Kishu Ken – Boomlay Shiba Inu

NIPPO Classic Seminar notes 2024

Posted on May 7, 2024May 7, 2024 by boomlayshiba

What was nice about this year’s NIPPO seminar was we received a translated copy of the judge’s notes. These notes were translated by AI (ChatGP) so there is some awkwardness with them. I am taking the time to retype the notes to make them slightly less awkward without too much deviation from the original notes; with a little bit of supplementary notes I took while the judge was discussing his notes. There are things I might have understood, which I do welcome any feedback to try to correct the information I am putting out there. I will make my supplementary notes obvious, so one does not think they are the notes we received. I will put these in italics. A reminder that the NIPPO standard is universal for all NIPPO breeds.

Thank you NIPPO judge Mr. Hidehiko Sato for coming to the states to judge our dogs and for the seminar.

Agenda

What attracts people to Japanese breeds (nature and expression)
The standard and current issues
Breeding

What attracts people to Japanese Breeds

Look at the roots of attractiveness – why are Japanese breeds so handsome?

The balance between strength and dignity – the root of impression
Male dogs have dignity with strength, females have dignity within strength. This phrase was coined by Sato-san’s mentor Yamamoto-san. I am understanding it as males show dignity in their physical presence/strength while females show dignity with inner strength, meaning that while they’re maybe not as physically impressive they still have a strong presence.
Their strength comes from being a carnivorous animal, similar to a wild animal, preserved as a hunting dog. A rustic wonderful wildness, nothing fancy but still striking as this is a hunting dog.
Dignity from the intelligence for being a working partner for humans (they’re smart animals).
Structured as the Japanese Breed Standard. Nature, expression, and strength are part of the standard.

The assumption to understand Japanese Dog (Nihon Ken) standard

One owns Nihon Ken and understands the breeds’ attractiveness
This is what started the preservation of the Nihon Ken – let’s not allow this attractive animal go extinct.

Formed the Nihonken Hozonkai (NIPPO) and established breed standards

“Let’s inherit these dogs from the past and pass them on to future generations.” NIPPO started to preserve the breeds for future generations.

Standard of the Nihon Ken and current issues

The nature and expression of the Nihon Ken are part of the standard.

Kan’i – boldness or bravery (spirited boldness)
Ryousei – good natured or gentle disposition
Soboku – simplicity or naturalness
Kankaku Eibin – sharp or keen senses
Dousa Binshou – quick or agile movements
Hoyou Keikai Danryoku Ari – Light and elastic gait

2.1 General appearance issues – dogs with short torsos

The standard states that males and females should be distinguishable. Males should have a height to length ratio of 100 to 110, and females should have a slightly longer length compared to their height, with a height of 39.5 cm (15.5 inches) for males and 36.5 cm (14.37 inches) for females, allowing for a difference of 1.5cm above and below. (SHIBA) Dogs are longer than they are tall, with bitches slightly longer.
Recently there has been an increase in female dogs with disproportionately short bodies (short torso) compared to their height. Dogs with short torsos often have restricted movement (gait). Female dogs, especially those fulfilling roles relating to pregnancy and nurturing, tend to have slightly longer body lengths compared to male dogs due to their anatomical structure. However, if a dog’s body length is insufficient, it may lack certain gender characteristics. A short torso in bitches means less puppies.

2.2 Limb structure issues

According to the standard to the standard, the forelimbs should have a moderate slope of the scapula (shoulder blade) and well-developed muscles. The forearm should be straight and the toes should firmly grasp the ground. The feet should be tight for better gripping (cat feet) as this would assist the dog with hunting through the mountains. If the dog has flat feet (hare feet) they can’t grip the terrain as well.
Due to the shallow angle of the scapula. A crucial component of the forelimb, the shoulders are positioned forward, resulting in a shallow chest and weak elbow joint. The elbows may turn outward or even inward, forming a narrow arch. The connection between the forelimbs becomes outward, causing the forelimbs to curve. The long and steep front pasterns further weaken the connection, and the detrimental effects of neck hanging aggravate the issue, leading to an extreme front landing stance. Pasterns should be slightly sloping. Straight pasterns or sloping pasterns are weak, therefore are undesirable. Not enough angulation in the front leads to a chest that is too narrow. Handling can make a front look ok (lifting by neck and setting down where one wants the legs to land) but once the dog stands naturally, it will return to it weak and faulted stance. Improper front angulation causes the dogs to stand learning forward.
Dogs with weak hocks – The standard states that the hindlegs should be powerful, with strong hocks, and the toes should grip the ground firmly. The hindlegs are crucial for propelling a dog’s movement forward. Various types of hock angles are observed, including deep angles, X-shaped hocks, and straight (upright) hocks. Especially common are those resembling sickle hocks. Dogs with excessively deep hock angles significantly impact their agility and overall movement capabilities. Proper stability and secure landings in both the front and hindlimbs are desirable, allowing the dog to stand firmly as if rooted to the ground. From this perspective, limb structure should be emphasized during evaluations, and a front to rear ratio of 6:4 is preferable. Over angulated hocks creates a weak rear, a weak rear creates more grip and strength in the front which off balances the dog. Typically, a dog that has bad front structure has bad rear structure. Short hocks have been a trend, short hocks leads to weak rear structure as it impacts the hindleg structure. A weakness in structure leads to the dog compensating when standing. Correct bone structure leads to correct muscle development!

2.3 Head and neck issues

According to the standard: “broad forehead, well developed cheeks, and a robust neck.”
The forehead should be wide, the cheek area well developed, and the neck of moderate thickness and length. The neck should have supple, strong muscles. A single line called the vertical groove is visible in the center of the forehead, although it is shallow, it should distinct. If there are several wrinkles other than this vertical groove, it becomes a significant fault.
Some dogs with good head development tend to exhibit a slight “apple head” shape. I did not ask for this to be clarified, but what I think is meant by this statement is the forehead is not flat nor is it so domed it creates a helmet like shape.
Is there a connection with the body type of stocky dogs? I do not remember this question being discussed so I have nothing to answer this question. ☹
A straight/flat forehead is undesirable. Too much of a stop is also bad, this tends to be a trend with smaller dogs though (Shiba). Steep stops do not allow a good flow on outline. A nice stop will allow for correct eye shape. Improve the skull shape to improve the eye shape.

2.4 Muzzle and lip issues

Dogs with overlapped upper lips and thin lower jaws. The standard states: “the nasal bridge should be straight, the muzzle well developed, and the lips firm and tight. The teeth should be strong and properly aligned.”
Particularly dogs with overlapping upper lips or when viewed from the side, shallow (thin) lower jaws (not quite duck-billed) are noticeable. The Shiba Inu’s muzzle has a significant feature – it tightens noticeably from the rich cheeks to the stop (forehead area). Since the muzzle is a central part of the face, deviations from the standard can compromise the overall facial aesthetics.
A tongue spot in Nihon Ken are allowed but it is preferred that they do not have a tongue spot. For a Shiba, a tongue spot no more than the size of pad of your pinky finger (fingertip) is allowed. For the medium breeds (Kishu, Shikoku, Kai, and Hokkaido) the spot can be no larger the pad of your pointer/index finger (fingertip). For Akita the tongue spot can be no larger than the pad of your thumb.

2.5 Coat color and quality issues

In Shiba Inu, black and tans with a dark glossy appearance in the color are considered undesirable. This is partly due to the coat not being in perfect condition. As a result black-coated Shiba are often exhibited in a faded black color tone. Shiny black or grey black coat is undesirable. It is becoming more common to have too much tan (creeping tan) on the legs of a black and tan. Black and tans should have a graduation from black to tan on their legs, not solid/clear borders. The extra white markings on a black and tan’s chest should have black borders, not be totally white or bleeding into the white bowtie chest marking. Black and tans have banded colored hair, goes from black to grey to buff.

For red coated dogs, we seek those without an extension of white fur on the face (cheeks) or the front chest. These dogs should have an overall rich red color but the intensity of the hue lacks clarity and appears somewhat dull. Red Shiba should have red on the bridge of their muzzle as well as the cheeks. The urajiro should not make the entire cheek white. White should only be on the inside of the leg, gradually the white goes to red. Clear, distinct borders are undesirable.
Furthermore, in red-coated Shiba, if the white fur on the front chest extends, it should not reach the shoulder joint, instead it stops just before the shoulder.
Hair is 3 banded, darkest color is at the top, followed by a medium color, to the lightest color at the root. Breeders need to pay attention to the eye dot size and the color under the eyes when breeding. Large eye dots and a lot of white under the eyes is undesirable. There has been a trend of too much white on the rear legs.
Sesame – even distribution of black hairs on the head, body, and legs. Shiba and Shikoku sesame are different. The underside of the tail in a sesame should be light in color. Sesame also needs ticking under the eyes.
Sashige – heavy concentrated black ticking on the back only is not good. The black ticking should be evenly distributed.
According to the standard, Nihon Ken* should have a stiff and straight outer coat, a soft and dense undercoat, and come in colors such as sesame, red, black (black and tan), brindle, and white (cream for Shiba). The coat quality and color should reflect the distinctive characteristics of Japanese dogs. *the original notes said Shiba Inu but the NIPPO standard is universal so using context clues, I’m understanding Shiba Inu as Nihon Ken is this situation.
In the 1980 resolution of the review committee, titled ‘Regarding the Arrangement of White Markings and Urajiro” (urajiro is the white markings on the underside). These markings, including facial saku (white hairs on the nasal bridge), front chest (surrounded by both shoulders), front and hind legs (socks), and the tip of the tail, are more appropriately referred to as roppaku (six white markings) rather than urajiro. These markings have a clear boundary between colored and white areas and align with the black and tan coat pattern, representing fixed markings. It is crucial not to confuse them with white spots or urajiro markings.

2.6 Tail problems

Dogs with tails that are not significantly erect are also weak. The standard states that the tails should be “thick and strong, with a sickle or curled tail, and almost reaching to the top of the hock.
The natural thickness of the tail is determined by the thickness of the tail vertebrae. In addition to the thickness of the vertebrae, the thickness of the tail hair (typically longer than the body hair) makes the tail appear even thicker.* It is natural for the normal thickness of the tail to be weak during the shedding season. Soft or uneven tail hair in undesirable. *I reworded what was written in the notes – the exact verbiage is this: to this is added the thickness of the longest tail hair when erect, making the tail appear even thicker.
The tail should be in good balance with the body – thick, well erect, rising from the base of the tail, and not cramped. A well-shaped tail that is suitable for the Shiba Inu is strong and expressive to the tip and allows the tail to uncurl when working is a good tail. (The original words: allows the tail original ability when working is a good tail. Tails will drop when hunting.)
Tail spacing – the space between the back to the tail (if curled): Shiba – golf ball, medium breeds – baseball, Akita – softball.
High tail sets are preferred. Meaning the tail base comes straight from the back.

On breeding

Improvement of defects (avoid repeating defects).
It is easy to break down a good trait, but it takes time and effort to restore it. Bred to improve, it is easy to lose a good trait through breeding and hard to breed back a lost trait.
Emphasis on pigmentation (fundamental mucosal pigmentation). It is easy to get caught up in coat color alone, but it is important to look at the overall pigmentation – inside the mouth, lips, anus. Coat color need to have an overall balance.
Skeletal structure – the importance of re-examining the skeletal structure of each part of the dog’s body.
The standard is EVERYTHING. To understand the Nihon Ken you have to know the standard.

Miscellaneous information shared in the seminar:

Judges judge from overall balance, then they go to the details of the dog and how they meet the standard. Temperament (attitude) is then judged after the detail judging. Judging the dog’s attitude allows you to see the dog’s true nature. Example: active, cheerful, or scared. After understanding the dog’s nature, the judge will nitpick based on the standard. (Not sure if it was Sato-san’s specific way of judging or is a general rule for NIPPO judges).
Rear dewclaws are acceptable. The Kishu Ken have rear dew claws more often as it comes from hunting. Rear dewclaws apparently lead to better balance when hunting through the mountains.

Breeding to Better or Preserve the Breed?

Posted on March 15, 2024 by boomlayshiba

I didn’t grow up in the dog world. We (as in my family) had a dog when I was younger, and I always dreamed of having multiple dogs that did different activities and were my best friends since I was eleven (I was either a really pathetic child or just a weirdo). I had no prior knowledge or experience of anything doggy besides what I read in books and imagined. At the age of 14 I felt the overwhelming desire to show dogs, as I believed the only reputable way to breed dogs was to show them first, then breed them. * I wouldn’t say I’m the smartest person out there, not even close. But I will say I thirst for the knowledge of things that I am interested in, and I get obsessive – I mean dedicated – very easily. I had to learn everything I could about the dog world through Google and good ole fashion books, as no one in my family raised, showed, or bred dogs. Everyone was very into mixed breeds and not buying dogs as there’s more than enough needing homes.

