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Excellence in a Classical Japanese Dog (Jan 17, 2005)

July 2003 Bloodlines Article

Japanese Treasures Part 1

Japanese Treasures Part 2

As Published in Bloodlines, "Northern Breeds Issue", July 2003

The Kai

Origin The Kai Ken originated in the Kai district, now known as the Yaminashi Prefecture in Japan. The Kai is also known as the Tora Inu meaning Tiger dog in Japanese because of its brindle coloring.Little is known here in the United States about the Kai's history but it is thought in Japan that the Kai's ancestors may have lived in Southeast Asia some 4000 years ago. It is believed that the Kai was originally wild and was domesticated in order to help the" Matagi" or ancient Japanese hunters.They believe the Kai Ken is a natural born hunter. Purpose The Kai Ken has been primarily used in Japan for hunting wild boar and deer in the steep mountains. The Kai is an excellent climber and swimmer and have been known to climb mountains and swim deep rivers in search of game. Types of Kai Originally in Jan there were two types of Kai . The shishi-inu-gata which was a stockier,thicker framed dog with a bear type face used more for boar hunting, and the shika-inu-gata which is a thinner longer bodied dog with a foxier face. Two foundation studs were given credit for these looks," Kaikuro" for his bear look and "Dairo" famed for his deer hunting skills. Both dog gave strength,speed ,agility and quick thinking to their descendents which we can still see in the breed today.

*The Kaiken Aigokai do not use the expressions "bear type" and "fox type" anymore but do describe them as the "round face and the long face" in Japan today. They do not distinguish between the two types and neither is preferred over the other. Colors of the Kai

Most Kai puppies are born solid black and brindle as they age. The Kai come in three distinct colors.

The Black Brindle which is a primarily black dog with blackish brown striped patterns on the coat; with more black to brown hair ratio, giving the coat a lustrous glossy black appearance with little or no evidence of the brindle until in a bright light.Some times this pattern can only be seen when the light shines on it.

The Middle or Medium Brindle is where the quantity of the black hairs to the quantity of the brown hairs are almost equal.

The Red Brindle has more blackish/ brown hairs than the solid black hairs giving the coat a reddish brown appearance with black striped brindled patterns on it. A Kai's tiger pattern is different than from the brindle pattern of other dogs because its brindle is an actual striped pattern on the coat.* The yellow ,creme or white colored dogs are not pedigreed in Japan. The purpose of the distinct coloring and brindle pattern of the Kai Ken is to enable it to blend in with the surrounding trees and rocky surfaces of the mountains which enabled it to sneak up on its prey and also helped protect it from other predators while hunting in ancient times. The Japanese describe the Kai Ken as a trustworthy guardian and extremely devoted to his master. The Japanese have high respect and admiration for this breed. The Kai was designated a " Natural Treasure" In Japan in 1934 and is protected by law. We have been trusted by the Japanese to care for and protect this breed.As breeders and owners we need to make every effort to ensure this breed does not become another puppy mill or shelter statistic.We need to make every effort to breed healthy minds that can survive in our domestic world and sound bodies that will enable our Kai Ken to live happy, long, healthy lives, keeping in mind the natural beauty and remarkable stripping patterns and colors nature intended. *Information from the Kaiken Aigokai Tokyo Chapter established 1931 **All pictures from the Kaiken Aigokai Tokyo Chapter established 1931

Written by Marsha Short

As Published in Bloodlines

JAPANESE TREASURE PART I

In 1983 I received my first Akita as a Christmas gift, and started showing her right away. I was instantly hooked on the world of showing and breeding purebred dogs. I thought the Akita was the smartest dog in the world, and started my own kennel of top show dogs.

About 10 years later I bought 2 Shiba Inu, also, as show prospects, and found their unbelievable intelligence even greater than that of the Akita. For over 20 years I happily showed and bred my wonderful Akita’s and Shiba's, becoming very active in many dog clubs, including several rescue groups.

In August of 1999, I got a call from Shiba Rescue that there were several Shiba's in a shelter in northern Ohio needing help. I agreed to help with these poor creatures, not having any idea what I was in for. Norma Hornung of PA. took the two senior Shiba's, and I arranged for the other two dogs to hitch a ride halfway to Cincinnati. What I discovered at the pick up site were not the 2 Shiba's, that I had agreed to take, but 2 terrified Kai trying to hide in the back seat of the transporter's car.

