Meet the breed
Korea Jindo Dog [진돗개] is a South Korean Natural Treasure #53, a medium-sized Spitz from the Korean Jindo island, belonging to the FCI Group V ‘Spitz and Primitive Type’, section 5 ‘Asian Spitz and related breeds’.
It is a double-coated dog valued for its loyalty, intelligence, strength and homing instinct.
Characteristics
- Intelligence – it is an incredibly intelligent and very primitive breed in its nature.
- Excellent hunting skills – in not so distant times, they hunted Korean deer and even wild boar in groups. It is a hunting breed with a very strong hunting instinct so squirrels, mice and even cats can’t feel too safe when Jindo is around.
- Independence – many value this character trait because Jindo is not a dog that will follow its owner like a shadow. Back in the old days, when they lived freely on the island, they had to decide for themselves when to defend the territory, which people are familiar and which they must scare away. Thanks to this, they are independent dogs that can make their own decisions.
- Stubbornness – they are dogs that learn willingly and quite quickly, but they have their stubborn side, because of which they are not always willing to obey a human’s command. They are dogs that do not forget, so training should be positive so that the dog associates the execution of commands with pleasure.
- Loyalty – it is difficult to describe this breed without mentioning the great loyalty to the owner. Some say that Jindo is a dog of one owner, it is certain that the bond that connects a dog with a human is uninterrupted and lasts Jindo’s entire life.
- Aloofness – these are not dogs for whom every person they meet is a friend. Jindo is friendly, but may be reserved with strangers.
- Self-control – even as puppies, they are different from other breeds that eat everything. Jindos are very careful, they will not eat anything from a stranger, they are also cautious about new things.
- Cleanliness – another great thing about these dogs. They are incredibly clean, from puppy age.
- Noiseless – they are known for their calm nature, they are alert but don’t bark without reason.
- Aversion to dogs of the same sex (SSA) – this trait is known among dogs of this breed, however, not all dogs are the same. Many Jindos will get along great with same-sex dogs as long as they don’t show up on their territory.
- Excellent sporting predispositions – they are not overly active dogs, they can spend a rainy day on the couch with their owner. On the other hand, they are great at dog sports, they like long walks or other activities, especially with their man.
Is every dog from Korea a Jindo?
No. In times when the import of dogs from distant parts of the world has become simpler and more popular, and when there are more and more foundations that save dogs from meat farms or shelters, we can meet a lot of dogs that resemble Korean Jindo in many ways.
It must be remembered that if we do not know the origin of the dog – pedigree, we are talking about a dog of the breed type, Jindo-mix or for example Korean Village Dog.