What is Timbers?
I've just seen pictures of the Ja's...very pretty dogs, I didn't know that there were a breed called Ja's. I'm glad I joined I've already learned more.
This brings me to what is Timbers? No doubt he has Kai in him, but he has more hair, longer but same texture. Longer on his back legs and has that teddy bear hair circle around his face like a Ja it seems. He stands more like a Kai and his tail is the perfect spiral always, in between Ja and Kai. pointed straight ears all black just a chest spot of white the shape of a bird, it's quite pretty. He's a pretty boy, his face expression is the Kai with his eyebrows. I get into detail because I'm trying to notice the small attributes matching either breeds. He is 55lbs and he resembled a bear but after a short hair cut not so much. I didn't know how to groom him not knowing what he was at first. His hair grew back where the heartworms shots had been shaved. Double coat corse black and under a reddish dense fluff but not much. Mostly sleek black long hair of a Kai . I should post photos soon.
This brings me to what is Timbers? No doubt he has Kai in him, but he has more hair, longer but same texture. Longer on his back legs and has that teddy bear hair circle around his face like a Ja it seems. He stands more like a Kai and his tail is the perfect spiral always, in between Ja and Kai. pointed straight ears all black just a chest spot of white the shape of a bird, it's quite pretty. He's a pretty boy, his face expression is the Kai with his eyebrows. I get into detail because I'm trying to notice the small attributes matching either breeds. He is 55lbs and he resembled a bear but after a short hair cut not so much. I didn't know how to groom him not knowing what he was at first. His hair grew back where the heartworms shots had been shaved. Double coat corse black and under a reddish dense fluff but not much. Mostly sleek black long hair of a Kai . I should post photos soon.
Comments
lol please don't cut his fur again. It actually helps them to keep cool believe it or not. :-)
By the way, JA stands for Japanese Akita. Not sure if you thought "Ja" was the name of the breed, so wanted to clear that up!
Lol yes that proves how much I know about Japanese Akita's, I thought it was funny because the seems to be saying "Jah man" when they smile.
Here is the album of Timbers.
http://photobucket.com/timbers
Follows me room to room. Territorial with male dogs, thats a no no, he will strike if the dog comes close to him. I only can touch his food, no one else or he may bite. I did find him on the streets. Otherwise loves all human visitors very friendly with people around. Never has bit the vet or groomers just very scared. Loves to run, escape artist, playful with his stuffed lion. Loves to climb high and jump on off tables. Digs quite fast for shady cool spots around the tree. Decides when he wants to obey my boyfriend, always obeys me. Its cute when I'm working at home and he wants my attention, he finds my good shoes and drops one right in front of me or chews my pencils and chalk. He knows he is not supposed to thats why he does it, silly kid. He plays those mind games, I'm smart to them but Chris yet has no idea. Chase cats in the yard but on walks he ignores them, still working on healing, has got much better. He loves to paw you like a cat, he hardly barks unless excited. watches out the big front window attentively never minds the mail man. Jumps and bounds into the air in circles around me. He has a blue tongue brown triangle shaped eyes, loves to give kisses. He is a big sweetie cuddling up with me but likes his space at bed time.
I have had him at the dog park, he mostly runs the border of it, most likely looking for an escape route. Not exactly interacting with other dogs just smells if they come near. Gets angry with male dogs to close so I decided no more park. He is not a threat to small female dogs, he adores them. Plays well with chow retriever female mix at my friends house, they in love. Scared of thunderstorms, I believe its the low pressure. He doesn't mind rain but confused about swimming…doesn't jump into the lake or bayou just barks at it if someones swimming. Very independent but loyal, smart thinking problem solving. Learned to push swing door to let himself out. Busted back in through the screen lol. Strong long straight back, not so long legs but muscular. 20.5 inches shoulder to floor, 55lbs vet says about 3 years old.
Please let me know what your knowledgable theory is of what type of breed he may be. Thanks!
He is 21 inches talk actually weight 55 lbs more characteristic of Hokkaido inu.
He's a cutie through
If this dog is brindle, it's definitely not one of the types of brindle seen in Akitas. It is more similar to some brindle Kai I have seen. If this dog is black - which I suspect it is from the way it's "bronzed" - true black is pretty much unhead of in American Akitas and non existent in Japanese Akias. Most "black" American Akitas are actually a very, very dark sable with light grey undercoat where the red pigment has been diluted.
The ears are pretty distinct looking, and I don't know what has ears like that. The coat and muzzle are obviously not Chow. I am not a Chow person, so I don't know what their ears would look like if they weren't hidden by all that fluff....
I suspect his ears are from mixing a hanging ear with an erect ear. They're pretty "round" but quite large and sort of off to the sides of his head. Do they sometimes flop over/flop easily or are they sturdy and erect all the time?
I believe black can be both a dominant (more common - as in Labs) and recessive trait (less common - as in German Shepherds) so it's not impossible that he has a dog w/o solid black in his ancestry or in his parentage. My bet would be a spitz and a Labrador mix of some kind in some capacity. As far as WHICH spitz/northern-y breed, I really can't say. His tongue looks rather mottled so again, Chow there (I don't know of other dogs with purple tongues aside from the Chow and the Shar Pei, but they're probably out there).
He's handsome though! I love the last picture especially! If he had hanging ears and a SLIGHTLY shorter coat, he could almost pass for my old Lab's brother from another mother.
BUT - you never know, I suppose! Either way, we have several "honorary Nihon Ken" owners on the forum so feel free to stick around regardless of Timber's heritage.
Oh yeah, and welcome!
The lab x chow for Timber sounds reasonable to me.
Timber would have inherited dominant black (KB) from one parent. Labs usually carry dominant black.
http://www.animal.ufl.edu/ans4905/powerpoints/4905genconcoldogs.pdf
Timbers is neat, there is definitely some sort of spitz in his background. His ears look too rounded for a NK to me - but it could come from his mix. I think there could possibly be American Akita in there, but I am no expert.