20 Weird dog mixes & breeds [2023]

We’ve all heard of German shepherds, or even Pomeranians but what about weird dog mixes & breeds? For those who really want a rare and exotic breed of dog that makes their brood one of a kind? Here’s a list of the most exotic dog mixes and where they come from. You may even find your next pet.

There’s so many different breeds of dogs out there that it’s hard to choose just one. New mixes are developing constantly and they’re adorable, but be careful if you decide to choose one of these uncommon dogs. Aside from their sometimes expensive price tag, there are many health and behavior risks when it comes to purchasing a dog mix that is new.

Here’s the list of weird dog breeds!

1. Saluki

At a maximum weight of 66 pounds and standing at up to 28 inches tall, the Saluki, or Persian Greyhound, has long wavy hair and a sleek body, hails from Turkey, and was once considered the official dog of Egyptian royalty. Their remains have been found alongside their masters in tombs and appeared in hieroglyphics. The Saluki comes in a wide variety of colors and can be found in a smooth-haired version although it is fairly rare to find one. Ancient customs dictated that this majestic and unique hound was to be given as a gift, and never sold to an owner as it was believed to be a gift from the gods. With a life expectancy that runs up to approximately 12 years, the Saluki is a hunting dog by nature that was known to hunt gazelle and other animals that were native to Egypt, Persia, and Turkey, making it an unsafe pet to have near other pets.

2. Dandie Dinmont Terrier

Considered to be one of the oldest breeds of terrier in the world, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a hybrid of a variety of terrier breeds that were dominant along the Scottish-British border in the 1600s, and has a unique shape that resembles the Scottish Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier and, oddly, the poodle. Great with children, this little dog has a big bark and was sometimes used as a faithful watchdog. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is most notably mentioned by Sir William Scott who wrote about them quite frequently and was very fond of their shape and wonderfully playful temperament. This cute little terrier can weigh anywhere from 18-24 pounds and stands at just 11 inches at full height. This dog is a great companion and can live for up to 15 years.

3. Bergamasco Shepherd

The unique dread-style coat and sharp intelligence make the Bergamasco Shepherd a wonderful companion and an excellent watchdog. These lively dogs are very well-suited to cooler weather due to the immense density of their coats, which as above mentioned, sets them apart from other breeds of dogs with little to no effort. This thick coat acts as a waterproof barrier, preventing the dog from becoming wet with the exception of the top layer of fur, and the Bergamasco rarely sheds. These interesting canines can grow to be from 70-85 pounds and stand at just under two feet. The Bergamasco is excellent with children and, like most dogs, has a life span of up to 15 years.

4. Leonberger

Created during the middle of the 19th Century, the Leonberger is a massive dog that greatly resembles its ancestor: the ST. Bernard, but also exhibits a great deal of features from its other lines of the Newfoundland and Great Pyrenees. Much like the prefix of the breed’s name, the dog was bred with the lion in mind, and the dog’s adult sizes of 170 pounds and 31 inches tall give it an authentic size and build that really does signify the lion. This German dog breed was very popular during the decades before World War II. Unfortunately, after the war was over, it is believed that there were only a small handful that survived. Because of its immense size, the Leonberger lives to a maximum of 9 years, and it can have several issues with its bones and joints with the hips being of particular concern.

5. Russkiy Toy

The Russkiy Toy largely resembles the Papillon and Chihuahua breeds with its large ears and eyes, and extremely small size. The Russkiy is said to have only been available outside of Russia since the early 90s, and comes in both long-haired and short-haired varieties with the long-haired variety sporting the trademark pig tail plumes from its ears. This cute and tiny breed of dog is friendly towards children, and was stumbled upon by accident due to the breeding of the English Toy Terrier with numerous unknown toy breeds. Once the correct look with fringe was discovered, the Russkiy became an established breed, which is very popular to this day among the more privileged dog-owners of society. This little joy weighs a maximum of 6 pounds at maturity and stands at a mere 10 inches with the typical toy breed life expectancy of 15+ years, which depends on the caliber of care it receives and if the knee joints are supported with doggy steps to higher furniture like beds and sofas.

6. Azawakh Hound

Able to run at speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour, the Azawakh Hound is a slender hound that has its origins in Africa. This stylish hound is a pack animal and hunter by nature with a very protective temperament and immense gracefulness. The Azawakh can grow to a height of almost 30 inches and can weigh as much as 55 pounds. This gorgeous specimen of hound is sensitive to cold weather due to its extremely short coat and bare underside, and its tail has a distinctive curl to it that other hounds do not

7. Catalburun

The Catalburun is also known as the Turkish Pointer and is a very rare and exciting exotic breed of dog with a split nose and is said to be an expert hunter because of this. The dog’s origins are Turkey and weighs approximately 55 pounds at full maturity with a height of 20 inches. The mottled design of light brown patches on white short hair and its drooping jowls make the Catalburun a very unique looking animal, and can be a good companion for children as well as an excellent watchdog due to its size and natural predatory instincts. This hunting master can live for up to 13 years and is said to have very low numbers that are exclusive to a specific region of Turkey.

8. Puli

The Puli is another dog with a dreaded coat that can weigh up to 30 pounds and lives for 12+ years. This interesting breed of dog originated in Hungary and can stand as tall as 17 inches when fully mature. Although the coat of a Puli can be difficult to dry due to its density, it will serve as protection from the cold as well as wet weather. Pulis were used as herders and come in a variety of colors with white being the rarest. This unique breed of dog can be interesting to train, and they love following a leader and playing with children.

9. Chinese Crested

The Chinese Crested is an Asian breed of dog most widely known by its hairless variety, but also loved in its powder puff form, which shows off this breeds trademark fringed ears and stockings, but has a short poodle-like coat. The Chinese Crested can stand at up to 12 inches and weighs 10 pounds or less at a healthy body weight. With a life span of up to 12 years, this fairly rare breed of dog is the most popular of all hairless varieties and is good with children. Although it is named after the Chinese people who located the breed and nurtured it to its glory, the Chinese Crested is actually from Africa, and was taken back to China during trade excursions where it was bred to be the way it is seen today.

Next up are the list of weird mixed breeds!

1. Husky + Corgi = Horgi

Sometimes called a Siborgi, this breed is known for acquiring the best traits from both of its parents. They generally have a sweet temperament with strong herding tendencies because both of their parents come from herding backgrounds. This breed has short legs like a corgi usually only reaching about 13 inches in height and weight between 20 to 50 pounds. This dog is also known to be very active and requires firm and consistent training.

2. Chow Chow + Husky = Chowski

This combination is known for their intelligence and excessive shedding. It’s important to socialize this dog as a puppy in order to ensure they will have a laid-back and loving temperament. Be sure to check a Chowski’s teeth because they may suffer from a condition where some of the teeth on the sides of their mouth are missing which can make eating difficult. In adulthood, a Chowski can reach up to 50 pounds and they tend to have the bodily structure of a husky.

3. Poodle + Husky = Siberpoo

Siberpoos are known for being affectionate and energetic although they may sometimes become aggressive. This designer dog can grow up to be between 45 and 60 pounds and somewhere between 13 and 22 inches in height. Siberpoos have a life expectancy of about 10 to 13 years and are quite difficult to train. This dog is not recommended for an inexperienced dog owner because the breed requires a lot of patience and consistency when training.

4. Dalmatian + Corgi = Dorgi

This combination has not been given an official name as of yet, but it is known to be very smart and affectionate with its owners. It is important to begin training at an early age so they don’t become stubborn like their dalmatian parent and they are known to not get along with other dogs so aggression is common. This combination is thought to be an excellent watchdog thanks to its parents and may be very loyal with a sweet temperament if socialized properly. Dorgis may be anywhere between 20 to 50 pounds and 10 to 12 inches in height.

5. Golden Retriever + Dachshund = Golden Dox

The parents of this breed are not only drastically different in size, but in temperament as well. Golden Retrievers are known to be compassionate, patient, and easy to train making them a great breed with children. A Dachshund is known to be stubborn, playful, and difficult to train due to their hunting instincts. This means that a Golden Dox can adopt the temperament of either breed so it’s hard to say how their temperament will be. This designer breed will likely resemble a Dachshund in height and weight but have the features and coloring of a Golden Retriever. Many of this kind of dog have been known to grow up to 40 pounds and are usually okay with children but aggressive towards other animals and strangers.

6. Jack Russell + Pomeranian = Jack-A-Ranian

Because their parents are very loving and energetic, it’s likely that you will see this in a Jack-A-Ranian as well. Due to their Jack Russell roots you may find that this dog will be very loyal and protective of their family with excellent watchdog abilities thanks to their Pomeranian parent. Behavioral issues may come about if they’re not exercised daily and they may prove to be very difficult to train for novice owners. A Jack-A-Ranian should be a small dog at about 15 inches in height and 6 to 14 pounds with a life expectancy of 13 to 15 years.

7. Chihuahua + Beagle = Cheagle

Cheagles should be about 9 to 14 inches in height and 9 to 20 pounds. Their life expectancy is somewhere between 10 to 14 years and they’re known for being energetic and friendly. This new, designer dog is moderately difficult to train and can have a bit of a Napoleon complex like its Chihuahua parent. This dog requires firm and consistent training and socialization. They’re known to retain the Chihuahua’s independence and aggression towards other dogs, but if you socialize them early on then they should be as mild and sweet tempered as a Beagle. This hybrid is at risk for certain health issues like skeletal issues and hypoglycemia.

8. Pomeranian + Husky = Pomsky

Coming from highly intelligent parents, Pomskies are known to be very smart as well. They have a high level of energy and are very social and affectionate towards their family and owners. Their Pomeranian parent is known to not always get along too well with children so it is important to supervise a Pomsky’s interactions with children as well. Pomskies have become largely popular over the last few years but it’s important to have them checked out by a vet regularly because the hybrid is so new. As with many hybrids, their organs may grow too large for their small bodies due to their roots coming from Huskies, a large breed, and Pomeranians, a toy breed.

9. Australian Shepherd + Shih Tzu = Auss-Tzu

This mix is a mid-sized dog with floppy ears and a long, soft coat that can come in a variety of colors. Like an Australian Shepherd, this hybrid is very active and friendly. They are also known to be highly affectionate but also require extensive exercise due to their herding origins. They don’t usually grow to be over 45 pounds and have a life expectancy of about 12 years.

10. German Shepherd + Australian Shepherd = Gerssie Shepherd

Thanks to their parents, you can expect this breed to be highly intelligent and require a lot of exercise. They are known to be affectionate, energetic, and easy to train. They’re people-pleasers so you can also expect that it will obey commands after being trained. Gerssies can be anywhere up to 80 pounds and 25 inches in height with a life expectancy of up to 15 years.

11. Miniature Australian Shepherd + Miniature Schnauzer = Aussie Schnauzer

Also known as a Miniature Schnauzzie or a Confetti Australian Shepherd/Schnauzer, this hybrid is known to be incredibly intelligent and easily trained. They have a very high energy level, although they aren’t very playful. Generally, they’re a small breed weighing about 15 to 30 pounds and a height of about 18 inches with a life expectancy of anywhere between 12 to 15 years. They maintain their herding habits and are known to nip at those they want to herd but also form intense bonds with their favorite member or members of the family.