bobtailed, and their feet are webbed, which helps them work well in marshy areas and swim vigorously.

The Catahoula is a highly intelligent and energetic breed, very friendly with the family and a good companion for children. However, they can be quite lively and often have habits of digging and chewing objects, so these behaviors need to be controlled. Catahoula dogs have an average lifespan of 10 to 14 years.

Chinese Crested Dogs, also known as Chinese Crested, originate from China. Some theories suggest their origins lie in Africa rather than China. It's speculated that ancient large hairless dogs from Africa arrived in China through trading ships and, after generations of breeding, their size reduced.

The Chinese Crested Dog is a small breed with an average height of 28 – 33 cm and weighs around 2 – 6 kg. This uniquely striking breed often wins the title of the ugliest dog in beauty contests. This is because their bodies are almost entirely hairless except for a tuft on the head resembling a crest, a tuft on the tail, and a little on the feet. Their hairless skin is sensitive and requires protection when outdoors. Chinese Crested Dogs have a relatively long lifespan, ranging from 13 – 18 years, and are generally healthy with few health issues. If you're considering keeping a Chinese Crested as a pet, regular baths and moisturizing skin care are necessary to prevent dryness or infections.

Bedlington Terrier is a terrier breed originating from England, known for its cute appearance resembling a lamb. They have a pear-shaped head, triangular ears, and curly wool-like coat. They are good hunters due to their short hair, enabling them to burrow anywhere. Originally used to hunt rats and small animals living in burrows or on the ground like foxes, rabbits, and weasels. Bedlington was once used as a predator against rodents. Hunters also used them as bait dogs. They are also good watchdogs, alert and vigilant.

Bedlington Terrier is a dog with the appearance of a lamb and the courage of a dignified wolf. Not only are they useful terriers, but they also have lovely personality traits: friendly, affectionate, and loyal. They make great playful and mischievous companions. Bedlington pets are also fond of children and quite friendly to strangers or other pets in the family. Bedlington Terrier is a healthy breed with a lifespan of 12 - 14 years.

Neopolitan Dog or Neapolitan Mastiff is a mastiff breed originating from Italy in ancient times. Although previously used for dog fighting, it now appears to be gentle. However, its fighting ability is still maintained, making it a good guard dog. The abnormally large body of the Neapolitan Mastiff averages 70 kg and 0.8 meters tall. It's easy to liken this breed to Fang, Hagrid's dog in the Forbidden Forest cabin in the Harry Potter movie.

The Neapolitan Mastiff has a ferocious appearance. Its head is large with many large wrinkles extending to the neck. The Neapolitan Mastiff has red and black-gray colors. The thick short coat is black, gray, or yellow-brown, sometimes with white on the feet. The eyes are appropriate to the coat color. This rarely barking breed can protect the family very well. Despite its fierce appearance, it is gentle, friendly, and enjoys playing with children, courageous, and resilient. In war, this breed was used for fighting, chasing criminals, and guarding. Today it is also trained to protect people and property.

Bergamasco Shepherd or Bergamasco Sheepdog is a breed originating from the Alps, Italy near Bergamo, first raised as a herding dog there. The Bergamasco breed is a compact yet muscular herding dog, with a large head and a long tail that usually curves gently at the tip. Its most striking feature is its shaggy coat that covers the entire body. The coat consists of three types of hair combined densely like a carpet covering the body, even the face and legs. The coat forms strands, strands of hair woven together to create flat layers covering the dog's body and legs, protecting the dog from weather and predators. The hair on the head is usually long and hangs over the eyes. The height of the male dog is 60 cm while the female is 56 cm. Male dogs weigh about 32–38 kg while females weigh 26–32 kg.

Bergamasco is a vigilant, observant, and patient breed with good self-control and balance. This breed is very suitable for both guard and companion dogs. Bergamasco has a close relationship with its owner and is wonderful to play with all children, especially those with disabilities. This breed enjoys tranquility so they often do not get into fights with other dogs as long as they are not challenged. They usually get along well with cats in the house if they live together. The lifespan of this breed is about 13-15 years.

Lowchen is a small-sized companion dog originating from Germany, Belgium, and France. This dog breed is often referred to as little lion dogs because of their resemblance to lions. They have a small body with a length ranging from 25 - 33 cm and a weight from 4 - 8 kg. With a relatively round head combined with a wide skull, the head and face are covered by long and dense fur resembling the face of a lion. Lowchen dogs have short snouts, round eyes, ears erect covered with fur, and a small tail with long hair tuft at the tip.

The personality of the Lowchen dog is very cheerful, lively, playful, and energetic. They are also very intelligent. Although they have a strong appearance, they have a very strong will and are always vigilant. They will always be wary of strangers and are excellent guards whenever you are away from home. They protect their territory very well, so they will bark fiercely when they detect strangers entering the house. Lowchen is very obedient, they are also very friendly with other pets in the house and love to play with children. With these characteristics, they receive a lot of affection from everyone. The average lifespan of this dog breed is 14 years, which can be higher if they live in a good environment.

Affenpinscher dogs originate from Germany and date back to the 18th century. The Affenpinscher has been known since around 1600, but Affenpinscher dogs from the 16th century were larger. This tiny breed is called the Monkey Dog not only because of its appearance resembling a baboon but also because of its mischievous and playful nature.

The Affenpinscher has a thick and dense coat, with longer fur on the face than most other parts of the body, giving them a comical appearance. This is a breed with a small humanoid body, somewhat resembling the Terrier breed, with a round head, short neck, and sturdy bone structure. Coat colors typically come in black, gray, silver, and brown, but some dogs may have light gray, red, or black-brown colors.

Possessing a personality similar to Terrier breeds, the Affenpinscher is always lively, curious, enjoys exploring, and is very stubborn. They are loyal to their owners, often asserting themselves as leaders if no one in the family demonstrates a reliable leadership position. Affenpinschers need to be walked daily, enjoy playing chase, and engaging in conversation. The average lifespan is 10 to 12 years.