Chinese Crested

There are many different reasons why people choose to adopt a dog and bring a new family member to their home. Naturally, the dog should in every way fit the owner’s personality and vice-versa. Temperament, need for exercise, independence – one must consider all of these characteristics seriously when getting a new four legged friend. Of course, doggie looks matter too, so you have breeds that are very popular like golden retrievers and huskies, but then there are some who will raise an eyebrow or two because of their peculiar exterior.

According to Top Dog Tips, if you thought Sphynx cats are strange, you need to take a look at these dog breeds.

Chinese Crested is one of those dogs you can hardly like at first sight. Their hair is quite spotty, that is to say that they basically have none, with exclusion of their head, limbs and tail. These pooches are excellent for companionship, though they can be high-maintenance, seeing that their skin, which is mostly exposed is sensitive, so you should take good care of it. This means, sunscreen even if you don’t need one, and regular baths to prevent any skin problems.

Bergamasco – we are jumping from from a dog with basically no hair to one with dreadlocks. Needless to say, Bergamasco has an incredibly thick coat that starts to mat as they enter puberty, and by the time you get an adult dog, you also get fabulous felts to go with his bouncy personality. Interestingly, they aren’t born with this kind of coat, but with short fur, that with time just starts living a life of its own.

There is another dog breed that actually struts around in dread locks, and prides in its agility – the Puli. Unlike the Bergamasco, the Puli don’t have pelts, but so called cords, which appear after they hit the six-month mark. This dog requires a significant amount of grooming, because chaos will ensue if their cords get matted or tangled. Their coat is actually quite light, so bear that in mind along with the fact that this breed wants a lot of exercise and grooming time.

Lagotto Romagnolo is another small dog breed, and if you are a fan of truffles, you will love this little guy. Lagotto is very apt at truffle hunting, and they have been taking this job from pigs for a few decades now. This breed does have an incredibly endearing exterior, because of his double coat that resembles wool, and is just as fluffy. This is another great dog for companionship, they are very smart and like spending their time and energy with owners very much. This breed is a good fit for living in an apartment, as long as you exercise them regularly (but this goes for every dog).

Another one among the strange small size dogs must be Affenpinscher. This pooch looks like a minimized lion, thanks to its fur that looks like a main, but they are compared to monkeys because they are very temperamental. Their little faces kind of resemble the Pekinese’s, but with smaller eyes and the shaggy coat. The color of Affenpinscher’s fur can vary from silver to red.

Bedlington Terrier earned its place among the strange dogs thanks to the fact that they actually resemble sheep more than any other dog does. Thanks to their curly coat that can form a top hat on their pear-shaped head, it will look as if you have a lamb for a pet, and that’s no far from truth, because they are excellent for families, not territorial and love children.

Another little lion in the strange-dog family is the Lowchen. Thanks to their coat, and their strong personality, these little kings of jungle are great companions, but they have no undercoat, so their hair will need a lot of grooming, because the hair curling could end up in matting, which is always trouble.

The Mexican hairless, aka Xoloitzcuintli (Xolo), is definitely one of the strangest dogs on the planet, and has a name to fit its strange appearance. There is no chance that you will miss a Mexican hairless when you see one – that’s the one strutting around with basically no hair. They come in different sizes, they originate from Mexico, where they were even sacred at some point, so Mexico obviously appreciate hairlessness much more than any other nation.

And last but not least is the Neapolitan Mastiff. These gentle giants are recognizable by their loose skin that just sort of hangs from their face. They actually have their skin overflowing their body, so these folds  will need a lot of grooming to say clean and infection-free. This dog breed is quite friendly, even though they don’t look it and most people are taken aback by their size, but they are not dangerous, but do not try and run around with them, they will tackle you and lick you to death from the goodness of their hearts.