They are best known for their unconditional loyalty, dedication, selfless love and for being man’s best friend, but some breeds out there are so weird and funny-looking, that the poor pooches ended up being recognized only for their curious looks.
Just as their specific breed can predetermine their overall character and temperament, this can be the case with their physical appearance. Here are some of the strangest dog breeds we’ve stumbled upon.
15. The Brussels Griffon
These fluffy balls of fur definitely look like some forgotten characters from the Star Wars movies, but unfortunately, the Griffon Bruxellois (or Brussels Griffon) is a breed of toy dog that doesn’t come from a galaxy far, far away.
They are small yet quite temperamental dogs, and come with their trademark thick beard and funny moustache, which makes them look rather angry, and for a reason.
Compared to other breeds, these little fellas like to dominate other dogs around and are quite protective of their master.
Real-life Chewbaccas, right there.
14. The Bull Terrier
Perhaps the most recognizable feature is the head. It is often described as egg-shaped when viewed from the front, while the top of the skull is almost flat.
The profile curves gently downwards from the top of the skull to the tip of the nose, which is black and bent downwards at the tip, with well developed nostrils. The Bull Terrier’s most remarkable feature is something a bit less conspicuous – their triangular eyes, and Bull Terriers are the only dog breed to have them.
13. The Affenpinscher
This canine buddy got these nicknames as its facial fur is able to grow so thick that you could see the dog’s uncanny resemblance to the mythic creature the Big Foot.
The breed can be described as playful, active, adventurous and fun loving, though at times these little guys can be really stubborn.
The initial purpose of this German pooch was to hunt and kill rats. Since the Affenpinscher is relatively small in size, this hairy scoundrel was pretty efficient when it came to rat eradication times.
Perhaps the rats simply couldn’t focus on scurrying away with such crazy-looking hunters behind them.
12. Alaskan Klee Kai
It is an energetic, intelligent, apartment-sized dog with an appearance that reflects its northern heritage.
Alaskan Klee Kais actually look exactly like normal Huskies, but this breed can only reach a maximum height of 17 inches.
These little rascals were bred from Huskies, white American Eskimos and Schipperke dogs back in the 1970s, in order to create this unique miniature Husky look.
In their toy edition, these dogs don’t grow over 13 inches.
11. The Bedlington Terrier
Your dream-pet is finally available, and it comes in the shape of the Bedlington Terrier.
These fluffy Terriers are usually grey to whitish in color, and are equipped with a decent amount of fluffy fur on them, hence the nickname – Rothbury’s Lamb.
The good news though, is that their specific type of fur makes them ideal for allergy-prone owners.
Though most people see them as cute little lambs, Bedlington Terriers are actually very active, needs heaps of exercise every day in order to keep them healthy and happy, but they can also be quite tricky when it comes to their temperament.
Namely, they are described as very versatile yet contradictory dogs, being both good with children, but also “fit to kill any other dog of his weight.”
10. The Bergamasco Shepherd
Just as the name implies, this breed was used for helping animal farmers with their stock.
Their fur is incredibly thick and tends to gradually mat and stick together in clumps, which later become even more tangled, giving this crazy-looking dog that distinctive dreadlocky look.
The Bergamasco Shepherd actually has three, instead of the two usual coats, and this is why they are so prone to developing thick mats.
While many people think that these unique physical features of their coat are nothing but their flaw and disadvantage, the Bergamasco’s thick hair has served the breed well throughout history, acting as camouflage, insulation and a cool shield.
9. The Puli
The Puli is a small-medium breed of Hungarian herding and livestock guarding dog known for its thick, long and corded coat.
The tight curls of the coat, similar to dreadlocks, make it virtually waterproof and one of the weirdest and cutest looking dogs around the globe. The Puli is a solid colored dog that is usually black, but can also come in other, less common coat colors like white, gray, or cream.
Their distinctive coat is the result of a controlled matting process and the thin rope-like corded coats are desired. The Puli’s coat needs considerable grooming to keep its cords clean, neat, and attractive.
With age the coat can become quite long, even reaching the ground.
