Jindo Breed Profile

Head: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderate in size, and bluntly wedge-shaped. Always in proportion to the rest of the body. The cranium and forehead is moderately broad. A slight furrow is evident, starting at the stop and running up the center of the topskull toward the occiput. In profile, the forehead is slightly arched, tapering toward the eyes. The bone structure of the face is fairly strong, supporting strong, yet never prominent temporalis and masseter muscles. When viewed from the front, the head is described as being hexagonal or round, with the slightly arched topskull, fuller cheeks, and cheek furnishings. The head is clean-cut and dry, having no excess skin, looseness, or wrinkle.

Eyes: The eyes are considered one of the most important features of the Jindo breed. These dogs rely on sight in low-light settings to hunt, and in Korea, owners select their pups by looking into their eyes to determine their temperament. The Jindo’s eyes should be moderate in size, almond to open-oval in shape, deeply set, obliquely set with slightly upturned outer corners, and medium to dark brown colors (the color of fresh or dried jujubes being the ideal) being preferable, but amber also appearing in the breed. The eye rims are well fitted and well pigmented. The eyes are never bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.

Jindos are also selected based on another important characteristic: eyeshine. Eyeshine is the visible glowing effect caused when light shines into the eye of an animal having a structure called the tapetum lucidum, making the pupil appear to glow. In reality, the structure acts like a mirror and reflects the light back. In Jindos, the preferred eyeshine color is a greenish color, which is common for most domesticated canids. Dogs with red eyeshine are not preferred.

Ears: Moderate in size, triangular in shape, thick, and set neither high nor low on the skull. They are held firmly erect, with rounded tips, which are tilted slightly forward, following the line of the neck. At rest, the tips orient toward the 10 and 2 o’clock position. When alert, they will be drawn up to the 11 and 1 o’clock position. They should be well lined with fur. The ears are never long, overly large, or broken. Correctly positioned and carried ears may not be achieved until as late as eight months of age.

Muzzle: The muzzle is sufficiently full to prevent a snipey appearance, yet never bulky. The plane, or bridge of the muzzle, is straight. Upper and lower jaws are well developed, approximately equal in length, and have good bone substance, never appearing snipy or weak. From the front, the muzzle appears rounded, tapering smoothly toward the end of the nose.

Nose: The nose is well pigmented and black (always preferable), or self-colored according to nonstandard colors. In white dogs, black noses are not uncommon, however, black noses faded to pink are preferred. The nostrils are well opened.

Neck: Moderate length allows for good head carriage. The neck is strongly muscled with a slight arch. It tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.

Chest: Sufficiently broad and deep to allow for ample heart and lung capacity, but without adding bulk, and never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows, or just before in the Heutgae type. The forechest is somewhat strongly developed.

Body: Sturdy and of good substance. The body may be slightly more solid and compact, as seen in the Gyupgae type, slightly more agile, as seen in the Heutgae, or as a balance between these two types. The body lacks extremes in size and proportions, never being heavy and cloddy, nor racy or refined, but as close to a naturally produced body as possible, and capable of strength, speed, endurance, and surviving the elements. Width at forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.

Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads. Polydactyly, or “double dew-claws” are not uncommon in the breed, although they are traditionally removed in their homeland of Korea. However, dogs exhibiting the double-dew claws should be penalized. It should be noted that dogs with double-dewclaws may exhibit a very slight “toeing-out” of the rear feet.

Tail: Set somewhat high on the croup. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level; often sickle or loosely curved or curled over the back, tip touching the back or flank, but never tightly curled or tucked. The tail is of a medium length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down.

Movement: Movement is powerful, steady, confident, effortless, efficient, and energetic. The head lowers as speed increases during the hunt. The characteristics of healthy structure are evident: when moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in a line with the nose. The width between the forefeet when extended should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.

Temperament: The Korean Jindo is first and foremost a hunting and working companion, making him unsuitable for many companionship and even working situations. The type of work the Jindo has engaged in for eons is very specific and instinctual. Like hunting terriers and American hunting cur dog breeds, these dogs are independent thinkers, highly driven, and very visceral. They excel at what they do, however, cross-training for other programs that require strict compliance and obedience, such as police dog work or schutzhund, is not ideal. They are regal, self-composed, and not easily distracted or tempted if uninterested, very similar to wild canids. The Jindo is also very protective and territorial, and males typically become aggressive toward other male dogs as they reach maturity. This intraspecific aggression, combined with a high prey drive, and independent nature makes the breed unsuitable for inexperienced families. When placed in settings that are ideal, the Jindo exhibits his fierce loyalty and courageousness. He is revered throughout Korea for his excellent hunting skills, efficiently utilizing sight, sound, and scent to locate game. The Jindo also exhibits remarkable homing skills, with stories of Jindos traveling hundreds of kilometers to return to their old homes. They are said to be one-person dogs, even when gifted or rehomed. And although with time they readily accept new owners who treat them justly, they always remember their families from puppyhood.