“Hey Ho, Pinocchio,
Tell a lie and your nose will grow,
Tell the truth, Pinocchio,
Then your crazy nose won’t grow,”
said Cricky the Cricket to Pinocchio.
But, not everyone who has a long nose is a liar and cheater!
There are long nose dogs known for their faithfulness, loyalty, and dedication. Such dogs were specifically developed by the hunters to track and chase hunts. Not only can such canines turned out to be their best hunting companions, but it also saves their time and energy as these dogs did the job quickly—and efficiently.
Let’s explore the list of 16 such long nose dogs below.
1. Borzoi (Russian Wolfhound)
The record of a dog having the longest nose belongs to the Borzoi breed.
Otherwise known as the Russian Wolfhound, the Borzoi breed was developed in Russia in the 13th century to hunt wolves. Because of their amazing sense of smell and ability to see over an incredibly broad horizon, the Borzoi breed became the first choice of hunters from all around the world. From there on, in the early 19th century, these Russian Wolfhounds were imported to Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Borzoi was then recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1891 and by the United Kennel Club in 1914.
2. Greyhound
Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885, Greyhounds are the hunting dogs known for their remarkable sense of smell, stereoscopic vision, strong instincts, and amazing running speed of 45mph. These dogs are known to be the second-fastest animals on earth—cheetah being on top. The reason behind this speed is that these dogs have a significant number of red blood cells and a bigger heart and lungs than any other dog breed. More red blood cells carry oxygen that helps them run faster.
An interesting fact about Greyhound is that it is the only breed of dogs mentioned in the Bible.
3. Afghan Hound
With the running speed of 40 miles per hour and the ability to track down hunts in a jiffy, Afghan Hounds are the dogs having aloof, clownish, yet dignified demeanor. Famous for their long and silky hair, Afghan Hounds are the long nose dogs that stand tall between 27 to 29 inches and have a slender body that gives them a delicate appearance.
The AKC describes Afghan hound’s body as, “forelegs are straight and strong with great length between elbow and pastern; elbows well held in; forefeet large in both length and width; toes well arched; feet covered with long thick hair; fine in texture; pasterns long and straight; pads of feet unusually large and well down on the ground. Shoulders have plenty of angulation so that the legs are well set underneath the dog.”
4. Saluki
According to some experts, the history of the Saluki breed dates back to 7000 B.C. Referred to as the royal dog of Egypt, Salukis were recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1929. Though they belong to the category of long nose dogs, these dogs are sighthounds rather than scent hounds.
They rely on their eyesight instead of their snouts to find their prey and then use their tremendous speed of 43mph to chase and capture them. Because of their distinctive characteristics, Saluki sighthounds were particularly the favorites of kings from several eras, such as Egyptian pharaohs, Alexander the Great, and others
5. Whippet
The word ‘whippet’ is derived from a now obsolete 17th-century word, which means ‘to move briskly.’ Developed under the conducive environment of England, Whippets are the descendants of Greyhounds. Though their ancestors may be the fastest running dogs, Whippets are the fastest accelerating dog in the world. These dogs have an average height of 18.5 to 22.5 inches and an average weight of 20 to 24 pounds.
Whippets are sighthounds dogs that were mainly bred for chasing hunts and participating in racing competitions.
6. Italian Greyhound
Italian Greyhounds are small-sized sighthounds, only 13 to 15 inches in height.
These dogs are often referred to as ‘the 40 miles per hour couch potato.’ It’s because these dogs are high-energy dogs who love to rest as much as they can. Just like other sprightly dogs such as Greyhounds, German Shepherds, Italian Greyhounds don’t like to spend their time running, chasing, and exercising for 2 to 3 hours to release their stored energy. Instead, they require only 15 to 20 minutes of walk to ward off their boredom.
7. Dachshund
Not all the hunts roam on the earth; many live in the dark undergrounds dens too. To chase such hunts, breeders developed small size hounds with long spines that could easily get into burrows and bring out the target.
Dachshunds are ranked as the 12th most popular dog breed in the United States. However, this popularity is not because of their hunting capabilities but because of their spunky, curious, and friendly nature as well as their unique appearance.
These dogs have tiny legs, long spines, narrow heads, flappy ears, and adorable round eyes. Because of their body shapes, these dogs shouldn’t be involved in vigorous exercises, as it can give them severe spinal injuries.
8. Poodle
Poodles are the long nose dogs who have consecutively enjoyed the 7th most popular dog in the United States for the last five years. Originally bred for retrieving hunts from the water, Poodles come in three sizes: Standard Poodles—15 inches tall at the shoulder; Miniature—15 inches or under; and Toys or teacups—10 inches or below. These days, teacup Poodles are gaining much attention from dog owners because of their delicate and eye-catching appearance.
