18 extinct dog breeds

While Doodle dogs, Dachshunds and Chihuahuas might be ruling the roost in the world of domestic dogs, have you ever wondered who walked the paw-shaped path before them? Well it turns out that there are a few more extinct dog breeds than you might think - with many disappearing due to human changes in interest, necessity and fashion. Whether you’re after some fun (hound-filled) facts to break the ice with your house sitter or you simply want to learn more about the world’s rare dog breeds, sit tight as we dig into all things dog breed history.

Extinct dog breeds

1. English White Terrier
2. Talbot Water Dog
3. Molossus
4. Bullenbeisser
5. St John’s Water Dog
6. Tweed Water Spaniel
7. Kurī
8. Alpine Mastiff
9. Alpine Spaniel
10. Turnspit Dog
11. Welsh Hillman 
12. Salish Wool Dog
13. Hawaiian Poi Dog
14. North Country Beagle
15. Paisley Terrier
16. Rastreador Brasileiro
17. Blue Paul Terrier
18. Moscow Water Dog

English White Terrier

Otherwise known as the Old English Terrier, it’ll be no surprise to learn that these pups were originally bred in Britain. Besides that, their history is pretty muddy, with a variety of views on where these cuties originate. Why? Well like other terriers, they were popular amongst 18th century breeders keen to develop the best breeds for the show ring. One way breeders did this was to present so-called distinct breeds, while they were potentially part of a pre-existing breed already entered into dog shows. 

Whatever their ancestral origins, it’s safe to say that the English White Terrier wasn’t exactly a hit in the show ring, and humans eventually lost interest in breeding them. Despite being an extinct dog breed, their legacy still lives on in other breeds. Through breeding programmes, they were developed into the Fox Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, the Sealyham Terrier, the Boston Terrier and Rat Terrier.

Talbot Water Dog

In their prime, Talbots were popular hunting dogs, accompanying their humans on important trips and featuring in their paintings. Common in England from the time of William the Conqueror and thought to originate in Normandy, it’s thought that people lost interest in breeding Talbots due to the introduction of more efficient hunting dogs. And despite being considered amongst extinct dog breeds, it’s thought that the Talbot’s ancestors continued to trot around the Earth as a rare dog breed, with its descendents the modern Beagle and Bloodhound.

Molossus 

If you’re interested in extinct ancient dog breeds, look no further than the Molossian hound. These chunky canines were the sidekicks of the ancient Greek tribe known as the Molossians, and were so popular that they were featured on silver coins as well as famous works of ancient Greek literature. Alongside sitting pretty, Molossus dogs were welcomed by the Greeks for protection of the home and livestock, alongside fighting and hunting. And despite Molossus themselves no longer roaming, it’s agreed by many that today’s mastiff dogs descend from them.

Bullenbeisser

Otherwise known as the German bulldog, these sturdy hounds are thought to be the ancestors of today’s Boxer dogs. They’re also thought to be related to many other extinct and rare dog breeds, including the Bärenbeisser and are often compared to Spanish Bulldogs and Dogo Argentino. That’s why it’s no surprise that these pups went extinct not due to a lack of interest in the breed, but due to crossbreeding. German breeders in the late 1800s bred them with smaller dogs to create today’s Boxer, which eventually led to the breed’s disappearance.

St. John's Water Dog

If we’ve got any extinct dog breeds to thank, it’s the St. John’s Water Dog. Why? Well these cuties are the ancestors of two of the most popular domestic dog breeds - Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers! Originally bred in Newfoundland as early as the 16th century, these cuties were known for their docile nature and top-notch retrieval skills (sound familiar?). Sadly, the breed itself went extinct in Newfoundland due to heavy taxes placed on dog owners at the time, while Britain introduced long-term quarantines on imported animals in an attempt to eradicate rabies. Despite their decrease in numbers, there are still many large black dogs that echo some of St. John’s Water Dog’s characteristics.

Tweed Water Spaniel

If you’re interested in dog breeds that are extinct and into smart blazers, misleadingly, you’re in the wrong place. Nope, rather than the attire of the British countryside, Tweed Water Spaniels are named after Berwick upon Tweed which is near the River Tweed and Scottish border. Originally bred as water dogs, they lived near the river, assisting their humans in hunting activities. Sadly, they went extinct in the 19th century due to crossbreeding for the production of retriever dogs.

Kurī

Now to the other side of the globe, we have Kurī dogs - an extinct dog breed that were once bred for food, hunting, clothes and weapons by Maori peoples. The pups arrived in New Zealand alongside their humans from East Polynesia between 1200 and 1300 AD. The pups accompanied their humans in New Zealand for some years before they disappeared, when European settlers arrived with dogs that sadly couldn’t breed with the Kurī.

