Polynesian Dog

Polynesian dog is a broad historical label for the domestic dogs carried by Polynesian voyagers across the Pacific, not a standardized modern breed. Island populations included the Hawaiian poi dog, the Maori kuri of Aotearoa New Zealand, and related dogs described in Tahiti and other archipelagos. Accounts and bones suggest small to medium dogs that varied by island, diet, and use. They lived close to people and could serve as companions, food animals, ritual animals, and sources of hair or skins.

Most named Polynesian dog populations disappeared after European contact through disease, changing food systems, and interbreeding with imported dogs. Today the term is mainly used in archaeology, cultural history, museum collections, and ancient DNA work. Modern village dogs in the Pacific may have mixed ancestry, but they should not be presented as pure surviving poi dogs or kuri without strong evidence. Rescue and welfare efforts treat living island dogs according to their health and behavior, while cultural stewardship focuses on respectful handling of remains, stories, and genetic information.

Colors: Albino, Apricot, Bicolor, Black, Black and Tan, Black and White, Black Mask, Blue, Blue and Tan, Blue Merle, Blue Roan, Blue Tick, Brindle, Brown, Brown and Tan, Brown and White, Chocolate, Cream, Dapple, Domino, Fawn, Fawn and White, Gold, Gray, Grey, Harlequin, Irish Marked, Leucistic, Liver, Liver Mask, Mantle, Mask, Melanistic, Merle, Mottled, Parti-Color, Piebald, Red, Red and White, Red Merle, Red Roan, Red Tick, Reverse Brindle, Roan, Sable, Saddle, Silver, Speckled, Spotted, Tan, Ticked, Tricolor, Tuxedo, White, Yellow