It is said about Poodles that if an average dog can learn around 165 words during its lifetime, a Poodle can learn up to 400 different words and commands. Amazing, right?
9. Scottish Deerhounds
Scottish Deerhounds are the sighthounds developed to hunt giant red deer by coursing. These dogs have a similar appearance to other tall hound dogs, except they have a broader bone structure and are huge in size as they stand 32 inches tall and weigh around 110 pounds.
Because of their huge size, these dogs are not apartment-friendly. Also, they have elevated energy levels and need vigorous exercise to stay healthy and active, both physically and mentally. Even in their puppy age, Scottish Deerhounds need a good amount of physical involvement, and you can’t crate them for 7 to 8 hours. So, if you have a busy schedule and a small space to live in, these dogs might not be your preferred choice.
10. Doberman Pinscher
In 1890, Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a tax collector from Germany, developed a dog for protecting him during tax collection. He named that dog ‘Doberman Pinscher.’
Widely popular worldwide, Dobies are the best at what they were bred for—protecting their owners. These dogs have a running speed of 32 miles per hour with a bite force of 600 PSI. These figures give a good idea that if need be, these dogs won’t let the attacker go without having some taste of the Doberman’s anger.
They have long noses, an arched back, sheen coat, alert ears, and piercing eyes—qualities that garnered them the position of 17th most popular dog in the United States.
11. Ibizan Hound
As the name indicates, Ibizan hounds were bred in Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain. They come in two types of coats: smooth and wire—none of which is hypoallergenic. However, they have minimal grooming needs.
They require regular brushing using a rubber curry or fine bristle brush. Also, they should be bathed every other week using a vet-approved shampoo to prevent any fleas and ticks as well as or parasitic agents that can give them serious skin issues.
As these dogs have wide erect ears and their ear canals are exposed to dirt, debris, and other pollutants, their ears should also be cleaned on a regular basis.
12. Rough Collie
Not all long nose dogs are plain; some of them are merle too.
Rough Collies, also known as Long-Haired Collie or Scottish Collie, are calico dogs with profuse coats. They have beautiful merle patterns exquisitely scattered on their smooth fur.
However, this fur needs regular grooming to prevent tangling and matting, especially behind their ears. Rough Collies are non-hypoallergenic and shed twice a year heavily to blow their old coat and need a little extra brushing during this time.
Also, as their base coat color is white, you’d need to use dog whitening shampoo to prevent yellow or brownish tinges on their fur.
13. Weimaraner
Weimaraners are the all-purpose gundogs that were used by royals for hunting large animals such as boar, bear, and deer. These dogs had a special recognition among the royals. Even their name ‘Weimaraner’ was given by the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Karl August, whose court was located in the city of Weimar, Germany.
Because of their unique gray coat and light amber, grey, or blue-grey color, they are known as ‘gray ghosts.’ These dudes have a number of qualities on their account, including speed, stamina, a strong sense of smell, far-reaching vision, strong flexes, and intelligence. Weimaraners are incredibly energetic dogs and require 2 to 3 hours of physical exercise to keep their boredom at bay.
14. Bull Terrier
Breeders intentionally crossed Bulldogs with a variety of Terrier dogs to create an ultimate pit dog that’d have the brute force of a Bulldog and the tenacious spirit and agility of the Terrier. The result? The Bull Terrier dog.
The Bullies that you see today are friendly and goofy-looking pups. However, before the Humane Act of 1835—ban on dogfighting and other blood sports—these dogs were beasts and called ‘canine gladiators.’
Other than their fighting abilities, Bull Terriers are famous for their unique facial structure—long egg-shaped faces that slope in the front into a Roman nose.
15. Pharaoh Hound
Its name indicates that the origin of this breed must be from Egypt or its suburbs, but it’s not.
Pharaoh Hound is a Maltese hunting dog bred for hunting wild rabbits on the rocky terrain of the Maltese Islands. In the native language, these dogs are known as ‘Kelb tal-Fenek,’ meaning ‘rabbit dog.’
They are given the name of Pharaoh hound because of its similarity to the tomb paintings of Ancient Egypt. However, the modern DNA analysis of these long nose dogs showed that this breed is not that old.
16. Azawakh
The Azawakh is a breed of dog from the Azawagh Valley of West Africa, from where it got its name.
These almond-shaped eyes and long nose dogs have slim bodies with narrow bone structure and sturdy muscles showing through their taut skin. They have arched backs, streamlined body shape, and long legs that help them to run faster and farther at 40 miles per hour.
Bonus: Dog With Longest Nose
What Dog Has the Longest Nose?
A female Borzoi named Eris has a 12.2 inches long nose making it the dog with the longest nose in the world. Interestingly, this long snout became the reason for her popularity as it garnered her over 200,000 followers on Instagram.