Kintamani

The Kintamani is a breed of dog that belongs to the island of Bali in Indonesia. The Kintamani dog is a breed that’s still evolving and is indigenous to the region of Kintamani in Bali.

Kintamani dogs live alongside the feral street dogs of Bali. Legend says the breed originated 600 years ago from the Chinese Chow Chow. The personality traits and the physical characteristics of the Kintamani dog make it very popular as a pet , and there are efforts on to get the dog accepted by the Federation Cynologique Internationale as a breed that is recognized.

The Kintamani dog is identical to the street dog of Bali at every loci, but three. The street dog of Bali and the Kintamani dog are closely aligned with the dingo from Australia and are also somewhat related to the AKC recognized breeds of Asian but not European origin. The Kintamani dog has evolved from the feral dogs of Bali with very little genetic diversity loss.

Kintamani dogs have a distinctive character and form which makes them different from the average common village dog. They live the same kind of life as an average village dog, the Kintamani dogs have a longer coat of hair. The Kintamani dogs dig holes in which to take care of their young. Some dogs even live in small caves amid the boulders around the region of Kintamani. These dogs are increasingly sought after as home pets.

They have a face that is broad, with flat cheeks, and a flat forehead. They resemble the Chow Chow, which is the Chinese mountain dog, to which the Kintamani Dog is distantly related.

The most common colors of the Kintamani’s fur are black, white and beige. The Kintamani appears like a mix of the Samoyed and the solid white Malamute. The breeders usually confine the dogs to the cold and dark caves of the Kintamani volcano, supposedly an essential step in the development of the thick and white coat of the only breed that is official in Bali.

Female Kintamani dogs can grow 40–50 cm tall and the males 45–55 cm. The stature of the street dogs of Bali is the same. They have a coat that is medium to longhaired, ears that are erect, forwardly curved tail which is held at the midline, brown eyes which are shaped like almonds, and a black pigment in the skin.

The most sought after color of coat is white on apricot-tipped ears. Other coat colors, such as black, are also accepted. The street dogs of Bali come in many a color and coat pattern. They are usually short haired and have a straight to curved tail. Both kinds of dogs still like burrows which are dug in to the earth, which is a feral dog habit. The big difference here is that the street dog of Bali cant be reliably domesticated, even as a puppy. The Kintamani dog is very gentle around people and yet is a worthy, not vicious, watchdog.

Kintamanis will climb roofs and sleep on top of a garden wall. They are very light-footed and can move freely, lithely and smoothly, and bark when confronted with new sounds or sights.