Not having the heart to send them back to certain death, I decided to take these poor creatures home and try to find a Kai rescue. Getting on-line and trying to find the breeder of these dogs, or other Kai owners that would help me/them was a real eye opening experience. I discovered that it was the breeder/owner of these Kai and Shiba's that had taken them to the pound herself, so no help there.*

Finally I was put in touch with Marsha Short in the Richmond, MI area, who agreed to take one of the dogs. I was not able to find any one to take the other boy, so I started to work with him myself, getting some much needed vet work, shots, neuter etc. done. I was hoping at this point to socialize and rehabilitate him, to some degree, to make it possible to place him. It was a long slow process and took many hours of hard work and TLC but, gradually Sony was coming around and came out of his shell. I was totally amazed at the intelligence this dog possessed . Even as he hid and cowered, he still watched my every move and the other dogs, learning the doggie door and gate latches immediately.

From the very beginning I was quickly impressed with the devotion and loyalty Sony had for me. Wanting to learn more about these fascinating dogs, I made arrangements to visit with a breeder. Spending the day hanging out with a house full of well trained and socialized dogs, I found all the wonderful characteristics that my Sony had, but with a trusting and confident attitude. Needless to say I came home with a puppy, and once again found myself "addicted" and now have 5 Kai Ken. Three I got as adults and 2 as puppies. I still have the first boy I rescued, Sony. He is a pet and lives in my boarding kennel as the official greeter. Sony meets everyone that comes in now and never forgets the ones he knows, or the ones that have given him a treat in the past.

I am now addicted to all 3 of these wonderful Japanese dogs. In the next issue I will give some of the similarities and differences of these Japanese Treasures.

* Sadly it is NOT uncommon for breeders to be unwilling to help with dogs that end up in pounds or rescue.

Written by Pam Peterson

As Published in Bloodlines

JAPANESE TREASURE PART II

Before I get started, I would like to make it clear that the following article is based on my experience with the Akita, Shiba Inu and Kai Ken. Having bred, trained, and shown them for over 20 years. Finishing last year with dogs in the top 10 of all three breeds, including 2 out of my breeding.I also have a great deal of experience with rescue dogs of all three breeds that have been neglected, abused or under socialized. This article is written strictly on my experiences and findings with these three breeds.

There are 10 dogs that are native to Japan. About half of these dogs are of the Spitz type, and the UKC refers to these dogs as “Northern Breeds”. I will be writing about three of these breeds; the Akita, the Shiba Inu, and the Kai Ken. These dogs share several common physical characteristics such as pricked ears, curled tails, small eyes and triangular shaped heads. All three breeds.have a thick double coat that does not shed on a continual basis, however, they do “blow coat” twice a year.

I have found all three breeds to be somewhat primitive in nature, very intelligent, quite clean, and easy to housebreak. These dogs all have terrific memory and even a brief meeting with people or another dog will be remembered. They will form habits easily and it is up to his person to see that these habits are good ones.

At one time or another all three breeds have been used for hunting and still have strong hunting instincts, so care should be taken with small animals that could be considered prey. They can, however, learn to live with cats and other small pets with some early training. Being extremely devoted to their family they, require a fair amount of love and attention from their owners to be happy and will do best kept as inside housedogs.

The Akita is the largest of the Japanese Spitz type dogs with males averaging 26 to 28 inches tall at the shoulders and weighing 110 lbs. or more while the females are usually a little smaller. The Akita can be any color including solids, brindles and pintos. The tail should always be carried over the back dipping to or below the level of the back and the tailbone reaches the hock when let down. Ears should be very small, thick rounded at the corner, and carried slightly forward over the eyes. The Akita is naturally dominant and quietly in control of every situation. They rarely bark, preferring to communicate with their eyes and through body language. This breed generally does not get along well with other dogs of the same sex and seldom will allow another dog to dominate it. Akitas are usually laid back and tend to reserve their energy for important things. The Akita will usually love and protect the children they are raised with, but may not be as patient with others.*

