MANILA, Philippines — As hoped, the Philippine Forest Dog or "Asong Gubat" made an impression in the return of the Philippine Circuit Dog Show held from January 12-15 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
On the Facebook page of the coliseum, photos of Mayumi, Irog and Mutya garnered much love from dog lovers and parents.
"Meet Irog, Mayumi and Mutya. They are some of our very own Philippine Forest Dogs or 'Asong Gubat' who are here today at #TheBigDome for the 2023 Philippine Circuit Dog Show. They look totally pawsome with those Philippine Flag inspired collars! ???????? So adorable, aren't they? " the caption read.
In a previous release, event organizer Philippine Canine Club, Inc. (PCCI) said it hopes that the Philippine Forest Dog or "Asong Gubat" will be the first dog breed from the Philippines that will be recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI), the ruling organization for national kennel clubs in the world.
In an interview with "24 Oras," PCCI Corporate Secretary Fred Salud described the Asong Gubat as a unique breed that sheds it claws every year. This is not a typical quality of a dog.
"'Yung kanyang kuko, nagshe-shed every year. 'Di ginagawa ng mga aso 'yon. Tawag diyan witch dog e kasi napaka husay daw niyang mang-akyat," Salud said.
It is also good in climbing trees, hence, the breed is also called a "witch dog." Indigenous people often bring with them the Asong Gubat for hunting. The dog can also be identified by the yellow color, thus, he said they are also referred to as the "tiger dog."
"Ginagamit siya ng mga katutubo kasama sa pagha-hunt. Nagha-hunt sila ng mga bayawak. Ang husay niyang mang-akyat sa puno. Ang kulay, na-recognize rin yellow, parang sa tigre kaya 'yung isang pangalan din niya, tiger dog," Salud explained.
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