PetzloverHawaiian Poi Dog is originated from Indonesia but Utonagan is originated from United Kingdom. Hawaiian Poi Dog may grow 46 cm / 18 inches shorter than Utonagan. Hawaiian Poi Dog may weigh 25 kg / 55 pounds lesser than Utonagan. Hawaiian Poi Dog may live 7 years less than Utonagan. Hawaiian Poi Dog may have less litter size than Utonagan. Hawaiian Poi Dog requires Low Maintenance. But Utonagan requires Moderate Maintenance
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.
The Utonogan is such a wolf-like dog, you couldn’t be blamed for thinking you’d come face to face with a true wolf. They’re a rare dog breed that came about from crossing the Siberian Husky, the German Shepherd and the Alaskan Malamute.
The dog was developed by Edwina Harrison and it was in the 1980s that the dog was introduced into the UK.
The Utonagan is a rare dog with only a few breeders. Take care with where you buy your Utonogan from and certainly steer clear of backyard breeders or puppy mills.
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.
These dogs are large and lean, looking vibrant and strong. They stand at between 63-84 cm in height and weigh roughly between 32-40 kg.
The body is long with strong but slender legs with webbed paws. They look like wolves with the sharp muzzle, the erect ears, bushy tails and slanted eyes with black eye rims. The double coat is thick and straight. Colors of the coat can be silver or gey, cream, brown, or black. The coat becomes thicker in the Winter.
The Utonagan is a very social dog, wanting to spend a lot of time with his human family. They have so many excellent qualities that make him a splendid pet - loving, loyal and gentle.
Whether you have other pets in the home or children, he is a dog that is able to get on with everyone. He is wary of strangers though and with training ad socialization he is going to be the most fantastic pet and companion.
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.
The Utonagan is an intelligent dog and also very social and people-oriented. He wants to be part of his human family, with a friendly, playful nature.
He will certainly not like being left alone and outside day after day. He can become frantic with frustration and this can be laid at the feet of an irresponsible dog owner.
Give him the life he wants and deserves, and this beautiful wolf-like dog will be your friend for life.
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.
Yur Utonagans can live to be between 12 and 15 years of age, but a few issues can include cancer and joint dysplasia.
Cancer is a major cause of death in dogs old and young. There also seems to be some dog breeds that are more prone to cancer than others.
Thankfully most of the cancers are curable if you get them in the nick of time. The warning signs of cancer in your dog is much the same as with people and you’ll discover a new lump on your pet or a wound that simply won’t heal.
When you detect that your pet is lethargic and not acting his usual perky self, it is time to get him immediately to the vet.
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.
These are very high energy dogs and they will need exercise every day. While they will love a walk, they would be happier with something more vigorous such as a hike.
Swimming, ball games and hide and seek will all need to be on this dog’s menu of events. It is why it’s a dog that is better suited to life in the country as opposed to life in the city.
If you opt to buy this dog commercially manufactured food, he will need to have a high quality one high in vitamins and minerals and designed for energetic dogs. Try and avoid the inferior brands as they are packed with ingredients that can be of no value to your pet. There are ingredients which can actually make him sick.
Home-made food is always a good thing for dogs, especially when it is simple, nutritious food that won’t aggravate the stomach.
You can’t go wrong with foods such as boiled chicken, brown rice, and vegetables such as spinach, carrots and sweet potato. A little bit of raw meat added in occasionally can be excellent as well. Always make sure that a bowl of fresh water is available to your pet around the clock.
This is such a beautiful dog, you want to keep him that way. His thick coat is going to require regular brushing to keep it free from matting. Not only that, grooming stimulates the skin. You can also check him over at the same time for ticks and fleas and make sure there aren’t any unusual lumps on the body.
This type of dog values the grooming session as it is a bonding time for him, making him that much happier and content.
Other grooming needs will include taking care of his nails and checking inside his ears and mouth for signs of infection.