Afghan Hounds are extremely ancient coursing sighthounds from the cold mountains of Afghanistan. The flowing, long-haired variety we are used to are a Western kennel club creation, and those hounds still used in their homeland are called Tazi. Tazi have slightly shorter fur, which is typically limited to their legs, ears, neck, and tail, as they’re still active hunting hounds. Afghan Hounds may look majestic, but are very clownish, unserious dogs. Maintaining obedience training with them is, despite their intelligence, about as high-maintenance as their fur.

Akitas are possibly the oldest of the Japanese dogs, historically hunters of large game like bears. Hachikō is the famous Akita who waited for his owner at the train station for 9 years after he died on the train on his way to work, and is now immortalized as a statue, reunited with his owner at Shibuya Station. Hachikō is not an outlier in the breed — this extreme loyalty is the main trait of the Akita.

Alaskan Malamutes are large sledge dogs, meaning unlike Siberian Huskies they were made to carry heavy loads for shorter distances. They belong traditionally to the Alaskan Indigenous peoples, or Iñupiat. They can be quite stubborn, and do not do well with forceful methods of training.

Basenji are small, African hunting dogs dating back to pre-historic Egyptian carvings. They are also called the “barkless” or “yodeling” dog, as their unusually shaped larynx cannot produce barking like other dogs. They are, even to primitive owners, considered one of the hardest breeds to train. They can have a mind of their own and seem to change their willingness to obey on a dime. They are, however, extremely close and loyal to their humans and will allow them to see their clownish, silly personalities.

More than 9,000 years old, Canaan Dogs have been used by Bedouin peoples as guard dogs for their herds and camps. They are now being used as protection and military dogs across the Middle East. They still take this guarding instinct seriously, so don’t expect to host parties with a Canaan Dog in your home.

Carolina Dogs are the only native “wild” dog in North America, similar to the Dingo of Australia. They have never been bred with human intervention, meaning they are far more wild-like than other “breeds”. They are also very energetic dogs with high prey drive, so an outlet for this energy is a must (unless you’d like your home dismantled).

Despite the name, Chinese Crested likely originate from the now extinct African Hairless dogs, imported into China in ancient times. They are excellent lapdogs and come in hairless (except for the legs, tail, and head/ears), and powderpuff (long and silky hair all over). Their personalities are as goofy as their appearance, and like the other toy dogs on this list, excel at agility and obedience.

Chows are extremely ancient Chinese guarding dogs, and they take their role very seriously. Many people in modern-times have categorized these dogs as aggressive, but they are simply made for very particular instances, and do not thrive in busy, small homes. They should not be kept in apartments or cities, and owners should be very well-versed in their body language — some trainers refer to the “Chow snap” as a seemingly sudden aggressive action. They can be predictable if communication is clear with owner and dog, meaning boundaries must be respected. If you gain the trust of a Chow Chow, however, they will love and protect you with every fiber of their being.

Argos Animal Training co-founder Elio Giglio dei Vignazzi is a Cirneco. The Cirneco is approximately 3,000 years old, traced back to identical skeletal remains found all over Sicily. They were imported by the Phoenicians (ancient sea-traders) from Egyptian sighthounds, and stayed on the island until today. They are also featured in many Ancient Greek reliefs and carvings all over the Greek colonies of Sicily.

Cirneci are strange little dogs (I say lovingly); they choose their friends according to their own criteria and like their boundaries clear and respected, but will absolutely not respect your personal space. Every female Cirneco I have met has crawled into my lap upon meeting them, and every male has rushed by me like the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.

Finnish Lapphunds are descendants of the Sami peoples’ reindeer herding-breeds (see Nenet‘s Herding Laika in this list). They are excellent all-purpose dogs, traditionally used for sled-pulling and herding but now popular as agility, mushing, and rally obedience dogs. As a herding breed, they can be very obedient when trained properly.

The Inuit Dog, also called Qimmiq by the Inuit and Canadian Esk*mo Dog by various kennel clubs (which I will not use, as the Inuit are both not Canadian and Esk*mo is a derogatory term), are large, sled-pulling dogs. They are historically very central to Inuit culture (both in Greenland and the Canadian north), as the nomadic nature of Inuit culture allowed them to hunt and move according to the time of year, and Qimmiq have excellent directional awareness even in the midst of snowstorms. Today, the Inuit Qimmiq are critically endangered, as the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) attempted to wipe out their populations in the 1950s.

