8 Adorable New Dog Breeds That You've Probably Never Heard Of

When it comes to dog breeds, you may think you know them all, but the truth is new dog breeds that you've probably never even heard of are being recognized every year. The American Kennel Club — the foremost expert on dog breeds — has a highly revered list of officially recognized breeds that they continually add to, and it's seen some significant additions in the past few years.

For a breed to be able to be officially put on the AKC's list, which currently boasts 195 breeds, there are a number of stringent qualifications they have to meet. The breed must already be recognized by a foreign registry, have existed for at least 40 years, and have 150 dogs in the US that all have three-generation pedigrees. These standards have lead to plenty of ancient dog breeds from other parts of the world only very recently being recognized in the US. So get ready to meet 8 dog breeds that you've probably never heard of.