MyDogBreedsSage Koochee is originated from Afghanistan but Hawaiian Poi Dog is originated from Indonesia. Sage Koochee may grow 51 cm / 21 inches higher than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Sage Koochee may weigh 65 kg / 144 pounds more than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Sage Koochee may live 6 years more than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Sage Koochee may have more litter size than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Both Sage Koochee and Hawaiian Poi Dog requires Low maintenance.
Known also as the Kuchi Dog, the Sage Koochee is a dog that was bred more for his characteristics than his looks. He was bred to be a protector and guardian and named after the Afghan Kochi people.
Referred to as the Kuchi or Sage Kuchi, this working dog has always helped nomads with guarding their caravans and livestock. The dog has genetic resemblance with the Central Asian Ovcharka but isn’t recognized as an official breed by any of the major kennel clubs.
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.
The Sage Koochee is a large molosser dog, although they do vary quite a bit in height. This is because they generally come in 3 varieties.
They can stand at between 58 to 89cm in height and they weigh between 38 to 80kg. This is because this dog is divided into 3 types. The coat of this dog can be short, medium or long, and colors can vary quite a bit as well.
These are moderate, seasonal shedders. Their tails are usually docked to about 1/3 of their length and their ears have been traditionally docked too. They are very territorial and won’t show any tolerance to strangers coming onto the property. He also tends to be aggressive towards other dogs.
These dogs are tough and fierce and also immensely intelligent. Such a dog would have to be trained and socialized or you would land yourself with a strong-willed, disobedient dog.
Once they’ve had training, they are friendly, obedient and affectionate towards their owners, but aren't a good choice for children. They are extremely territorial and make good watchdogs,being prepared to fiercely protect their human family.
The very nature of this dog makes it not suitable for life in the city. It would be terribly frustrated in small spaces and can become aggressive.
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.
The Kuchi has always been vigilant with guarding livestock, and these tough dogs did the job of guardian and protector extremely well.
They’re hardy too, used to coping with extreme weather conditions, from hot deserts to freezing mountain areas. These dogs are powerful and independent and they are also dangerous.
With good training and socialization they can become loving and loyal, but they require a strong, firm owner, and don’t come as recommended if there are children in the home.
The Hawaiian Poi dog was very friendly and good with children
The Poi was considered a good luck charm and a spiritual protector of children
Given what they faced in life, the Poi dog was very adaptable, living anywhere on the islands and eating anything it could find.
Due to their poor diet, the Hawaiian Poi dog was seriously lacking in intelligence and learning ability.
The Kuchi breed is healthy and doesn’t have any particular health issues. Things to look out for are bloat, skin allergies, cancer and parasites.
Parasites are a common in many dogs. Fleas and ticks are external parasites, but intestinal parasites can be a real nuisance too and endanger your dog’s health.
These parasites live within the dog’s gastrointestinal tract. They can be a host of terrible worms such as roundworm, hookworms and tapeworm among others. The parasites are usually transmitted when the dog ingests contaminated food, soil or even feces.
These parasites can cause endless problems for the dog, from weight loss to diarrhea to vomiting. You will need to get your pet to the vet.
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.
A nutritious commercially manufactured dog food for large working dogs will be required for this strong, energetic dog. You want to provide it with some variety, so some homemade food added into the dry kibble twice a week will ensure he is healthy and content.
Home-made food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots all boiled slowly together will delight your pet. You just chop it up and add it to the dry kibble twice a week and your pet will never look back.
For his skin and coat, you can try to add in a little bit of raw meat occasionally.Dogs thrive on simple, consistent meals like this – nothing weird and spicy so as to avoid stomach upsets.
Groom your Kuchi dog by brushing him twice a week and check simultaneously for any lumps you may find on him.
Trim his nails.
Check his eyes and make sure they are clear with no signs of discharge.
Check inside the mouth for rotten or bad teeth as he can’t tell you if one is rotten and causing him tremendous pain and discomfort.
Make sure his vaccines are up to date to avoid life threatening canine diseases.
Provide him with a nice, warm dry place to sleep.
Make sure he has access to shade and sun when he’s outdoors.
Have him or her spayed or neutered to avoid puppies
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.
The adult dog was fed once or twice a day the same as Poi puppies were fed.
The Hawaiian Poi dog basically has not good health points.
The Poi dog did not need and did not get much exercise, leading to its demise.