Portuguese Pointer vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison

Portuguese Pointer is originated from Portugal but Hawaiian Poi Dog is originated from Indonesia. Portuguese Pointer may grow 22 cm / 9 inches higher than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Portuguese Pointer may weigh 12 kg / 27 pounds more than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Portuguese Pointer may live 6 years more than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Portuguese Pointer may have more litter size than Hawaiian Poi Dog. Both Portuguese Pointer and Hawaiian Poi Dog requires Low maintenance.

History

portuguese pointer - historyThe Portuguese Pointer comes from Portugal where the dog was developed as a gun dog. It is believed that the dog is descended from the Spanish Pointer and developed to point out game.

The dog was was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1996.

The dog was introduced to England in the 18th century and the modern type of the Portuguese Pointer became established in the early 1900’s when the breed had become endangered. A group of breeders re-established its numbers.

Today it is both working- and companion dog. The UK Kennel Club recognised it as a breed in 2014.

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.

Basic Information

Group:
Gun dog
Companion dog
Origin:
Portugal
Indonesia
Height Male:
48 - 60 cm
18 - 24 inches
36 - 38 cm
14 - 15 inches
Height Female:
48 - 60 cm
18 - 24 inches
34 - 36 cm
13 - 15 inches
Weight Male:
16 - 27 kg
35 - 60 pounds
7 - 15 kg
15 - 34 pounds
Weight Female:
16 - 27 kg
35 - 60 pounds
6 - 13 kg
13 - 29 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 14 Years
5 - 8 Years
Litter Size:
5 - 8
3 - 5
Size:
Large dog
Small dog
Other Names:
Portuguese Pointing Dog
Native Hawaiian Dog, and Hawaiian Islanders’ Dog., Poi Dog, Ilio, Hawaiian Dog
Colors Available:
fawnish - some white, Tan
any color with white markings, brown mostly
Coat:
Short and smooth
short and fine
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Affectionate, Playful, Stubborn
Grooming:
Low maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Hard
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Description

portuguese pointer puppy - descriptionOriginating from Portugal, the attractive, almost Boxer-like looking dog is a medium sized purebred dog that stands at between 48 and 60cm in height and weighs roughly 16 to 27kg.

The Portuguese Pointer has a coat that is light brown, tan or yellow. The dog has a short, easy to maintain coat. He has a fairly square face, much like the Boxer, floppy ears with a long tail. The tail is usually docked. The eyes are brown and he a bright, alert, kind expression.

Temperament:

The Portuguese Pointer is a dog with strong hunting instincts, but who still has time to make a splendid companion for his human family. He is gentle and loyal to his human family, being somewhat reserved with strangers. This is a good thing really as this makes him a good watchdog.

He is good with other pets in the home as well as with children. He badly wants to please his family, and because he is intelligent and a fast learner, you won’t have any trouble with training and socialization.

He is a sociable dog, loving to be close to its owner. He is active and will require quite a bit of exercise, loving to join in with games with the children. He gets on well with children in the home as well as with animals.

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

portuguese pointer dog - characteristicsThe gorgeous Portuguese Pointer makes such a loyal and loving pet. He is always looking out for his human family, making sure that they are safe and protected under his watch.

He is an excellent watch dog too, proudly running around outside and making sure that there are no intruders around. They are good with kids too if the kids are gentle and kind with animals.

He loves a good game too and is always ready to take part in any activities you’re taking part in. The Portuguese Pointer is truly an awesome pet and companion.

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

portuguese pointer puppies - health problemsYour robust Portuguese Pointer isn’t known to be a dog to suffer with too many breed related health problems. With good care he can reach 14 years of age.Portuguese Pointers are a healthy breed, but some health issues can crop up -

Cancer:

Cancer is a leading cause of death in dogs young and old. Luckily, if caught early, cancer is curable. Some of the cancers found in dogs are malignant lymphoma – a tumor of the lymph nodes.

Skin cancer is also fairly common. The warning signs of cancer in dogs can be a new lump or a wound that won’t heal. While these are classic signs, sometimes there are no signs. If your dog isn’t feeling well, it’s time to get him to the veterinarian.

Liver Disease:

The liver is one of the vital body organs but it is susceptible to a wide variety of problems. It detoxifies the blood, stores vitamins and assists with digestion among other things.

One of the most common symptoms of liver disease is jaundice. When the liver isn’t functioning properly, bilirubin builds up in the blood and leads to the yellowish appearance of the dog.

Other common symptoms of liver disease include vomiting, weight loss and diarrhea. Veterinary attention will be required.

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

Exercise:

portuguese pointer dogs - caringThe Portuguese Pointer has been a working dog and doesn’t enjoy lying around with nothing to do. Apart from a walk every day which he loves, he’ll want other activities that stimulate him mentally and physically.

Grooming:

His short coat means that he won’t require any special grooming. He does shed constantly, like many other dogs, and a good brush twice a week will keep his short coat vibrant and shiny.

Diet:

Your canine friend will require protein in his diet as well as all the vitamins ad minerals for health. The very best commercially manufactured dog foods will be required for his health.

The dry kibble can be a wonderful convenient way to feed your pet. The best commercial foods meet the requirements for a dog’s diet. Give him some delicious home made food too. Boiled chicken, brown rice, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach can be cooked in bulk and then chopped up and small portions mixed into the dry kibble twice a week as a treat.

It provides your pet with an alternative to the dry kibble, it is healthy, easy to digest and your pet will love it. Dogs thrive on simple consistency. Once in a while you can also give him some raw meat. Never leave him without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

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.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Portuguese Pointer vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  2. Portuguese Pointer vs German Shorthaired Pointer - Breed Comparison
  3. Portuguese Pointer vs Irish Setter - Breed Comparison
  4. Portuguese Pointer vs Bracco Italiano - Breed Comparison
  5. Portuguese Pointer vs Perdiguero de Burgos - Breed Comparison
  6. Portuguese Pointer vs Irish Red and White Setter - Breed Comparison
  7. Portuguese Pointer vs Pachon Navarro - Breed Comparison
  8. Portuguese Pointer vs Grand Gascon Saintongeois - Breed Comparison
  9. Portuguese Pointer vs Longhaired Weimaraner - Breed Comparison
  10. Portuguese Pointer vs Braque Francais (Gascogne Type) - Breed Comparison
  11. Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  12. Slovensky Hrubosrsty Stavac vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Smooth Haired Weimaraner vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  14. Spanish Pointer vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  15. Spinone Italiano vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  16. Talbot vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  17. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  18. Weimaraner vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  19. Samoyed vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  20. Presa Canario vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  21. Rhodesian Ridgeback vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  22. Saluki vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  23. Rough Collie vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  24. Rajapalayam vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  25. Schnauzerdor vs Portuguese Pointer - 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