8. The Neapolitan Mastiff
The Neapolitan Mastiff has droopy skin around its face and neck, which many people actually find quite cute.
Usually all those facial wrinkles make these canine scoundrels appear quite ancient, like some old and huge grandpa.
They were originally bred in Italy, ancient Rome to be exact. They were a worthy part of the Roman army. The legionnaires trained them to wear special armor with sharp spikes on their back. It is said that it is with the help of these pooches they could knock down the enemy horses.
Quite awesome, indeed.
7. Borzoi
They are similar in shape to greyhounds, but are a bit thinner and even longer.
Borzoi actually has quite a disproportionate body type. Its head is rather small in comparison to its really long body and slender legs.
Their owners really need to have the patience and tenacity to train and discipline these pooches. Canine experts say these hounds are best trained by experienced dog handlers since they lack the concept of obedience that other breeds have.
Their purpose was highly athletic and their name Borzói is the masculine singular form of an archaic Russian adjective that means fast. So, too fast, too disobedient and rather funny-looking… This pooch really is one crazy ride.
6. The French Bulldog
Also known as the Frenchie, this hobbit-like pooch is short and petite, but its overall look resembles the regular bulldog in almost every way.
Just like the hobbits from the famous Tolkien fantasy novels, their character is so much bigger and stronger than their funny-looking bodies, as they were originally bred to attack and kill bulls.
However, these dogs are now extremely adaptable, trainable, friendly and, above all, ridiculously cute and affectionate.
5. The Peruvian Hairless
According to the FCI breed standard, the most important aspect of this breed’s appearance is in fact its hairlessness.
This canine scoundrel may have short hair on top of its head, on its feet, and on the tip of its tail, but the breeders prefer completely hairless dogs.
The full-coated variety is disqualified from conformation showing.
Their name (Orchid) comes from the Spanish conquerors and explorers who discovered the breed and named these unique dogs Perros Flora, meaning flower dogs, because they found them among the orchids in Peruvian houses.
4. The Chow Chow
Sometimes simply Chow, these pooches of ancient origin originally come from northern China, where the breed had been called the Tang Quan, meaning “Dog of the Tang Empire”.
It is believed that the Chow Chow is one of the native dogs used as the model for the Foo dogs (the traditional stone guardians found in front of Buddhist temples and palaces.
Aside from looking like puffy little lions, the Chow Chows regularly have a purple-black tongue and lips, while their nose is oftentimes blue or gray, rather than the usual black.
3. The Pug
The Pug has a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, most often fawn or black, and a compact square body with well-developed muscles.
With its big head, crazy bulging eyes, wrinkly face and upturned nose, these balls of fur may be ugly by conventional standards, but they are charmingly cute at the same time, which is exactly why they’ve become so popular in modern cultures.
As for their temperament, the breed is often described as multum in parvo, meaning “much in little,” alluding to their remarkable personality, despite their petit size.
2. The Xoloitzcuintli
A genetic study was recently conducted in order to determine the origin of the Xoloitzcuintli breed, however, the study did not find a close genetic connection to the Chinese Crested Dog (the no1 on our list).
It appears that this crazy-looking breed did not result from a separate domestication of dogs in the New World, but is a result of a mixture of several Old World dog breeds.
These pooches are the oldest breed in North America and the Aztec people believed them to have healing powers. These dogs are completely hairless, except for the occasional ridiculously fuzzy tuft on their head or tail.
1. The Chinese Crested
The Chinese Crested dog is somewhat higher maintenance animal since his delicate skin is exposed and needs constant moisturizing and protection from the sun, while it also needs regular bathing in order to avoid skin infections.
There are two varieties of Chinese crested Dogs, Hairless and Powderpuff, and at a first glance they appear to be two different breeds, but hairlessness is actually an incomplete dominant trait within a single breed.
The Hairless version has soft, humanlike skin, as well as tufts of fur on its paws (socks) and tail (plume) and long, flowing hair on its head (crest).
These pooches are considered to be one of the ugliest dog breeds out there, and besides winning the first place on our list, they oftentimes win the first prize at ugly dog competitions.