Wed, Feb 21, 2018 page14

• Taiwan Dog 台灣犬

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  The Taiwanese mountain dog, also known as the “Formosan Dog,” was traditionally used by villagers in Taiwan to guard their houses and aid them in hunting expeditions. For a long time, however, the indigenous Taiwanese dog has been accorded a distinctly lowly status.

  Originally a hunting dog bred in high altitude areas on the island by Aborigines, the semi-wild Taiwanese mountain dog was well-suited to the uneven topography of Taiwan’s mountainous regions, and able to move agilely through the lush bush.

  The Taiwan Dog, as it is now officially known, mostly has black or earthy yellow fur, or is of mixed coloring. It will generally have a life expectancy of from 13 to 16 years old, but when well looked-after can live up to 20 years, or even older.

  

  A mix colored Taiwan Dog jousts with a crab on Yilan County’s Waiao beach in this undated photo. 一隻混合毛色台灣犬在宜蘭縣的外澳海灘上跟螃蟹嬉戲，拍攝日期不詳。

  Photo courtesy of a reader
  照片：讀者提供

  A healthy adult male Taiwan Dog is between 48cm to 52cm long, and weighs from 14kgs to 18kgs. The adult female can be from between 43cm to 47cm long and weigh 12kgs to 16kgs.

  Through the hard work over 20 years of the Kennel Club of Taiwan and lovers of indigenous Taiwanese dogs, the representatives of over 70 attending countries at the 2015 annual meeting of the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in Milan, Italy voted to officially name the indigenous Taiwanese dog the “Taiwan Dog.” At the same time, the FCI agreed upon the characteristics of the breed, acknowledging that the loyal nature of the dog made it suitable as a guard dog and a companion dog. This dog, which had been largely ignored up until this point, was finally given an official name: The Taiwan Dog.(Translated by Paul Cooper)

  台灣土狗，又名「福爾摩沙犬」，是傳統台灣鄉下住民用來守護家園和協助狩獵的好幫手。然而，在大多數台灣人的心目中，台灣土狗的地位一直都很低。

  

  An aboriginal hunting party in Baksa, modern day Muzha District in Taipei, showing Formosan dog in the bottom right corner. Photographed in 1871 by Scottish adventurer John Thomson. 十九世紀著名的蘇格蘭旅行家兼攝影師約翰‧湯普遜在一八七一年造訪遠東地區，在今日台北市的木柵附近照下當地原住民部落的狩獵團隊，照片右下方就是協助狩獵的台灣犬。

  Photo: Wikimedia Commons
  照片： 維基共享資源

  台灣土狗原本是台灣原住民在高海拔山區飼育的一種半野生獵犬，能夠在崎嶇不平的山路上健步如飛，也能輕易地穿梭於山區茂密的叢林灌木間。

  台灣土狗今日已正式定名為「台灣犬」，毛色多為黑、土黃或混合花色。通常，台灣犬的平均壽命約為十三至十六歲。不過，如果細心飼養照顧，牠們可以活到二十歲，甚至更久。

  健康的成年公台灣犬體長約有四十八到五十二公分，體重則為十四到十八公斤之間。成年的母台灣犬體型較小，體長約為四十三到四十七公分，體重則落在十二至十六公斤之間。

  經過社團法人台灣畜犬協會以及台灣原生土狗愛好者長達二十年的努力，在二○一五年於義大利米蘭召開的世界畜犬聯盟全球會員國大會上，台灣土狗獲得七十多個與會國家代表投票認可，正式命名為「台灣犬」。同時，世界畜犬聯盟也在台灣犬的品種特性上達到共識，認為其忠心耿耿的天性適合擔任守衛犬和陪伴犬的職責。今日，這類以往經常遭到我們忽視的狗狗，終於獲得一個國際承認的正式名稱──「台灣犬」。

  （台北時報林俐凱整理）

  For your information

  Taiwan Dog traits
  　台灣犬特點

  A domesticated dog demonstrating high levels of intelligence and alertness Aggressive, distrustful of strangers, but extremely loyal to its owner Brave and good at hunting, not intimidated when faced with large prey Good physique, streamlined shape, well suited to running through forest Very adaptable to different environments and very independent Easily trained, will not soil surroundings or bark 馴養的台灣犬智商高、警覺性強 具有攻擊性，不易親近陌生人，卻對主人非常忠心 勇猛而善於狩獵，面對身型較自己大的獵物也毫不畏懼 體力充沛，身型為流線形，適合跑動、穿梭於樹木間 相當容易適應環境，同時具備極高的獨立性 容易訓練出好的生活習慣，不會隨地大小便或亂吠
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