Jindos come from Jindo Island off South Korea's southwest coast, where they hunted game such as deer and boar and guarded homes. South Korea protects the breed as a natural monument. These medium-sized spitz-type dogs usually weigh 30 to 50 pounds and have upright, forward-tilted ears, a curled or sickle tail and a thick double coat in white, fawn, gray, black, black and tan or brindle.
Jindos and Jindo mixes appear often in US rescues, many brought over from Korean rescue efforts. Most are clean, quiet and intelligent, but they can be independent, wary of strangers and driven to chase small animals, and they shed heavily twice a year. They tend to reward patient adopters who offer secure fencing and gradual socialization, though each Jindo has its own personality.