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Breed Characteristics
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Kai Ken
| Other Names | Kai |
| Nicknames | Tora Inu or Tiger Dog |
| Country of Origin | Japan |
| Weight | 25 – 55 lbs (11 – 25 kg) |
| Height (at withers) | Males: 20 – 22 in. (50 – 56 cm) Females: 18 – 20 in. (45 – 51 cm) |
| Coat | The double-coat is of harsh texture and medium length. |
| Colour | Kai Kens come in various shades of brindle (tiger stripes). The red is the Aka-tora, the black is the Kuro-tora and between them, the Chu-tora. Puppies are born a solid colour and their brindle markings develop as they age, sometimes taking as long as five years before fully showing. |
| Litter Size | 3 - 6 puppies |
| Life Span | 12 - 15 years |
| Origin & History | The Kai Ken is considered to be the most ancient, and purest dog breed in Japan. It was developed in the isolated district of Kai (Yamanashi Prefecture) as a hunting dog. Kai were used to hunt boar and deer. This breed was designated a natural monument in Japan in 1934. In popular culture; Many Kai Kens play important roles in the Yoshihiro Takahashi's series Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin and its sequel, Ginga Densetsu Weed, including the brothers Kurotora, Chūtora, and Akatora. In the sequel, Ginga Densetsu Weed, Kurotora's son, Kagetora, stars as an important character, with his less prominently featured brothers, Harutora and Nobutora, and cousins Dodo, Buru, Shōji, and Shigure. Another Yoshihiro Takahashi's manga, Kacchū no Senshi Gamu featured a villainous Kai Ken named Gama. Chu, a Canine Warrior from the 2006 video game Ōkami, is also a Kai Ken |
| Personality | The Kai Ken is intelligent, agile, alert and brave. They are natural hunters and make good watch dogs, being reserved with strangers but loyal to their families. They are friendly, often good with children and are not usually aggressive towards other dogs. Many love to swim, and have been known to cross rivers and climb trees while chasing their prey. |
Care Requirements
| Health | There are no known breed-specific health concerns. |
| Grooming | This breed will heavily shed their fur in the seasons of spring and fall, which requires more grooming attention than other seasons. It is important that owners use the correct tool in order to avoid harming the skin and facilitate grooming. |
| Exercise | They require a lot of exercise. At least one hour a day of some type of one-on-one activity along with a daily walk or jog where the dog is made to heel beside or behind the human holding the lead. Never in front as instinct tells a dog that the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the humans. This breed was bred as a working dog, and will do best and be happiest with some type of job to do or some type of one-on-one game with the owner. |
| Other Considerations | They will do OK in an apartment as long as it is sufficiently exercised. It will do best if they have a fenced-in yard, but no matter the size yard you have, you will still need to take him on walks and provide other daily activities. |