The middle size of the three breeds is the Kai Ken which is 18 to 22 inches at the shoulder, about 30 lbs., with females being somewhat smaller. Most puppies are born black and fuzzy and develop their brindle markings as they grow and they will continue to brindle up to 5 years of age. Their brindle comes in several shades with black, gray, and red being equally acceptable but the Kai must always have some type of brindle.** Most will have black spots on their tongues. The Kai will have slightly larger and pointier ears than the Akita or Shiba and the tail is carried over the back in a curled or sickle position. Kais are very athletic and can often be seen perched on high objects like the back of the couch or a picnic table so they can keep an eye on things. They can be aloof with strangers but, will devote their heart and soul to the ones they love, never forgetting a friend, man or beast. Once you have earned a Kai’s trust and friendship he will be loyal and devoted for life. Kais take well to training and are very willing to please. While not a barker by nature, they will bark to alert their family of danger. Due to the primitive nature of the Kai it is very important that they be well socialized starting at birth and continuing well into adulthood.If raised with dogs or other pets they will usually get along with them. The Kai Ken usually loves children and is very patient with young ones.*

The Shiba Inu, which is the smallest of our Japanese Treasures, is possibly the biggest in attitude. Shibas are cocky, arrogant, and fear nothing. Very independent and can give you that “I don’t need you” look whenever asked to do something they don’t want to do. The male Shiba Inu should be about 14 to 16 inches at the shoulder, weigh about 25 lbs., and the female is slightly smaller. The preferred colors are red, red sesame, or black and tan. Like the Kai, the Shiba tail is carried over the back in a curled or sickle position. They are very good hunters, and will do exactly that without a high fence and/or strong leash. They are very athletic and can run for days if they escape, which they are very good at doing. Shibas are known for “taking your number and getting back to you” when called. They can learn to live with other pets that will let them be the boss but do not always “play well with others”. They are generally good with kids that are good with them*. Shibas are not usually big barkers but do tend to vocalize their objections when they feel they are being violated, such as leash breaking or toe nail trimming. Although they love to run when loose they do make great housedogs and, like the Kai, love to perch on high objects to keep an eye on things. They are very alert and make great watchdogs.

In a future article I will be talking about some training methods that work well with our JapaneseTreasures.

* Most dogs are usually good with children, although it is important to teach children not to tease and torment the dog. And NEVER leave young children unattended with any dog no matter what the breed for the dogs safety as well as the child’s. ** As stated by the Kai Ken Aigokai Preservation Society

