The Sapsali or Sapsaree is a shaggy
Korean
breed of dog.
Traditionally, these dogs were
believed to dispel ghosts
and evil spirits.
Appearance
Sapsalis are medium sized and slightly longer than tall. Their coat is long
and abundant, and comes in solid fawn or grey. Their hair falls over the eyes in
the same manner as that of the
Old
English Sheepdog. Although Sapsalis resemble
herding dogs,
they appear to have been bred exclusively as house dogs; their 'work' is
spiritual rather than physical.
The Sapsali has been identified and recognized by both leading Korean dog
societies, the Korean Canine Club (FCI
affiliate) and the Korean Kennel Club, but the only Korean dog that has official
international recognition is the
Jindo.
Temperament
In Korea, they are famous
for their gentle, protective, and loyal characters. They are friendly and
playful with people they are familiar with, but aggressive towards strangers.
Not being natural fighters, they are usually peaceful. However, when attacked,
they are almost merciless, and they will not stop chasing their aggressor unless
commanded to do so by their owners or until their stamina runs out.
Such characteristics may have contributed to their name. The name Sapsali can
be divided into two parts: sap, meaning to chase or remove, and sal,
meaning bad luck or evil; i is a part of the
Korean
language to attach behind a name.