Nihon Ken: Breed Need-To-Knows
Hey guys! Hope all are doing well. 
I could use some help with the Nihon Ken site. I'm trying to make a page for each Nihon Ken which would involve the "need-to-knows" for each breed, ie: what do you think is important for people who are considering the nihon ken as pets to know?
For example, a "need-to-know" for all the Nihon Ken is that they are not off leash dogs. Another example would be that all nihon ken have a high prey-drive & wouldn't be suited to living alongside smaller animals such as small birds, rats, hamsters, etc.
I need to have "need-to-knows" for each breed as well as all the nihon ken in general. I think this is one of the best ways to sort of warn people about the particular quirks of the Nihon Ken.
I'd be super appreciative for any help at all Nihon Ken
- High Prey Drive
- Not Off-Leash Dogs
- Require heavy early socialization
- Need exercise to prevent destructive behavior
Shikoku
- Can be dominant around other dogs.
- Can be dog reactive.
- High-Energy
- More willing to please than other nihon ken
- Moderately Good Worker
Kai
- Excellent Climbers
- Love to be up high
- Very protective of owner
- Bond closely with one person
- Efficient Hunter & Watchdog
- Very Alert
- Good Worker
- Headstrong, difficult to motivate
Shiba
- Very Independent & Cat-Like
- Clean
- High Energy Puppies
- Suggested early obedience training
- Over-Dramatic
Akita
- Dog aggressive
- Shed more than other Nihon-Ken
- Require a respectful, calm, assertive leader
- Good worker
- Require diligent socialization
Hokkaido
- Extremely Agile
- Owner must be firm and gentle
- Doesn't bark, but howls like a wolf
- Love attention
- Independent
- Loves to give kisses and be the center of attention
- Aims to please his owner
Kishu
- ?
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On another note, anyone know the average litter size for each breed?~
I could use some help with the Nihon Ken site. I'm trying to make a page for each Nihon Ken which would involve the "need-to-knows" for each breed, ie: what do you think is important for people who are considering the nihon ken as pets to know?
For example, a "need-to-know" for all the Nihon Ken is that they are not off leash dogs. Another example would be that all nihon ken have a high prey-drive & wouldn't be suited to living alongside smaller animals such as small birds, rats, hamsters, etc.
I need to have "need-to-knows" for each breed as well as all the nihon ken in general. I think this is one of the best ways to sort of warn people about the particular quirks of the Nihon Ken.
I'd be super appreciative for any help at all Nihon Ken
- High Prey Drive
- Not Off-Leash Dogs
- Require heavy early socialization
- Need exercise to prevent destructive behavior
Shikoku
- Can be dominant around other dogs.
- Can be dog reactive.
- High-Energy
- More willing to please than other nihon ken
- Moderately Good Worker
Kai
- Excellent Climbers
- Love to be up high
- Very protective of owner
- Bond closely with one person
- Efficient Hunter & Watchdog
- Very Alert
- Good Worker
- Headstrong, difficult to motivate
Shiba
- Very Independent & Cat-Like
- Clean
- High Energy Puppies
- Suggested early obedience training
- Over-Dramatic
Akita
- Dog aggressive
- Shed more than other Nihon-Ken
- Require a respectful, calm, assertive leader
- Good worker
- Require diligent socialization
Hokkaido
- Extremely Agile
- Owner must be firm and gentle
- Doesn't bark, but howls like a wolf
- Love attention
- Independent
- Loves to give kisses and be the center of attention
- Aims to please his owner
Kishu
- ?
---
On another note, anyone know the average litter size for each breed?~
Comments
- Require extensive early socialization.
Shikoku
- They tend to like to dominant other dogs
- Can be very dog reactive
- Very high energy
- More willing to please than other Nihon-Ken
- Moderately good worker
Kai
- They are extraordinary climbers
- Can be very protective of their owner
- They seem louder [bark more, etc] than other Nihon-Ken (except maybe Hokkaido???)
