The hounds sit on their haunches, similarly enamelled in an all-over mottled turquoise, with scattered brown-coloured manganese spots in a variety of shapes and sizes. One dog looks to the left, and the other to the right, forming a mirrored pair. Both dogs look down, with bulging eyes featuring enlarged black pupils, and alert ears that are naturalistically animated. The open mouth reveals individually incised teeth, which surround a separately crafted, light pink tongue. The elongated body is held erect by two straight front legs, each paw is detailed with white claws, and the protruding spine curves slights, revealing prominent ribs, characteristics of the Kangxi period. The back legs and tail, while denoted, fit smoothly into the shape of the body, which comprises a hollow base.Such figures of porcelain dogs were popular export items, and are believed to be originally based on European pieces, but evidential prototypes are yet to be discovered. Dogs have also provided long-standing companionship to humans throughout Chinese history, with hounds being buried with their masters from as early as the Shang dynasty. While the exact breed of dog is unclear in this figure, it bears resemblance to the common Chinese hound, with its protruding ribs and long muzzle.