Wetterhoun vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison

Wetterhoun is originated from Netherlands but Hawaiian Poi Dog is originated from Indonesia. Wetterhoun may grow 21 cm / 9 inches higher than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Wetterhoun may weigh 20 kg / 45 pounds more than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Wetterhoun may live 6 years more than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Wetterhoun may have more litter size than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Wetterhoun requires Moderate maintenance. But Hawaiian Poi Dog requires Low maintenance

History

wetterhoun - historyThe Wetterhoun is a water dog developed in the 1500 or 1600s to hunt otters. The breed was developed by the Frisians in the Netherlands near the Northwest corner. In addition to catching otters in the lakes near by, they were also used as gundogs to hunt game. They are a fearless, tough and loyal working dog. They love the water and they are build for it with a waterproof coat and tight tail that is spiraled. They will swim happily in freezing cold weather as well.

The Wetterhoun is rare and not seen outside of the Netherlands. Descendent of the Water Dog, that is now extinct, he is probably a relative of many spaniel types that also call the Water Dog their ancestor. Yet the Wetterhoun is not a spaniel or spaniel type.

The breed almost disappeared during World War II, like many others, they brought back and are now becoming more and more popular. The breed is only recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale and the United Kennel Club. AKC does not recognize them, but there are many hunting clubs and other registries that do. They are often promoted as one of the rare breeds.

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.

Description

wetterhoun puppy - descriptionThe Wetterhoun is a compact, medium sized breed weighing about 55 to 77 pounds. Great water dogs they are athletically built with low set ears hanging next to their heads, a waterproof coat, distinctive eyes with a very serious expression and a tightly curled tail held aloft over the back. Their coat is waterproof, somewhat oily, curly and thick. The fur is of a smoother texture on the ears, head, and legs. They can be solid black, solid brown, brown with white, or black with white.

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.

Characteristics

Characteristics

Children friendliness -yes but large and active

2.Special talents loves to swim

wetterhoun dog - characteristics3.Adaptability – not a great apartment dog even though he is not that big. They need space. They need a job and they will finish their job at their own pace no matter what you say. It is impossible to train this trait out of them.

4.Learning ability Very high learning ability, very eager to learn and very smart. He is stubborn about finishing whatever job he is working on

Children friendliness

The Hawaiian Poi dog was very friendly and good with children

Special talents

The Poi was considered a good luck charm and a spiritual protector of children

Adaptability

Given what they faced in life, the Poi dog was very adaptable, living anywhere on the islands and eating anything it could find.

Learning ability

Due to their poor diet, the Hawaiian Poi dog was seriously lacking in intelligence and learning ability.

Health Problems

wetterhoun puppies - health problemsA hardy and healthy breed they do not have severe health issues. But like every his

  • Hip Dysplasia – can lead to lameness and/or arthritis.

• Ear Infections – like any breed with hanging ears they can be prone to infection. This is particularly true because the dogs are in the water a lot. Be sure to clean and dry them after every water episode and inspect them on a regular basis even if the dog has not been in the water.

• Patellar Luxation – Knee cap issue with movement and inflammation. Can cause lameness and arthritis.

  • Hunting/Swimming Injuries.

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.

Caring The Pet

wetterhoun dogs - caring1Feeding the puppy -This is an active, hunting and swimming breed. They need good nutrition and high quality puppy food. A food formulated for active breeds or hunting dogs would be best. Feed your puppy in smaller amounts 3-4 times per day.

2.Feeding the adult - This is an active, hunting and swimming breed. They need good nutrition and high quality adult food. A food formulated for active breeds or hunting dogs would be best. Feed your adult twice per day.

3.Points for Good Health - general excellent health

4. Games and Exercises – This is an active working dog that needs a lot of exercise every day. A 30 minute walk is only the beginning. They need outdoor time to play and run. They need to swim if at all possible.

Feeding the puppy

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.

