The Jindo is also known as Chindo, Jindo Gae, JindoGae, Jin dog, Jindo Gu and Korean Jindo. It is a medium size Spitz type dog originating in Jindo Island of South Korea. Renowned for its loyalty and brave nature, the dog is among the only three breeds that can hunt the Siberian Tiger. Originally bred to hunt medium and large game, the dog is known for its courage, bravery and exceptional hunting skills that allow this dog to hunt some of the extremely dangerous game. It can trail old scents of raccoons, badgers, rabbits, wild boar and deers. The dog was used to hunt game in packs.
This dog has evolved naturally without any human intervention. It is believed that the Jindo resulted from crosses between indigenous Korean dogs and dogs brought by the Mongols during their 13th century invasion of Korea. The Korean King surrendered, but some of his armies withdrew to Jindo Island, off the southern coast of Korea, where they continued to fight. The soldiers? dogs ended up isolated on Jindo Island, where they developed a very pure strain. Jindos served both as hunting and guard dogs in Korea. In 1938, the Korean government designated the Jindo as a National Treasure. Jindos marched in the opening ceremonies of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. It stands between 19-22 inches and weighs between 40-50 lbs.
The Jindo has two basic body styles, the Gyupgae and the Heutgae. Gyupgae is characterized by a shorter but very muscular body, a shorter loin and a chest depth that is equal to one half of the dog’s height measured at the withers. The Heutgae has a longer loin and less depth of chest that gives the dog a slender appearance. The dog has a double coat that comes in red fawn, white, black, black and tan, wolf grey and brindle.
This breed is NOT recognized by AKC however it is recognized by FCI, UKC and AKC (FSS) The AKC Foundation Stock Service (FSS) is an optional recording service for purebred dogs that are not yet eligible for AKC registration.