By: Thomas Choo

We have all heard about the Labrador Retriever. We all know what a German Shepherd looks like. And most of us know that a Great Dane is a breed of dog. But what about the Chinook? Or how about the Hokkaido Inu? Is it just a type of helicopter or a city in Japan?

The Chinook and the Hokkaido Inu are actually rare breeds of dog. The Chinook is so rare that there are only about 800 of them in the whole world! They are even rarer than the Giant Panda! Rare dog breeds exist because of two reasons. Either they are getting extinct or because they are not as popular as the Labrador Retriever and the German Shepherd, or breeders exercise caution in breeding the existing stock to ensure that the offspring will go to responsible and caring owners.

The Chinook for example was a breed of dog originally bred in New England in the United States early in the 20th century to help pull sleds during the winter season. It was a cross between a mastiff and a husky type sled dog. Their numbers declined after the breed’s number one breeder died in the 1960’s. By the 1980’s there were only around 11 dogs left. Careful breeding has helped its numbers rise again but because it is not as popular, the demand for the Chinook is not high.

The Hokkaido Inu is rarely found outside Japan. It is a mountain dog prized by hunters for its loyalty and fearlessness. It is said that the Hokkaido Inu is so loyal, it will fearlessly attack a grown bear to defend its master. This type of dog is intelligent and is easily trained. But the Inu is not suited for apartment life. It is enthusiastic, playful and loves the outdoors. It is relatively brave given its medium build and size.

Another rare dog is the Otterhound. This dog was popular during the time when otter hunting was legal. But when it was banned in the 1970’s the breeds popularity waned and there are around 3,000 dogs left in the world.

Although not considered as a rare dog, the Puli can be called as one of a kind. This dog is sometimes referred to as the “Rastafarian” or “dreadlocks” dog because of its corded coat. It is usually black in color and is native to Hungary. The white colored Puli resembles a mop and was originally used a sheepdogs. This breed is very intelligent and very loyal to their owners. They are also very agile and do very well in athletic competitions.

No matter what the breed is, all dogs need a well balanced diet. The advantage of a homemade dog food is that you know what’s in it and best of all, there are no preservatives. Find out more about what NOT to feed your dog, when you visit: http://www.squidoo.com/homemade-dogfood1

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