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The Sapsal (also Sapsali/Sapsari or Sapsalgae; ) is a shaggy-haired South Korean breed of dog that is said to ward off evil spirits. In the Korean language, the word Sapsal is followed by either gae (개, meaning "dog") or the nominative particle i (이), and may occasionally be romanized as Sapsaree. The breed was designated as one of the natural monuments of South Korea in 1992 to receive protected status and funding for its preservation as a part of South Korea's cultural heritage. The breed is officially recognized by the Korean Kennel Federation.

Description

The height of the male is 51&nbsp;cm and the female is 49&nbsp;cm, and the body is covered with long, thick fur which protects them from the cold. The dog may be any of several colors, either solid or mixed:

  • Black
  • Gold
  • Orange
  • Brown
  • Grey
  • Blue
  • White

The ears lie down, and the snout is relatively blunt and not pointed like a Jindo dog. Its tail is raised and its head is large, so its shape resembles that of a lion. Its personality is bold and valiant, loyal to its owner.

The breed were slaughtered in large numbers by the Japanese when Korea was under Japanese rule to make winter coats for its military in Manchuria. by geneticist Dr. Ha Ji-hong, who used DNA methods to reestablish the breed and weed out congenital issues. In 1992 the breed was designated as one of the Natural Monuments of South Korea, receiving protected status and funding for its preservation as a part of Korean cultural heritage.

See also

  • Dogs portal
  • List of dog breeds
  • Donggyeongi
  • Jindo
  • Pungsan

References

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20130812100800/http://kliss.co.kr/d01.html]