Jindo: Your Complete Guide

The Jindo dog is native to South Korea and is known for its loyalty, meticulous nature, and intelligence. Jindos are considered a rarer dog breed, and they may be hard to come by outside of South Korea. The Jindo dog is prized for its natural hunting ability, faithfulness, and protectiveness, and they are popular as a guard dog, hunting companion, and working dog on farms.

If you are interested in adopting a Jindo, it’s important to learn more about this breed and what it takes to care for them properly. Jindo dogs will need to be adopted from reputable breeders, and this might be a lengthy process due to the rare nature of the breed, so it’s essential to understand how to help this dog thrive once they are in your household. Our complete guide tells you everything you need to know about this dog.

Quick Look at the Jindo

Below is a quick glance at this special breed in terms of its physical characteristics, lifespan, temperament, and grooming needs.

What Is the History of Jindos?

The Jindo is a breed native to the island of Jindo in South Korea, and they are commonly referred to as Jindo-gyeon. This spitz-style dog has a medium-sized body, double coat, and curled tail, and they are considered to be one of South Korea’s national treasures. The American Kennel Club recognizes them along with other kennel clubs around the globe, and only dogs of this breed that are born on the island of Jindo are allowed to be officially registered as a Jindo dog within the South Korean kennel clubs; registration is only granted after an inspection of the dog takes place.

While the date that Jindos originated from isn’t exactly known, this dog is believed to have been around for centuries. They first started appearing in the United States in the 1990s, but due to breeding guidelines and other governmental restrictions, this breed doesn’t make it out of South Korea often.

Jindos are known for their loyal nature, their intelligence, and their quiet approach to life. They are ideal as working dogs or as watchdogs, and they fiercely protect their families. Today, Jindos are popular in South Korea as a companion dog, and individuals in the United States are becoming more interested in adopting this unique dog into their families when possible.

What Do Jindos Look Like?

Jindos come in a variety of coat colors, with black, cream, fawn, and white being the most common colors. Solid black is the rarest coat color, and patterns such as brindle or multicolor that consist of the colors below may also be present on a Jindo. Jindos are a spitz-style dog, which means that they have a curled tail, thick double coat, and pointed triangular ears. They appear very keen and alert, and they are always observant of their surroundings.

What Size Is a Jindo?

The Jindo is a medium-sized dog, and they will stand between approximately 17 and 22 inches in height. They weigh between 30 and 50 pounds, with males generally being larger than females.

What Is a Jindo’s Coat Type and Length?

Jindos have  straight, thick, and medium-length coat. They have a double coat, which adds to the overall thickness of their fur, and they need to be brushed regularly to keep their coat in good condition. Despite the thickness and length of their fur, they are not the most prolific shedders most of the time. Their coat is not considered hypoallergenic.

What Is a Jindo’s Temperament?

The Jindo’s temperament is generally quiet, calm, and faithful. This dog is intelligent, though they are often strong-willed, and they might not listen to their owners if they don’t want to. Jindos can be escape artists, and they need to spend lots of time with their owners to be happy. This breed tends to bond very strongly with one individual, though they will be friendly and sociable with other members of their family.

The Jindo is quite a protective dog breed, and they don’t usually get along with other animals. They don’t easily warm up to strangers, though they may be friendly in their own way once they have met a person enough times. Jindos are known to be gentle, and they are happy spending most of their time working alongside their owner or happily minding their own business around the home.

Are Jindos Good With Kids?

Jindos are not the best choice for families with children, as they tend to be protective of their owners, and they don’t enjoy playing with young children for the most part. They are meticulous and self-willed, and they won’t hesitate to show their feelings about children that are bothering them. Older children who know how to read the signs of a dog’s body language are the best fit for this dog.

Are Jindos Good With Other Animals?

Jindos typically do not get along well with other animals, as they are very protective and they have a strong prey drive. It’s essential that they are trained and socialized from an early age to curb any reactive behaviors. It’s not recommended to own a Jindo if you have other dogs, cats, or small animals due to the risk of the Jindo chasing or attacking these other animals around the home.

Are Jindos Aggressive?

Jindos are necessarily aggressive, but they are prone to being reactive to certain stimuli, including other animals around their home. They are set in their ways for the most part, and they prefer to be the only animal around – they may snap, bite, bark, or growl when they feel threatened or when they are voicing their displeasure at other animals or persons around them. Proper training helps to curb this behavior and ensure your dog is under your control.

Do Jindos Bark?

Jindos are known for being quiet, and they aren’t a dog breed with unnecessary barking habits. When they do bark to alert their owner of a threat, the bark is loud and piercing, and it’s a very noticeable sound.

Are Jindos Affectionate?

