MyDogBreedsKunming Dog is originated from China but Hawaiian Poi Dog is originated from Indonesia. Kunming Dog may grow 30 cm / 12 inches higher than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Kunming Dog may weigh 23 kg / 51 pounds more than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Kunming Dog may live 6 years more than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Kunming Dog may have more litter size than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Kunming Dog requires Moderate maintenance. But Hawaiian Poi Dog requires Low maintenance
Known also as the Kunming Wolfdog, the Kunming Dog is similar in looks to the German Shepherd Dog, but the coat is recognizably shorter.
It’s an attractive looking wolf-like dog which comes from China. It isn’t quite clear which dog breeds were used in the gene pool for these Kunming wolfdogs. You can see though that the German Shepherd as well as other wolfdog-crosses have played a part in the breed's origin.
The dog was created in the early 1950s for military- and guard dog purposes. In 1988, the Chinese Public Security Bureau officially recognized the Kunming Dog as a breed. Today, the dog is still used in military and police services.
The Hawaiian Poi Dog was a descendent of the dogs brought to the Islands by the Polynesian. These Polynesian dogs were themselves descendants of the kuri dog of New Zealand. These kuri dogs were originally from Indonesia. The Hawaiian Poi dog is now extinct but at one time was considered the spiritual protector of Hawaiian children and also used as food by hungry Native Hawaiians.
The dog was called poi which was the word for a food staple mad from the root of Taro and used to put weight on the dogs before they were eaten. Meat was not fed to the dogs because it was too scarce. There was no large mammals to hunt and so the breed was never given a standard. The Poi dog seen by European explorers were short legged, pot bellied canines that lived with the hogs in the towns. Because of what they ate, the dogs were not highly intelligent but were stubborn and hard to train. Because the dogs were not suited for much beyond food and a spiritual charm, they became extinct when the traditional religion was no longer practiced and eating dogs was no longer acceptable. The breed pretty much disappeared by the early 20th century. Very few images of the dogs remain except for ancient petroglyphs.
There was an attempt by the Honolulu Zoo in the late 1960’s to redevelop the breed using local dogs to determine a standard. Then the local dogs were bred as close to the standard as possible. In the third generation one dog was born with the traits of a Poi dog. There was not much more success with this and then the Polynesian ship travel between Tahiti and Hawaii was recreated and a dog taken along.
Today’s mixed breed dogs in Hawaii are called Poi dogs but also have the stubbornness, unique appearance and ability to eat anything it is given like the original Poi. The dogs are small, and should not be confused with the original Poi dogs.
The Kunming is a large dog, athletic and muscular, standing at 60 – 68cm and weighing 30 – 38kg. They are dogs which fall under the Spitz type category.
The dog has a coat which is considered seasonal - double layered in the cooler months and shedding to a shorter coat in the hotter months. The thick coat can be a light tan color to white and he has a black saddle pattern, giving the dog an overall black and tan combination.
The bushy tail is long and its carried down and low except when the dog is excited and alert, then it lifts its tail. The ears are erect like that of the German Shepherd or Wolf.
He isn’t the best breed for a first time owner as he is very strong willed and can tend to become aggressive. It is why he has been used to perform tasks in the military.
These dogs are known for their alertness, and to keep him mentally balanced and amicable, he will need a strong, firm owner who is also fair, patient and consistent. Bored and frustrated, a Kunming can become unpredictable and a first time dog owner might not be able to cope with such an independent, strong-willed, determined, confident dog.
He is also energetic and intelligent, making a great family dog as he is loyal, loving and devoted. His intelligence allows him to learn easily too. Training and socialization will be required if you want him to be obedient.
He is adaptable and can adjust to life in the city or the countryside, but essentially he is better suited to a home with large grounds as he is a dog which is full of energy.
As previously mentioned the Poi dog is somewhat unusual in size and shape due to what they ate. They looked somewhat like the native dogs of Polynesia and New Zealand. They have short legs, long bodies, somewhat obese and a very flat head. He had a short smooth coat, in any color or any pattern. They were however mostly brown and they might or might not have white markings.
Your attractive Kunming dog is an energetic, lively dog who is going to require a good deal of exercise as he was developed to be a working dog.
They are loving towards their human families and even well behaved with other dogs in the family. He will however need socialization and training from a firm, fair, consistent owner.
Provide him with a loving environment, lots of exercise, wholesome food, a warm, dry place to sleep and lots of mental and physical stimulation, and you’ll have a wonderful, contended pet and companion.
The Hawaiian Poi dog was very friendly and good with children
The Poi was considered a good luck charm and a spiritual protector of children
Given what they faced in life, the Poi dog was very adaptable, living anywhere on the islands and eating anything it could find.
Due to their poor diet, the Hawaiian Poi dog was seriously lacking in intelligence and learning ability.
Your Kunming can reach 12 to 14 years of age if he is loved, fed correctly and adequately exercised. Just as with any dog, he can be susceptible to some of the common dog illnesses. These include the likes of hip dysplasia, bloat, epilepsy, eye problems, ear infections, intestinal parasites, heart disease and skin problems.
Worms are a chronic problem in dogs and the thing is, they can infect humans too. If you don’t treat worms in your dog, it can lead to your pet becoming seriously ill. You may notice loss of appetite, a dull, thinning coat, anemia and diarrhea.
The vet will be able to offer a treatment that can help with eradicating hook-, round- and tapeworms.
This may sound like a mild dog disease but it can cause a lot of misery for your pet. You’ll notice your pet licking, scratching and biting at raw, red spots on his skin. With bacterial- or yeast infections, your pet can battle with itchiness, pain and discomfort. Luckily your vet can recommend treatments to effectively alleviate symptoms.
Probably due to its diet, the Poi dog had several problems to their health. Their poor diet led to a sluggishness both in movement and intelligence. Its development was hampered by a lack of protein. Malnutrition and serious over inbreeding caused a weakness and poor oral hygiene. Due to this lack of teeth and chewing the bones in the dogs heads became flat. The Poi had breathing issues and overall lethargy.
Grooming for the thick coat should be done regularly. The dog sheds quite a bit and seasonally and you'll want to brush him twice a week to rid the coat of those loose hairs.
The Kunming Dog is high energy and will therefore suit a family who is active and sporty. He is the kind of dog that you can include in all your activities – walks, hikes, running next to you when you go cycling and swimming.
This is an active dog and you want the best food for him, packed with vitamins and minerals to keep him lively and energetic. Instead of giving him one large meal a day that he gulps down quickly, split his food into 2 smaller meals.
Your dog’s age, his breed and his energy levels will direct you as to how to feed him.
Remember, that although commercially manufactured dog foods need to comply with certain standards, it doesn't guarantee their goodness. It may not be digestible for your pet. If you want to use one of these foods, choose the best there is and try to mix in some wholesome home-made food from time to time.
Cooked chicken, brown rice or pasta and some raw or cooked vegetables can be excellent for him as well as adding in some raw meat occasionally.
With meat being rare in Hawaii, none was available for the dogs. They were fed Poi – from the Taro plant roots. Puppies were fed 2-3 times a day.
The adult dog was fed once or twice a day the same as Poi puppies were fed.
The Hawaiian Poi dog basically has not good health points.
The Poi dog did not need and did not get much exercise, leading to its demise.