The original Hawaiian poi dog were descended from the Polynesian dogs brought to the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesian people.
Genetic studies on the New Zealand Kurī dog indicate that the origin of this dog (and therefore probably the Hawaiian dog) is Indonesia.
Referred as the ʻīlio in the Hawaiian language, the modern name of this breed is derived from poi, a Hawaiian staple food made from kalo or taro root.
Poi was used to fatten the dogs for use as food because meat was too valuable to be used as dog food.
Since the Hawaiian Islands did not have large land mammals other than feral hogs, Poi dogs were not needed for hunting.
The dogs were never deliberately bred to a standard, but human and natural selection still came into play.

European explorers like Captain Cook encountered pot-bellied, short-legged poi dogs that freely associated with hogs in the village.
The dogs had very short hair that could come in any color, but brown poi dogs were regarded as distinct enough to warrant a specific name.
The dogs also had peculiarly flattened heads.
The latter trait is sometimes ascribed to the diet of the dogs in some unspecified way.
Considering that poi does not require chewing, the dogs might have lost the need to maintain strong temporalis muscles; a reduced temporal fossa will cause a dog's head to appear flattened.
Poi dogs were considered rather dim-witted and sluggish – any good hunting dog with acute senses would neither make a good poi dog nor be particularly useful on the islands – however, the dogs were strong-willed and not easily commanded.

The poi dog was a two-purpose breed – used for food and as a lucky charm.
Unsuited for anything else, the breed declined to extinction as the native religion was abandoned and eating dog meat became unfashionable.
Feral dogs of European settlers interbred with the poi dogs, and by the early 20th century at latest, the breed disappeared as a distinct entity.
The original Hawaiian poi dog were descended from the Polynesian dogs brought to the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesian people. Genetic studies on the New Zealand Kurī dog indicate that the origin of this dog (and therefore probably the Hawaiian dog) is Indonesia. Referred as the ʻīlio in the Hawaiian language, the modern name of this breed is derived from poi, a Hawaiian staple food made from kalo or taro root. Poi was used to fatten the dogs for use as food because meat was too valuable to be used as dog food. Since the Hawaiian Islands did not have large land mammals other than feral hogs, Poi dogs were not needed for hunting. The dogs were never deliberately bred to a standard, but human and natural selection still came into play.
European explorers like Captain Cook encountered pot-bellied, short-legged poi dogs that freely associated with hogs in the village. The dogs had very short hair that could come in any color, but brown poi dogs were regarded as distinct enough to warrant a specific name. The dogs also had peculiarly flattened heads. The latter trait is sometimes ascribed to the diet of the dogs in some unspecified way. Considering that poi does not require chewing, the dogs might have lost the need to maintain strong temporalis muscles; a reduced temporal fossa will cause a dog's head to appear flattened. Poi dogs were considered rather dim-witted and sluggish – any good hunting dog with acute senses would neither make a good poi dog nor be particularly useful on the islands – however, the dogs were strong-willed and not easily commanded.
The poi dog was a two-purpose breed – used for food and as a lucky charm. Unsuited for anything else, the breed declined to extinction as the native religion was abandoned and eating dog meat became unfashionable. Feral dogs of European settlers interbred with the poi dogs, and by the early 20th century at latest, the breed disappeared as a distinct entity.
Hawaiian Poi Dog