1) Phu Quoc Ridgeback
Lets start with the most famous Vietnamese dog breed – the Phu Quoc Ridgeback. Originating from Phu Quoc Island, this breed is famous for its distinctive ridge of hair running along its back, growing in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat. Known for their agility and intelligence, Phu Quoc Ridgebacks were historically used for hunting and guarding.
There are only three ridgeback breeds in the world. The Vietnamese, Thai and Rhodesian Ridgeback. The Vietnamse Ridgeback is the smallest of these three breeds, with height between 48-55 cm (19-22 in) and weight typically around 18 kg (40 lbs).
As i mentioned, the Phu Quoc Ridgeback comes from an island. And they are well equiped for living on the island, or swimming in the sea, because they have well developed webbed feet, which allows them to be excellent swimmers.

2) Hmong Bobtail Dog
Next, we have the Hmong dog, named after the Hmong ethnic group in northern Vietnam. These dogs are known for their loyalty, strength, and keen senses. Hmong dogs have a sturdy build and a distinctive curly tail. They are often used for herding livestock and as guard dogs due to their protective nature.
As you can probably tell from their name, the Hmong Bobtail Dog is very often born tailless. These dogs tails are not docked, it is natural for them to have very short tails.

3) Bắc Hà
You might heard about the Vietnamese Ridgeback and possibly even about the Hmong bobtail dog before, but the next two dogs i will show you are extremely rare and virtually unknonw outside Vietnam.
The Bac Ha dog, hailing from the Bac Ha district in the northwest, is another remarkable breed. These dogs are known for their thick, dense coat, which protects them from the harsh climate of the highlands. Bac Ha dogs are intelligent and have a calm demeanor, making them excellent companions and watchdogs.

​4) Lài dog
Last but not least, there is the Lai dog. These dogs are also known as Indochina Dingo and their history dates back well over 5,000 years, when they were first bred as hunting dogs in mountainous areas of the Indochinese peninsula, including northern Vietnam.
Unfortunatelly, this landrace dog is today critically endangered with only a few hundred remaining.
The Lài dog is an intelligent, quick-witted and loyal dog that will aggressively protect their owners. They have excellent drive and stamina. Historically, the Lài dog was used a hunting dog, either by catching and retrieving small game or luring animals to the hunter.
All these four breeds showcase the diversity and rich heritage of Vietnam's canine companions. Whether you're drawn to the agile Phu Quoc Ridgeback, the loyal Hmong, the calm Bac Ha, or the versatile Lai dog, each of these dogs has a unique charm.

1) Origin
The origin of Hmong Bobtail dog is closely related to the history of Hmong people. Hmong people emigrated to the mountains of northern Vietnam from China in an attempt to escape the persecution by the chinese Qing dynasty. Many of them brought their working and companion dogs with them to their new homes and it is believed that the Hmong Bobtail Dog is a descendant of these dogs that were further crossed in northern Vietnam with local dogs.

​2) Native dogs of Vietnam
Today, the Hmong Bobtail Dog remains very rare and you can almost exclusively find it in northern Vietnamese provinces Hà Giang, Tuyên Quang, Lào Cai, and Yên Bái. It is also one of the four native dogs of Vietnam, next to the Phu Quoc Ridgeback, Chó Lài and Chó Bắc Hà.

3) Working dog
For centuries, the Hmong Bobtail dog is a valuable working companion of Hmong people. They used this dog for controlling the livestock, protecting property and even for hunting small game. Today, the breed found utilization in police and military as well and they are sometimes used for patrolling the borders. This is very versatile dog that is known for its terrific memory which helped them in any kind of a job. They can easily remember difficult mountain and forest routes which helps them when patrolling, herding or hunting.

4) Companion
Of course, the Hmong Bobtail Dog is not only a superb worker. They also make wonderful family companions. They are known for their extreme loyalty, intelligence and they are pretty easy to train. They are also highly playful and affectionate towards its own family, but they are reserved and aloof around strangers. Due to their hunting ancestry, they are not the best choice for families with other household pets, but they can typically be socialized to live with other dogs without problems. Interestingly, The Hmong bobtail is said to the calmest of all Vietnamese breeds. It is very relaxed dog and they do not need high ammount of exercise.

5) Not for novices
It is also important to say, that the Hmong Bobtail Dog is not a good choice for novice dog owners. This is pretty strong dog with naturally protective and hunting instincts and it is crucial to properly train and socialize such dog from puppyhood, so they can turn into well-behaved and obedient adult dogs. I would definitely not recommend the Hmong Bobtail Dog to first time dog owner.

6) Size
This is a medium sized dog breed with muscular body and average height between 46-54 cm (18-21 in) and weight is usually between 16-26 kg (33-57 lb). The males are naturally slightly taller and heavier than females, but the difference is rather subtle.

