Schweenie vs Hawaiian Poi Dog - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Hawaiian Poi Dog is originated from Indonesia but Schweenie is originated from United Kingdom. Hawaiian Poi Dog may grow 12 cm / 4 inches shorter than Schweenie. Hawaiian Poi Dog may weigh 6 kg / 14 pounds more than Schweenie. Hawaiian Poi Dog may live 7 years less than Schweenie. Both Hawaiian Poi Dog and Schweenie has same litter size. Both Hawaiian Poi Dog and Schweenie requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Companion dog
Companion dog
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Indonesia
United Kingdom
Height Male:
36 - 38 cm
14 - 15 inches
27 - 50 cm
10 - 20 inches
Height Female:
34 - 36 cm
13 - 15 inches
27 - 50 cm
10 - 20 inches
Weight Male:
7 - 15 kg
15 - 34 pounds
4 - 9 kg
8 - 20 pounds
Weight Female:
6 - 13 kg
13 - 29 pounds
4 - 9 kg
8 - 20 pounds
Life Span:
5 - 8 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 5
2 - 5
Size:
Small
Small
Other Names:
Native Hawaiian Dog, and Hawaiian Islanders’ Dog., Poi Dog, Ilio, Hawaiian Dog
None
Colors Available:
any color with white markings, brown mostly
grey and cream shade, Rusty color to brown, black
Coat:
short and fine
Medium length, wavy or straight
Shedding:
Minimal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Playful, Stubborn
Affectionate, Aggressive, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Hard
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

The Hawaiian Poi Dog was a descendent of the dogs brought to the Islands by the Polynesian. These Polynesian dogs were themselves descendants of the kuri dog of New Zealand. These kuri dogs were originally from Indonesia. The Hawaiian Poi dog is now extinct but at one time was considered the spiritual protector of Hawaiian children and also used as food by hungry Native Hawaiians.

The dog was called poi which was the word for a food staple mad from the root of Taro and used to put weight on the dogs before they were eaten. Meat was not fed to the dogs because it was too scarce. There was no large mammals to hunt and so the breed was never given a standard. The Poi dog seen by European explorers were short legged, pot bellied canines that lived with the hogs in the towns. Because of what they ate, the dogs were not highly intelligent but were stubborn and hard to train. Because the dogs were not suited for much beyond food and a spiritual charm, they became extinct when the traditional religion was no longer practiced and eating dogs was no longer acceptable. The breed pretty much disappeared by the early 20th century. Very few images of the dogs remain except for ancient petroglyphs.

There was an attempt by the Honolulu Zoo in the late 1960’s to redevelop the breed using local dogs to determine a standard. Then the local dogs were bred as close to the standard as possible. In the third generation one dog was born with the traits of a Poi dog. There was not much more success with this and then the Polynesian ship travel between Tahiti and Hawaii was recreated and a dog taken along.

Today’s mixed breed dogs in Hawaii are called Poi dogs but also have the stubbornness, unique appearance and ability to eat anything it is given like the original Poi. The dogs are small, and should not be confused with the original Poi dogs.

schweenieThe Schweenie is a hybrid dog, with the parent breeds being the Shih Tzu and the Dachshund.

The Schweenie dog has been around for about 4 decades when breeders were looking for a dog that would be free of the health issues of the purebred parent breeds.

Because the Schweenie is a mix breed, it doesn’t qualify to be part of the American Kennel Club. He is however recognized by the Designer Breed Registry and some other clubs.

Description

As previously mentioned the Poi dog is somewhat unusual in size and shape due to what they ate. They looked somewhat like the native dogs of Polynesia and New Zealand. They have short legs, long bodies, somewhat obese and a very flat head. He had a short smooth coat, in any color or any pattern. They were however mostly brown and they might or might not have white markings.

schweenie puppy - descriptionThe Schweenie will be a smallish dog standing at roughly 27cm to 50cm and weighing 4 – 9kg.

Because of the Dachshund parent, he will likely have a long body. The coat is shortish to medium length and can be a variety of colors – from a rusty color to brown, black, grey and even a cream shade. The ears are floppy and the tail medium length.

Temperament:

He is a small dog who is smart and bright and who wants to please his human owners. He loves people and wants to be around them and involved in their activities.

Small and cute though he is, he can be a stubborn dog and become a little big aggressive too if he is feeling a bit moody. He will need to be trained and socialized if you want him to obey your simple commands such as sit, stay, lie down and come.

He is intelligent enough to learn these simple commands with ease.He is both alert and vigilant, and this makes them good watchdogs.

Characteristics

Children friendliness

The Hawaiian Poi dog was very friendly and good with children

Special talents

The Poi was considered a good luck charm and a spiritual protector of children

Adaptability

Given what they faced in life, the Poi dog was very adaptable, living anywhere on the islands and eating anything it could find.

Learning ability

Due to their poor diet, the Hawaiian Poi dog was seriously lacking in intelligence and learning ability.

schweenie dog - characteristicsThe Schweenie can be somewhat reserved and they need exercise regularly as well. If they don’t get enough exercise, they tend to become jittery and this can make them become a bit snappy. The are more prone to be snappy and aggressive with children who haven’t been taught how to treat animals gently and with respect.

They’re small enough to adjust to life in the city or countryside but will still need to be exercised.

The little Schweenie, with the right kind of owner can become a great little pet and companion.

Health Problems

Probably due to its diet, the Poi dog had several problems to their health. Their poor diet led to a sluggishness both in movement and intelligence. Its development was hampered by a lack of protein. Malnutrition and serious over inbreeding caused a weakness and poor oral hygiene. Due to this lack of teeth and chewing the bones in the dogs heads became flat. The Poi had breathing issues and overall lethargy.

schweenie puppies - health problemsWith good care, your Schweenie can live to be 12 to 15 years of age. Every dog, no matter how healthy, can get some of the health problems that plague many dogs.

Intervertebral Disk Disease:

This is where the cushions between each vertebra come into contact with the spinal cord. It can result in nerve damage and sometimes even paralysis. Because the Shih Tzu is one of the parent breeds, you will need to be aware of this ailment as these dogs are more susceptible to this disease.

Hypoglycemia:

Hypoglycemia is fairly common in small dogs and it is where there is a drop in blood sugar. It can be brought on by stress. It can also be referred to as low blood sugar and it can be deadly. If your pet is hypoglycemic, you will notice a loss in appetite, extreme lethargy, trembling and unusual behavior. You will need to get your Schweenie to the vet immediately for tests and treatment.

Caring The Pet

Feeding the puppy

With meat being rare in Hawaii, none was available for the dogs. They were fed Poi – from the Taro plant roots. Puppies were fed 2-3 times a day.

Feeding the adult

The adult dog was fed once or twice a day the same as Poi puppies were fed.

Points for Good Health

The Hawaiian Poi dog basically has not good health points.

Games and Exercises

The Poi dog did not need and did not get much exercise, leading to its demise.

schweenie dogs - caringYour Schweenie will need to be brushed at least twice a week to rid him of loose hairs. Because of his floppy ears, you will need to clean them and check for redness. If you don’t like the idea of probing inside the ear, professional groomers or the vet will do it for you.

Trim his nails if they don’t wear down on their own.

Provide him with a nice dry, warm spot to sleep.

Provide him with nice chewy toys that will keep him occupied.

Exercise him every day. Taking him on walks and playing ball games with him will keep him fit and trim but also help with staving off boredom.

Ensure his vaccines against deadly diseases are up to date. See that he gets to the vet when he appears to be under the weather.

He is a small dog so you have to be careful about how you feed him. You need to feed him a nutrient-rich dry kibble. Read the packaging and buy dog food according to his size, age and activity levels.

Try and include some home-made food into your dogs diet. A little bit of boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach all chopped up will do him good and can be added into the dry kibble twice a week. Some raw meat should also occasionally be added in as this can help to prevent some skin problems. Be sure that cool, fresh water is available for your pet at all times.

Comparison with other breeds

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  27. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Hawaiian Poi Dog vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison