Aspin: recognising the Philippine native dog
Short coat, lean frame, alert ears and a curled tail: the Aspin is the everyday dog of the Philippines. Upload a photo to see how your dog compares with 357 breeds.
Also known as: Asong Pinoy, Philippine native dog, Filipino street dog, Askal
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About the Aspin
Aspin is short for asong Pinoy, “Filipino dog”. It names the native and street dogs of the Philippines, once called askal (asong kalye, “street dog”), a word many owners now avoid. The Aspin is a landrace, not a pedigree: it has no kennel club standard or studbook, and its look comes from generations of free-living dogs choosing their own mates, with some foreign breeds mixed in over time. That is why Aspins vary yet share a recognisable type. They are adaptable, resourceful and alert, often wary of strangers at first and very loyal once settled in a home.
At a glance
- Type
- Village dog / regional type
- Size
- Medium
- Adult weight
- 11–27 kg
- Life expectancy
- 11–14 years
- Exercise
- Moderate
How to recognise an Aspin
- Short, smooth, close-lying coat with little undercoat, suited to a tropical climate.
- Common colours: fawn, tan, black, white with patches, brindle, and black with tan points.
- Lean, medium-small, slightly leggy build with a tucked-up belly and fine bones.
- Wedge-shaped head with a moderate stop; ears pricked, semi-pricked or folding at the tips.
- Tail usually carried in a sickle or loose curl above the back line; almond-shaped brown eyes.
Photo tip. Take a full side view in daylight with the tail visible: coat length, ear carriage and tail curl are what place a dog among village types rather than pedigree breeds.
Aspin or look-alike?
Formosan Mountain Dog
Taiwan’s village dog is a close cousin. It is often black or brindle, with larger, thinner prick ears and a more sinewy build, but individual dogs overlap; where the dog came from is the best clue.
Africanis
Africanis share the lean frame, short coat and sickle tail, shaped by the same village life on another continent. Photos of the two can be almost interchangeable, so origin settles it.
Shiba Inu
A Shiba has a thick, plush double coat, small thick triangular ears, a tail curled tightly over the back and cream urajiro markings on cheeks and chest. An Aspin’s coat is thin and flat.
Basenji
Basenjis have a tightly curled tail, a wrinkled forehead when alert and a compact, square body, usually with white feet. Aspins rarely show those forehead wrinkles.
Aspin mixes
Many dogs called Aspin carry some pedigree ancestry, especially in cities, where Shih Tzu, Labrador, Japanese Spitz and Chihuahua genes have entered the village population. A mix tends to keep the short coat and lean outline, while the other breed shows in the ears, muzzle length or a fluffier coat. On a photo, a typical Aspin comes back as Aspin or alongside other village types such as the Formosan Mountain Dog. If one pedigree breed dominates, it appears in the list. A DNA test can separate village ancestry from breed ancestry.
Health and care
- Village ancestry tends to make Aspins hardy, and no breed-specific inherited disease is well documented. Most health risks come from the environment rather than genetics.
- Tick-borne infections such as ehrlichiosis are common where Aspins live. Year-round tick prevention is worthwhile, and a blood test if your dog seems unusually tired.
- Keep vaccinations against distemper, parvovirus and rabies up to date, especially for a dog adopted from the street.
- Rescued Aspins often arrive with skin problems such as mange or flea allergy; most improve with care, good food and regular parasite control.
- The short coat needs only a weekly brush. Give daily walks and gentle socialisation: many are cautious at first and blossom with a steady routine.