Written by Pam Peterson

*The latest features*
	Feature Stories Excellence in a Classical Japanese Dog (Jan 17, 2005) July 2003 Bloodlines Article Japanese Treasures Part 1 Japanese Treasures Part 2 As Published in Bloodlines, "Northern Breeds Issue", July 2003 The Kai Origin The Kai Ken originated in the Kai district, now known as the Yaminashi Prefecture in Japan. The Kai is also known as the Tora Inu meaning Tiger dog in Japanese because of its brindle coloring.Little is known here in the United States about the Kai's history but it is thought in Japan that the Kai's ancestors may have lived in Southeast Asia some 4000 years ago. It is believed that the Kai was originally wild and was domesticated in order to help the" Matagi" or ancient Japanese hunters.They believe the Kai Ken is a natural born hunter. Purpose The Kai Ken has been primarily used in Japan for hunting wild boar and deer in the steep mountains. The Kai is an excellent climber and swimmer and have been known to climb mountains and swim deep rivers in search of game. Types of Kai Originally in Jan there were two types of Kai . The shishi-inu-gata which was a stockier,thicker framed dog with a bear type face used more for boar hunting, and the shika-inu-gata which is a thinner longer bodied dog with a foxier face. Two foundation studs were given credit for these looks," Kaikuro" for his bear look and "Dairo" famed for his deer hunting skills. Both dog gave strength,speed ,agility and quick thinking to their descendents which we can still see in the breed today. The Kaiken Aigokai do not use the expressions "bear type" and "fox type" anymore but do describe them as the "round face and the long face" in Japan today. They do not distinguish between the two types and neither is preferred over the other. Colors of the Kai Most Kai puppies are born solid black and brindle as they age. The Kai come in three distinct colors. The Black Brindle which is a primarily black dog with blackish brown striped patterns on the coat; with more black to brown hair ratio, giving the coat a lustrous glossy black appearance with little or no evidence of the brindle until in a bright light.Some times this pattern can only be seen when the light shines on it. The Middle or Medium Brindle is where the quantity of the black hairs to the quantity of the brown hairs are almost equal. The Red Brindle has more blackish/ brown hairs than the solid black hairs giving the coat a reddish brown appearance with black striped brindled patterns on it. A Kai's tiger pattern is different than from the brindle pattern of other dogs because its brindle is an actual striped pattern on the coat. The yellow ,creme or white colored dogs are not pedigreed in Japan. The purpose of the distinct coloring and brindle pattern of the Kai Ken is to enable it to blend in with the surrounding trees and rocky surfaces of the mountains which enabled it to sneak up on its prey and also helped protect it from other predators while hunting in ancient times. The Japanese describe the Kai Ken as a trustworthy guardian and extremely devoted to his master. The Japanese have high respect and admiration for this breed. The Kai was designated a " Natural Treasure" In Japan in 1934 and is protected by law. We have been trusted by the Japanese to care for and protect this breed.As breeders and owners we need to make every effort to ensure this breed does not become another puppy mill or shelter statistic.We need to make every effort to breed healthy minds that can survive in our domestic world and sound bodies that will enable our Kai Ken to live happy, long, healthy lives, keeping in mind the natural beauty and remarkable stripping patterns and colors nature intended. Information from the Kaiken Aigokai Tokyo Chapter established 1931 All pictures from the Kaiken Aigokai Tokyo Chapter established 1931 Written by Marsha Short As Published in Bloodlines JAPANESE TREASURE* PART I In 1983 I received my first Akita as a Christmas gift, and started showing her right away. I was instantly hooked on the world of showing and breeding purebred dogs. I thought the Akita was the smartest dog in the world, and started my own kennel of top show dogs. About 10 years later I bought 2 Shiba Inu, also, as show prospects, and found their unbelievable intelligence even greater than that of the Akita. For over 20 years I happily showed and bred my wonderful Akita’s and Shiba's, becoming very active in many dog clubs, including several rescue groups. In August of 1999, I got a call from Shiba Rescue that there were several Shiba's in a shelter in northern Ohio needing help. I agreed to help with these poor creatures, not having any idea what I was in for. Norma Hornung of PA. took the two senior Shiba's, and I arranged for the other two dogs to hitch a ride halfway to Cincinnati. What I discovered at the pick up site were not the 2 Shiba's, that I had agreed to take, but 2 terrified Kai trying to hide in the back seat of the transporter's car. Not having the heart to send them back to certain death, I decided to take these poor creatures home and try to find a Kai rescue. Getting on-line and trying to find the breeder of these dogs, or other Kai owners that would help me/them was a real eye opening experience. I discovered that it was the breeder/owner of these Kai and Shiba's that had taken them to the pound herself, so no help there.* Finally I was put in touch with Marsha Short in the Richmond, MI area, who agreed to take one of the dogs. I was not able to find any one to take the other boy, so I started to work with him myself, getting some much needed vet work, shots, neuter etc. done. I was hoping at this point to socialize and rehabilitate him, to some degree, to make it possible to place him. It was a long slow process and took many hours of hard work and TLC but, gradually Sony was coming around and came out of his shell. I was totally amazed at the intelligence this dog possessed . Even as he hid and cowered, he still watched my every move and the other dogs, learning the doggie door and gate latches immediately. From the very beginning I was quickly impressed with the devotion and loyalty Sony had for me. Wanting to learn more about these fascinating dogs, I made arrangements to visit with a breeder. Spending the day hanging out with a house full of well trained and socialized dogs, I found all the wonderful characteristics that my Sony had, but with a trusting and confident attitude. Needless to say I came home with a puppy, and once again found myself "addicted" and now have 5 Kai Ken. Three I