There is too much to say about these dogs and their history — read more here

Irish Wolfhounds are possibly the oldest identifiable dogs found on Ireland and all of the British Isles. A group of skeletons in Haughey’s Fort, County Armagh, Ireland, showed the largest dog skull found in neolithic Ireland and Britain. Irish Wolfhounds are also thought to be the inspiration for legendary hero CúChulainn’s namesake dog. Irish Wolfhounds are gentle giants with a typically friendly disposition. They are a giant breed with many breed-related health issues, so be sure to research each breeder heavily when considering taking one home.

Keeshonden (the plural of Keeshond, pronounced “kays-hond” and “kays-hond-in”) are historically the dogs of bargemen and sailors in Holland. They are identifiable by their “goggles”, lighter fur around their eyes, and extremely fluffy appearance. They are a breed of German Spitz, also called Wolfspitz, and are in the same family as Pomeranians. They are incredibly loving with their families, and can make excellent therapy dogs, but are energetic enough to require quite a bit of exercise. For an outdoorsy, active family, the Keeshond can make a great family dog.

The Kokoni is a still common breed of ancient Greek companion dog. They can be found in many, many pieces of ancient art, from gravestones to figurines to temple reliefs. They have been the companions of famous Greeks like Aristotle and Plato, and are still found in homes across the country. The Kokoni pictured here is a friend I made while on the Cycladic Island of Zakynthos (Zante), who not only took me on a walk around the island but waited for me outside while I went into a store. They are highly loyal, loving, trainable dogs with big personalities. If you’re looking to adopt one, though, it will definitely need to be shipped in from Greece!

My dream is to bring this breed to the US and hopefully continue to breed them to preserve their rich history.

The Jindo is an ancient hunting dog from Korea, traditionally for deer, boar, and small animals. They are extremely independent, highly intelligent, and cannot be trained using aversive methods. They are also prone to same-sex aggression, a common trait of primitives, are territorial, and tend to be dominant.

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Lhasas are the lap-dogs and pest-control dogs of Tibetan monasteries. They are similar to Shih Tzus in appearance, but not necessarily personality; they are mischievous and clown-like, though also aloof and dignified, quite mistrustful of strangers.

The Maltese is, as the name says, a small dog from the Mediterranean island of Malta. Historically, they are the lapdogs of royalty, and anyone who’s met one knows this well! It may surprise you to see these popular little yippers on this list of primitive breeds, but Maltese actually have many “quirky” behaviors that are difficult for the average owner to train with.

The Nenet’s Herding Laika is a very ancient reindeer herding breed of the Indigenous people of Siberia, the Nenet. They are also the ancestors of Samoyeds and Finnish Lapphunds. They are friendly, all-purpose dogs that are now popularly used in tracking and scentwork in their native country of Russia. In the US, they are still in the process of becoming recognized by major kennel clubs.

If you’ve met a New Guinea Singing Dog, congrats! Not many people have. As the name says, NGSDs come from Papua New Guinea and are of course known for their very impressive ability to harmonize their song. They are highly, highly intelligent, very mischievous, and not entirely domesticated, much like the Carolina Dog and Dingo. As they are so extremely rare, those who own these wild dogs are very dedicated to their preservation and education. Visit the New Guinea Singing Dog Club of America for more info from owners and experts.

The original “Viking Dog”, the Buhund has been found in viking graves from 900ce. Historically, they have been used as an all-purpose farm dog, herding sheep and cattle and keeping guard. Today, this versatility has transferred to a wide range of sports and work — competing in agility, dock diving, flyball, competitive obedience, barn hunt, tracking, and bringing comfort to others as therapy dogs.

You may know the Norwegian Lundehund by their famous six-toed paws, their ability to seal their ears, and bend their head nearly 90 degrees and front legs horizontal to their back. They also very nearly went extinct after World War II, and since their gene pool has been shrunk so dramatically they are also known as the most inbred of dog breeds. The Norwegian Kennel Club has an ongoing project of 15+ years to widen this gene pool by outcrossing Lundehunden with similar breeds like Norbottenspets and Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

Pekingese were historically bred to specifically be ornamental accessories for the higher classes in Imperial China. They were, in a very funny way, the Ancient Chinese version of Mace or pepper spray — the smallest Pekes were called “sleeves”, as they were carried in the large sleeves of their owners, and were known to be particularly feisty… and were deployed when their owners felt threatened. They seem to have calmed down a bit in modern times, but that tight bond between owner and Peke remains just as strong.