Feeding the adult

The adult dog was fed once or twice a day the same as Poi puppies were fed.

Points for Good Health

The Hawaiian Poi dog basically has not good health points.

Games and Exercises

The Poi dog did not need and did not get much exercise, leading to its demise.

Basic Information

Group:
Sporting dog
Companion dog
Origin:
Netherlands
Indonesia
Height Male:
55 - 59 cm
21 - 24 inches
36 - 38 cm
14 - 15 inches
Height Female:
53 - 57 cm
20 - 23 inches
34 - 36 cm
13 - 15 inches
Weight Male:
25 - 35 kg
55 - 78 pounds
7 - 15 kg
15 - 34 pounds
Weight Female:
23 - 33 kg
50 - 73 pounds
6 - 13 kg
13 - 29 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 14 Years
5 - 8 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 8
3 - 5
Size:
Medium dog
Small dog
Other Names:
Frisian Water Dog , Dutch Spaniel, Otterhoun
Native Hawaiian Dog, and Hawaiian Islanders’ Dog., Poi Dog, Ilio, Hawaiian Dog
Colors Available:
black or black & white, Liver & white, Liver
any color with white markings, brown mostly
Coat:
Oily, Thick, Tight curls all over except smooth head, legs and ears. Coat must not be woolly. waterproof
short and fine
Shedding:
Seasonal
Minimal
Temperament:
Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Stubborn
Affectionate, Playful, Stubborn
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Hard
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Wetterhoun vs East Siberian Laika - Breed Comparison
  2. Wetterhoun vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  3. Wetterhoun vs French Spaniel - Breed Comparison
  4. Wetterhoun vs Flat-Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Wetterhoun vs Finnish Spitz - Breed Comparison
  6. Wetterhoun vs Ariegeois - Breed Comparison
  7. Wetterhoun vs Beagador - Breed Comparison
  8. Wetterhoun vs Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever - Breed Comparison
  9. Wetterhoun vs English Water Spaniel - Breed Comparison
  10. Wetterhoun vs Field Spaniel - Breed Comparison
  11. Wetterhoun vs Artois Hound - Breed Comparison
  12. Wetterhoun vs Curly Coated Retriever - Breed Comparison
  13. Wetterhoun vs Lagotto Romagnolo - Breed Comparison
  14. Wetterhoun vs Braque Francais - Breed Comparison
  15. Wetterhoun vs Formosan Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison
  16. Wetterhoun vs Shikoku - Breed Comparison
  17. Wetterhoun vs Slovakian Hound - Breed Comparison
  18. Wetterhoun vs Small Munsterlander - Breed Comparison
  19. Wetterhoun vs Sussex Spaniel - Breed Comparison
  20. Wetterhoun vs Kooikerhondje - Breed Comparison
  21. Wetterhoun vs Welsh Springer Spaniel - Breed Comparison
  22. Wetterhoun vs West Siberian Laika - Breed Comparison
  23. Wetterhoun vs Braque Francais (Pyrenean Type) - Breed Comparison
  24. Wetterhoun vs Braque Saint-Germain - Breed Comparison
  25. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Wetterhoun - Breed Comparison
  26. Mal-Shi vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  27. Malti-Pom vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  28. PekePoo vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  29. Schipperke vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  30. Schweenie vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  31. Lhasapoo vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  32. Meliteo Kinidio vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  33. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Bichon Frise - Breed Comparison
  34. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Alaskan Klee Kai - Breed Comparison
  35. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Coton De Tulear - Breed Comparison
  36. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Japanese Spitz - Breed Comparison
  37. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Fruggle - Breed Comparison
  38. Prazsky Krysarik vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  39. Pugalier vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  40. Kyi-Leo vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  41. Tsvetnaya Bolonka vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  42. Muggin vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  43. Pomeranian vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  44. Maltese vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  45. Pug vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  46. Maltipoo vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Miniature Schnauzer vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  48. Papillon vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison
  49. Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds