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The New Book of the Dog: A Comprehensive Natural History of British Dogs and Their Foreign Relatives, With Chapters on Law, Breeding, Kennel Management, and Veterinary Treatment

Written in 1911 by Robert Leighton

Page 494

"The Phu Quoc Dog. – A very curious member of the canine race is the dog of Fu Oc, or Phu-Quoc. It is indigenous to the island of that name in the Indo-China sea. No specimen has ever been seen in England, and the Marquis de Barthelémy, who holds a concession in the island from the French government, states that owing to the want of care in keeping the breed pure it is rapidly becoming extinct.

 

"The Marquis had, with great difficulty, brought three specimens to Europe, and there was also a couple in the Jardin d'Acclimatation. Unhappily one bitch belonging to the Marquis died of exhaustion in trying to carry a litter of thirteen pups. The Comte Henri de Bylandt on one occasion judged the breed at Antwerp, and Mr. Brooke, who has seen several, describes the dog as 'rather dark brown in colour, well-built and active looking, with powerful jaws. The type,' he adds, 'is that of all wild or semi-wild dogs of the Far East, somewhat resembling a leggy, smooth Chow.'

"What distinguishes the pure Phu-Quoc is the curious growth of coat along the back, near the shoulders, the hair pointing towards the head.

The page on Phu Quoc Dogs in Robert Leighton's 1911 book, "The New Book of the Dog". Features an image of Can Le', a imported female Phu Quoc Ridgeback.

"Comte H. de Bylandt describes the dog as follows, but I doubt if he is right in calling it a Greyhound. It is not technically a hound.

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  1. 'General Appearance. – A heavy kind of Greyhound.

  2. Head. – Long; skull slightly domed and the skin wrinkled, muzzle rather broad, in length half of the entire head; jaws long and powerful; lips and tongue black; teeth well developed and meeting evenly.

  3. Eyes. – Reddish, with a savage expression.

  4. Nose. – Black; nostrils rather developed.

  5. Ears. – Erect, shell shaped, not too pointed, inside almost hairless.

  6. Body. – Somewhat coarse; neck very long and flexible; shoulders sloping; belly drawn up; loins broad and strong.

  7. Legs. – Straight and lean; stifles rather straight; thighs muscular.

  8. Feet. – Longish; toes slightly arched; pads hard.

  9. Tail. – Short, very supple, carried over the back.

  10. Coat. – On the whole body and legs very short and dense; on the back the hair is growing the wrong way, towards the head, and is much longer and harder.

  11. Colour. – Reddish-fawn, with black muzzle; the coat on the back is darker.

  12. Height at Shoulder. – 21 1/2 inches. Weight about 40 lb.'

"A Parisian Dogue de Bordeaux fancier who had lived some years in the island records that though these dogs are interactable, they can be trained for hunting.He regarded them as intelligent, and instanced the case of one that, being pestered by a European dog, dragged it to a pond of water, and held it under until it was drowned.

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"For the use of the portrait of the Marquis de Barthelémy's bitch Can Le' I am indebted to Mr. H C. Brooke."

An imported female Phu Quoc Ridgeback from Robert Leighton's 1911 book, "The New Book of the Dog"

"The Phu-Quoc Bitch Can Le'.

Imported by the Marquis de Barthelémy."

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