Kishu Ken: one of nature’s “monuments”

The Kishu Ken is a rare breed of Japanese dog. It is highly valued and respected in its native country (along with other Japanese breeds) and is considered a national and natural treasure.

The “Monuments of Japan” include various historical, natural and cultural sites that serve to preserve the country’s culture. Although slightly differently named, they are in fact national heritage sites. The Kishu Ken (or Kishu Inu, or simply Kishu) is one of these, specifically the Memorial of Nature of Japan. It has been on this long list since 1934, which shows, among other things, that the breed is proud and appreciated, and thus committed to its preservation, despite the low number of individuals.

History of the Kishu Ken

Physical evidence shows that hounds of the spitz type lived in Japan as long as 3000 years ago. These may have been the ancestors of the indigenous Japanese breeds, so the origin of the kishu ken can be traced back to this ancient dog. The breed, as we know it today, probably started to develop a few centuries ago in what was formerly known as Kii Province, or Kishu Province, which is now Wakayama Prefecture and the southern part of Mie Prefecture. The former played a significant role in the development and evolution of the breed and is still involved in its conservation today.

The begginings

According to legend, the kishu ken is a descendant of the Honshu wolf (also known as the Japanese hondo wolf, a Eurasian subspecies now extinct). According to the story, a hunter in the Kii province showed compassion to a female wolf, so the pack presented her with a pup. This pup was the direct ancestor of the Kishu. The details of the story may vary depending on who is telling it, but it is certain that this legend still influences the Kishu canoe to this day, as it is common for farmers to refer to this supposed close relationship by naming it.

Rinzu go, the winner of the 1983 NIPPO dog show, was a Kishu Ken:

The primary function of their immediate predecessors, or the early Kishus, was hunting, mainly deer and wild boar, and they were more like copus in function. Originally they could come in a variety of colours, but white dogs were the most common for work, as the hunter had the advantage of being able to see and follow the dog easily. Today it is the most common colour, although for less practical reasons. The different patterns have also disappeared from the breed’s coat, leaving the three colours that are allowed by standard.

A rare treasure

The Kishu Ken, as we know it today, is a young breed, first standardised in 1934. (In comparison, the major breed clubs only started to recognise the kishu in the second half of the century or later, with the FCI, for example, only officially recognising it as a breed since 1982.) The Second World War caused a severe decline in the number of kishu ken (and several Japanese breeds such as the Shiba Inu), the effects of which are still felt today. The low numbers are probably also due to today’s living conditions, as it is a medium sized, energetic dog that is adaptable but not adaptable to the extreme. Thus, there are situations in which it simply does not fit.

Breed standard

The Kishu Ken is a medium sized, “rustic” looking breed with a strong and compact body. The ratio of its height to its length is an important ratio. The former averages 46-55 cm (49 cm for females and 52 cm for males is ideal), with a ratio of 10:11 for the latter, i.e. body length. Body weight can range from approximately 14 kg to about 27.5 kg. The coat is short and double-layered, consisting of a topcoat and undercoat. The former is coarse, the latter soft to the touch and dense. The tail and face may be slightly longer. The coat colour can be white (the most common and the most valuable), red or sesame (black, red and white are mixed in aesthetic and appropriate proportions).

The muzzle is straight and strong, the chest is deep and the belly is slightly raised. The limbs are strong with well developed muscles. Forehead broad, nose elongated, wedge-shaped, thick, straight bridge. Nose black, with an acceptable lack of pigmentation in white individuals. The eyes are not too small, slightly triangular and dark brown. The ears are proportionally small, highly pointed, upright and triangular. Tails are high, long and short, and sloping to the back.

It belongs to the FCI breed group V, the Spitz and Ancient type dogs.

Character of the Kishu Ken

Three pillars

The NIPPO (Nihon Ken Hozonkai) standard sets a temperamentally similar basis for the 6 indigenous Japanese breeds (Akita Inu, Hokkaido, Kai Ken, Kishu, Shikoku and Shiba Inu). Three terms are at the core: kan-i, ryosei and soboku. Kan-i refers to a dog that is brave and ready for a challenge. The ryosei (or ryousei) refers to the dog being friendly, obedient and loyal to its owner, able and willing to work in harmony with him in a team. And last but not least, the dog’s appearance is suboku, meaning that it has a simple, rustic beauty.

However, it is possible to get a little more out of the character of the Kishu Ken than this, so that is what we will attempt to do below.

The Kishu Ken in everyday life

The Kishu Ken is therefore a confident, brave, persistent, loyal and good-natured breed, alert to its surroundings. His energy level is high, but he doesn’t run around all day. He demands a sense of purpose and it is important to keep his ‘brain cells’ ‘spinning’ on a daily basis. A frequently and properly “exercised” puppy spends most of the day resting and lazing about happily. But don’t let this fool you, he’s always ready for action, whether it’s a run, a walk or a hike.

Even when they’re very small, they’re adventurers:

With the right socialisation and training, a puppy is well adapted to its environment and gets on well with strangers, but the most important thing is to be with its owner. This shows that he is affectionate and devoted to his carer, he is an excellent attunement dog, but he is by no means a “sticker” dog.

He is an easily motivated, quick learner, but not easy to teach, as he has an opinion on everything. An experienced owner with the right attitude can easily find common ground with him, but a small dog needs fast-paced, varied training and consistency. However, the basis for all this is trust, a good relationship with the owner, a close bond. Once this is in place, the puppy is ready to do whatever its owner asks of it. For example, he excels at a wide variety of sports and is happy to do them.

Ideal environment

The Kishu barks relatively little and will find a home in a garden house or even an apartment as long as its basic needs can be met. It is not usually recommended as an outdoor-only dog, as it needs to be close to people. He is basically fine with children, but is not the most tolerant family dog. It has its limits, which a typical child can easily cross if the parent is not paying attention.

He has been hunted primarily for big game, so he is not so interested in cats, but as he has a high hunting instinct, it is possible that he may have difficulties when he is placed in a kitten home. Therefore, thoughtful and consistent training is key to a harmonious relationship. She gets on well with other dogs and, although she is not the most social of breeds, she is not aggressive.

Care of the Kishu Ken

Although grooming her thick, dense coat may seem difficult, it’s far from dramatic. They shed once or twice a year, at which time, with the right grooming techniques, their coat can be well maintained. Apart from these two occasions at most, it is sufficient to occasionally comb through the coat with a well-chosen comb, maintain the health of the teeth and trim the claws when necessary.

Common health problems

The Kishu Ken is a fundamentally healthy breed with no typical diseases to which they are prone. A few cases of joint problems have been observed in the breed, but otherwise it is a “dog’s problem”, living an average of 12-15 years.

Nevertheless, they can sometimes develop some form of allergy or autoimmune diseases such as lupus, Addison’s disease, skin diseases and thyroid problems.

From this article you will learn about Akita Inu.