Description. The Kishu Ken is a medium sized dog standing some 17-22 inches in height and weighing in at 30-60 pounds. They have a double coat with a dense soft undercoat and an out coat that is thick and straight. They are almost invariably white but it is possible to get other colors, such as sesame, brindle or red. They have a level or scissor bite and their nose can be pink or brown but is most often black. Their head is quite broad and has pricked up ears, which are triangular in shape and are a little on the small side, they angle forward slightly to give a very alert appearance. The tail comes over their back in a curl.

History. The Kishu Ken is of Japanese origins and the word ‘Ken’ means ‘dog’ in Japanese. They are a protected species in their home country, and have been since 1934. They are considered very rare anywhere else, in the world. The Kishu are a breed dating back to ancient times, with a believed history of 3000 years and maybe longer. They are named after the island Kyushu, where they originated. This is a very pure breed as they had no other breeds on the island. Their original use was as a hunting dog for wild boar, deer and sometimes even bears. The dogs used to track and hold the prey until the hunter could catch up and shoot it. They are reputed to never loose a scent and hold the prey so well that the hunter would only need one shot. Today the breed are kept mainly as pets but there are still some people that use them for hunting. Outside of Japan there are only 2 breeders one being in America, Texas, and the other in the Netherlands.

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Temperament. They are a loyal and loving breed that is very affectionate to their family. The Kishu Ken is very tough and resilient with great agility. They are mostly a calm dog that is intelligent and easily potty trained, and are remarkably clean overall. They do require socialization as young as possible and they will then be happy to meet strangers or other dogs. Care needs to be exercised with smaller pets, as they are bred to hunt. They will get on fine with cats as long as they are introduced young. This breed can climb trees and have been known to entrap prey in trees. To handle this breed you must be a firm natural leader, whilst being calm and kind. The intelligence of the Kishu Ken means they will take over if they see themselves as the alpha in the family. This is a dog that is happiest when they know their place in the family. Whilst they will get on well with children it is important that they do not tease it, remember they can chase bears.

Health issues. With a life expectancy of 11-13 years Kishu Kens’ are a normally healthy breed.

Grooming. The Kishu Ken is easily cared for with a weekly brushing but you need to pay attention to their ears, for any sign of infections or build up of wax etc. Bath only when necessary.

Living conditions. This breed does not do well unless living as part of the family. They require a lot of exercise and will require at least a medium yard or garden that is well fenced. They can adapt to life in an apartment but do require being in open spaces often.

If you can't find a local breeder in your area don't worry, many breeders are using the major airlines like American, Delta, Continental and Northwest airlines for shipping their puppies.

At this time the airlines will ship puppies to the following States: Alabama AL - Alaska AK - Arizona AZ - Arkansas AR - California CA - Colorado CO - Connecticut CT - Delaware DE - Florida FL - Georgia GA - Hawaii HI - Idaho ID - Illinois IL - Indiana IN - Iowa IA - Kansas KS - Kentucky KY - Louisiana LA - Maine ME - Maryland MD - Massachusetts MA - Michigan MI - Minnesota MN - Mississippi MS - Missouri MO - Montana MT - Nebraska NE - Nevada NV - New Hampshire NH - New Jersey NJ - New Mexico NM - New York NY - North Carolina NC - North Dakota ND - Ohio OH - Oklahoma OK - Oregon OR - Pennsylvania PA - Rhode Island RI - South Carolina SC - South Dakota SD - Tennessee TN - Texas TX - Utah UT - Vermont VT - Virginia VA - Washington WA - Washington, D.C. - West Virginia WV - Wisconsin WI - Wyoming WY - Hawaii HI.