The words Dog Breed Info with the letter D inside of a black paw print

The Purebred Kunming Dog

Information and Pictures

Left Profile - A short-haired black and tan Kunming Dog is standing in front of a stone and brick house. Its mouth is open and its tongue is out

Mocha the Kunming Dog shown here at 1 year old, lives in China. Owned by Stuart Milliken - All Rights Reserved

Other Names
  • Kunming Wolfdog
  • Chinese Wolfdog
Pronunciation

kun-ming dawg

Description

Kunming Dogs are similar in appearance to German Shepherd Dogs, but stand taller in the back and have a shorter coat. The tail is often carried curled high when excited. Coats are marked with a black saddle and muzzle, with other colors ranging from light straw to deep rust.

Temperament

The objective in training this dog is to achieve pack leader status. It is natural instinct for a dog to have an order in its pack. When we humans live with dogs, we become their pack. The entire pack cooperates under a single leader. Lines are clearly defined and rules are set. Because a dog communicates his displeasure with growling and eventually biting, all other humans MUST be higher up in the order than the dog. The humans must be the ones making the decisions, not the dogs. That is the only way your relationship with your dog can be a complete success.

Height, Weight

Height: 25 - 27 inches (64 - 68 cm)
Weight: 66 - 84 pounds (30 - 38 kg)

Health Problems

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Living Conditions

The Kunming Dog will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised. These dogs are relatively inactive indoors and do best with at least a large yard.

Exercise

Kunming Dogs love strenuous activity, preferably combined with training of some kind, for these dogs are very intelligent and crave a good challenge. They need to be taken on a daily, brisk, long walk, jog or run alongside you when you bicycle. If under-exercised, this breed can become restless and destructive. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human.

Life Expectancy

About 12 to 14 years

Litter Size

About 6 to 8 puppies

Grooming

The smooth, short-haired coat is easy to groom. Comb and brush with a firm bristle brush, and shampoo only when necessary.

Origin

The Kunming is a type of shepherd dog. The breed was created in the early 1950s to meet the need for military dogs in Yunnan, the capital of which is Kunming. A group of 10 dogs was brought to Kunming from a military K9 training program Beijing in 1953. (Available sources do not state what breed or breeds they were.) These ten dogs were insufficient for the immediate need, and so 50 suitable household dogs from Kunming were 'recruited' as well as 40 similar dogs from the city of Guiyang in Guizhou province. After training, the best twenty of these 90 'civil' dogs were then selected. The 10 'wolf-dog' dogs from Beijing, these 20 'civil dogs' plus an additional 10 'shepherd dogs' imported from Germany constituted the pool from which the Kunming Dog was developed. The Chinese Public Security Bureau officially recognized the Kunming Dog as a breed in 1988. Kunming Dogs are now widely used by the Chinese military and police, and have also found their way into use as civilian watchdogs and guard dogs. They are less commonly kept as pets, although they do make excellent pets.

Group

Working

Recognition
  • DRA = Dog Registry of America, Inc.
A panting black and tan Kunming Dog is laying in grass with some bushes, a rock and a wooden house in the distance.

Mocha the Kunming Dog at 18 months old, owned by Stuart Milliken - All Rights Reserved

A black and tan Kunming Dog is standing on a sidewalk with a stone and cinder block wall behind it.

Mocha the Kunming Dog at one year old, owned by Stuart Milliken - All Rights Reserved

A black and tan Kunming Dog is standing in a field and its mouth is open and long tongue is hanging low. There is a rope and ball toy in front of it

Mocha the Kunming Dog at 18 months old outside with her toy, owned by Stuart Milliken - All Rights Reserved

Upper body side view - A panting black and tan Kunming Dog is laying in grass with a white food bowl in front of it. There are trees in the distance and a nice blue sky.

Mocha the Kunming Dog as an adult dog at 18 months old laying down in the grass with a bowl of water, owned by Stuart Milliken - All Rights Reserved

A black and tan Kunming Dog is standing in dirt and preparing to walk down the path. There is a lady wearing red behind it holding the leash

Mocha the Kunming Dog as an adult dog at one year old with her handler, owned by Stuart Milliken - All Rights Reserved

A black and tan Kunming puppy is sitting on a concrete surface next to a person wearing blue jeans, pink socks and brown sandals.

Mocha the Kunming Dog as a puppy at 15 weeks old, owned by Stuart Milliken - All Rights Reserved

A small black and tan Kunming puppy is sitting on concrete with its head tilted to the right.

Mocha the Kunming Dog as a puppy at 15 weeks old, owned by Stuart Milliken - All Rights Reserved

View from above looking down - A black and tan Kunming puppy is standing out on a porch that has dirt all over it

Mocha the Kunming Dog as a puppy at 15 weeks old, owned by Stuart Milliken - All Rights Reserved