First and foremost, Pharaoh Hounds are actually not from Egypt! They are from the island of Malta (like the Maltese earlier on this list!) and are called Kelb tal-Fenek in their homeland (which means “rabbit dog”). They hunt rabbit and other small to medium game found on the island. Their ancestry most likely comes from the famous hunting dogs, Tesem, of Ancient Egypt, like the other Mediterranean rabbit hunting hounds. In appearance, they are nearly identical to Cirneci, just larger!

Podencos refers to a group of skinny, prick-eared hunting hounds from Spanish islands and on the mainland countries of Spain and Portugal. They are, also, sometimes called the “Invisible Dogs“ or “The Forgotten”, as they are the some of the most abused dogs in Europe. Spanish law excludes them from animal welfare laws as hunting dogs, which are considered tools. They live in often horrific situations, and most hunters shoot them when the season is over. See Hope For Podencos for more.

Extremely versatile and adaptable, pods are able to live in many living situations — as long as they’re with their human. They are clownish, deceivingly clever, and very sensitive to changes in their human’s behaviors and emotions.

Pomeranians I have included on this list as the smallest (and most recognizable) of the German Spitz; another can be found on this list, the Keeshond or Wolfspitz. The German Spitz subcategory is considered the be the oldest group of dogs found in Europe, though there have been some notable changes for the Pom when compared to their ancient, sled-pulling ancestors. Since the 1700s, they have been bred smaller and smaller, from around 30–40 lbs to the now standard 10–15. They are extroverted, jolly little dogs, typically great trick and agility dogs, though in spirit maintain that “big-dog-energy”, are territorial by nature, and change their willingness to obey seemingly on a whim.

Less ancient than the other breeds on this list, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is made up of primitive and landrace breeds and originates in South Africa. It traditionally was used to guard the land and livestock of its owners and to flush small birds and hunt large game. One of the principal breeds making up this ridgeback, besides ancient scenthounds and sighthounds, is the Hottentot Dog, a landrace breed native to Africa and a excellent hunter. RRs have very high prey drive, dignified appearance, aloof with strangers, and — typically, in my experience — have a goofy, undignified side.

In this category I’ve included the East Siberian Laika, West Siberian Laika, and Russo-European Laika (pictured above). These are intense, big-game hunters native to the arctic region.

Saluki are most commonly known to be one of the oldest breeds on Earth, and based on ancient carvings and paintings found throughout the Middle-East, potentially up to 9,000 years ago! They are likely the ancestor of all modern sighthounds. Traditionally, they have been kept by the nomadic Bedouin people that live throughout the Middle-East, which is a very unique position for a dog: they are typically held on the same high-esteem as Arabian Horses and falcons, and despite dogs being seen culturally as “unclean”, only saluki are allowed into the tents and living quarters of people.

The Shiba Inu, meaning “brushwood” dog due to their coloring, is the national dog of Japan and quickly becoming a popular dog in America. They are the face of the “Doge” meme (as well as the cryptocurrency named after it). Shibas are exceedingly clever and nimble, so don’t be fooled by that cute squishy face — they can and will use those smarts to their own gain. If trained with consistency, understanding, and unending patience, they can be extremely loyal, loving, and connected partners. Beware: if you have not heard the Shiba scream, do not consider getting this dog. If you’re not expecting it, they will make your ears bleed.

The Tibetan Mastiff is a very serious, powerful dog. Those who’ve ever had to deal with one know of their stubbornness — you can not make a Tibetan Mastiff do something they do not wish to do. Training them requires endless patience, mutual understanding and communication, trust, and the knowledge that some skills you can teach one dog, you cannot teach this one. They are, of course, native to Tibet, the most common type called the Do-Khyi, and are characteristic of their lion-like mane, large-boned and strong stature, and their intense dedication to protecting their land. These dogs require a very particular type of owner, and do not like high-traffic households with other pets and children.

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If you’ve seen the Pixar film Coco, you know some characteristics of the Xolo. First fun fact — Coco’s Dante always has his tongue hanging out because genetically, hairless dogs have quite a bit of missing teeth, so their tongue may hang out! There are three sizes of Xolos: toy, intermediate or miniature, and standard. The standard Xolos are large, imposing dogs with a serious expression and uncaring attitude towards strangers, but a very, very close relationship with their owner or family. The toy and intermediate sizes are more characteristic of other smaller watchdogs, suspicious of strangers and with a deep love of their owners’ laps. Mexican Indigenous peoples have numerous stories on the healing power of Xolos, and would often place the smaller ones in the beds of their sick. Despite being named “Mexican Hairless Dogs”, they come in a coated variety, with about a one-in-five chance of coated pups in each litter.

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