Alpine Mastiff

Probably the most striking feature of the Alpine Mastiff is their size. Thought to be one of the first giant breeds created by us humans, they were put on show in England in the 19th century purely for dog lovers to feast their eyes upon. It’s thought they might share the same (or similar) origins to today’s known and loved St. Bernards, but unlike the common misconception, they’re not the same breed! And despite their legacy across hundreds of years starting in the Swiss and Italian alps, these giant cuties sadly disappeared due to crossbreeding with various other large dog breeds.

Alpine Spaniel

No longer amongst rare dog breeds but now an extinct one, Alpine Spaniels once played a central role in the Swiss and Italian mountains. With admirable strength, determination and skill, these cuties were able to search for stranded or buried mountaineers in even the harshest of conditions, alerting rescuers of their finds. Helping them fulfill their role was a strength incomparable to today’s spaniels, alongside tightly curled fur that protected them from the elements. Sadly, the breed was made extinct in the mid 1800s due to accidents, disease and poor conditions in the Alps.

Turnspit Dog

Turnspit dogs are one of the rarest dog breeds, not because of their unique ancestry, appearance or status amongst humans (as none of these are particularly notable), but because of their rather original role in the household. The clue is in the name - these dogs accompanied their humans to continuously run in a wheel (much like a hamster), to turn a spit, making sure that the meat was cooked evenly. Sadly, records of these pups are few and far between, but it’s thought that their prime was around the 16th century.

Welsh Hillman

Unlike some of today’s creative names for the various mixed breed dogs rising in popularity, the Welsh Hilman’s name is pretty self-explanatory, like many extinct dog breeds. You guessed it - originally bred on the hills of Wales, these fluffballs were employed to herd livestock and are thought by some to be the oldest Welsh herding dog. Sadly no longer a distinct breed, some believe that they live on amongst other crossbreed sheep dogs in Wales.

Salish Wool Dog

For such small dogs, these cuties have a pretty long history. Otherwise known as the Comox Dog, they accompanied Native Americans of the Washington State and British Colombia, and it’s thought they might be the first North American dog to be farmed by humans. Known for their wool-like fur, these pups were sheared every summer. Sadly due to crossbreeding and easy access to sheep wool, the Salish Wool Dog went extinct in the early 20th century.

Hawaiian Poi Dog

Once bred for food by people in pre-colonized Hawaii, these cuties were named after the food they ate. These short-haired, white pups were served poi, a substance made from the taro plant. But as modern dog lovers will know, dogs are carnivores, and need meat to stay happy and healthy. This meant that sadly, their diet of poi led to malnutrition and a variety of health problems. That along with crossbreeding, the original Poi Dogs disappeared altogether.

North Country Beagle

Circle back around to Britain, and we’ve got the North Country Beagle, otherwise known as a Northern Hound. These once-popular scent hounds are now sadly among Britain’s extinct dog breeds, partly due to the favoring of other faster breeds that were more suited to fox hunting, which was growing in popularity in the 18th century.

Paisley Terrier

It only takes a glance at these cuties to guess their descendents - despite being now extinct, the Paisley Terrier is the Scottish ancestor of today’s much-loved Yorkshire Terrier. As the show dog version of the Skye Terrier, it’s no wonder that these cuties were once popular amongst dog show enthusiasts. Unfortunately, like many interests and fashion trends, the popularity of the Paisley declined over the years, and so did the motivations to breed them.

Rastreador Brasileiro

Otherwise known as the Brazilian Tracker, the Rastreador Brasileiro was once a popular, large pup in, you guessed it, Brazil. Sadly, the story of their extinction is a tragic one - due to an outbreak of disease and an overdose on insecticide, the breed was totally wiped out in the 1960s. Efforts are being made to restore the breed, but it’s no easy task.

Blue Paul Terrier

Otherwise known as the Scottish Blue Paul and the Poll Terrier, these pups (you guessed it) originated in Scotland. Sadly, their purpose amongst humans was to fight other dogs competitively. Like many extinct dog breeds, the exact origins of the Blue Paul Terrier aren’t quite clear due to lack of records, but it’s no surprise that many suggest they’re the ancestors of today’s Staffordshire Bull Terrier. And like with lots of breeds that are no longer with us, these pups eventually disappeared due to crossbreeding for the creation of new breeds. In this case, cross breeding the Poll Terrier became popular, leading to the creation of the American Pit Bull Terrier and the breed’s extinction in the 19th century.

Moscow Water Dog

If rare dog breeds are your thing, then look no further than the sizeable cuties that are Moscow Water Dogs. A mix of Newfoundlands and Caucasion Shepherds, they were originally bred as water dogs during the 1940s and 50s. Sadly, their time as a breed was short lived as they were more interested in biting people than rescuing them.

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