MyDogBreedsPerro de Presa Mallorquin is originated from Spain but Hawaiian Poi Dog is originated from Indonesia. Perro de Presa Mallorquin may grow 20 cm / 8 inches higher than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Perro de Presa Mallorquin may weigh 24 kg / 53 pounds more than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Perro de Presa Mallorquin may live 4 years more than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Both Perro de Presa Mallorquin and Hawaiian Poi Dog has same litter size. Both Perro de Presa Mallorquin and Hawaiian Poi Dog requires Low maintenance.
Known by several other names such as Majorca Mastiff, Perro Dogo, Ca de Bou and Mallorquin Bulldog among others, the Perro de Presa Mallorquin was almost extinct after World War II.
The British brought their own dogs with them into the Balearics, crossing them with native mastiffs. They were used for fighting, explaining why this dog also got the name Ca de Bou as it means Bull Dog.
It is believed that the dogs were crossed with the Perro de Pastor Mallorquin, Alano Espanol and the Bulldog.
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 Perro de Presa Mallorquin is a strong medium-to-large sized deep chested dog standing at between 52 and 58cm in height and weighing between 30 and 39kg, both male and female.
This is a molosser-type dog with a strong, powerful build and large head. The skin around the face is thick and loose. The coat of the dog is short and rough and the color is fawn to light brown and reddish tan shade He can also be brindle too or black with tan markings.
The jaw is strong, the ears short and floppy though they have always been traditionally cropped. When left they can be folded backward. The tail is long, set low and reaches to the hock.
This is an intelligent dog who is going to require training and socialization if you want to manage it properly. Training and socializing a dog can be very helpful and help a dog like this to be more obedient and well behaved.
As a puppy growing up with kids who have been taught to treat animals kindly and with respect, the Perro de Presa Mallorquin can get on well with children. However, if you’re bringing an older dog into your home, the very nature of the dog may mean it not getting on with children.
This dog is quiet by nature and will be loving and loyal towards his owner, being protective towards him. He is strong-willed and will do best with a strong, firm, kind, patient dog owner who is consistent.
He is active and will fit into life in the suburbs or the countryside as opposed to life on a tiny property in the city.
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 Perro de Presa Mallorquin is a loving dog, albeit it a bit stubborn. The key to having a dog with a sound temperament is to have him trained and socialized as this will do him the world of good and make him obedient and more balanced.
Irresponsible dog owners like to tie dogs like this up and leave them in the yard day after day to guard the home. They’re to blame when the dog becomes bored, frustrated and destructive.
Brought up correctly and given the right amount of love and care, the Perro de Presa Mallorquin is a brave, confident, quiet dog that can become a loyal and loving 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.
To avoid some of the common dog illnesses there are, you want to give your pet the best care possible. Of course there are always some dog illnesses that plague a dog and where he will require veterinary intervention. Hip dysplasia is one and larger dogs are more prone to getting this joint disease which can be very debilitating for your dog.
Other health issues can include osteosarcoma and lymphoma which are types of cancer Eye problems such as ectropion or entropion of the eyelids is where you'll find the eyelids turning either outwards or inwards. Also be aware of cataracts of the eyes as well as Cherry eye.
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.
Your Perro de Presa Mallorquin is going to need a walk every day if you want him to be physically and mentally sound. He loves to sniff around and see the world beyond his garden.
This is a low maintenance breed, requiring a brush twice a week just to maintain the coat in its heathy state and to remove loose hairs.
This purebred dog will need an adequate diet to keep him in tip top shape. He likes his food and because he is big and energetic, will require commercially manufactured dog food that is high in good quality protein. In fact always check the packaging that protein sources are among the top ingredients listed.
Growing puppies will require 4 helpings of food a day which can later become 2 meals a day.Try to include some home-made food for him. It doesn’t have to be complicated, in fact dogs want simplicity and consistency with their food so that they don’t get upset stomachs.
Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and cooked vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and spinach chopped up and added into the kibble occasionally can be a wonderful tasty treat for your pet. It is also a good idea to try and give him some raw meat from time to time as well.
Avoid all spicy, unusual foods for your pet – he doesn’t want any surprises when it comes to his food. Ensure he always has a bowl of fresh, cool water available.
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.