MyDogBreedsSchnauzer is originated from Germany but Hawaiian Poi Dog is originated from Indonesia. Schnauzer may grow 13 cm / 6 inches higher than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Both Schnauzer and Hawaiian Poi Dog are having almost same weight. Schnauzer may live 8 years more than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Schnauzer may have more litter size than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Schnauzer requires Moderate maintenance. But Hawaiian Poi Dog requires Low maintenance
These dogs hail from Germany and are particularly well known for their stern faces and their facial hair - the mustache and eyebrows. You get 3 types of Schnauzer – the Miniature, Standard and Giant.
These dogs have always been used for their rat catching skills. The Standard Schnauzer is also known as Mittelschnauzer and they have been categorized as working dogs but also as Terriers.
They've always been good herders of livestock and have been regarded as a good all-round farm dog. Most Standard Schnauzers have earned American Kennel Club (AKC) herding titles. They also make excellent watchdogs.
A breed standard for this dog was written in 1880. Also, the Bavarian Schnauzer Klub was formed in Munich in 1907.
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.
You get the miniature and giant Schnauzer as well as the Standard. The Standard Schnauzer stands at between 43 to 51cm and weighs between 14 and 20kg. The dog comes in different color variants - black, black and silver and a greyish color.They have wiry coats that don’t shed much.
They are squarely and robustly built and a typical feature is the mustache, beard and significant eyebrows of the dog. The ears are set high and were once clipped but they are left floppy these days.
The tail has always been traditionally cropped to around three vertebrae,giving the dog a distinctive look, but now it is often left as is and is medium length and curls over the dog’s back.
The Schnauzie is a seriously intelligent dog and this makes them highly trainable so that he can obey quite a few commands. These dogs get bored easily and will require exercise and games that will stimulate him mentally and physically.
They’re alert too, and will bark in warning at any intruders, making them excellent watchdogs. Other notable characteristics are courage and stamina and they have been used for search and rescue work.
These dogs have strong personalities, and are inclined to be stubborn so you want to be sure that they are trained and socialized. This makes them more amicable to be around – they’re obedient and know their place.
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.
Energetic, strong-willed and loyal, the Schnauzer can be an affectionate friend for children in the home as well as adults.
He is cool towards strangers and he is also a bit snooty and aggressive with other dogs, but if he is brought up with them, he will show some loyalty and friendship towards them too.
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.
Schnauzers are very healthy dogs. Nonetheless even these dogs can succumb to some of the many dog illnesses there are.
Hip dysplasia is a common dog ailment and the Schnauzer isn’t immune to it. Hip dysplasia can be very sad in dogs as it can cripple a dog, with painful arthritis being his lot as well. It is no comfort for dog owners to know that hip dysplasia is common in most dog breeds – they are devastated when their once playful dog is brought down by hip dysplasia and exhibits signs of stiffness and pain.
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 Schnauzer will need to have his hair brushed twice a week as well as being professionally groomed. This is by hand-stripping or by clipping.
Standard Schnauzers have lots of energy and will require adequate exercise every day – walks, ball games and runs off the leash.
Check his eyes and make sure there is no discharge. Check inside the ears and make sure there is no sign of redness and discharge. Look inside his mouth for rotting teeth. Bad teeth can cause lots of health problems with a dog, not just in terms of the teeth, but bad teeth can negatively affect other parts of the body too.
You want your Schnauzer to benefit from good food, after all nourishing food contributes to good health and longevity. If you choose to give your Schnauzer one of the commercially manufactured dog foods there are, make sure it is one of the better brands with more natural ingredients, The cheaper ones are filled with toxic ingredients.
Choose food according to his age, size and activity levels. To add some variety, feed him some home made food twice a week which can be added to his dry kibble. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet. Try and include some raw meat into the diet. Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water for him.
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.