ID :
136825
Mon, 08/09/2010 - 17:21
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http://m.oananews.org//node/136825
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The Thai Bang Kaew dog: a precious heritage of Phitsanulok
Thai Bang Kaew is Thailand's signature dog breed renowned for its beautiful features, smartness, fierceness and loyalty to its owners.
The breed is now popular among Thai and foreign canine lovers. The origin of the Thai Bang Kaew dates back several decades before it gained a worldwide reputation.
The villages of Bang Kaew and Yan Yai in the central province of Phitsanulok's Bang Rakam district are where the Bang Kaew originated.
As the story has it, back in the past at Bang Kaew temple, where the Venerable Grandfather Mak was abbot, foxes and other wild animals were all around, for the surrounding area was a deep forest. The abbot had dozens of dogs on the premises, and it was believed the first Thai Bang Kaew was a cross breed between his local black and white female and a now-extinct wild canine.
"The first Thai Bang Kaew here was called Chanee. She's fierce. She bit everyone who came near her," said a disciple of Venerable Grandfather Mak, now a respected monk of Bang Kaew temple.
Due to such specific traits, local residents of almost every household in Bang Rakam district have since had the Thai Bang Kaew in their homes as watchdogs.
Generally, the Thai Bang Kaew is a double-coated and square-built animal with a wide, deep chest. The ideal height at the withers for the males is 19-21 inches (48-53 cm) and 17-19 inches (43-48 cm) for bitches. The breed has continued to be developed from the original fox-like face to a more adorable visage of a tiger and then of a lion.
The Thai Bang Kaew later became popular outside the district, encouraging local residents to raise more of the home-bred breed to supplement their incomes.
A puppy bought locally starts from Bt1,500-2,000 (US$47-63), and a profit of around Bt10,000 (US$313) is usually made per single sale.
"People buy the Thai Bang Kaew as their pets, but mostly people from dog kennels will come and take the puppies, and then resell them", said a villager breeding the Thai Bang Kaew.
Another local said to raise a dog, canine fans have to do it with tenderness, love and care, and be careful when dogs mate, for all the puppies sold must be of the original breed. "If you don't look after your dogs well, they might unintentionally mate with dogs of other breeds."
In this same province resides the most beautiful male Thai Bang Kaew in the country called 'Jao Sun'. The dog belongs to Pichai Kamsuwan, owner of Palm Place Kennel.
Jao Sun is famous nationwide among Thai Bang Kaew lovers for the countless trophies received at dog shows. Pichai said it was because the canine has all the features suitable for a male Thai Bang Kaew according to international standards.
He has a massive and broad skull in proportion to his body, a long guard coat forming a ruff around his neck, his shoulders and a pluming tail, while he also exhibits straight and strong limbs, parallel when viewed from the front, with rounded and catlike paws.
Jao Sun was once the centre of media attention when a Japanese dog lover offered Pichai Bt1 million (US$31,250) for him.
"Because of love and attachment, I couldn't sell him. I couldn't sleep for several nights. I was first offered Bt700,000 (US$21,875) for the dog, then the price moved up to Bt1 million," said Jao Sun's owner, Pichai.
He said that his dog was so valuable in price because he passes on his specific traits and desired genes to his offspring. They too later become the winners of dog competitions in Thailand and gained the most trophies in the country.
For the record, Jao Sun's offspring received four royal trophies from His Majesty King Bhumibol, five from Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, and royal awards from other royal family members.
The Thai Bang Kaew breed is continually being developed so that the dog gains both a more striking appearance and the characteristics of being more gentle.
Not only is the breed famous nationwide, but also in other Asian and European countries as well as the United States. The dogs are bred widely in Phitsanulok and now all over Thailand. In Phitsanulok alone, at least Bt10 million (US$312,500) is annually generated by dog breeding.