But I digress, when the show dog bug bit me it was in 2007 where the motto was very much ‘breed to improve/better the breed’. I went along with it; I mean nothing is perfect and anything can stand some improvement, ne? But the thought process shifted within the last, I’d say 5ish years. The new mantra was ‘preservation breeder’.

I mean, I’m no English scholar, but those sound rather contradictory to my hillbilly** self. Did we, as a collective whole, improve the breeds to the uttermost perfection in 12 years? Or did we realize there were no ‘real’ improvements to make?

I can see wanting to breed to improve health, especially in a breed that has many health issues (this statement is a general one and not about Shiba). You wouldn’t want to preserve life threatening issues in the name of the breed I would think (again, what do I know?). Breeding for improved temperament is also something I typically don’t have a problem with.*** And I think to an extent it needs to be done. I also support breeding to improve structure that allows the dog to, well dog, but when is it too much of a “good” thing? I personally believe breeding for type as an improvement runs into creating a breed that no longer resembles the breed it was intended to be and promotes hyper types that have no form or function except for being pleasing to the eye (beauty is in the eye of the beholder). Yes, we want all of our dogs to look nice, but give me a dog that can do its job or go hiking for 5 hours, still want to keep going and not break down over a cute little shell of a dog. I can breed a homely dog with good work ethic to a nice-looking dog to get nice dogs with a good work ethic.**** But you can’t breed pretty to pretty with 0 drive and expect a dog to be able to perform.

But preserving the breed as it was originally meant to be, while noble, seemed to have turned into an almost egotistical motive (hell, improving the breed is also egotistical as well). Preserving the breed should be about making sure a piece of history is able to out survive you for future generations to enjoy and embrace the cultural significance the breed bears. We shouldn’t be breeding to improve unless it directly correlates with providing the breed a better quality of life.

Then this is where things get hairy, there are some slight improvements that need to be made per individual dog, as no living organism is perfect, but typically as a whole does the breed need it? You might want to improve a dog’s front assembly so it moves more efficiently and can go hiking for 5 hours or be able to chase prey with better endurance. So, you plan a breeding with the hopes of improving that dog, or maybe in essence, that line to make a more ‘functional’ dog. Is it improving the breed overall?

Some might say, well yes Alexis, that is improving the breed as you fixed the problem in this new dog and this new dog will contribute to the gene pool. But how much will it contribute to the gene pool? If a dog, potentially more than a bitch, but is that individual dog really going to make that much of a difference? Will it be paired up with others that compliment and promote that improvement, affecting more than just a line?

With that train of thought, every time there is a deviation of the standard of said breed and that dog is being bred, is it ruining the breed as a whole or just damning that new dog/line? We dog people all know what happens with popular sire syndrome, there’s good and bad. From personal opinion I’ve seen breeders talk about improving their chosen breed. They have a picture in their mind of what is perfect, which honestly is understandable as standards are open to interpretation and I have found out that many people’s reading comprehension level isn’t where its suppose***** to be and opinions on what are moderate angles seem to differ between individuals, thus making an individual’s ideal/perfect dog differ from the other breeder – which leads to a lot of confusion. But what I find frustrating is the talk of preserving the breed as it was intended with no back up to said claim. Either the dogs don’t have the drive or they do not look like what the country of origin promotes. Last time I checked the Shiba does not belong to me, I did not write the standard. The Nihon Ken Hozonkai (NIPPO) did. What gives me the right to deviate from the standard they composed in order to preserve the native Japanese dogs in their truest form?

My goal, as a breeder (even though I have taken a huge step back for personal reasons), is to preserve the Shiba as it was intended to be, in both looks and in drive. I’m not erasing the almost 100 years of work****** that the NIPPO did. I’m not going to disregard the Japan’s clear wishes in promoting a dog that deviates from the original breeders’ and organization’s hard work. I want future generations to enjoy the Shiba and Kishu as I have, to understand the uniqueness of the breeds, and not turn them into generic dogs. I want to keep this living piece of history alive and functioning as long as I can. Is it egotistical? Maybe, but I feel like I’m doing this out of love and a fear of Japan losing some part of its cultural heritage.

EDITED IMG_4481 — Delilah & Tsubaki playing. May 2022

*Oh my, how that has changed, but again, a topic for another time.

** I’m totally not a hillbilly, as I am not from a mountainous backwoods region. Plus, as it was pointed out my accent is a “store brand fabricated twang”.

*** When I say breeding to improve or better a temperament, I’m talking about creating stable temperaments as a majority of puppies will go to pet owners who may not have the means to handle a difficult dog. It is our duty as responsible breeders to produce sound dogs that will be able to live safely with their owner and in society. Do not agree with watering down temperaments to where anyone can own a dog, as you lose that uniqueness of the breed and just have a generic dog wearing said breed clothing. Unfortunately, it is a very fine line and very few people understand it, it seems. There needs to be a happy medium. Once again, a whole other topic for a different post.

****I know that isn’t exactly how genetics work, but its more of a best case/hope for the best scenario. I would expect some drive put back into the gene pool with this kind of breeding truthfully. But I’m just a young woman with a computer and a passion for words, what can I possibly know?

***** Wow I’m sounding really mean…

****** The Shiba Inu along with the other native Nihon Ken are NOT thousands of years old. They are NOT from the Jomen period, but their ancestors were. There were no breeds, there were not standards, just landrace hunting dogs secluded by geography in different areas of Japan. You cannot have a breed without a written standard. I promise you thousands of years ago there were no written standards for the dogs. The standards of these breeds were written from 1934 – 1936, the founders of the breeders were hunting dogs from the mountains. They were designated by size, small, medium, and large, and later became refined due to the standards set forth by NIPPO.

NIPPO Grand National 2023

Posted on November 22, 2023 by boomlayshiba

Part of the fun of freezing my Florida butt off in Japan, in November is to go to the NIPPO Grand National. This show is held yearly, and this is the first time I’ve been back to Japan since 2019.

