Kunming Wolf-dog
Encyclopedia
The Kunming Wolfdog also commonly known as the Kunming Dog is an established breed of wolfdog
originated in China. Unlike most other wolfdog crosses, Kunming dogs are suitable to be guard dogs and working dogs due to their German Shepherd dog ancestry. They have been trained as military assistant dogs to perform a variety of tasks such as detecting mines. Some are also trained to be fire dogs and rescue dogs Today they are commonly kept as family companions by many pet owners in China.
type category. The head and body of the Kunming wolfdogs are similar in appearance to the German Shepherd Dog
except they stand taller in the back. They have seasonal coats that grow into a double layered coat during the late fall to the early winter but will later on shed into a shorter coat during the late spring. The tail is long like their German Shepherd cousins. Kunming wolfdogs occasionally lift their tails curled high when excited but they often carry it lower behind their back like their wolf ancestors do. Coats are marked with a black saddle and muzzle, with other colors ranging from light straw to deep rust.
crosses are known to play a huge part in the breed's origin. The Kunming wolfdog was created in the early 1950s to meet the need for military dogs in Yunnan
. A group of ten shepherd type dogs mixed with unknown breeds were brought to Kunming
from a military K9 training program in Beijing
in 1953. These ten dogs were insufficient for the immediate need, and so fifty suitable household dogs from Kunming were recruited as well as forty similar dogs from the city of Guiyang
in Guizhou
province (like the first ten, the exact breeds of these dogs are unknown other than that they were crossbreeds). After training, the best twenty of these ninety dogs were then selected. Ten wolfdogs bred in Beijing, twenty 'civil dogs' plus an additional ten 'shepherd dogs' imported from East Germany were added to the pool from which the Kunming Dog was developed. The Chinese Public Security Bureau
officially recognized the Kunming Dog as a breed in 1988. Kunming Dogs are used by the Chinese military
and police
, and have also found their way into use as civilian watchdogs and guard dog
s.
Wolfdog
A wolfdog is a canid hybrid resulting from the mating of a wolf and a dog . The term "wolfdog" is preferred by most of the animals' proponents and breeders because the domestic dog recently was taxonomically recategorized as a subspecies of wolf...
originated in China. Unlike most other wolfdog crosses, Kunming dogs are suitable to be guard dogs and working dogs due to their German Shepherd dog ancestry. They have been trained as military assistant dogs to perform a variety of tasks such as detecting mines. Some are also trained to be fire dogs and rescue dogs Today they are commonly kept as family companions by many pet owners in China.
Appearance
Kunming Wolfdogs are typically medium-sized dog who fall under the spitzSpitz
Spitz-type dogs are a type of dog, characterized by long, thick, and often white fur, and pointed ears and muzzles...
type category. The head and body of the Kunming wolfdogs are similar in appearance to the German Shepherd Dog
German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog...
except they stand taller in the back. They have seasonal coats that grow into a double layered coat during the late fall to the early winter but will later on shed into a shorter coat during the late spring. The tail is long like their German Shepherd cousins. Kunming wolfdogs occasionally lift their tails curled high when excited but they often carry it lower behind their back like their wolf ancestors do. Coats are marked with a black saddle and muzzle, with other colors ranging from light straw to deep rust.
Temperament
Kunming wolfdogs share similar behavioural traits to their German Shepherd ancestors. They are extremely intelligent, normally self-assured and are marked by their curiosity and willingness to learn which allows them to excel in task training. However, they are also highly active and require a lot of activities and ideally one long walk per day in order to keep them occupied. Like German Shepherds, Kunming wolfdogs are only suitable to have around children if properly trained and supervised. Because of their wolfdog ancestry, they still have the tendency to occasionally challenge the people around them.Breed History
Most of the exact dog breeds used in the gene pool for the Kunming wolfdogs is ambiguous due to the lack of proper pedigrees and the fact that a majority of them were crossbreeds although the German Shepherd and some wolfdogWolfdog
A wolfdog is a canid hybrid resulting from the mating of a wolf and a dog . The term "wolfdog" is preferred by most of the animals' proponents and breeders because the domestic dog recently was taxonomically recategorized as a subspecies of wolf...
crosses are known to play a huge part in the breed's origin. The Kunming wolfdog was created in the early 1950s to meet the need for military dogs in Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
. A group of ten shepherd type dogs mixed with unknown breeds were brought to Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
from a military K9 training program in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
in 1953. These ten dogs were insufficient for the immediate need, and so fifty suitable household dogs from Kunming were recruited as well as forty similar dogs from the city of Guiyang
Guiyang
Guiyang is the capital of Guizhou province of Southwest China. It is located in the centre of the province, situated on the east of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, and on the north bank of the Nanming River, a branch of the Wu River. The city has an elevation of about 1,100 meters...
in Guizhou
Guizhou
' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country. Its provincial capital city is Guiyang.- History :...
province (like the first ten, the exact breeds of these dogs are unknown other than that they were crossbreeds). After training, the best twenty of these ninety dogs were then selected. Ten wolfdogs bred in Beijing, twenty 'civil dogs' plus an additional ten 'shepherd dogs' imported from East Germany were added to the pool from which the Kunming Dog was developed. The Chinese Public Security Bureau
Public Security Bureau
In the People's Republic of China, a public security bureau refers to the government offices while the smaller offices are called Police posts which are similar in concept to the Japanese Kōban system) present in each province and municipality that handles policing , public security, and...
officially recognized the Kunming Dog as a breed in 1988. Kunming Dogs are used by the Chinese military
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
and police
Public Security Bureau
In the People's Republic of China, a public security bureau refers to the government offices while the smaller offices are called Police posts which are similar in concept to the Japanese Kōban system) present in each province and municipality that handles policing , public security, and...
, and have also found their way into use as civilian watchdogs and guard dog
Guard dog
A guard dog, an attack dog or watch dog is a dog used to guard against, and watch for, unwanted or unexpected people or animals. The dog is discriminating so that it does not annoy or attack familiar people.-Barking:...
s.
See also
- Wolf
- Guard dogGuard dogA guard dog, an attack dog or watch dog is a dog used to guard against, and watch for, unwanted or unexpected people or animals. The dog is discriminating so that it does not annoy or attack familiar people.-Barking:...
s - Canadian Eskimo DogCanadian Eskimo DogThe Canadian Eskimo Dog is an Arctic breed of dog , which is often considered to be North America’s oldest and rarest remaining purebred indigenous domestic canine. Other names include Qimmiq...
- Established wolfdog breeds
- UtonaganUtonaganThe Utonagan is a breed of dog that resembles a wolf, but in fact is a mix of three breeds of domestic dog: Alaskan Malamute, German Shepherd, and Siberian Husky.-Appearance:...
- Tamaskan dogTamaskan dogThe Tamaskan Dog is a rare dog breed of sleddog type, originating from Finland. It is a highly versatile breed that is known to excel in agility, obedience and working trials. It is also capable of pulling sleds, which is inherited from its Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute ancestors...
- British Utonagan