Sapsali

The Sapsali is a shaggy Korean dog whose name means, roughly, the one that drives away evil spirits.

History

It is an old Korean breed tied to folk belief that its shaggy coat and hidden eyes warded off misfortune, and it appears in Korean art and literature for centuries. It was brought close to extinction under Japanese colonial rule, when large numbers of Korean dogs were culled for their pelts; a university breeding programme rebuilt it from about thirty survivors in the 1980s, and South Korea named it a natural monument.

Temperament

The breed is known for being affectionate, loyal and unusually patient, gentle with children and calmer than its shaggy sheepdog appearance suggests.

Care and training

It needs regular exercise and the long coat needs frequent brushing, particularly the hair over the eyes. Training suits gentle consistency.

Health

Generally robust; a population rebuilt from about thirty dogs carries the genetic caution that implies. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.