The Bắc Hà dog (Vietnamese: chó Bắc Hà) is a medium-size spitz dog breed and one of Vietnam's Four Great National Dogs (Vietnamese: tứ đại quốc khuyển).[1][2] This primitive dog breed is primarily used a hunter and guard dog by the Hmong people in northern Vietnam, especially in the Bắc Hà district and Si Ma Cai district of Lào Cai province.[2][3] While not recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, the Bắc Hà dog is recognized by the Vietnam Kennel Association.[4]
| Bắc Hà dog | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Other names | Vietspitz | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin | Vietnam | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dog (domestic dog) | |||||||||||||||||||||
History
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While much of the Bắc Hà dog's history is speculative, they are thought to be descended from heavier-coated mountain dogs of southern China who accompanied the Hmong in their migration to Vietnam.[5][2] Hmong traditions reports that the Hmong people themselves originated near the Yellow River region of China.[6] The Hmong people were subjected to persecution and genocide by the Qing dynasty in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and many fled to the mountains of northern Vietnam.[5]
According to Hmong legend, after arriving to Lào Cai, a dhole came down from the mountains and mated with the female dogs, producing puppies with red fur and especially wild and fierce temperaments. These puppies were the first Bắc Hà dogs.[7]
In October 2020, a Bắc Hà dog named Sói won the Vietnamese Native Breeds Championship Dog Show.[3]
Characteristics
editAppearance
editThe bắc Hà is a medium-sized dog breed. An adult male dog is approximately 52–58 cm (20–23 in) tall at the shoulder and weighs about 22–28 kg (49–62 lb). Female dogs are usually smaller, about 50–56 cm (20–22 in) tall and weigh about 18–24 kg (40–53 lb). The bắc Hà has a large, round skull and a flat and broad forehead. The dog's ears are triangular, face down and wide at the base. Their eyes are almond-shaped, round and have thick rims. They are double coated, usually yellow brown, dark brown, black or white in color. The fur forms a main around the neck and shoulders, and the tail is heavily feathered.[4]
Behavior
editLike other hunting and guarding breeds, the Bắc Hà is fiercely loyal and protective of their family members.[4] They are highly intelligent and quick to pick up commands.
Gallery
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Bắc Hà dog with one ear up -
Bắc Hà puppy -
Brown Bắc Hà dog
References
edit- ^ TÔ THẾ, HOÀI ANH (2020-11-07). "4 giống chó quý của Việt Nam được gọi là "quốc khuyển"" [Four precious dog breeds of Vietnam are called "national dogs"]. Lao Dong (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 2021-10-27. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ a b c "Bac Ha Dog". The Native Vietnamese Breed Preservation Society. Archived from the original on 2022-09-10. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ a b Tatarski, Michael (2021-10-10). "Chó: The Four National Breeds of Vietnamese Doggos | Saigoneer". The Saigoneer. Archived from the original on 2022-08-20. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ a b c "006/2019/QĐ-CT CÔNG NHẬN TIÊU GIỐNG CHÓ BẮC HÀ – BẢNG TIÊU CHUẨN CHÓ BẮC HÀ" [ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE BAC HA PAGE - STANDARD TABLE OF BAC HA DOGS.]. Vietnam Kennel Association (in Vietnamese). 2019-09-20. Archived from the original on 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ a b Lee, Mai Na M. (2015). Dreams of the Hmong kingdom : the quest for legitimation in French Indochina, 1850-1960. Madison, Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-29883-8. OCLC 909840030. Archived from the original on 2022-09-10. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ Keown-Bomar, Julie (2004). Kinship networks among Hmong-American refugees. New York: LFB Scholarly Pub. ISBN 1-59332-117-1. OCLC 58720533. Archived from the original on 2022-09-10. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ "Lên núi "săn quốc khuyển" Bắc Hà" [Going up the mountain to "hunt the national dog" Bac Ha]. danviet.vn (in Vietnamese). 2018-02-23. Archived from the original on 2022-08-23. Retrieved 2022-08-23.