- Require a gentle assertive leader - never be forceful with a Kai
- Very headstrong and difficult to motivate
- Moderately willing to please
- Good worker
Shiba
- Picky eaters
- High energy puppies
- Not very willing to please
- Not a worker
Akita
- Dog aggressive
- Shed more than other Nihon-Ken
- Require a respectful, calm, assertive leader
- Good worker
- Require diligent socialization
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That's all I can think of right now.
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My shikoku is infinitely more interested in pleasing EVERYONE. She will lie down and try to kiss you at the same time.
Heidi and Alex count your blessings, you apparently have anomalous shibas.
very good working dog
loves a lot of exercise
moderately dog reactive(Kohji has chilled out with this with age I've noticed)
very good climber/very agile when outside or working on an agility course
pretty calm in the house
very efficient watchdog
very efficient hunter
need extensive socialization as a puppy
need-to-knows for Shibas:
NOT OFF LEASH DOGS(except for Tojo!?!)
they are good working dogs for the right rewards
need a lot of exercise
need extensive socialization as a puppy
need lots of grooming
very good watch dogs
VERY efficient hunters
With Shibas though, everything is on their terms, and if it's not on their terms, they can really throw a fit.
Also when (my) shiba is in hunt mode, forget about any training or anything, it all goes out the window.
Shiba's have an attitude "take a number and I will get back to you".
my male shiba LOVES to eat, anything and everything. He is also very willing to please (if food is involved or not, but food is a good persuader for new things).
He is also a fairly good worker/sporting dog, we've trained him to give 3-5 warning barks then stop until we give him a treat or check it out. He's been awesome with the pack on hikes and really took to most of the agility.
Kitsu's major issue is he unease around new people, he gets very very nervous when someone new tries to approach him or comes near us - not aggressive, just skittish.
Our girls are both moderately to highly picky eaters (hence my urgency to start home cooking for Tsuki, she hasn't eaten in 3 days...). Neither of them are very willing to please, Tsuki isn't food motivated at all where as Hachi will get overly excited about food and not comprehend the command very well. They are both picky about who they will greet and who they will shy away from.
The girls do not want anything to do with sporting or working. Although we haven't pursued much with Hachi yet.
I can't say they are dog aggressive, rather they won't tolerate all dogs. All three are good with meeting new dogs on neutral turf, but that took a lot of socialization. Only Tsuki will tolerate rude dogs. Kitsu loves all female dogs, Tsuki loves all dogs, Hachi seems more at ease around male dogs.
All three are complete instigators and mischief makers. We always joke that we should have named Tsuki and Kitsu after Fred and George Weasley (HP dork alert!).
They are very, VERY energetic pups and adolescents, I've only dealt with one shiba older than 5 for 48 hours and she was nice and calm so I can only hope that happens eventually.
They should NEVER EVER be off leash, even though there are like 5 in a million that prove themselves to be OK off leash, its just not something that would be smart of a shiba owner to expect 100% of the time.
Which brings to their prey drive - it is high. They are efficient hunters, swift, concentrated, determined. They are awesome at driving out birds or small rodents from a bush or high grass. For small pets, I think you are taking a major chance that your shiba won't devour your guinea pig if given the chance - but with cats, I think if appropriate intros are done and rules laid down, its not impossible, especially if introduced as a pup.
I would also be wary with children and shibas. Just be extra, extra cautious and involved especially if shibas weren't raised in formative year with kids. Hachi growls at kids - I think its their erratic movements, noises ad unpredictability that bothers her.
Positive reinforcement works best with these dogs, based on training the shibas I've come across.
Early socialization and positive reinforcement obedience training go a LONG way with these dogs.
Thats all I got for now!
A. They should be crated when young
B. They should get sufficient exercise DAILY
Here we are all talking about our dogs of the same breed and while there certainly are a number of similarities there are so many variables. Consider how many of us have rescue shibas and their early upbringing. How many have breeder shibas, some good breeders some not so much. And then of course their is just the simple fact that as with people dogs our born with their own individual spirits. Look at identical twins, same exact DNA same parent, and yet they manage to still be individuals.
