Meeting Rare Breeds!

[Karen]

Yesterday, for only the second time ( the first was at a Pet Expo/show) I met a Black Russian Terrier in person. His owners were astounded that I guessed what he was, so I explained about Dog of the Day. "BB" was huge, curly, and still learning his manners, so I wasn't allowed to pet him after the first stroke. He's just 12 months old, so will continue to grow for another 8 months to a year, and his owners said "And learn MANNERS" in his direction.

His Dad was a Russian immigrant, and mom an Asian immigrant, but we had a nice conversation, all because of their big black shaggy dog!

What rare breeds have you met in person?

[pomtzu]

Dogs?? - none. Humans?? - numerous - and I don't really care to meet them again, if you see what direction this is going! :eek::p:D

[Karen]

Rare breeds of humans? What do you mean?

Here in the Boston area, it is a wide ethnic mix, and there are times when Paul has sworn you'd hear more different language going through our local supermarket than you would in the halls of the UN!

That's why, the first time we were in Findlay, OH, we remarked how different it was for us, that even the ladies cleaning the hotel rooms and people pumping the gas were white people with no foreign accent even ...

I once met a Borzoi in person here, though I had met them before, his very Russian aristocratic owner assured me they were a rare and special breed, owned only by the aristocracy in Russia ... I didn't tell her the ones I had met before were owned by plain old American folks!

[pomtzu]

Karen - I was referring to a rare breed of human - in their personality - nothing ethnic implied. I was being facetious! :p

[luvofallhorses]

I do not think Shiba Inus are abundantly rare... but the most we don't see down here I met a purebred Shiba Inu at my shelter that nobody came for. She was AWESOME and got a great home. :)

[dukedogsmom]

That is so cool. I haven't met any rare breeds. Closest I've come is a white shepherd :p

[IRescue452]

Some I don't know whether I should say rare or just uncommon. I've met a Picardy Shepherd, bergamasco, Glen of Imaal Terrier, bedlington terrier, Skye Terrier, American water spaniels, Eurasier, Norwegian Buhund. I used to work in a boarding kennel plus I frequent a dog park that can have over 200 dogs at once so I see tons of dogs on a regular basis. Its fun to meet uncommon breeds.

[Taz_Zoee]

I have met some rare breeds. So rare that I can't remember the breed!!
At the dog park I use to take Zoee to there were two Irish Wolfhounds. You don't see those very often, at least around here. :)

[IRescue452]

oh, I met a shelter rescue a few weeks ago. It looked like a lundehund to me. It even had the extra dewclaws. Its probably a hundred times more likely it was just a chihuahua mix, but very close resemblance to a lundehund whatever it was.

[AdoreMyDogs]

Leonbergers are my very favorite rare breeds. I went to a rare breed show back many years ago and they had several Leonbergers there. I actually considered getting one years ago. There was one listed on Craig's List back a few weeks ago. The owners "were moving and couldn't take it with them" :rolleyes:. If I didn't already have 2 dogs (or if Leos were small dogs), I'd have been tempted.

http://animal.discovery.com/videos/dogs-101-leonberger.html

[Freedom]

I've also met several Leonbergers, GORGEOUS but huge dogs. Oohhh, love to put my hands in their coats, lol. I first met them at a Pet Expo. Then, there are 3 I see annually at the Pet Photos w/ Santa.

Saw a lundehund at a Dog Show, but wasn't allowed to touch as it was being prepped for the ring. Short haired dog, not sure what I could mess up, but I know better than to touch a dog at a show unless permitted.

Ellie, I understood your comment well first time through - met a few of those myself! :D

[MonicanHonda]

Leonbergers, Bedlingtons, Komodor, Maremma (similar to a Kuvasz)... I'm sure there are others that are not coming to mind...

[Asiel]

The only rare breed I can say I met was a Mudi...they're a Hungarian herding dog from what I was told. A group is starting a club for Mudi's in Canada so they might become more popular, this was the first time I ever heard of or saw one. The club might be in effect as this was last year.

[luvofallhorses]

I think Leonbergers are becoming more and more common actually.

