Life with a Jindo Mix: Understanding Korea's Native Dog
Last January, our family started fostering Gunbam – a 3-year-old male Jindo mix who'd been rescued from a sewer, returned by a previous adopter, and was shaking with fear when we first met him at the park. From that trembling first day, our real story with Gunbam began.
Korea's Native Dogs: More Than Just Pets
Jindo dog, Sapsaree and Pungsan dog made by AI
Korea has several native dog breeds designated as Natural Monuments. The most famous is the Jindo dog – named after Jindo Island in Jeollanam-do province in the southwest. Jindo dogs were designated as Natural Monument No. 53 in 1962. They're known for their strong loyalty to owners, intelligence, and independent personality. There are even legendary stories about Jindo dogs finding their way home from hundreds of kilometers away!
Another native breed is the Sapsaree from the Gyeongsan area in Gyeongsangbuk-do. Sapsarees have long hair covering their eyes, and people believed since old times that they chase away evil spirits and protect homes. There's also the Pungsan dog from the Pyeongan-do region in the north.
Gunbam wasn't a purebred Jindo – he was a "Jindo mix." But he definitely had the Jindo characteristics.
The "Perfect Dog" I Knew Nothing About
Jindo dogs are extremely smart and adjust themselves to their owner's personality. They're very healthy, and if you just respect their need to pee outside, they take care of everything else – that's what Kang Hyung-wook, Korea's famous dog trainer, says about them. I learned this later. Our family knew absolutely nothing about dogs, so honestly we just stayed with Gunbam without any training.
Jindo dogs never pee indoors. Never. So if the owner goes on a trip and leaves them, they can hold their pee even for ten days. Can you imagine? If someone told you to hold it that long? When I saw the bladder infection medicine in Gunbam's belongings, my heart broke. Poor boy.
A Dog Who'd Learned to Read the Room
Gunbam had a lot of fears – probably from reading people's faces too much in his past homes. For months he couldn't cross the threshold into our bedroom, so he only stayed in the living room. When we went outside and he saw a cat, his tail would drop down in surprise. When small dogs barked at him, he'd gently pull me toward a different path. He was so clever about it.
But watching many small dog owners' reactions to Gunbam made me think a lot. They'd see his medium size and immediately look scared or guard their dogs, making faces right in front of us. People judge by appearances, don't they? Dogs and humans both.
Obsession with Cute and Small
In Korea, whether it's dogs or people, appearance and breed matter a lot. Popular dog breeds are Maltese, Poodles, Pomeranians, Bichons... Small dogs and cute-looking breeds are preferred.
In Korea, you can walk in like you're at a shopping mall, pick a puppy through the glass window, and buy it. Also, when dogs at individual homes have puppies, their 'owner' can give those puppies away to friends or acquaintances. Boyfriends buy puppies as "gifts" for girlfriends living alone, thinking they might be lonely.
Dogs that come home easily and impulsively like this? They get abandoned easily too. When raising them gets hard, people just throw them away. Imagine if it wasn't a dog but a person?
The Many Faces of Gunbam
Worried Gunbam, sad Gunbam, surprised Gunbam, playful Gunbam, happy Gunbam, relaxed Gunbam, curious Gunbam, excited Gunbam.
Last February, running wild in the snowy park. Jumping up excitedly at my husband. When spring came, taking careful steps, sniffing the soil and flowers one by one. A scaredy-cat who jumped at falling autumn leaves.
It was a short time, but Gunbam gave us all that love. It was such a new challenge for our family of four – I didn't know Gunbam would leave us with such big memories.
Gunbam made our family think about many things and broke our stereotypes about animals. Most of all, despite all the pain he'd been through, Gunbam was such a dignified, good young man.
But We Couldn't Keep Him Forever
Still, we were only fostering Gunbam temporarily. However, he missed his 'cute puppy' window, and wasn't preferred for domestic adoption in Korea. He really needed a true forever home where he could finally settle down and never have to move again.
To be continued in Part 3...