We can talk about breed traits forever, but what a gift to be able to embrace their deeper individuality. I just think this is one of the most amazing parts of having a dog! Any dog.
Having three of the same breed with different backgrounds and whatever, its so hard to generalize! I have to make three points to answer one question.
Everything from behavior to social skills to food to pottying to sleep habits to bed preferences to crate training to housebreaking, each dog is different even if they are the same breed.
I admire the fact that you want to make a site about real dogs owned by real people and real 'facts', but it is going to be difficult! I think people should be generally informed of breed tendencies before diving into a dog commitment, but its just a learning curve really. Each three of my shiba inus are as different as their names. It keeps it interesting!
BUT in reading answers specific to akita vs. shiba or shika vs. kai, I can see where generalities come from with breed descriptions on dogbreedinfo or wikipedia. I'm taking people who have owned these dog's word for it for future ventures in dog ownership but I'm sure it's hard to really say unless you experience the live animal yourself!
Each of us have had different experiences with our dogs and other breeds. Jazz is dog reactive/selective. Would this be different if I had been her owner all her life? I'd like to think so, but it's no guarantee. I do believe as a whole - shibas are a bit more cautious when making new friends (I know several exceptions, but generally...). I think a disclaimer about the information would have to say something like - while these characteristics are a generalization about this breed, each dog has a unique spirit, style, and characteristics that determine it's ability to meld with your family. This comes from breeding (good & bad) and experiences (positive & negative) that your dog will have had. While you cannot change them, you can do your best to learn, understand, and create a plan to carry you forward with your dog.
Dogs of all breed really do cover a range. As I was reading about Kitsu, I thought of Hanzo, who loves to please. He also greets anyone and everyone as if they are a long lost friend, he's like a lab in a Shiba's body. So he has those traits that are odd for a Shiba, but in other ways he is all Shiba.
I think I read everything in here and I'm not sure if anyone mentioned that Shibas tend to escalate things. We have talked about this on here before. The way that Shibas seem to take things as a personal insult. Like if another dog gives them a little bit of lip service, it's not uncommon for them to fly right off the handle into full on snarly, nasty, paw swinging balls of fury. The fact that they do this, I think, is part of the reason that they always say you should have opposite sex pairs.
Excellent point, Brandon! What would normally be shrugged off by most dogs is considered an insult to the highest degree for a shiba.
*Our Shiba Inu are strange.
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As for the picky eater thing - Moto and Nemo are rescues - Kaia is too - They all eat well. Maui doesn't.
I have noticed that a lot of Shiba from breeders can be picky eaters - but that's a generalization and so it could be incorrect.
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Also, I should add that my comparison comments about each breed was relative to the other Nihon-Ken and not ALL dog breeds.
So a Shiba may be more willing to please than a Husky or a Tibetan Mastiff, but relative to the other Nihon-Ken they, imo, are less willing to please. For example, how many of us have successfully gotten our Shiba to wear a pack?
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Shiba Inu are "little bitches".
LOL! j/k
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Shiba Inu are "drama queens".
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I thoroughly enjoy reading the other nihon ken descriptions, I always compare them just to the nihon ken which I am most familiar, the drama bitches.
Just wanted to say, I'm really not trying to get "Facts" per se, but from your experiences the quirks you see in a particular breed of Nihon Ken. Obviously, each dog will exhibit it's own personalities & own unique traits [ that's what makes them so great! ] however, I was looking more for breed generalizations. For example, we can safely say 98% of the shiba population has a high prey drive. ANd we can definitely say about 97% of the nihon ken population can not be off leash.
My website is meant to make light on the nihon ken, & I want to get everything out into the open on them from the good to the bad. The website's purpose isn't to put the nihon ken on a pedestal & make them out to be the perfect dog breed [ though some of us might find them so? ;p ] but to give a realistic impression of some of the breed traits.
If that makes sense