Jindos might come across as aloof to some, as they are friendly to their owners, but they don’t warm up to strangers easily. They do enjoy spending lots of time with the one or two people that they bond strongly with, and they are very loyal to these people. Outside of that, Jindos aren’t known to be especially affectionate or cuddly.

Are Jindos Intelligent?

Jindos are intelligent, alert, and observant, and these dogs have somewhat of a reputation as escape artists. Jindos will quickly learn their owner’s routines, though they may be strong-willed and decide that they are going to do their own thing for the day rather than listen to their owner. Jindos are curious and keen, and not a lot of goings on miss their gaze.

Are Jindos Energetic?

Jindos are fairly energetic, though they don’t need extreme amounts of exercise to be happy. You will need to give your Jindo ample access to outdoor areas to run around and play, and they will appreciate taking walks with you a few times each day. Typically, Jindos don’t do well around other dogs, so dog parks might not be the best choice, but your Jindo will be happy to hike alongside you and spend the day outdoors before coming home to rest.

Are Jindos Easy to Train?

While Jindos are intelligent, they are not the easiest dogs to train. This breed can be stubborn and very strong-willed, and if they don’t feel like learning or working with their owner, they simply won’t. Jindos often have their own ideas about how they want things to go, and it takes a lot of consistency and patience to properly train your Jindo to be obedient. However, when they put their minds to it, they can learn complex tasks due to their higher-than-average intelligence.

Are Jindos Good Watchdogs?

Jindos are good watchdogs as they are alert, brave, and very loyal to their owners. Their bark is loud and piercing, and they aren’t afraid to present themselves to a threat in an attempt to protect their owner or home.

Are Jindos Good Service Dogs?

Even though Jindos are intelligent and can easily learn service dog tasks, this breed doesn’t quite have the personality to be a good service dog. They are very strong-willed and might be stubborn, and while they will bond strongly with one or two people, they aren’t the type of eager-to-please and emotionally in-tune dog needed to be a good service dog.

Jindos could be emotional support animals if the individual in need of one of these companions has the capacity to care for their Jindo properly.

How to Care for a Jindo?

Jindos are unique dogs, and they need a more experienced hand to properly care for them.  Jindo dogs need their own space around your home with access to the outdoors, preferably in a fenced-in yard; they should be monitored when outdoors, as they tend to be escape artists.

Your Jindo will likely need to be the only animal in your home, and they shouldn’t be left alone for long hours as they can be bored and destructive. Keeping your Jindo by your side, giving them tasks, and allowing them to work alongside you will make this dog the happiest.

You should take your Jindo to the vet on a regular basis to ensure their health, brush them a couple of times a week, and play with them often. Feed your Jindo a diet of high-quality wet or dry food to keep them healthy.

Do You Need to Groom a Jindo?

Jindos will need to be brushed about twice a week to stop their double coat from becoming tangled or matted. They should be bathed as needed, and they may need to be professionally trimmed from time to time, but this dog might be a challenging dog to groom due to their distrust of strangers. It might take lots of training and patience to get your Jindo groomed professionally.

Do Jindos Shed?

Jindos aren’t known to be huge shedders, though they do have a double coat that might shed heavily about twice a year when the seasons change. Regular brushing helps to contain any fur that might be shed around your home.

What Health Problems Do Jindos Have?

As a breed, Jindos are relatively healthy, and they don’t tend to have many health issues. The Jindo may be prone to certain autoimmune conditions and hypothyroidism, in addition to certain allergies, eye problems, and joint problems. Regular vet visits and monitoring your dog’s health are the best ways to ensure they are healthy and that any serious conditions are caught before they become more severe.

How Long Do Jindos Live?

On average, the Jindo lives around 12 years, but they may live up to 15 years if they are kept healthy and happy. Regular vet visits and a good diet plus a healthy daily routine ensure your dog lives a long and happy life.

What Should a Jindo Eat?

How much a Jindo eats depends on how active they are on a daily basis and their specific size. Jindos typically need between a cup and two cups of food per day, and they can eat a diet of wet food, dry food, or a combination of both of these high-quality foods. Speak with your veterinarian for more information about feeding your Jindo.

Is a Jindo the Right Dog for Me?

Jindos are unique, faithful, and intelligent dogs, and they are known for their loyalty to their owners and the quiet companionship they provide. Considered a national treasure in South Korea, the Jindo does best when adopted as an only dog. They are suited to a more active lifestyle, though they don’t need extreme amounts of exercise, and they may be a good choice for individuals who need a companion dog as they work outdoors.

If you are experienced with owning dogs, you are willing to put in the time and patience to train your Jindo, and you are planning on adopting a Jindo as your only dog, this might be the right breed for you. Make sure to escape-proof your yard and monitor your dog’s behavior so you can give them their happiest and healthiest life possible.