#7 Norwegian Lundehund
Due to its selective breeding for puffin hunting, Norway’s Lundehund has distinguished itself greatly among hunting dog breeds. The Lundehund is an older hunting dog than most other breeds. The Lundehund’s distinctive dental arrangement and the Varanger Dog’s fossilized remnants, which date back 5,000 years, indicate that these two species detached from the rest of the genetic family tree a very long time ago.
Their special six-toed feet let you differentiate them from other canines more easily. They can also use these unusual paws to dig into the tunnels that puffins live in as well as to navigate the hazardous cliffs and slick rock formations where puffins are reported to roost. Although they have since increased to a population of about 1,400, the early twentieth century nearly saw the extinction of these dogs due to the introduction of new puffin hunting tactics.