Representatives of the Thai Bang Kaew lovers are planning to submit a letter to the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), the World Canine Organisation, to register the dog breed with a Thai origin so that the Thai Bang Kaew can go up on international stage and compete with other canines. Such a register is believed to easily help promote the breed's reputation at the international level. (MCOT online news)
The breed is now popular among Thai and foreign canine lovers. The origin of the Thai Bang Kaew dates back several decades before it gained a worldwide reputation.
The villages of Bang Kaew and Yan Yai in the central province of Phitsanulok's Bang Rakam district are where the Bang Kaew originated.
As the story has it, back in the past at Bang Kaew temple, where the Venerable Grandfather Mak was abbot, foxes and other wild animals were all around, for the surrounding area was a deep forest. The abbot had dozens of dogs on the premises, and it was believed the first Thai Bang Kaew was a cross breed between his local black and white female and a now-extinct wild canine.
"The first Thai Bang Kaew here was called Chanee. She's fierce. She bit everyone who came near her," said a disciple of Venerable Grandfather Mak, now a respected monk of Bang Kaew temple.
Due to such specific traits, local residents of almost every household in Bang Rakam district have since had the Thai Bang Kaew in their homes as watchdogs.
Generally, the Thai Bang Kaew is a double-coated and square-built animal with a wide, deep chest. The ideal height at the withers for the males is 19-21 inches (48-53 cm) and 17-19 inches (43-48 cm) for bitches. The breed has continued to be developed from the original fox-like face to a more adorable visage of a tiger and then of a lion.
The Thai Bang Kaew later became popular outside the district, encouraging local residents to raise more of the home-bred breed to supplement their incomes.
A puppy bought locally starts from Bt1,500-2,000 (US$47-63), and a profit of around Bt10,000 (US$313) is usually made per single sale.
"People buy the Thai Bang Kaew as their pets, but mostly people from dog kennels will come and take the puppies, and then resell them", said a villager breeding the Thai Bang Kaew.
Another local said to raise a dog, canine fans have to do it with tenderness, love and care, and be careful when dogs mate, for all the puppies sold must be of the original breed. "If you don't look after your dogs well, they might unintentionally mate with dogs of other breeds."
In this same province resides the most beautiful male Thai Bang Kaew in the country called 'Jao Sun'. The dog belongs to Pichai Kamsuwan, owner of Palm Place Kennel.
Jao Sun is famous nationwide among Thai Bang Kaew lovers for the countless trophies received at dog shows. Pichai said it was because the canine has all the features suitable for a male Thai Bang Kaew according to international standards.
He has a massive and broad skull in proportion to his body, a long guard coat forming a ruff around his neck, his shoulders and a pluming tail, while he also exhibits straight and strong limbs, parallel when viewed from the front, with rounded and catlike paws.
Jao Sun was once the centre of media attention when a Japanese dog lover offered Pichai Bt1 million (US$31,250) for him.
"Because of love and attachment, I couldn't sell him. I couldn't sleep for several nights. I was first offered Bt700,000 (US$21,875) for the dog, then the price moved up to Bt1 million," said Jao Sun's owner, Pichai.
He said that his dog was so valuable in price because he passes on his specific traits and desired genes to his offspring. They too later become the winners of dog competitions in Thailand and gained the most trophies in the country.
For the record, Jao Sun's offspring received four royal trophies from His Majesty King Bhumibol, five from Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, and royal awards from other royal family members.
The Thai Bang Kaew breed is continually being developed so that the dog gains both a more striking appearance and the characteristics of being more gentle.
Not only is the breed famous nationwide, but also in other Asian and European countries as well as the United States. The dogs are bred widely in Phitsanulok and now all over Thailand. In Phitsanulok alone, at least Bt10 million (US$312,500) is annually generated by dog breeding.
Representatives of the Thai Bang Kaew lovers are planning to submit a letter to the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), the World Canine Organisation, to register the dog breed with a Thai origin so that the Thai Bang Kaew can go up on international stage and compete with other canines. Such a register is believed to easily help promote the breed's reputation at the international level. (MCOT online news)