Plans got weird, so I made last minute plans to crash a Shiba group in order to go. That included a 4 hour train ride from where I’m staying in Minamiboso City to Narita airport. Due to the nature of living in a rural area, I had to wake up early to make sure I got all my connecting trains to the airport. I left the house at 7am and arrived at the airport at 11am. My flight didn’t leave until 8:55 but due to the schedules, it was better to be way early. I landed at Kansai airport at 10:30pm, took a short train ride to the hotel & fell asleep after midnight (the latest I’ve stayed up since arriving). I had one day to recuperate (which I spent going to the Osaka Pokémon Center & surprise getting lost per usual). Sunday morning was an early morning, we got up at 5am & there were more trains (several hours of riding in them) as well as a taxi ride to the show site.

Luckily for me, it wasn’t too cold, but I was bundled up to the point I’m sure people were wondering why I was so bundled it. It was great seeing the dogs, meeting new people, and just visiting an area I’ve never spent time in.

I also made the journey to Wakayama as in the recent years I’ve taken a special interest in another Nihon Ken – the Kishu Ken. Wakayama is one of the 2 places deemed the birthplace of the Kishu Ken (the other being Mie) since I was in the Kansai due to the NIPPO Grand National I figured I might as well visit. I wasn’t sure if I’d find anything Kishu related as my plans were to visit Momijidani Teien garden, Wakayama castle, & Wakayama Castle Park Zoo, but indeed I did.

Wakayama’s mascot is a Kishu named Ki-Chan. There were keychains, magnets, cookies, stickers, & a shirt with Ki-Chan on it. There were also Kishu on a couple different advertisements. But the icing on the cake was Wakayama Castle Park Zoo actually had Kishu! I was looking for the castle, thinking I’d spend more time at the zoo, so I wanted to do that last, but I got to the zoo first (didn’t realize I needed to climb up the mountain for the castle). The zoo is tiny & that’s all I’m going to comment on about it. As I left from one of several entrances/exists I noticed a brochure with 2 Kishu on them. I opened it up & it said there’s a meet & greet with the Kishu at 11! It was 10:40 so I waited around to see them. I really think it’s amazing the amount of pride Japan has for its native breeds. I have yet to encounter another breed/breed group of dogs saturated in so much cultural significance.

Anyway, here are some of my favorite pictures from the Grand National – 10 out of 341! These ones were slightly edited to enhance the colors. Here is also a link to the public Facebook album.

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Here are pictures from the Wakayama Castle Park Zoo Kishu Ken. Also an informational link about the Kishu Ken who desperately in need more fanciers as it’s an endangered breed!

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Hopefully this post is coherent as I just got back to home base. The flight was the easy part, the 4 & ½ hours of trains, then a bus, then walking up a mountain isn’t necessarily my idea of fun but hey I did it & I didn’t get lost!

Ōkami no Bourei

Posted on December 8, 2022 by boomlayshiba

Thanks to my Asian Humanities class this semester, I was required to pick one cultural aspect from a country of my choosing in Asia, to write a research paper that was a minimum of 5 pages long with at least 6 academic resources. Challenge accepted. Since Nihon Ken did not have 6 academic sources I went with the next best thing – Japanese wolves with tying wolves to Japanese dogs.

Without further ado here is my research paper – formatted as my professor asked. Spoiler alert – I received 110% on this paper!

Some still say they can hear the howl of the long extinct Honshu wolf in the isolated mountainous forests of Japan. Some stand idly, glass eyes watching descents of the humans who at one time revered it and in turn, extinguished it. The lucky ones still haunt Japan’s forests, streets, and households. Some of the fortunate ones have even found themselves halfway across the world enjoying the spoils of domestication. The Ōkami no bourei – ghost of the wolf – still roams Japan today.

Japan at one time had two grey wolf subspecies, the Honshu wolf that was located on Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu areas and the Ezo wolf that lived in Hokkaido (Knight, 2006, p.3). The last Honshu wolf died in Japan in 1905, the species became extinct due to the epidemic of contagious diseases like rabies and distemper while the Ezo wolf was hunted to extinction around 1868 – 1912 due to livestock operations taking place in Hokkaido (Knight, 1997). The Japanese wolf was not viewed as a murderous or criminal individual as its cousins of the west were perceived. It was viewed as an important mountain spirit (yama no kami) as it kept away destructive wildlife such as deer and boar from crop fields. In Japan there are several Shinto shrines that have the wolf as its otsukai, which is a messenger to the gods/divine spirits (kami). The Mitsumine shrine in Saitama is one of the most famous shrines to have an ōkami no otsukai. Ōkami, which is Japanese for wolf, phonetically means great deity, which rooted the animal in a mainly positive light in Japanese history (Walker, 2005, p. 69). This might have led to its significance in one aspect of Japanese culture that is not commonly talked about.

Perhaps, only to me, what is really fascinating about the Japanese wolf is the fact that it seems to be so interwoven in Japanese dog culture and history. According to modern research, the Japanese wolf might actually be one of the closest relatives to dogs, as its DNA differs (like domestic dogs) from the modern Grey wolf. With the help of genome sequencing, scientist were able to find that the Siberian wolf’s evolutionary pathway split, one way leading to the Japanese wolf while the other to the dog. This is one of the first times that wolf DNA was found to be so closely related to dog DNA (Gamillo, 2021). Early visitors of Japan even commented how Nihon Ken, “looked and acted more like wolves…” (Walker, 2005, p.52). In Walker’s book “The Lost Wolves of Japan” backs up the modern claim, stating that DNA testing does not yield definitive distinctions between Japanese dogs and wolves is most likely due to the fact that Japanese breeds such as the Shiba Inu or Akita Inu are not only phenotypically similar to wolves, but they can also be considered one of the closest genetic relatives to wolves and nomadic pariah dogs (p. 26). Although an opposing side to this comes from Knight’s book “Waiting for Wolves in Japan”. He claims that there is a widespread assumption that waken are descendants of the Japanese wolf. Even though, at the time the book was published (2006), it was believed that the native dogs of Japan, the waken, were actually descendants of wolves from the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia (p. 210). But current research, at this time, has debunked that thought process. The new DNA evidence suggest that the Grey wolf species that dogs are descended from actually come from east Asia., not from the Middle East as originally thought. This wolf line eventually migrated to Japan and there is some evidence that the Japanese wolf line did interbreed with the dog line prior to it reaching Japan (Yirka, 2021). But new information was found in the regards of the still unknown origin of the Japanese wolf. It follows the thought that the Japanese wolf is a hybrid between a giant Pleistocene wolf and unknown wolf variant. The unknown wolf variant could have been responsible for the small size, as it is theorized to be small as well (Takashi, 2022). The Pleistocene wolves were much larger than the Japanese wolves, they reached 70 centimeters in height. DNA from a female Pleistocene wolf skull and DNA from a male Japanese wolf skull showed that the Japanese wolf was genetically related to the Pleistocene wolf lineage (Martin, 2022).

