Mong Coc dog wins first prize in Vietnam native dog competition

Hai Phong Vang, a Mong Coc dog with a bright face and smart demeanor, was awarded first prize in the 2024 Vietnam Native Dog Contest.

Vang surpassed 70 "candidates" of three breeds: Phu Quoc, Bac Ha, and Mong Coc, to win the highest position in the Vietnam native dog competition - Vietnam Challenge Dog Show 2024, taking place at the Youth Cultural Palace, Hai Phong City.

Vang weighs about 25 kg, is 55 cm tall, and has a nearly perfect skeleton according to the organizers' standards. Vang's eyes are bright, his ears are pointed, his nose is black, and he moves gracefully. The judges highly appreciate Vang for his steadfast spirit, always cheerful and friendly in all situations.

"His face always looks like he's smiling, so he creates a great impression," said Nguyen Trong Khiem (from Hai Phong), the owner of Vang. Vang passed the competition for the Mong Coc breed and then defeated the two best representatives of the Phu Quoc and Bac Ha breeds to win the highest position.

This three-year-old dog was bought by Mr. Khiem in Ha Giang when he was only 10 days old, for 9 million VND. Previously, at a similar competition in Vung Tau in February, Vang also won the Vietnam Native Dog Show. After today's competition, his owner will take him to the US to compete internationally. "I want the whole world to know and recognize the beauty of Vietnam's native dog breed," said Mr. Khiem.

Vang, the dog that won the highest title at the 2024 Vietnam Native Dog Competition, April 6. Photo: Le Tan — Vang, the dog that won the highest title at the 2024 Vietnam Native Dog Competition, April 6. Photo: *Le Tan*

Vietnam Challenge Dog Show has been organized by the Vietnam Dog Breeders Association since 2009. Funding for the shows comes from two main sources: support from participating dog owners and sponsorship from a number of businesses. On average, Vietnam Challenge Dog Show organizes 3-4 shows each year at different locations across the country.

In addition to competitions for dogs of different breeds, Vietnam Challenge Dog Show also has competitions for dog beauty. This is where experts in the field of dog care and styling show their talent and creativity.

Mr. Cao Minh Kim Qui, General Secretary of the association, said that through dog competitions, the association will select, set standards for each breed, and then issue breed certificates to qualified dogs. From these standard dogs, the association will breed to create generations F1 and F2.

According to the roadmap, each breed will have a litter of dogs with identical generations in terms of identification, then the association will build a genetic map to propose to the International Federation of Canine Breeds (FCI) for recognition. "If successful, Vietnamese native dog breeds will have the opportunity to export, increasing their value," said Mr. Qui.

Vietnam Challenge Dog Show 2024 took place at the Youth Cultural Palace, Hai Phong City, on April 6. Photo: Le Tan — Vietnam Challenge Dog Show 2024 held at Thanh Nien Cultural Palace, Hai Phong City, April 6. Photo: *Le Tan*

International organizations encourage Vietnamese dog breeders to develop a breed recognition process for each species, and encourage doing so first with the Phu Quoc dog. However, according to association members, this process is very costly and could take 10 years. Currently, the FCI has recognized 349 purebred dog breeds worldwide.

The dog breeders community believes that the four great national dogs of Vietnam include Phu Quoc, Bac Ha, Mong Coc and Dingo Indochina. Up to now, the Association has established standards for three types, but the Dingo Indochina line does not exist and has never appeared in Dog Shows.

Le Tan

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