got as adults and 2 as puppies. I still have the first boy I rescued, Sony. He is a pet and lives in my boarding kennel as the official greeter. Sony meets everyone that comes in now and never forgets the ones he knows, or the ones that have given him a treat in the past. I am now addicted to all 3 of these wonderful Japanese dogs. In the next issue I will give some of the similarities and differences of these Japanese Treasures. * Sadly it is NOT uncommon for breeders to be unwilling to help with dogs that end up in pounds or rescue. Written by Pam Peterson As Published in Bloodlines JAPANESE TREASURE PART II Before I get started, I would like to make it clear that the following article is based on my experience with the Akita, Shiba Inu and Kai Ken. Having bred, trained, and shown them for over 20 years. Finishing last year with dogs in the top 10 of all three breeds, including 2 out of my breeding.I also have a great deal of experience with rescue dogs of all three breeds that have been neglected, abused or under socialized. This article is written strictly on my experiences and findings with these three breeds. There are 10 dogs that are native to Japan. About half of these dogs are of the Spitz type, and the UKC refers to these dogs as “Northern Breeds”. I will be writing about three of these breeds; the Akita, the Shiba Inu, and the Kai Ken. These dogs share several common physical characteristics such as pricked ears, curled tails, small eyes and triangular shaped heads. All three breeds.have a thick double coat that does not shed on a continual basis, however, they do “blow coat” twice a year. I have found all three breeds to be somewhat primitive in nature, very intelligent, quite clean, and easy to housebreak. These dogs all have terrific memory and even a brief meeting with people or another dog will be remembered. They will form habits easily and it is up to his person to see that these habits are good ones. At one time or another all three breeds have been used for hunting and still have strong hunting instincts, so care should be taken with small animals that could be considered prey. They can, however, learn to live with cats and other small pets with some early training. Being extremely devoted to their family they, require a fair amount of love and attention from their owners to be happy and will do best kept as inside housedogs. The Akita is the largest of the Japanese Spitz type dogs with males averaging 26 to 28 inches tall at the shoulders and weighing 110 lbs. or more while the females are usually a little smaller. The Akita can be any color including solids, brindles and pintos. The tail should always be carried over the back dipping to or below the level of the back and the tailbone reaches the hock when let down. Ears should be very small, thick rounded at the corner, and carried slightly forward over the eyes. The Akita is naturally dominant and quietly in control of every situation. They rarely bark, preferring to communicate with their eyes and through body language. This breed generally does not get along well with other dogs of the same sex and seldom will allow another dog to dominate it. Akitas are usually laid back and tend to reserve their energy for important things. The Akita will usually love and protect the children they are raised with, but may not be as patient with others.* The middle size of the three breeds is the Kai Ken which is 18 to 22 inches at the shoulder, about 30 lbs., with females being somewhat smaller. Most puppies are born black and fuzzy and develop their brindle markings as they grow and they will continue to brindle up to 5 years of age. Their brindle comes in several shades with black, gray, and red being equally acceptable but the Kai must always have some type of brindle.** Most will have black spots on their tongues. The Kai will have slightly larger and pointier ears than the Akita or Shiba and the tail is carried over the back in a curled or sickle position. Kais are very athletic and can often be seen perched on high objects like the back of the couch or a picnic table so they can keep an eye on things. They can be aloof with strangers but, will devote their heart and soul to the ones they love, never forgetting a friend, man or beast. Once you have earned a Kai’s trust and friendship he will be loyal and devoted for life. Kais take well to training and are very willing to please. While not a barker by nature, they will bark to alert their family of danger. Due to the primitive nature of the Kai it is very important that they be well socialized starting at birth and continuing well into adulthood.If raised with dogs or other pets they will usually get along with them. The Kai Ken usually loves children and is very patient with young ones.* The Shiba Inu, which is the smallest of our Japanese Treasures, is possibly the biggest in attitude. Shibas are cocky, arrogant, and fear nothing. Very independent and can give you that “I don’t need you” look whenever asked to do something they don’t want to do. The male Shiba Inu should be about 14 to 16 inches at the shoulder, weigh about 25 lbs., and the female is slightly smaller. The preferred colors are red, red sesame, or black and tan. Like the Kai, the Shiba tail is carried over the back in a curled or sickle position. They are very good hunters, and will do exactly that without a high fence and/or strong leash. They are very athletic and can run for days if they escape, which they are very good at doing. Shibas are known for “taking your number and getting back to you” when called. They can learn to live with other pets that will let them be the boss but do not always “play well with others”. They are generally good with kids that are good with them. Shibas are not usually big barkers but do tend to vocalize their objections when they feel they are being violated, such as leash breaking or toe nail trimming. Although they love to run when loose they do make great housedogs and, like the Kai, love to perch on high objects to keep an eye on things. They are very alert and make great watchdogs. In a future article I will be talking about some training methods that work well with our JapaneseTreasures. Most dogs are usually good with children, although it is important to teach children not to tease and torment the dog. And NEVER leave young children unattended with any dog no matter what the breed for the dogs safety as well as the child’s. ** As stated by the Kai Ken Aigokai Preservation Society Written by Pam Peterson
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