[quote]Interior characteristics
Taiwan Dogs possess superior intelligence, good manners and friendliness.They display an admirable ability for psychic communication and instinctssuch as loyalty, intelligence quotient, sense of direction and time,memory unparalleled by other canine species.
They also have great hunting skills and courage. They can carry heavy loads and have extraordinary sense of smell and hearing. Being extremely alert, they are highly territorial and guard their homes and masters with total devotion.
Due to environmental reasons, Taiwan Dogs are physically wild animals. Therefore they are highly adaptable to their surroundings, very independent and can nurse their young easily. They are simple to feed, healthy, do not pick their food and have no odor.
Because they are highly intelligent and matures early, puppies can be easily trained. With specialized training, they can be the best work dogs one can find. Their wild nature make them aggressive, but they are extremely loyal to one master and his family. Strangers can’t get near them easily which is the strongest proof of Taiwan Dog’s wild nature.[/quote]
Yes, yes yes! Agree totally with all of the above! The Tugou inner traits seem to be dominant too in my experience, so even when crossed with lesser purebreds, the qualities of superior intelligence, excellent navigation skills,courage, devotion, lack of interest in strangers, loyalty, early maturation and ease of care, etc etc etc , will usually shine through. None of my Tugou-ish dogs fight, and none of them ever get picked on either. They take care of other animals and guard the house, but never bark needlessly at night. They’ll hunt, but don’t chase my chickens. They don’t buddy up to strangers, but they never aggress needlessly either. They don’t get too hot in the summer and are hardy in the winter. They have big radar ears and super bright eyes and don’t miss a thing.They quickly pick up a surprisingly large lexicon of language that they understand.
Once I made the stupid mistake of saying to a six month old Tugou, when up in Yangminghan, “Go home” when he was trying to follow me into the restaurant, instead of saying “sit on the bike.” When I came back from lunch he was gone. Two days later, he arrived home, just as he’d been told. My purebred throwaways, I love dearly, but I have to take care of them like children. The Tugous are a breed apart - the kind of dog that pay back in kind and make themself useful in so many ways beyond warm fuzzies. They’re real partners in just about any pursuit.
I reckon they’re just THE best dog to have in this country… with or without white feet.