User:Malaysian Mantu

The Malaysian Mantu is a breed of dog from Sumatra. It was generally used for guarding huge areas of the coffee bean plants. For decades, owners would release hundreds at a time into the fields. Their unique, thin and light-colored fur gives them the ability to spend long hours in hot places, running around guarding acres of coffee plants. Their rabbit like-ears kept them alert for predators, which include foxes, bears, and wolves. Their good sense of smell was key in helping them protect the coffee bean plants.

In 1943, the dogs suddenly fell into short supply, drasticly affecting the coffee market. Many say that the dogs died from the heat, or that they were not fed properly (an accusation that almost lead to a horrible loss for coffee bean growers). The investigation of the extreme deaths was terminated in 1952 by the FBI, who could never find out the cause of all of the deaths.

Today, dogs of this breed are occasionaly cited, but not in the huge numbers that were avaliable long ago. Organizations like the American Kennel Society have not ever kept this breed in their records, because they refused to believe this was a real breed. Staff still do not have a trace of this breed in their records, because most of them continue to think that it is just a mutt. In 1978, they were challenged by Herbert Smith, who challenged the organization to accept the breed. They did not.

It is for those reasons that the dog is very rare and priceless, the average price going at about $12,800. There are only 19 in the world at this time, sadly there being only 5 females. In the future, the breed will not live on, unless the breed gets recognized by big sources. This is another breed that will soon die out.

Characteristics: -Light, thin fur. Usually a light brown or white. -Lots of energy, rabbit-like run. -Big, floppy ears.