Introduction to the Breeds of Chinese Native Dogs
Introduction to the Breeds of Chinese Native Dogs
Introduction to the Breeds of Tugou (Native Dogs)
Chinese native dogs from different regions have slight morphological differences, but they all share common main characteristics. Some people think that native dogs vary greatly by region and that their freely-breeding genetics are unstable, seemingly without any distinctive features. However, as long as you observe carefully, you can still find their common traits. When you casually recognize a so-called "tugou," you are already able to identify a native dog through its common traits, although most people have not specifically summarized these features. Just like Tibetan Mastiffs have considerable individual differences and some say their genetics are unstable, once you see a Tibetan Mastiff, you can easily recognize it, which shows that their common traits outweigh individual differences. The same applies to Chinese native dogs.
Chinese Native Dogs
Species Distribution of Tugou
Chinese native dogs are mainly distributed south of the Great Wall,
Distribution Range of Chinese Native Dogs
East of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, centered around the Central Plains low-altitude Han population areas, these dogs are a product of China's Han agricultural society over thousands of years. This distribution definition is important as it clarifies that the living environment for native dogs is low-altitude agricultural regions with a warm climate.
Of course, with the continuous migration of the Han people over thousands of years, the distribution range of native dogs has expanded. For example, in Northeast China, due to Han immigrants, the countryside has many native dogs different from those in pastoral areas of the northeast, and some crossbreeding with other dog breeds has formed new breeds. But one point is certain: Chinese native dogs are a product of the Central Plains agricultural society.
Subspecies Distribution
Chinese native dogs are widely distributed in Han Chinese rural areas in China. Due to regional, environmental, and bloodline factors, many different strains and subspecies have formed. Based on morphological characteristics and distribution areas, Chinese native dogs can roughly be divided into three major strains: Northern strain, Jiangsu-Zhejiang strain, and Liangguang strain.
Note: The three major strains are macro-level analysis results; there are certainly some unique subspecies in many small localities. There is also a large transitional zone between these three strains where transitional breeds appear. The three strains' distribution zones form a triangle with a large blank area centered on Hubei and Hunan provinces. Whether the native dogs in this region constitute an independent strain or are transitional breeds requires further research and verification.
Northern Strain
Northern Folded-Ear Dogs
Distributed from the northeast—Yellow River Basin—middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River—Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau (excluding ethnic minority regions), forming a diagonal distribution from northeast to southwest. Despite the huge environmental differences over this vast area—especially climate differences between north and south causing variations in dog size and hair texture—the dogs in this region are remarkably similar in appearance. For example, the commonly called "dumb dogs" of the northeast and Sichuan's native dogs look almost identical, only that the northeast individuals are larger with thicker fur for cold resistance; Sichuan native dogs are smaller with coarser and sparser fur adapted for the humid southern climate. Interestingly, the distribution area of this strain corresponds exactly with the northern Han Chinese language distribution.
Its characteristics: mostly mixed or multicolored fur, fewer solid color dogs; ears are mainly forward folded ("forward folded ears" means the ears are set high on the head and naturally droop forward when relaxed); commonly have long fur and big curled tails, retaining more northern dog traits.
Northern Folded-Ear Dogs have semi-folded ears leaning forward and a dignified face, making them excellent watchdogs.
Jiangsu-Zhejiang Strain:
Su Dogs
Mainly distributed in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Anhui areas. Dogs in this region are characterized by large, long, and erect ears set high; full inner ear hair; pointed snouts; long limbs; mostly white belly hair; fewer mixed color dogs; medium-long, close, and fine fur.
Dogs in this area show great similarity to dogs in Japan and Korea, possibly related to ancient frequent overseas exchanges across China's East Sea. Not only Chinese culture but also various Chinese goods including domesticated animals such as dogs were brought to these places.
Liangguang Strain
Distributed mainly in Guangdong, including parts of Guangxi and Fujian Provinces. This region's dog breeds are the most well-known and include many excellent breeds originating here, such as the Shar Pei, Chaoshan Big Head,
Guangxi
Guangdong Songshi (Song Dog). This is closely linked to the unique dog culture of the Liangguang area. These excellent breeds also have deep connections with local native dogs, sharing similar bloodlines and morphological features to varying degrees.
Origin and Development of Tugou
The "Zhou Li" Autumn Officer annotations record: There are three kinds of dogs — first, field dogs; second, barking dogs; third, dogs for eating. It shows ancient China classified dogs mostly by function rather than appearance. Depending on their abilities, the best hunting dogs became field dogs; those that were not good at hunting but fierce enough became watchdogs; the useless ones were eaten. This artificial selection method resulted in widely existing dog breeds in China without fixed pedigrees.
Traditional Chinese culture dominated by Han people largely ignored dogs, and modern society's dog culture likewise overlooks this breed. As a result, this breed running across the land of China for over five thousand years did not even have a proper name—commonly called tugou by the folk. The literal meaning of "tugou" is "local dog," which cannot be a breed name, thus giving rise to the current name and concept "Chinese Native Dog."
Focusing on native dogs alone, their features are: coat colors mainly solid or single-colored with few mixed color dogs; short tight fur suited to hot climates though some dogs have exceptionally long and dense fur; small, erect ears; tongues often black or spotted; sturdy and muscular bodies. Due to these features and the large distribution of Guangdong Songshi in the region, it is suspected that dogs in the Liangguang area are heavily influenced by Songshi bloodlines. Guangxi dogs, Guangxi native dogs, pack hunting dogs, erect ears, spotted or black tongues, often used for wild boar hunting.
Physiological Indicators of Tugou
Touch Sensation: Using thumb and forefinger to pinch the webbing between the middle toes of a puppy's front paw, counting from one to ten aloud, gradually increasing pressure accordingly; if the puppy struggles violently at the start, it will be overly sensitive to collars, restraint, and training; if it only struggles at maximum pressure, it requires a firm trainer.
Hearing: Produce a loud noise from an instrument then hide it—usually a metal lid. After the sound, puppies usually get scared and lose composure. If no reaction, take them immediately to a veterinarian for deafness check. A puppy that quickly recovers and investigates the sound source has good hearing sensitivity. A puppy that remains scared and avoids the sound source may not be suitable for noisy households.
Vision: Wave some cloth strips in front of a puppy. Confident puppies will quietly observe it; brave ones will try to bite; timid ones will have already hidden away.
