Donggyeongi


Donggyeongi, also called daeng gyeon or Donggyeong gae, is a bob-tailed dog breed originating in Korea.

Etymology

Donggyeong was the name of the capital of the medieval Korean dynasty, Gyeongju.

Appearance

Donggyeong dogs have very short or no tails, which coincide with old records such as Donggyeong Jabgi 《동경잡기》, Jeungbomunhyunbigo 《증보문헌비고》, as well as excavated clay dolls of the sixth century Silla's capital, Donggyeong. Its face is similar to another natural heritage dog, the Korean Jindo.

History

Donggyeong dogs were easily seen around Gyeongju and were considered to be worth preserving for its national characteristics; however the dogs were slaughtered during the Japanese colonial era due to their alleged similarity to ‘Komainu’, the figures seen in Japanese royal families or shrines. Jindo breeds, Sapsali dogs and Donggyeong were endangered as they were slaughtered for their skins to be mass-produced for making coats.
After the Liberation of 1945, Donggyeong dogs were despised: their lack of tails were thought to bring bad luck, or were thought to be deformed. Therefore, the number of Donggyeong dogs was drastically decreased. Hybridization with other breeds worsened the situation until breed preservation and designation efforts started.