| Country of origin | Vietnam | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||
|
||||
| Dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | ||||
Phu Quoc ridgeback dogs are a breed of dog from Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam’s southern Kien Giang Province. The Phu Quoc Ridgeback is one of only three breeds that has a ridge of hair that runs along its back in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat (The others are Rhodesian Ridgeback and Thai Ridgeback).
The Phu Quoc dog was included in the Larousse Dictionary and is today gaining notice in the Western world.
Contents |
According to old people on Phu Quoc Island, the dog was traditionally four main colours: spotted, black, yellow, and striped; however now the colours have become more varied. A mature dog is about 20-25 kg, with a small head, long neck, quite a long snout, thin yet long ears and dark speckles on the tongue. The body of tapering belly, straight legs and webbed feet, this allows Phu Quoc dogs to swim and run exceedingly well.
An important sign to recognize a true Phu Quoc dog is the whorls on its back, together with short, thin hair. When facing competitors or running after prey, the whorls become erect, making the dog look brave and strong. Now, it is quite difficult to find purebreed Phu Quoc dogs, as they have mixed with other breeds.
They are famous for hunting and protecting houses, for their friendship and loyalty to owners, and their fearlessness against competitors. They excel in swimming and running and are able to leap over high fences.
Recently, more and more visitors come to Phu Quoc in search of the dogs, giving rise to four breeding camps on the island, which now raise about 600 dogs. Most are sold in HCM City, ranging from VND 800,000 (US$ 50) to VND 1 million (US$ 62.50)