Nonetheless, the Japanese wolf and the Nihon Ken culture are still intertwined with each other. The yamainu were originally developed for hunting. Even hunting terminology relates to the Japanese wolf and the hunting style of the yamainu. Ōkamiryō which translates to wolf hunting, is a technique to hunt wild boar. The hunting group fans out to surround the boar while the dogs prevent the boar’s escape. This hunting style is believed to mimic the hunting abilities of a wolf pack. Another term for this hunting technique is called ōkamioi, which translates to wolf chasing (Knight, 2006, p. 210).

Alexis Scan 1 - colored — Kishu Ken holding a boar. Art by Alexis Amerosa

One of Japan’s tennen kinenbutsu, or national treasures is the Kishu Ken. The Kishu Ken is a medium sized Nihon Ken that retained subarashii yaseimi, or wonderful wildness in both looks and spirit. A well-known folklore dedicated specifically to the Kishu Ken is the story of a hunter who stumbles upon a sick wolf in the forest. He discovers what is ailing the wolf is a bone lodged in her throat. He bravely sticks his hand in the wolf’s mouth, freeing her of the bone. As a thank you, she later gifts one of her pups to the hunter, the pup, in turn becomes an amazing boar hunter and becomes the forefather of the Kishu Ken. Due to this legend, even modern-day hunters believe that the Kishu has wolf’s blood coursing through their veins. Wolf themed names for Kishu Ken are fairly common, (Knight, 2006, p. 210 – 211). Kishu Ken breeders also tend to choose a wolf themed name for their kennel as well. Kishu Ken are still regarded as phenomenal hunters, the phrase ichijyu ikku translates to one gun, one dog, is used to describe the hunting techniques of a Kishu. Simply put, you only need one dog (Kishu) and one gun to have a successful hunt, as Kishu are so skillful with hunting no other breed can compete (Nihonken Hozonkai). The Kishu Ken was given the status of tennen kinenbutsu in 1934 by Nikon Ken Hozonkai (NIPPO), or the Japanese Dog Preservation Society (Nihonken Hozonkai). Ironically enough, the Kishu Ken was developed in the Kii Peninsula, (Chiba, 2003, p. 47) where not only was the last wolf of Japan was killed in 1905 but there are also numerous ‘wolf’ sightings and claims of wolf hybrids (Knight, 2006, p.195 – 196).

Another breed of Nihon Ken that has wolf heritage is the Ainu or Hokkaido Ken. The Hokkaido Ken is considered to be the oldest of the Nihon Ken. They are the medium sized dogs that the Ainu (the indigenous people of Japan) took with them when they were forced from the main island of Japan to settle in Hokkaido thousands of years ago (Dowdy, 2020). The Ainu’s lifestyle relied heavily on hunting due to the short summers and harsh long winters of Hokkaido. They needed hardy dogs that could withstand the extreme cold, as well as have a strong sense of tenacity and vigilance as they were used for hunting bear (Chiba, 2003, p. 50). The Ainu appreciated the hunting skills of the wolf so much that they tried to reproduce the wolf’s traits into their dogs through intentional and unintentional breedings. One account of this cross breeding was in 1792 in Sōya, Hokkaido. An Ainu bitch went into the mountains while she was in heat and mated with a wolf. She returned to the post and whelped three puppies. The wolf sire also periodically ventured into the post, extremely wary of the village life. Eventually the wolf and bitch took the puppies back into the mountains, with the bitch visiting periodically until she was killed in the mountains (Walker, 2005, p. 85 – 86). The Ainu were claimed to make no distinction in regard to wolves and dogs, as they were one in the same. The Ainu considered them as wolves when they behaved as wolves in the wilds of the mountains but as dogs in the villages where they were in the company of humans. The behavior and location of the animals dictated what they were considered. (Walker, 2005, p.87)

Alexis Scan 2 - colored — Shiba Inu flushing a pheasant. Art by Alexis Amerosa

The Shiba Inu, while not directly linked with any wolf folklore, has been considered one of the breeds closely related to the wolf. One has to question if this is due to the fact that the smallest of the Nihon Ken is so popular both in and out of Japan, making it readily available for DNA testing or is there a little more behind it than originally thought? Skeletal remains of Japanese wolves have been found buried in archaeological sites from the Jomon period (10,000 – 250 B.C.) (Ishiguro, 2009). But the same claim is made about the Shiba Inu, as skeletal remains of dogs with the close resemblance of the Shiba Inu has been uncovered at Jomon archaeological sites as well (Chiba, 2003, p. 44). These skeletal remains of Jomon dogs gave rise to a new line of Shiba, modeled after the bone structure of these remains. Interestingly enough, the Jomon Shiba have been shown to have less copies of the amylase gene (gene used to in starch digestion, like rice) as compared to the modern Shiba Inu. Theories behind this is rice farming might have been introduced sooner to the area where Shiba might have originated from versus where the Jomon Shiba originated from (Tonoike, 2015). But could selecting for phenotype possibly have an effect on the genotype of the Jomon Shiba, especially in regard to amylase gene? The Jomon Shiba was recreated from modern Shiba Inu for the specific look of ancient waken. Could this unintentional selection lead to more “wolf” like DNA, leading to smaller numbers of genes that digest starch, as dogs evolved to be able to consume starches through domestication?

Japanese wolves were not big wolves, they are actually smaller than any subspecies of Canis lupus. This is due to the island effect where large animals are dwarfed to adapt to the environment (Walker, 2005, p. 48 – 49). The Japanese wolf’s height at the shoulder is recorded as slightly taller than 30 centimeters (Knight, 2006, p. 194) while the standard for a Shiba Inu bitch is 36.5 centimeters (Nihon Ken Hozonkai). Due to the fact that yamainu and ōkami were not differentiated by the Japanese, some of the claimed to be wolf skulls were actually mountain dog skulls (Ishiguro, 2009). Genetic research has found multiple genes in the Shiba Inu that determine smaller body size, as the study used both the Shiba Inu and the bastardization of the Shiba called the mame Shiba (Lyu, 2021). There has been a deliberate selection to try to produce a slightly smaller “breed” of Shiba. The Nihon Ken Hozonkai strongly opposes alterations of tennen kinenbutsu breeds, such as the Shiba Inu, as the Nihon Ken Hozonkai’s mission is to preserve Japanese native breeds as the breeds are a cultural asset that was close to extinction after World War II (Nihon Ken Hozonkai). Mapping the genomes of both Shiba did lead to an interesting study that the small size in mammals is controlled multiple genes, as both Shiba are genetically similar. This makes me wonder, due to the Shiba’s claimed genetic closeness to the wolf, the Japanese wolf’s genetic closeness to domestic dogs, and the fact that both yamainu and ōkami skulls were found at Jomon archeological sites, could the possibility of cross breeding of the waken and Japanese wolf led to the Shiba’s small size?

