Mackenzie River Husky
These Arctic sled dogs, who typically live in Alaska and Canada, are not officially considered a breed. Also called the Mackenzie River Hound, the hard-working canines (who are the result of Huskies paired with the Newfoundland, Staghound and the St. Bernard) were known by many different names according to the area where they lived, such as the Porcupine River dog, the Hay River dog and the Old Crow dog.
Magyar agár
Dogs who date back at least one thousand years, this Hungarian sighthound is named in honor of the Magyar people, with whom they originally lived.
Long distance runners whose form resembles that of a Greyhound (so much so that the breed is sometimes referred to as the Hungarian Greyhound), the Magyar Agar was originally employed as an aide to hunters in search of deer or rabbit.
Today many of the breed have taken on the roles of show dog and family pet.
Mahratta Greyhound
Named in honor of the province where the dog originated, this rare sighthound– which is seldom seen outside of its native India– is not recognized as an official breed.
An enigma whose progenitor may have been the Saluki, the Mahratta Greyhound is a skilled hunter able to take down such formidable prey as panther or boar.
Maltese
Immortalized in poetry, paintings and legends, this toy breed has been beloved by dog devotees since the fourth century B.C.
Thought to have been named after the island of Malta, the Maltese has also been called Ye Ancient Dogge of Malta and the Maltese Lion Dog.
The Greek philosopher Aristotle once proclaimed the Maltese “perfect in its small size.” Over the years a number of celebrities have agreed with that sentiment, including:
- Elizabeth Taylor, who said of her four-legged friend, Sugar: “I’ve never loved a dog like this in my life. It’s amazing. Sometimes I think there’s a person in there.”
- Marilyn Monroe, whose canine companion Maf (who was given to her by Frank Sinatra) gained fame long after his passing in the novel The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog, and His Friend Marilyn Monroe
- Anna Nicole Smith, who named her barking buddy Marilyn after Marilyn Monroe
- Doris Day, whose dog, Duffy– a Maltese who had been suffering from behavioral and medical problems when he was abandoned outside of the Nebraska Humane Society– inspired the Doris Day Animal Foundation’s Duffy Day Lifesaving Program, set up to help dogs with special needs
Manchester Terrier
Named after the English city where the breed was developed, the Black and Tan Terrier and the Whippet were paired to create the Manchester Terrier, a dog skilled at exterminating vermin.
Forced into life as a ratter in the cruel blood ‘sport’ of rat-baiting, spectators would place bets on the length of time it would take for the dog to exterminate all of the rodents in the ring.
Believed to be the oldest of the Terriers, this breed (which was also referred to as The Gentleman’s Terrier) came close to oblivion once rat-baiting was banned, and before efforts were undertaken to repopulate the breed only 11 Manchester Terriers were registered in England.
Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog
An ancient dog whose ancestors were captured for posterity in medieval frescoes, for years the Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog, an Italian protector of flocks, was considered to be two separate breeds– the Pastore Maremmano and the Pastore Abruzzese.
McNab dog
Named in honor of Alexander McNab, who brought the breed on to the world stage by pairing Scottish Collies from his native land with dogs who aided sheepherders in the Basque country of northern Spain, this herding dog is also known as the McNab Collie, the McNab Herding Dog, the McNab Sheepdog and the McNab Stock Dog.
Originating in the late 1800s, this California-born canine has yet to be recognized as its own breed.
Miniature American Shepherd
Stepping on to the world stage in the 1960s, this relatively new breed on the scene was once called the Miniature Australian Shepherd due to the dogs’ shared strong resemblance.
Affectionately known as the mini American or MAS, members of this working/herding breed excel at canine-themed sports, often winning the top spot in agility, canine freestyle and flyball.
Miniature Bull Terrier
Originally bred in the 1800s to serve as ratters, the Mini Bully resulted from pairing the Bull Terrier and the White English Terrier, a breed which the world has since lost.
Developed in relatively the same time as the Bull Terrier, the Bull Terrier — at a height ranging from 20 – 23 inches — towers over the Miniature Bull Terrier, who stands approximately 10 – 14 inches tall.
Miniature Fox Terrier
Developed in Australia to rid areas of rats and rabbits, the Miniature Fox Terrier breed is the result of pairing the Fox Terrier and the Toy Manchester Terrier, along with the Whippet and the English Toy Terrier.
Affectionately referred to as the Mini Foxie or Little Foxie, these tiny yet tough tail-waggers may be short in stature but they are long in longevity, often living up to 20 years.
Miniature Pinscher
Whether you call them Miniature Pinscher, MinPins, Zwergpinscher or their nickname, “King of the Toys,” this energetic breed is considered one of the most popular toy dog breeds.
Miniature Schnauzer
Often considered the most popular of the Schnauzer dog breeds, the Miniature Schnauzer was created from the combination of the original Schnauzer and the Affenpinscher.
The temperament of the Miniature Schnauzer is considered to be spunky, inquisitive, alert, and they make great companions. These animals love being around action and playtime just the same as they are well mannered in the house during calm moods.
Molossus of Epirus
An ancient Greek breed, this colossal-sized canine originally protected livestock from predators while living with the Molossoi people, and would go on to act as war dogs for Alexander the Great.
Related to English and Neopolitan Mastiffs, the Greek Shepherd and the now extinct Molossus, the future of the Molossus of Epirus is now guarded by the Molossus of Epirus rescue organization.
Montenegrin Mountain Hound
Although a rare breed bordering on extinction, this small game hunter is a familiar sight to fans of pop culture thanks to the caustic, cigar-chomping canine puppet Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog.
Originating in Montenegro, the breed was once called the Yugoslavian Mountain Hound.
Mountain Cur
A hound whose history is woven into the fabric of America, the Mountain Cur helped pioneer families survive by protecting livestock and homes, and by aiding hunters in search of small game.
According to the American Kennel Club, these working dogs were so vital to the settlers that the canines were carried or traveled by wagon when transported to a new location.
Mountain Feist
A dog with a history that is intertwined with that of the Treeing Feist, this American canine– who made its debut on the world stage in the 19th century– was not officially recognized by the United Kennel Club as a separate breed until 2015.
The blood of both hounds and terriers course through the veins of both breeds, making both adept at hunting such small game as squirrels, opossums and rabbits.
Mucuchies
The national dog of Venezuela, this rare sheepdog was saved from oblivion by that country’s former president, Hugo Chavez, who funded efforts to repopulate the breed. Thanks to the late prominent politician, today there are over 200 Mucuchies.
Visitors to Venezuela will find several monuments to a Mucuchies named Nevado (the canine companion of “El Liberator” Simon Bolivar) in Merida and in Mucuchies, the town where the breed originated in the 1800s.
Mudhol Hound
A breed with a number of names, among them the Caravan Hound, Karwani Hound, Kathewar Hound, Maratha Hound and the Pashmi Hound, this Saluki-style sighthound from India gained fame in its home country when the dogs’ likeness was chosen to appear on a series of postage stamps that celebrated India’s native dogs.
An ancient breed often employed as hunters’ aides, guard dogs and military dogs, the Mudhol Hound seemed destined for oblivion until recent years, with a concentrated effort by breeders in the town of Mudhol to revive the breed.
Mudi
Today excelling in dog agility, search and rescue (especially in Finland), and dog sports, this medium-sized dog was first used as an all-purpose Hungarian farm dog. The Mudi (pronounced moody) was recently fully recognized by the AKC.
This energetic dog is somewhat suspicious of strangers and makes an excellent watchdog and companion.
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