Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 10) — A local canine group is seeking international recognition for the Philippine Forest Dog or Asong Gubat as a pure primitive Filipino dog breed found to have existed even before colonizers arrived in the country.
The Philippine Canine Club Inc. (PCCI) is in the process of documenting and establishing the purity of the Asong Gubat breed, hoping to be recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) – the largest federation of kennel clubs globally.
“At this point, we’re seeking recognition. We are establishing its purity and this will be established through DNA testing,” PCCI Corporate Secretary Fred Salud told CNN Philippines’ The Final Word.
“So we would like to make sure that the ones which will be used to start up the registration process will be really pure without any mixture of known breeds from other countries,” he added.
According to Salud, the Asong Gubat has been living with indigenous Filipinos such as Aetas and Negritos in the country’s forests way before the Spaniards arrived.
The PCCI official said this breed is different from the locally known Aspin or Askal as it would be considered as a purebred Filipino dog.
“The Asong Gubat is a primitive breed that has been formed through natural selection by its interaction with the environment so it’s a purebred as compared to the Aspin or Askal which is a Mongrel,” Salud explained.
Evolving as natural dogs of the forest, the Asong Gubat is rarely seen in urban environments.
Salud said this breed’s temperament is generally protective and loyal to its owner and family.
He added, however, that it could be shy and distant towards strangers.