Even though there are claims of Japanese wolves stealthy still roaming Japan’s mountainous regions, in reality, the possibility of wolves evading human contact for 117 years seems extremely unlikely. In 1996, Hiroshi Yagi saw a wolf like canine in Chichibu, an area that is traditionally considered the wolf worship center of the Kanto region. The animal was short legged, pointy eared and had a black tail tip. The pictures of this animal were sent to Yoshinori Imaizumi who is Japan’s lead wolf researcher. The animal was dubbed the Chichibu Yaken (wild dog) (Martin, 2019). Another ‘wolf’ encounter happened in 2000 in the Fukuoka Prefecture. A man photographed a medium sized canine with pricked ears and a coat of black and grey. The photo also shown to Imaizumi who said it did resemble a wolf. Naoki Maruyama of the Tokyo College of Agriculture and Industry claimed that the ‘wolf’ looked more like a German Shepherd mix. (Walker, 2005, p. 24 – 26) Although looking at the photo myself, it looks like a Shikoku Ken, one of Japanese waken and a breed erroneously called the Japanese wolfdog. Unfortunately, there is no verified evidence of the Japanese wolf, all that is left of the species are taxidermy specimens located in the National Museum of Nature and Science (Tokyo), The University of Tokyo (Tokyo), Wakayama Prefectural Museum of Nature History (Wakayama), and the National Museum of Natural History (Leiden, Netherlands) (Ishiguro, 2016). The closest one can get to interacting with a Japanese wolf would be through Nihon Ken. Besides being phenotypically and genotypically close the wolf, the Nihon Ken do share some behavioral patterns of wolves. Studies have shown that Nihon Ken typically sought out owner attention less frequently than European/western breeds (Nagasawa, 2017), similar to how a wolf, even when raised by humans does not necessarily seek out human attention or seek out eye contact. Edward Morse, an American zoologist at Tokyo University stated that Japanese breeds are of the “wolf variety”, claiming that they howl instead of bark due to the state of semi feralness. Even Darwin commented that “… dogs relapse from their cultivated state to a semi-savage one, they lose the bark and take on the howl again.” (Walker, 2005, p.52).

History is what makes culture. The Japanese wolf has left its mark in both religious context and beliefs, as well as branding itself in Japanese dog culture. The Nihon Ken boast as rich and unique cultural aspect due to the ōkami folklore that surrounds the waken. Something that most other breeds cannot claim.

Works Cited

Chiba, M. (2003) Japanese Dogs: Akita, Shiba, and other breeds.

Dowdy, S. (2020 December 4). “A guide to 8 Japanese Dog Breeds (and one imposter)” https://www.dailypaws.com/living-with-pets/pet-compatibility/japanese-dog-breeds

Gamillo, E. (2021 October 21). “Ancient Japanese Wolves may be the closest wild relative of modern dogs” https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-japanese-wolves-may-be-the-closest-wild-relative-of-modern-dogs-180978907/

Ishiguro, I., Y., & Sasaki, M. (2017). “Computed tomography examination and mitochondrial DNA analysis of Japanese wolf skull covered with skin.” Journal of Veterinary Medical Science, 79(1), 14–17. https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.16-0429

Ishiguro N., Inoshima, Y., Shigehara, N. “Mitochondrial DNA Analysis of the Japanese Wolf (Canis Lupus Hodophilax Temminck, 1839) and comparison with representative wolf and domestic dog Haplotypes,” Zoological Science, 26(11), 765-770, (1 November 2009) https://bioone.org/journals/zoological-science/volume-26/issue-11/zsj.26.765/Mitochondrial-DNA-Analysis-of-the-Japanese-Wolf-Canis-Lupus-Hodophilax/10.2108/zsj.26.765.full?tab=ArticleLink

Knight, J. (1997). “On the extinction of the Japanese Wolf.” Asian Folklore Studies, 56(1), 129+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A700112712/AONE?u=lincclin_hcc&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=6240b0eb

Knight, J. (2006). Waiting for Wolves in Japan. University of Hawai’i Press.

Lyu, F., C., Zhu, S., Ren, S., Dang, W., Irwin, D. M., Wang, Z., & Zhang, S. (2021). “Whole genome sequencing reveals signatures for artificial selection for different sizes in Japanese primitive dog breeds.” Frontiers in Genetics, 12, 671686–671686. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2021.671686

Martin, A. (2019 May 25). “In search of Japan’s extinct wolves: sightings of a mysterious canine in Chichibu have been captivating animal enthusiasts.” https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2019/05/25/environment/search-japans-extinct-wolves-sightings-mysterious-canine-chichibu-captivating-animal-enthusiasts/

Martin, A. (2022, May 11) “Researchers trace the evolutionary origins of the Japanese wolf.” https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/05/11/national/japanese-wolf-dna-origins/#:~:text=These%20findings%20suggest%20that%20Pleistocene,formation%20of%20the%20Japanese%20wolf.

Nagasawa, O, M., Mogi, K., & Kikusui, T. (2017). “Intranasal Oxytocin treatment increases eye-gaze behavior toward the owner in ancient Japanese dog breeds.” Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1624–1624. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01624

Nihon Ken Hozonkai. (2022) http://www.nihonken-hozonkai.or.jp/

Takaishi, R. (2022, June 13) “DNA study offers third theory on origin of extinct Japanese wolf.” https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14630604

Tonoike, Hori, Y., Inoue‐Murayama, M., Konno, A., Fujita, K., Miyado, M., Fukami, M., Nagasawa, M., Mogi, K., & Kikusui, T. (2015). “Copy number variations in the amylase gene (AMY2B) in Japanese native dog breeds.” Animal Genetics, 46(5), 580–583. https://doi.org/10.1111/age.12344

Walker, B. (2005). The Lost Wolves of Japan. University of Washington Press.