I think Polish Tatra's are pretty rare. Here is one I met at a spay and neuter clinic that was a puppy. I just thought he was a Great Pyrenees. :o
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/25144_1359342456557_1021407159_31096375_3166162_n. jpg

[Alysser]

Rarest dog I've ever met was a Schipperke, named Skippy...:D He was a friend of mine's dog...very cute, very sweet.

[MonicanHonda]

Mudis are GORGEOUS. I have a friend who is dying to get her hands on one. She loves her herding dogs. Lol

[Sowa]

There was a dog show here a little while ago. I don't think they'd be considered rare or anything, but breeds I don't see around where I live. For example, I got to pat a Bernese Mountain dog for the first time a few days ago. Lots of beautiful dogs at the show.

[IRescue452]

Its funny how breeds get dispersed throughout the country. I know there are places where you don't see many german shorthaired pointers and to me it just blows my mind because they are as common as labradors around here. I think two of the dogs I saw on Pitbulls and Parolees once were gsp crosses and not pitties.

[snakemama]

We have three entlebuchers who shop at my store. So random.

[tikeyas_mom]

Around Kelowna there is a very large number is rare breeds.. I have met 2 leonbergers, an otterhound, lots of Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, a Puli, Blood hound, basenji, giant schnauzers, and more I can think of right now lol.
I have been lucky to have met alot of rare breeds, they are all so unique. :)

[dab_20]

I saw a Great Pyrenees one time, which I had never seen before. My neighbor has a Basenji. I saw a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever one time at Petsmart... one of my favorite breeds and the only one I've seen! Soo beautiful. My other neighbor has this HUGE Mastiff. I don't know what breed he is specifically, but you don't see big mastiffs like that much around here. My other neighbor also has a Vizsla and Weimeraner, I LOVE them! (I know they aren't super rare but the only ones I have seen).
Truth is, I've only seen like 3 dalmatians in my entire life. I promise, I do get out and see a lot of dogs, but they just seem to be pretty rare around here. It's always a treat to see one, they're so beautiful!!

[luvofallhorses]

Bloodhounds actually are pretty common. :) I will have one someday, I love them. :D

[Suki Wingy]

I don't quite know what constitutes a rare breed, but my uncle has a Eurasier and I've met Czech shepherds, neapolitan mastiffs, manchester terriers, catahoula leopard dogs, and groomed a few havanese. Not including dogs at dog shows.

[Kater]

In vet school I've met a few breeds for the first time including a PBGV, pharaoh hound and a puli.

[wolf_Q]

How about made up breeds? The other day somebody had an "irish sheephound" I once had a guy yell at me because I didn't know the breed standard cut for an "alaskan terrier." I wish I could remember the others....I've had quite a few people insist their dog breed is real and I haven't been able to find one thing in any rare breed books or the internet. And I'm not counting "shorkies" and "cavapoos" all those designer breeds we see all the time. :rolleyes: I like to say, so you have a shih tzu, yorkie mix? People never like it when I point out that their dog is a mix.

We groom several bernese mountain dogs, I've seen a couple greater swiss mountain dogs, used to groom a leonberger, have groomed an anatolian shepherd, black russian terriers, irish wolfhound, havanese, coton de teleur, nova scotia duck tollers, skye terriers, I didn't really consider them super rare but since a few have mentioned it I've groomed bloodhounds and great pyrenees too. I've actually seen quite a few great pyrenees probably because there's quite a bit of sheep herding I see them often in the mountains with the sheep. I've never groomed one but I've seen a few entlebuchers and a borzoi. We had a belgian groenendael in a few weeks ago that's the first I've seen I have met a couple belgian tervurens. She was a beautiful dog I thought of wolfsoul. I know there's other rare breeds I've seen at dog events but that's all I can think of right now.

[Karen]

People certainly are peculiar! You should tell them, "Well, you know the 'Alaskan Terrier' is a rare breed, why don't you have a picture for reference for new groomers?" ... like every groomer in the world is going to be trained in every possible breed - and know the standards therefore? Not! Or tell him, "Well, the standard varies from region to region, what look do you prefer ..." ;)