Bangkaew is a village located in the Bang Rakam District, Phitsanulok Province in the central region of Thailand. In this district, near the Yom River, there is a monastery called Wat Bangkaew where it is believed that Thai Bangkaew Dogs originated.

Legend has it that the third abbot of Wat Bangkaew Temple, the respected Luang Puh Maak Metharee, was known for mercy and care given to all living things. An old Bangkaew villager named Tah Nim gave the abbot a native bitch. Because she was pregnant without any dog in the area, her mating was thought to be either a jackal or a dhole lived in the surrounding forest. A chromosome study of Thai Bangkaew dog confirmed that the breed is the result of domestic dog and jackal interbreed. The resulting litter produced longhaired puppies of black and dark brown coloration. Luang Puh Maak Metharee raised the resulting puppies, four females.


The Thai Bangkaew Dog is compactly built and square in profile. It is well proportioned, with a smooth gait. The double coat consists of a short undercoat, with longer guard hairs growing through it forming the outer coat. The coat is thicker and longer around the neck, chest, and back forming a lion-like ruff, which is more noticeable on dogs than on bitches. The plumed tail is carried with moderate upward curve over the back. The TBD comes in white with shades of red, gray, brown, and black in a wide variety of patterns.