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See < http://woquinoncoin.livejournal.com/103120.html >. // Internet Esquire 20:05, 7 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Help me understand one thing here. Why does this article focus on this one guy, Chen?

Anyone who lives in Taiwan knows that all Taiwanese are very proud of this breed of dog known as Taiwan Dog, or Formosa Mountain Dog. Chen is just one guy who went to the hills and found himself a few of the dogs which he likes. That's fine, but why would this discussion center around him?

67.183.79.35 (talk) 05:56, 31 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Vandalism

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Be aware of the vandalism conducted by 24.205.9.153. The user change all positive phrases to negative (included the title of the reference) and included a statement violating POV guideline in its edit. <## g2g886 (talk) 17:18, 9 July 2010 (UTC) ##>[reply]

1st attempt: 01:42, June 30, 2010 24.205.9.153 (talk) (26,020 bytes) (→Security/guard dog) —Preceding unsigned comment added by G2g886 (talk • contribs) 17:15, 9 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]
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Taiwan Dogs: 4 Years of Observation

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I cringe every time I hear that often quoted story about the Japanese and Taiwanese university professors claiming 台灣土狗 (Táiwān tǔ gǒu, as they are called in their native country) are at the brink of extinction... They obviously did not look hard enough! I live in Taiwan. Give me an hour and I'll find you one!

土狗 should be considered a landrace, not a breed. Although the Taiwanese dog-loving community has promoted the 土狗 as a breed and even gained breed recognition with Fédération Cynologique Internationale, most Taiwanese consider them "mixed breed dogs" or street dogs. Indeed, this is often where you find them: roaming the streets near empty lots or parks, along rivers and train tracks, and in small mountain villages. They are highly resourceful at finding food and shelter; often, they have a human friend who leaves food out for them, so it's very rare to see a skinny, malnourished dog. (Han culture loves food and feeding others.)

土狗 come in three sizes. This is unrecognized by the pedigree literature. Small 土狗 are the height and length of a Shiba Inu; medium 土狗 are the most prevalent and are described in detail by the breed standards out there; large 土狗 are long and lanky beasts that are quite handsome and quite rare, with a length and height similar to a Doberman Pincer.

土狗 come in three hair types. The most common hair type is a short double coat; the top layer is slick and "oily" and the undercoat is soft and downy; this is described in the breed standards. Then there is the slightly longer, softer double coat that seems to have some characteristics of German Shepherds, but not quite, considering the texture. Finally, there's the peach-fuzz coat, which is the most rare. It's a short, somewhat bristly coat with no undercoat.

土狗 have a variety of colors, all black being the most predominant. They are often lovingly referred to as 小黑 (xiǎo hēi), or "Little Black." Some are all yellow, and a few are all white. A white 土狗 is the hardest to come by. After black and yellow, 土狗 are usually Merle/tiger striped. If they're tiger-striped, 土狗 either have an orange and black pattern, or a black and grey pattern. Then there are odd-ball 土狗 with spots or a combo of 2 or more of the above. When you meet another person who has a 土狗, you always compare your fur-babies to one another and marvel at their differences!

People who know 土狗 will recognize one instantly by their bat-shaped, prick ears which they fold back when being affectionate or if they're scared; sickle-shaped tail; broad chest and narrow waist; and expressive, slightly almond-shaped eyes. Some 土狗 have small, compact, rabbit-like paws that expand for a better grip when climbing or running. The webbing between their toes also makes them excellent swimmers, if you can help them get over their fear of water when still a puppy.

As far as age goes, I think "the books" might be off. I met a cop while drinking one night who said his dog lived to 17; his buddies laughed at him because he gave his dog CPR as his dog was passing. A lady farmer I met said her 土狗 lived to 20 and only ate whatever she was having for dinner that night. A lady who runs a lunch cafe in my 'hood said her son's dog lived till 15.

土狗 are very healthy, though they sometimes have dermatological issues or get an upset stomach. In the case of the latter, it is well known amongst Taiwanese that 土狗 eat grass, vomit, poop and then feel better after a day or two.

土狗 love eating bones, and if you don't feed them some yourself, they'll find some on the street to munch on. An old man once offered me a bag of bones for my young 土狗 to eat, which I promptly turned down. I kinda looked at him like he was crazy, and he returned the gesture. I later found out that Taiwanese customarily give these dogs bones, viewing them as a garbage disposal unit. A neighbor's elderly parents fed his Shiba Inu bones on a regular basis. The dog got sick and needed to have the bones surgically removed from its stomach. The 土狗 living in the same house did not have such issues.

土狗 are very intelligent and readily learn new words, commands and concepts. They are always listening, even if you think they're asleep. 土狗 are excellent trackers and hunters with a high prey drive. They are entirely suited to the steep mountain terrain of Taiwan and love to climb, look off of steep ledges with their feet at the very edge, and have an excellent sense of balance. In Taiwan, they often accompany their humans as they ride around on their scooter! I believe they also have an excellent sense of direction. If we go hiking on a trail we haven't been on in a year or more, my 土狗 will remember which way to go, and even stop at the places where we had lunch or took a rest the first time we went there.

土狗 bond closely with one or two people and are very wary of those they consider a hazard to their pack. Some people are OK--others are not. Your dog will let you know who to consider a friend and whom to avoid. While many consider them aggressive, 土狗 only get confrontational when defending their family and home. A street dog--even a pack of street dogs--would rather avoid you than confront you, unless you get too close to their turf.

土狗 are often described by Taiwanese as 靈 (Líng), which can mean alert, clever, intelligent or spiritual. Indeed, they can display human-level understanding of a situation, and love to be challenged and stimulated. If you're looking for a companion that loves to go on adventures in nature, and sometimes around the city, then... check out some Taiwan adoption agencies... 39.14.49.157 (talk) 14:28, 27 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

It's possible to be both a landrace and have a cultivated variety derived from the landrace, such as the Turkish Van and Van cat.
If you have sources about the landrace please do add them to the article. Traumnovelle (talk) 21:23, 20 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
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