Taiwan Dog

The Taiwan Dog is the island's native hunting dog, descended from the semi-wild dogs kept by Taiwan's indigenous peoples.

History

It comes from the mountain-dwelling aboriginal communities of Taiwan, who used it to hunt in dense forest, and genetic work links it to some of the oldest dog populations in south-east Asia. Colonisation and imported breeds nearly swamped it, and a Taiwanese research programme in the 1970s surveyed remote villages to identify and preserve the remaining pure stock.

Temperament

The breed is known for being alert, agile and deeply loyal to one household, wary of strangers and highly sensitive to its surroundings.

Care and training

It needs substantial exercise and secure fencing; the prey drive and the agility are both real. Early socialising matters. The short coat needs almost nothing.

Health

Generally very hardy from natural selection; nothing is widely documented as breed-specific. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.