Yirka, B. (2021, October 21). “DNA shows Japanese wolf closest relative of domestic dogs.” Phys.org – Science and Technology News. https://phys.org/news/2021-10-dna-japanese-wolf-closest-relative.htm

Hunting with Nihon Ken

Posted on March 17, 2018March 17, 2018 by boomlayshiba

3A0035E4-0F1B-4E6F-A3C3-245B4813A2FF — Baron and Shigeru after successfully taking a 60kg (132.3lbs) male boar. This is probably the most dangerous size of boar due to their razor sharp tusks, the boar’s speed and mobility.

Shigeru Kato is an important member of the Nihon Ken community. He helps with the exportation of Japanese dogs to breeders not located in Japan. He has a website dedicated to promoting and preserving the six native Japanese dog breeds (JapanDogExport.com). He also has a an informational blog that includes subjects such as registration numbers in the Nihon Ken, available dogs for export, and hunting news/information (The Nihon Ken Blog).
Since I knew Shigeru was an avid hunter I asked him a couple of questions in regard to hunting with Nihon Ken and he generously allowed me to share a blog post he wrote about hunting with Nihon Ken.

1. What made you decide to start hunting with Nihonken? Were you a hunter before you started using dogs? What’s the difference between using dogs for hunting versus hunting solo?

Other than my first season as a hunter (when my first dog was still a pup), I’ve always hunted with dogs. I started hunting to begin with because I wanted to get away from eating factory farmed meat. With the increasing number of boar and deer in Japan, an aging population of hunters, and widespread crop damage, hunting was the no brainer alternative.

I’ve always loved sneaking around watching wild animals, I used to do a lot of stalking just for fun, so the first hunting season was pretty much just an extension of that, only I was carrying a shotgun now. Here in Japan if you’re going to hunt wild boar and be successful at it, you need to use dogs or you’ll never see them. They’re generally nocturnal over here, and we’re only allowed to hunt from sun up to sun down.

I’ve always loved dogs, so getting to choose a breed was a lot of fun. In the end it came down to a simple idea that the hunting breeds that had evolved for thousands of years here in Japan were probably best suited to the game and terrain.

I can’t really speak to the difference between hunting with or without dogs. What I will say is that hunting with your own dogs is an amazing adventure, and once things start to click and you’re hunting as a real team it’s quite a magical experience.

2. How do you train Nihonken for hunting?

Being a primitive hunting breed, hunting is mostly instinctual. A pup has it bred into it, or it doesn’t. More than actual training to hunt, I work on the important things to be able to hunt safely with them. You obviously want a dog that has some semblance of a recall, is socialized and not going to be aggressive toward strangers (and hopefully not toward strange dogs either, but that’s a bit more difficult with the Nihon Ken), and will hunt fairly close to you. I’m basically going through simple obedience training with pups from when they’re 2 months old, socializing them a lot, getting them used to the smells of the game we’ll be hunting, playing and walking off leash a lot, and as they get older, learning how to move around obstacles in the mountains.

As they get from 8 months to a year old, I’ll introduce them to a live boar. Since we trap nuisance animals in the neighborhood (around 70 this past fiscal year), that’s often their first experience is to see a boar in a box trap. I want the dog to be aware of the boar, wary at first, and then hopefully to vocalize a bit (but that’s not a deal breaker for the first time). If a dog gets it right away and is moving around the boar with a lot of barking, the next experience will be to take them to a facility that has boar in a large pen. Here I want to imprint on the dog that boar is definitely what we’re after, and that they are dangerous, so be careful.

Once I’ve gotten to this point, it’s just about getting out in the mountains with them a lot. Experience is the best teacher, and it’s all about repetition.

3. What in your opinion makes a good hunting dog? What do you look for when selecting a hunting dog?

There’s a term in the Nihon Ken standard, ‘Ryo-sei’. I translate it to mean a dog with a good balanced temperament. I think a dog with ryo-sei makes a great hunting companion and a great pet as well. A good hunting dog is going to help you bring back meat for the table, is going to stay out of the way of injury, and help you hunt safely (that means you and other people/dogs you meet). This dog will switch it on in the mountains, but is just as comfortable switching off back at home and curling up by the fire.

When selecting a dog for hunting, I’m looking for a curious, even tempered dog that bounces back from surprising noises quickly (but is not oblivious to them). Obviously I need a curious dog that has some drive to hunt. An even tempered dog will be a joy to own, and if the dog doesn’t work out as a hunter, finding a new home will be easy. Bouncing back from negative experiences quickly is important when hunting boar, since they are dangerous game, charge a lot, and put a lot of pressure on the dogs.

4. What was/is your most memorable experience you had hunting with your dogs?

I’m not sure if they are the most memorable because they were special, or because my memory is fading, but there were two hunts from this last season that come to mind. The first was the most perfect and clean boar hunt I’ve been on bar none. I had my two Kishu with me, Baron and his daughter Karen, and within 5 minutes we were dragging out a 125kg boar. The dogs had picked up the scent immediately after we left the car, I took the high ground, and they had this mountain of a boar locked down right where he had been sleeping in thick bamboo cover. The dogs were baying and tustling together as a perfect team, I slipped in and one head shot later the boar was down.

The other hunt was a month or so later. Baron got very seriously injured this season when we were jumped by a large group of monkeys, so I had to start hunting the younger dogs more. Without much expectation I took Karen and Rin (young Shikoku female) out together as a pack, and that first day was shocking. They got on a boar right away, it got away, but 20 minutes later they were on another, and the day kept going like that. They were growing by leaps and bounds as a little hunting pack right before my eyes, and I was so proud of them. To see the dog’s genetics come through in dogs you produce is amazing.

5. Do you have any words of wisdom in regards to owners wanting to hunt with their Nihonken or why keeping the hunting “spirit”/prey drive is important for the Nihonken?

Well to borrow the words of an old NIPPO judge, a Nihon Ken that doesn’t hunt is not a true Nihon Ken. They’re a working breed, and since our goal here in Japan is preservation, that means preservation of not just the ‘look’ of the breed, but its temperament and working ability as well. To truly appreciate and understand the totality of the Nihon Ken, one must understand and respect its heritage. The traits that draw us to these breeds are there because of generations upon generations of selection, some of it human, but much of it natural, which created this magnificent, yet primitive hunter. If we are to preserve these breeds, selecting only for show will destroy them, leaving only a shell, a beautiful dog that has lost its soul.

