This has been quite an interesting thread to read. We have a Shiba and she is absolutely the most perfect personality for our household. Although it will be years down the road, I am researching Kai's, they are such great dogs.
Can anyone give me an idea on a Kai Ken's personality versus a Shiba Inu's? Hopefully an owner will bring one for the next Mid-Atlantic meetup...
All I can say is that my Kai is very non-confortational. If a small dog snaps at him or growls, he brushes it off, ignores it. He's a very laid back kind of guy. My Shikoku would never tolerant that kind of rudeness.
I have both, and my kai are so much easier than my shiba. Don't get me wrong, I love Kuma to death but he can be a pain. My kai easily run together in a pack and have been easier to train than my shiba.
I also have both, and agree with Stacey....they are very very different, and Kai are much easier. My Kai is also non-confrontational, and he reads other dogs well, and makes lots of appeasing gestures. He was easier to train than my Shibas. They do have much more of a feral dog aspect about them--he has a strong flight instinct.
I will say, though, that Kai make a great dog to work with a feisty dogs like Shibas. I never ever thought my reactive male Shiba would ever have another dog friend in his lifetime, and if it wasn't for Leo and his Kai Ken ability to get along, he wouldn't. But Leo is so non-confrontational, and so good at reading Toby's discomfort and stepping back, that they have become friends (or at least as much of friends as Toby is comfortable having).
I love the Kai, and you probably will too--very very different dogs than the Shiba, but really wonderful.
I've met a few Kai Kens now and we are actually having serious conversations about adding a puppy to our family. Not anytime soon, but ideally before Kira gets older and becomes more intolerant. I'm going to become more active in preparation for our (hopeful) addition!
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Can anyone give me an idea on a Kai Ken's personality versus a Shiba Inu's? Hopefully an owner will bring one for the next Mid-Atlantic meetup...
I will say, though, that Kai make a great dog to work with a feisty dogs like Shibas. I never ever thought my reactive male Shiba would ever have another dog friend in his lifetime, and if it wasn't for Leo and his Kai Ken ability to get along, he wouldn't. But Leo is so non-confrontational, and so good at reading Toby's discomfort and stepping back, that they have become friends (or at least as much of friends as Toby is comfortable having).
I love the Kai, and you probably will too--very very different dogs than the Shiba, but really wonderful.