Today, we’re stepping off the beaten path to explore some rare and remarkable sporting dog breeds. While most people are familiar with popular breeds like Golden Retrievers, Boxers, or Chihuahuas, there’s a world of lesser-known hunting dogs that make exceptional companions, especially for those with active lifestyles or unique hobbies.
These rare breeds aren’t just eye-catching; they’re hardworking, intelligent, and full of personality. Whether you’re looking for a loyal guard dog, a dedicated working partner, or an adventurous trail buddy, these dogs have the stamina and spirit to keep up.
What sets them apart isn’t just their rarity, but their impressive physical traits and adaptability. Bred to thrive in demanding environments, they often outperform more common breeds in tasks that require grit, agility, and resilience. Let’s get to know them.
7 Rare Sporting Dog Breeds
1. Canaan Dog
The Canaan Dog is an ancient breed with roots going back to 2200–2000 BCE. Originally known as the Pariah Dog, it was bred to guard livestock and herd animals in the harsh desert environment.
Highly intelligent and loyal, Canaan Dogs form strong bonds with their families but tend to be cautious and reserved around strangers.
This is the national dog of Israel and it has thousands of years of surviving the harsh Negev desert behind it. It is a loyal and hardworking herder, prone to barking and thrives on long walks and physical obstacle courses, and fetching exercises.
The breed can be challenging for newer pet owners as they are independent and intelligent, which is a difficult mix of qualities. These are also what make them a great breed to have around for an outdoorsy lifestyle. They make for great hiking and hunting companions.
2. Chesapeake Bay Retriever
This is a hunting dog, originally bred to retrieve ducks. The American Kennel Club (AKC) cites the breed for its waterproof coat, useful for staying warm while retrieving ducks from water bodies.
They are persistent, strong, and tenacious when it comes to retrieving their owner’s hunts from difficult terrain and could retrieve kills almost 100%.
They are cited for their strength, sturdiness, and have good-natured personalities. However, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is not the most friendliest of dogs. The breed can be wary of strangers and needs to be socialized early to be good with strangers and to accept commands.
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a bright, cheerful, and playful breed with a strong independent streak. Powerful and energetic, this dog isn’t the best fit for first-time owners. Purina notes that they need regular activity and thrive with kind, consistent training to become well-behaved companions. Simply lounging around won’t keep them happy—they need purpose and engagement.
3. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Another member of the retriever breeds, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, is considered to be a rare dog breed. It is also a great dog to have for the outdoors, as it is also a hunting dog.
These loyal dogs are loving and affectionate pets to have. They do well in smaller homes and is a wonderful breed to have around young children and babies.
They can be wary of change initially, but respond well to training and encouragement from their owners. The breed has standard grooming needs and tends to shed a lot during summer.
Weekly grooming is ok in winter, but daily brushing is advised during peak shedding season to keep your home hair free, according to WebMD. They need regualr exercise and do well with other breeds in the family.
4. Bergamasco Shepherd
The Bergamasco shepherd is a rare dog breed with one of the most remarkable coats in this list. Its unique appearance is due to dense, thick mats of felted hair that look like dreadlocks from far off. This also makes it an extremely low-maintenance dog breed.
Their unique coats just need to be managed once in their lifespan, when the mats need to be ripped into locks, usually around one year of age. These flocks then continue to grow and protect the dog from the elements, as well as from insect bites. As a herding dog, these thick and dense coats help to protect the dogs from wolves and other predators when they were guarding livestock.
Persian in origin, from what is now modern Iran, they were used by shepherds in the mountainous regions, from where they moved to Italy and settled in the Italian Alps. As an intelligent herding dog breed, the Bergamasco has an independent nature and interacts well with all family members, and needs to be trained to be around children and other pets.
5. Azawakh
This is one of the rarest dog breeds in the world right now. A hunting dog breed from West Africa, these are perfect hunters and love regular exercise. Among the most athletic dogs in this list, most dogs are confused with an English foxhound.
They are mentioned as having a strong prey drive and may not do well in households with smaller pets, especially birds. As fast dogs, they need access to a large yard or garden for optimum health.
The Azawakh has an excellent nose and has a smooth coat with short hair that is very easy to maintain. A member of the hound family, this rare dog breed was originally bred to hunt small game.
Purina states that this is quiet dogs and can get along with other dogs, but will need early training and acclimatization.
6. Thai Ridgeback
Among the rarest dog breeds mentioned here, the Thai Ridgeback is among the most acclimatized to life as a family dog. This breed is the perfect dog for a family as it has the energy and love to keep up with multiple loved humans.
They are also keen hunting dogs and are highly intelligent, which can make them a challenging choice, especially for inexperienced dog owners.
They do well with regular brushing and need regular exercise. It’s good to get these dogs early training to manage their strong prey drive and socialization to handle being around strangers.
7. Nederlandse Kooikerhondje
The last rare dog on our list is the opposite of its tongue-twisting breed name! This loving and energetic animal may be listed as a rare dog breed, but it is an excellent pick for people looking to get a family dog.
Nederlandse Kooikerhondje was bred for bird hunters and was designed to look like a fox, which are common predator of ducks in the Netherlands.
These are energetic dogs, and need more than a run in a large garden or yard. Extended walks would be excellent to offer these intelligent animals mental stimulation as well as their hunting skills in the outdoors to hunt new smells and sounds!
These dogs require frequent grooming, monthly or bi-monthly bathing, as well as ear cleaning for optimum health. The breed tends to be greedy, so make sure to manage their diets.
Conclusion
The rare dog breeds that we have listed here have all been bred with hunting abilities for specific preys. some are bird dogs, others have gained fame for their skill in retrieving prey from difficult hunting fields. Some are large and some are rare dogs. What is common to all these is that they can be trained to be good around families, young children and multiple pets.
As always, all dogs need love, attention, socialization, and training to handle their new homes and families. If you have an active lifestyle that can be enriched by having one of these active and high-energy rare dog breeds in your life, don’t hesitate to bring them into your life and give them the love and attention they deserve.