As far as advice for owners that are thinking about hunting with their dogs, I would say it is extremely rewarding. You will experience an amazing bond as you learn to hunt together as a team. There an immense amount of joy that I feel just watching my dogs running through the mountains. They’re enjoying themselves to the fullest, free to dog. But here is where my advice comes in. Hunting is a life and death experience, for the animals you are hunting, and for you and your dog. It is a serious thing, not to be taken lightly. Make sure you’re ready to be out there physically and mentally to back up your dog, and make sure your dog is also physically prepared to be out there, and has the experience necessary to be as safe as possible.

230C02AC-8B88-42FB-9078-B6B0BE4D6D00 — Two Kishu working a boar. The Nihon Ken tend to hunt well in male/female pairs

Hunting and the Nihon Ken
By Shigeru Kato

The Japanese dog is first and foremost, a hunting dog. It is often said that a Nihon Ken that does not hunt, is not a true Nihon Ken. Hunting is the sole reason these breeds were born, and it is the reason they still exist today. The entire standard for these breeds was written to preserve the traits seen in a sound working dog. Temperament should be strong and bold, but balanced with calm confidence, as the words ‘kan-i’ and ‘ryosei’ in the standard suggest. Structure should be athletic, showing strength, power, and agility, while movement should be light. And finally, ‘soboku’ describes the aura and look of the Japanese dog. It can be translated to mean an unadorned beauty, not showy or flashy, but having a natural and simplistic beauty. The hunting Nihon Ken is a beautiful animal.

Unfortunately the Nihon Ken of today is primarily bred for show, leading to a decrease in the number of capable working dogs. With the decrease in hunters in Japan, more and more dogs are bred with non-functional structure and temperaments. In Japan, the modern hunter more often than not owns one of the many purpose bred western breeds for hunting, and big game hunters often use ‘ji-inu’ which translates to ‘local dog’. These breeds are often loosely based on the original Nihon Ken, which makes sense since the 6 Nihon Ken breeds were originally formed from dogs bought (or stolen!) from mountain hunters. These ji-inu are a mix and match of many breeds, and some also include blood from western breeds like hounds.
The hunting style in Japan has also changed over the years. Gone is the ‘matagi’ of old, the subsistence hunters who hunted large game, usually alone, and often with only 1 or 2 dogs. Today’s hunter usually hunts in large group hunts (not unlike European driven hunts), with packs of dogs that flush out prey. The matagi hunted in a style known as ‘nagashi-ryo’ where the hunter and dog work together as a team, the dog keeping in close proximity to, and regularly checking in with, the hunter as they walked through the mountain, often for many miles.

The Nihon Ken is a hot nosed breed, meaning it only reacts to hot (fresh) tracks. The dog’s job is to find the desired game, and to flush and then hold it at bay till the hunter arrives. Western breeds are often bred to a single hunting skill set. In the case of boar dogs for example, they can usually be split into catch dogs, and bay dogs (dogs that either attack and bite the boar to stop it, or dogs that run around the boar barking and dodging its charges). The Nihon Ken however is a different animal. These breeds are intelligent, with a strong prey drive, coupled with a strong natural survival instinct. They also have a great capacity to learn from experience. Dogs often develop their own balanced hunting style, combing baying with nipping and catching when necessary to stop the boar from running. They will also adjust their attack based on their evaluation of the strength of their quarry. One can often see a seasoned hunting Nihon Ken sizing up its opponent even before it can see it, based entirely on the animal’s scent.
A professional hunter like the matagi had no interest in aggressive or overly forward dogs that would continually become injured when tackling dangerous game. They prized quality dogs that could be hunted solo or in pairs. More dogs means more mouths to feed, and for a matagi living in a small mountain community, feeding a large group of dogs would have required too much effort. The term ‘ichijyu ikku’ means ‘one gun, one dog’ essentially describing the matagi way of hunting. One man, and one dog, successfully bringing home meat for the table. A dog that can be hunted solo with a high success rate is a prized possession even today.
Each of the Nihon Ken specialized in hunting the type of prey inhabiting their region of origin. The Kai hunted Kamoshika (Chamois) high in the mountains of Yamanashi prefecture, which is why the breed is still the most agile of the Nihon Ken, and a terrific climber. Owners of the breed can attest to the breed’s seeming love of heights and climbing, which make it a very difficult dog to keep confined. The Kishu were big game hunters, specializing in stopping boar in the mountains of Wakayama prefecture, and to this day many in the breed retain the temperament and instinct necessary to hunt this dangerous game. The breed is confident and not overly excitable, but once they are focused on their prey, they are fearless with seemingly endless stamina. The Shikoku hunted big game as well, in the high mountains known as the ‘Tibet of Japan’ on Shikoku island. Their athleticism, high energy, and tenacity are still evident in the breed today. The Shiba was used for hunting small game and birds, which means a fast, energetic dog was preferred. The Hokkaido specialized in hunting the dangerous Brown Bear, meaning a highly vocal and tenacious hunter, with the build and strength to move quickly through deep snow, was required. They also needed enough speed to hunt the large Ezo deer native to Hokkaido. The Akita, while greatly changed today from its ancestor the Matagi Ken, was once a medium sized hunting breed, working large game in the snowy mountainous north of Honshu.

While to my mind all the breeds have their specialties when it comes to hunting, truth be told all 6 of the Japanese breeds were all round hunters. A subsistence hunter is not too particular about what he puts on the table, and the Nihon Ken of today will hunt just about anything it is allowed to. I have seen Shiba working boar, Kai hunting birds, Kishu hunting bear, Akita hunting boar, Hokkaido hunting boar, and Shikoku hunting badgers. These are intelligent, athletic, and versatile hunters.
To truly appreciate and understand the totality of the Nihon Ken, one must understand and respect its heritage. The traits that draw us to these breeds are there because of generations upon generations of selection, some of it human, but much of it natural, which created this magnificent, yet primitive hunter. If we are to preserve these breeds, selecting only for show will destroy them, leaving only a shell, a beautiful dog that has lost its soul.

B7AF90F6-FD45-4011-8827-BD5EDA4F1561 — “We hunt from the high ground as it gives the hunter and dog the advantage of moving down hill. If the boar runs, the dog will often be able to stop the boar again once they reach the bottom of the gully.”

86DD8991-5BF8-4ED7-9B25-03A71E5F1AEE — The Shikoku is a tenacious hunter with a higher pitched bark and is less gritty than the Kishu