Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(N.Z.) a vicious horse, often used as the name for a dog.

1898		E.E. Morris Austral Eng. 454: Taipo [...] a New Zealand word for devil, often applied by settlers to a vicious horse, or as a name for a dog.
1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].