Why are they difficult to find?
The Nihon Ken breeders outside of Japan are scarce. They are rare compared to more mainstream dog breeders of Labradors, German Shepherd Dogs, Golden Retrievers, Boxers, Dalmatians, etc. Akitas and Shibas seems to be the NK that are the most common. The other four I am writing about: Shikoku, Kishu, and Kai Ken do have breeders in America However, why is the Hokkaido seem to the one that that is most scarce of breeders here outside Japan?
The NK breeders want to preserve their breeding tradition. I have great respect to people who want to preserve their tradition (it is a case by case basis because things like the Tosa Inu dog fights is something I really won't respect as tradition). However, the Ainu (It's funny that this is the preferred name by the Japanese while the bilingual Ainu Dog Museum also uses "Hokkaido" in the English language parts) seems to be the one that is very diffucult. The Ainu Dog Museum even says that Japanese pet shops have difficulty finding them.
Final point: From my observations, Shibas are the most popular NK while Akitas are the most revered NK while Hokkaido are the rarest. With Hachiko and the history of the Akita being belonging only to the elite feudal Japanese class, I think the Akita should be the rarest to get. Compared to the aforementioned mainstream breeds, Akitas are very rare breeds. Of course, NK imported directly from Japan should be more expensive because their deemed National Monuments.
The NK breeders want to preserve their breeding tradition. I have great respect to people who want to preserve their tradition (it is a case by case basis because things like the Tosa Inu dog fights is something I really won't respect as tradition). However, the Ainu (It's funny that this is the preferred name by the Japanese while the bilingual Ainu Dog Museum also uses "Hokkaido" in the English language parts) seems to be the one that is very diffucult. The Ainu Dog Museum even says that Japanese pet shops have difficulty finding them.
Final point: From my observations, Shibas are the most popular NK while Akitas are the most revered NK while Hokkaido are the rarest. With Hachiko and the history of the Akita being belonging only to the elite feudal Japanese class, I think the Akita should be the rarest to get. Compared to the aforementioned mainstream breeds, Akitas are very rare breeds. Of course, NK imported directly from Japan should be more expensive because their deemed National Monuments.
Comments
Here are the yearly registration numbers for NK in Japan at present.
Shiba 50,000-60,000
Akita (Japanese) 2000-2500
Kai 900-1100
Hokkaido 900-1000
Kishu 700-900
Shikoku 300-400
The only NK you will find with regularity in pet shops is the Shiba. Recently Hokkaido have gained popularity due to a series of commercials featuring a white Hokkaido named Otousan, and I have seen several in pet shops.
To people who don't know the breed, any pictures/video of them makes them think that Hokka are over sized shibas. I remember when we first posted those commercials on the forum and many at first thought he was an odd looking cream shiba.
I'd love to have one day , but dunno if I'd do hunting.. maybe agility, tracking, retrieving plus hiking depends on what the pup likes to do. No bears in IN I don't think.. hehe
does it require a pack of them to find and tree/corner a bear until the hunter can come and shoot it?