3 Extraordinary Looking Dog Breeds

There are many lovely looking dog breeds around with some being extra-cute, others strikingly handsome and then there's the more extraordinary looking dogs which, it has to be said usually stop people in the tracks when they first see them. There are three in particular that boast having out of the ordinary coats which are so unusual they are not like the average dogs at all, but more like woolly sheep. Below is a list of three dogs that stand out in the crowd for having exceptional coats.

The Hungarian Puli

Over recent years, the Hungarian Puli has found a big fan base outside of their native land not only because of their extraordinary looks, but also because they are known to have kind and gentle and fun-loving natures. They are also known to be fiercely loyal to their owners, but can be a little standoffish with people they don't know which all changes once a Puli gets to know a person.

The Hungarian Puli is among one of the most distinctive looking breeds and they were and still are highly prized in their native Hungary for being reliable and trustworthy herding dogs. Their extraordinary coats are made up of thick, dense cords which can be extremely long. Their coats offer dogs lots of protection from the elements which is something the Hungarian Puli needs when they were looking after herds of animals in remote, mountainous areas of Hungary.

They are not large dogs with males only standing at around 40 to 44 cm at the shoulder whereas their female counterparts are a little shorter. Males can weigh in at between 13 to 15 kg with females being that much lighter. They are strong, well-muscled and nicely put together dogs although their wonderfully, thick and dense cords hide their lovely outline more especially because the cords are that much longer across their back-ends. The Hungarian Puli's coat may be extraordinary, but they are not the only breed to have such wonderful cords and they come in a variety of colours too which is black right through to white with many shades in-between.

The Komondor

Another Hungarian breed, the Komondor also boasts an extraordinary corded coat and again, this offers these lovely dogs a tremendous amount of protection from the elements. The breed has always been highly prized in their native Hungary for their herding abilities and the facts they are tremendously loyal and courageous, although the Komondor is less well known in other parts of the world. They are a lot larger than their Puli counterparts with male dogs standing at anything from 65 to 80 cm at the should with females being slightly shorter. A male can weigh in at between 50 to 61 kg with females having a lighter build.

Underneath all those wonderful white cords, the Komondor is a powerful, well-muscled dog and one that boasts a rather large head when compared to the rest of their bodies. When puppies are first born, their coats consist of a mass of soft curls that over time gradually develop into lovely long cords. Puppies also have a slight shading in their coats which is lost when they are adults. A mature Komondor has a harsh top coat which is either wavy or it can be curly too, but their undercoat is exceptionally soft. Their cords are longest over their rumps, across their loins and on their tails whereas elsewhere on their bodies, the cords are that much shorter which helps define a dog's shape, although it is still hard to see how well-muscled these dogs are under all their cords.

The Bergamasco

Native to northern Italy, the Bergamasco is another breed with a wonderful thick, dense corded coat. They have always been highly prized for their herding skills and loyalty in their native Italy, but over recent years more of the breed is starting to be seen in other countries of the world which includes the UK. They are powerful, well-muscled and nicely put together although their exact shape is hard to see thanks to the long, loose cords that make up their coat.

Although loyal and courageous by nature, the Bergamasco is best suited to owners familiar with their specific needs, but having said this in the right hands and environment, the Bergamasco makes for a wonderful companion and family pet. They are not overly large with males standing an around 60 cm at the shoulder whereas their female counterparts are slightly shorter. Males tend to be that bit heavier too weighing in at between 32 to 38 kg and females weighing less at 26 to 32 kg being a lighter build all round.

But what makes the Bergamasco stand out from a lot of other breeds is their lovely long mats and cords that hang loosely from their toplines all the way down their flanks. The cords around a dog’s head and legs is that much softer than on the rest of their bodies where it is quite a lot harsher to the touch. Their undercoats are short and dense offering even more protection from the elements and their top coats have a greasy feel to them adding to its protective layer. These extraordinary looking dogs come in a variety of colours that range from black right through to light grey with fawn and Isabella in between with some Bergamascos having white patches on certain parts of their bodies.