Everyone loves a Labrador and who can resist a Spaniel? But while the most popular breeds in our Pack are not far from the nation’s favourites, we also have some breeds you may never have heard of! Here are 6 unusual breeds that sport PitPat!

Kooikerhondje

A Kooikerhondje is a small spaniel-type breed of Dutch origin. They are identifiable by the black tips on the ends of their ears, known as earrings. They are generally a working dog, but there is much evidence to show that they were first used to lure ducks in an eendenkooi (a duck decoy structure).

Shar-Pei

The Shar-Pei originated in China and has a history dating back nearly 2000 years. Their name literally translates to mean “sand-skin”. It’s this feature, of the deep wrinkles, and their blue/black tongue that give them such a unique look. They were general utility dogs used for guarding and herding. They are also known as tomb dogs, as when ancient tombs were discovered, there were 2000-year-old statues bearing likeness to them. In 1978 they featured in The Guinness Book of World Records as one of the world’s rarest breeds.

Finnish Lapphund

Originating in Finland, the Finnish Lapphund is a hardy, easy going, Spitz type breed. They were used by the Sami people, indigenous people residing in areas now divided between Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Russia, to herd reindeer. They are one of the most popular breeds in their native country, but are very rare outside of the Nordics.

Japanese Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu is another Spitz type dog, which translates to mean “small dog” in Japanese. There were originally three types of Shiba, each named after the area they were from in Japan, and although similar, they each had unique looks and characteristics. From these foundation breeds they developed six distinct dogs, the Shiba Inu being one of them.

Australian Kelpie

As their name suggests, the Kelpie originated in Australia and are a working breed used to muster livestock. Kelpies are partly descended from Dingoes, with 3–4% of their genes coming from the native Australian dog. In 1872 Jack Gleeson bought the first dog to be called a Kelpie, from a Scot called George Robertson. The dog was named after The Kelpie, a mythological shape shifting water spirit inhabiting the lochs and pools of Scotland.

Keeshond

The Keeshond originated in Germany and has a two-layer silver and black coat with a ruff and a curled tail. They used to be called the German Spitz, or Wolfspitz. The name was officially changed to Keeshond in 1926 in England, where it had been known as the Dutch Barge Dog. Many American references say that the breed originated in the Netherlands, however, it is actually part of the German Spitz family along with the Pomeranian.

Whatever breed your pooch is, if they’ve got paws, they can PitPat! Grab yours and monitor your dog’s walking, running, playing and resting as well as calories burned and distance travelled. Join The Pack today!