Toy Mi-Ki vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Hawaiian Poi Dog is originated from Indonesia but Toy Mi-Ki is originated from United States. Hawaiian Poi Dog may grow 8 cm / 4 inches higher than Toy Mi-Ki. Hawaiian Poi Dog may weigh 10 kg / 23 pounds more than Toy Mi-Ki. Hawaiian Poi Dog may live 6 years less than Toy Mi-Ki. Both Hawaiian Poi Dog and Toy Mi-Ki has almost same litter size. Hawaiian Poi Dog requires Low Maintenance. But Toy Mi-Ki requires Moderate Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Companion dog
Toy dog
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Indonesia
United States
Height Male:
36 - 38 cm
14 - 15 inches
20 - 30 cm
7 - 12 inches
Height Female:
34 - 36 cm
13 - 15 inches
20 - 30 cm
7 - 12 inches
Weight Male:
7 - 15 kg
15 - 34 pounds
2 - 5 kg
4 - 12 pounds
Weight Female:
6 - 13 kg
13 - 29 pounds
2 - 5 kg
4 - 12 pounds
Life Span:
5 - 8 Years
12 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 5
2 - 4
Size:
Small
Toy
Other Names:
Native Hawaiian Dog, and Hawaiian Islanders’ Dog., Poi Dog, Ilio, Hawaiian Dog
Mikki, Mi-ki
Colors Available:
any color with white markings, brown mostly
white, apricot, Cream, brown, fawn, black - mixed, bi-colors
Coat:
short and fine
Long haired or short haired
Shedding:
Minimal
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Playful, Stubborn
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Sweet, Territorial
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Hard
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
Yes
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

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.

toy mi kiThe Toy Mi-Ki is a sociable companion dog. He hasn’t got a long history, and the little bit of history there is, isn’t clear.

It is believed that the breed was bought about by Maureen Westburg. It was in the 1980s that she crossed several toy breeds to develop the Mi-Ki. It is thought that she gave the dog the name Mi-Ki because her name was Mikkie. It seems whe wanted a dog that came close to looking like a gremlin.

Some of the dogs used in the breeding program were the Japanese Chin, the Maltese, and the Papillon. The International Miki Registry is trying to get recognition with the United Kennel Club for this dog. There are other canine clubs and organizations that recognize the Mi-Ki Dog as a breed.

Description

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.

toy mi ki puppy - descriptionThe small Toy Miki stands at between 25 cm – 30 cm in height and weighs between 2 – 5kg. You get two different coat types – long and short and the long-haired variety also has quite a bit of hair around the face.

His longish coat is low-shedding which makes him popular for people who battle with allergies. The Miki Dog will produce about 2 – 4 puppies.

As a toy dog, he has a domed head with large eyes. Their ears are feathered and are carried erect and the tail is long and feathered.

Temperament:

These little dogs are popular companion dogs and they’re intelligent and loving, making the ideal pet for anyone.

It’s a friendly dog and yet he will bark to alert you of an intruder. Youll take notice because he isn’t the kind of dog that just yaps away.

Children love them and they make great playmates for children who have been taught to be kind and gentle with animals.

Their small size and their adaptable nature make them suitable for city or country living. Sweet and amicable, the social purebred Toy Mi-Ki is everything you want in a companion.

He is loyal and devoted, calm and adaptable. They’re not the kind of dogs to go jogging with you, but nonetheless, he will still need his exercise – walks every day as well as ball games.

Characteristics

Children friendliness

The Hawaiian Poi dog was very friendly and good with children

Special talents

The Poi was considered a good luck charm and a spiritual protector of children

Adaptability

Given what they faced in life, the Poi dog was very adaptable, living anywhere on the islands and eating anything it could find.

Learning ability

Due to their poor diet, the Hawaiian Poi dog was seriously lacking in intelligence and learning ability.

toy mi ki dog - characteristicsThe Mi-Ki is calm and good-natured, and because of his cuteness, he can’t help but become a lap dog, if you allow him.

He is social and just loves human companionship. He is friendly too and will quite happily be friends with children and pets in the home.

Make sure he is trained and socialized so that you become one of the many people who have nothing but good things to say about this sweet little dog.

Health Problems

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.

With good care, your Toy Mi-ki can reach 14 years of age, maybe older.

toy mi ki puppies - health problemsYou just have to bear in mind, that because of his short muzzle, he is prone to respiratory problems. Too much exercise and you may find him huffing and puffing. Be careful on a hot day.

Also, little dogs like this often have all kinds of dental problems. When you brush him, check his teeth because he can’t tell you if he has a rotten tooth causing him a lot of pain and misery.

Check his eyes too that they are bright and clear and check the inside of his ears. Hypothyroidism and eye issues can also bother the Mi-ki.

Caring The Pet

Feeding the puppy

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.

Feeding the adult

The adult dog was fed once or twice a day the same as Poi puppies were fed.

Points for Good Health

The Hawaiian Poi dog basically has not good health points.

Games and Exercises

The Poi dog did not need and did not get much exercise, leading to its demise.

toy mi ki dogs - caringConsidered to be low-shedding, the Mi-Ki will benefit from a brush once or twice a week.

Some people take their Mi-Ki’s to have their hair professionally cut. This is a good move because then the ears, teeth, and nails are attended to as well.

You can do all of these things at home yourself, but sometimes, particularly with the long-haired Miki, the matting of the hair can make it that you rather send him to professional groomers.

Diet:

Like all dogs, the Mi-Ki dog will need nutritious food if he is to stay healthy. He isn’t a big eater and you will find the perfect food for your small canine pet.

Read on the packaging to make sure you get high-quality dry food for small dogs. You want the ingredients to be as natural as possible without any toxic colorants and additives.

Meat and protein must always be the top ingredients. Try to provide some home-made food too. Boiled chicken, brown rice, spinach, and sweet potatoes can be chopped up finely and a small portion added occasionally to the dry kibble as a tasty treat.

Comparison with other breeds

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  26. Toy Mi-Ki vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Toy Mi-Ki vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Toy Mi-Ki vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Toy Mi-Ki vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Toy Mi-Ki vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Toy Mi-Ki vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Toy Mi-Ki vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Toy Mi-Ki vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Toy Mi-Ki vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Toy Mi-Ki vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Toy Mi-Ki vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Toy Mi-Ki vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Toy Mi-Ki vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Toy Mi-Ki vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Toy Mi-Ki vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Toy Mi-Ki vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Toy Mi-Ki vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Toy Mi-Ki vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Toy Mi-Ki vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Toy Mi-Ki vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Toy Mi-Ki vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Toy Mi-Ki vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Toy Mi-Ki vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Toy Mi-Ki vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Toy Mi-Ki vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison