The Jindo Dog

Filed under:dog — posted by admin on June 25, 2008 @ 10:24 AM

Wow! All this time I’ve been saying that Tuscan is part Chow Chow, part Akita even if I felt he was too small to fit that description.  He`s a Jindo dog!!

Taken from the dog breed site: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/jindo.htm

“Almost all Jindos possess strong wills (even the ones that seem deceptively compliant) and have independent minds. They love to roam and are quite the free spirits. They think they know best and can be very protective of their loved ones and territory. Because of these traits, Jindos are not recommended for inexperienced owners. Like most independent breeds, they need (and thrive under) firm but loving handling and consistency. An owner who has earned the respect of his/her Jindo will be rewarded with unsurpassed loyalty and obedience. As with all breeds, the Jindo temperament varies with the quality of breeding and environment. The typical Jindo is very affectionate with its loved ones and reserved with strangers. A typical Jindo will not show affection towards people it has just met. At their most expressive, they are friendly in a gentle way. They are excellent watchdogs and will guard the home and family to the death if necessary. Early socialization to friendly strangers, other dogs, cats, and especially children is strongly recommended because Jindos are instinctively protective and have high prey drives. Because of their prey drives, they are usually not reliable around smaller animals such as hamsters and rabbits. In Korea, there are no leash laws and Jindos are allowed to roam freely. Their only aggression seems to be directed at other dogs and only as a means of establishing dominance or territories.”

 

Groundhog Day

Filed under:dog — posted by admin on June 13, 2008 @ 10:20 AM

Matt and I took Everest and Tuscan*  to the river yesterday to test their off leash skills.
Tuscan was GREAT and kept coming back for a treat. Everest and he ran back and forth, back and forth, side by side. They were having great fun, hanging out together and enjoying their freedom. Everest would go lie down occasionally in the river, and eventually Tuscan decided it was ok to go there too (he was, of course, scared at first).
 
Then, something moved in the woods and the dogs took off. In a split second, Everest had a groundhog by the neck and was shaking him senseless and… lifeless. I think Tuscan was trying to be an accomplice, but was a bit too scared. Everest came back to us after the kill and was able to move on to other things (like going for a good cool down in the river).
One-track-mind Tuscan, however, ran right back to the groundhog and started pacing. Around a tree. His leash got wrapped right around the tree. We had to keep him on leash for the way back because his focus was on what Matt refers to as the “kill site”.
Yes, the poor groundhog died.  I didn`t think Everest had it in him to hunt such a large animal and with such confidence !  Dogs are, after all, animals and Everest`s prey drive is a natural instinct that is part of his profile. Next time, I will make sure Everest is tired out before taking him off leash. When tired, his prey drive is greatly diminished. 
The groundhogs will be happier!
* Tuscan is up for adoption. Check him out at www.hopefulhearts.ca


image: detail of installation by Bronwyn Lace