7) Tail
Many people believe, that the bob-tail is always docked. But that is not true with the Hmong Bobtail Dog, whose tail is a natural bobtail and no docking is performed. The tail is typically 3-5 cm long (1,2-2 in), but sometimes it can grow up to 15 cm (6 in).

8) Coat
The coat of Hmong Bobtail Dog is typically medium long and it has soft and fluffy texture. The coat is very thick, providing protection from weather, cold temperature and underbrush in the woods. The color can wary quite a lot, but the most common colors are black, brown and white. Some dogs have a coat in one plain color, some have a mixture of colors and some can be brindle.

9) Maintenance
Speaking of the coat, it is important to mention the maintenance and grooming as well and luckily it is quite easy.The Hmong Bobtail Dog does shed seasonally and during that time it is better to brush their coat regularly to remove all the dead and loose hair and minimize the shedding. No other grooming is needed and the dog can take care of its coat by itself. Just like with any other dog breed, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clean them or clip them if needed.

10) Health
Last, but not least, lets talk about the health of Hmong Bobtail Dog. And great news is, that this breed is extremely healthy with superb resistance to diesaeses. The average lifespan is between 15 to 20 years and the only health issue are ocassionally missing teeth. Other than that, this breed does not suffer much from any serious health issues.

​​Appearance
We all know how big and strong the Kangal Shepherd is. But in reality, it is not even the biggest and strongest among the Turkish livestock guardians. And even the Haymana Karası is slightly bigger. On the other hand, it is typically little bit smaller than the absolutely massive Aksaray Malaklisi. The female Haymana Karası should always be taller than 85 cm (33 in) and males are typically between 90-100 cm (35-39 in) tall.
Compared to the Kangal, the Haymana Karasi is slightly more agile and swift. Another way how to distinguish the Haymana Karası from other turkish dogs is its coat and color. The Haymana Karası has very practical dense but relatively short coat that is always black. They might have some white spots on their coat as well, but no other color is possible. It is also stated in their name, because the word Karası means black in turkish. And the word Haymana? That is associated with the geographic region in Turkey, where these dogs are traditionally present. But i will talk about that little bit more later in this video.

History
Most breeds we know today are result of deliberate breeding process made by people, but the Haymana Karası (just like all the other Coban Kopegi dogs) is a landrace, which means, that they evolved naturally as a result of natural forces.
We are not sure about the ancestry of turkish livestock guardian dogs, but it is believed that they are all related together, but they evolved over centuries by adapting to local specific conditions of different turkish regions.
And the Haymana Karası is native to the Haymana region, which is relatively close to the capital of Turkey, Ankara. Thanks to that, they developed great resistance to both – cold and heat, because the Haymana region is located high plateau, with elevations averaging around 1,250 meters and the landscape is predominantly composed of rolling hills and flat plains. The weather is characterized by hot and dry summers and very cold and snowy winters. And the Haymana Karası evolved over time to be excellent at living in both extremes.
For generations, and even today, the main purpose of Haymana Karası is protecting the livestock, especially sheeps. The main predator of the livestock is wolf and the Haymana Karası is proven by generations to be excellent at detering wolves.
Sadly, today, the Haymana Karası is extremely rare, almost on the verge of extinction. If you would like to see them on your own eyes, you would probably have to visit the Haymana region. These dogs are found in small numbers in the Totak neighborhood, Durupınar neighborhood, and a few other villages in Haymana. But it looks that their population is starting to grow a little bit once again, so maybe the future is bright for this breed.

Temperament
You already know, that the main purpose of this breed is protecting sheeps from wolves and other predators, and they have perfect temperament for it! Only very strong, powerful and endurant dogs can be succesfull at job like that and the Haymana Karasi is exactly like that! They are absolutely loyal to the flock so as to its owners. They are very courageous and they would even die for its pack. Alertness, indepence and intelligence are other traits that are necessary for this job and Haymana Karası has all of them.
The Haymana Karası is very adaptable breed that is extremely devoted and loyal to its master. Because of that, they can happily live just as companion dog and not as livestock protector, but they need plenty of exercise, so they stay healthy and happy. These dogs create very strong bond with its family and they want to be part of your daily activities. On the other hand, because of their natural protective instinct, they are alert and suspicious towards unknown people or other animals and it will take a while until a complete stranger will gain a trust of this dog.

Health and grooming
The maintenance and grooming is extremely easy with the Haymana Karası. This breed can keep itself in good condition and even without any grooming they will keep the coat in okay condition. Of course, regular brushing is only beneficial as it will remove any dirt and loose hair, but it is not necessary. Just like with all dogs, you should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
The Haymana Karası is usually quite healthy and hardy dog breed with average lifespan between 10-15 years, which is actually extremely good for such a large dog breed. Most giant dog breeds have much shorter lifespan. These dogs are hardy and usually very healthy. The only health concern associated with this breed is ocassional hip and elbow dysplasia.