See what we did there? Tail, not tale, although the Bali dog certainly has an interesting story as well.
The Bali Heritage Dog and the Kintamani have been recognized as the oldest dogs known to mankind.
Studies have shown that their genetic make up is similar to the Australian Dingo, the Chinese Chow-
Chow and the Akita from Japan.
The Bali dog is so different genetically to other dogs, it is unique and should be respected and protected
as a distinct breed. An iconic symbol of Bali, the Bali dog is resilient, loyal, tough and courageous. And if a
Bali dog has chosen you, feel honoured that its ancient spirit wants to protect you.
Visitors to Bali often notice the dogs wandering the streets, picking through rubbish and pleading with
those beautiful eyes for table scraps. While some find this upsetting or off-putting, Bali dogs are just
doing what they have done for centuries – roaming and foraging for food.
As countries develop and need more land for progress, animals like the Bali Dog have had to adapt.
Instead of roaming the jungle or rice fields, they are now foraging in the streets. More and more
businesses are leaving bowls of water in shaded areas for the Bali dogs, or even taking out the left-over
food and putting it down on the waxy brown paper you see used for nasi bungkus.
Bali dogs have been kept by the Balinese people as faithful pets and protectors for years. While loyal and
gentle with their families, they make formidable watch dogs and have been seen as guards of royal
palaces throughout history. In fact, many Balinese people believe that Bali dogs can sense danger or the
unseen spirit world – next time your Bali dog’s ears stand up, take notice!
The Bali dog is perfect for the tropical climate of the island. It’s mostly short coat, often waxy fur and
long snout, are ideal for the humidity and moisture of Bali and until recent years, they have been largely
left alone, therefore genetically unchanged. We now see Bali dog mixes as other breeds are being
introduced, including the ‘Lort’ (long body short legs) or ‘short-legger’ which have a Bali dog body in
shape and size with much shorter legs.
To respect the heritage of the Bali dog and the harmony in which they have lived for years with the
people of Bali, it is important to recognize their changing health needs. Vaccinations against diseases,
worming and skin treatments, and sterilization, are all an important part of maintaining a healthy and
happy dog population within villages.
