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7. Braque du Puy
The Braque du Puy is of French origin and was domesticated to be a hunting dog. It was bred by crossing other Braques with greyhound type dogs. The Braque du Puy was distinctly white with orange- or liver-colored marks and was a medium to large size. Today, the breed has either died out or is no longer in its original form.
8. St. John’s Water Dog
St. John’s Water Dog was native to Newfoundland and is said to be responsible for popular breeds the golden retriever and the Labrador. The original dogs slowly died out when taxes were raised for dog ownership and that many other dogs were held in quarantine to fully eradicate the spread of rabies. During the 1980s, only two of these dog breeds survived but were unfortunately both male. The dogs eventually passed away peacefully in a remote area, and that was the last of the St. John Water Dog breed.
9. Bullenbeisser
Also known as the German bulldog, this dog breed was known for its extreme strength and agility. It is said to be the early ancestors of the Dogo Argentino, and because of its high pain tolerance, it is used for fighting pits as well. Today, dog fighting is considered illegal and the practice is frowned upon by animal humane societies.
10. Coton de Reunions
According to legends, the Coton de Reunion fearlessly fought off sharks in Madagascar after surviving a shipwreck in the Indian Ocean. That’s right, this fluffy cotton balls continue to be thought of as brave, shark-fighting beasts. But regardless if that is true or not, the breed does live on through the Bichon family.
11. Russian Tracker
The Russian retriever were bred by farmers from the Caucasus Mountains to guard their livestock, a practice that ran for almost a hundred years. It was fast and flexible enough to ward off predators in the snowy areas and had a perfect coat to protect itself from the area’s harsh weather conditions. The closest descendants to the Russian tracker are the golden retrievers.