Kai ken Personality
Hmm, i've been wondering: What is it like to live with a Kai? I mean, what is their personality like? I've been reading online besides here, but there's not much info and it kinda says the same thing over and over, and it doesn't give me a very good idea of the breed. Here is by far the most helpful, but i still have to wonder. So is anyone up for sharing about their poochies? Likes, dislikes, what spooks them, favorite activities, ect.
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We love our kai! He's amazing. He's loving, dedicated, loyal, mischievous, a major foodie, a goof ball, and a monster!
Here's the posting of our Kai, Goro: http://www.nihonken.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/7415/yamabushi-no-goro-new-pictures-happy-8-months#Item_185
There's a lot of info about the Kai on the forum! Happy reading!
I have a rehomed adult kai who was imported about halfway through her socalization period so she might not be quite like the "average" pup you would get from Brad or Stacy.
Sachi's personality has really flourished the longer I've had her. She is by nature like most kai reserved with strangers, in this case it means if outside the home she will deign to sniff the calmly outstretched hand and will take treats from those people who she finds particularly awesome. In home she will stress whine for strangers and either cagily pace the perimeters of the room we're in or go to my room and chill. If they are people she has met a couple of times she will take treats from them and generally sit calmly with me the entire time theyre there. This is her " public persona" she's cool as ice and all business. (unless she gets locked out of my room for reasons then she growls at the door which i don't encourage but find funny, its the only time she ever growls).
With just me n her she's a total goofball.
A pup at heart, mischevious, playful, just wants to cuddle, get in trouble, chase, wrestle, follow me aound, all of it. When working at my desk she wants to be on my lap blocking the screen or on my desk, blocking the screen. She's smart and when training very focused (border collie intense) with a long attention span. She is by her personal nature very cautious to the unknown. Anything new being introduced she's very wary of (ie furminator, harness). I know she's been brushed but its new to her in this context, so we had to work to using it. She has worn a harness before but in our context its a whole new game.
I don't want to play favorites but she is one of the most amazing dogs I've ever had, and I've had some pretty cool dogs if I do say so, but has put much of my dog knowledge to the test and I've sometimes had to get creative to bond with her, train her and so on. She's worth every moment.
And now I'm a sappy crazy kai lady. For more reading her thread is the raito no hoshihime.
@cdenney thank you for sharing! She sounds like an awesome buddypal.
Oh and you andersons, wherever youcurrently reside(hopefully in bed) i hope you guys get better soon!!
And for the larger breeds, 9 is definitely senior, as many only live to 11 or 12. For my Shiba, it could be middle aged, but he still seems to have "senior" qualities now.
If he is off leash, or smells prey he is off like he is in his prime, and if an unknown dog rushes up to us he will pin it to the ground in the blink of an eye (my friends affectionately call this "teleport" after he pinned a dog 4x his weight before anyone aside from me had noticed that it had tried to attack).
There is a 12yo Shiba down the road from me, he walks off leash to the shop with his "dad" every morning, will snarl at me if I scratch anywhere except for his favourite spot, and is your typical NK, just older and grumpier.
But - she's still strong as an ox, and when we go on walks, she's hard to steer for my kids, and can still take off like a shot after a squirrel or other animal in the yard.
I'd say that, essentially as she's aged the better qualities have become stronger (affectionate, reasonable, listening) and the least desirable qualities (*to me*) have diminished (running away, climbing into places she shouldn't be, general adherence to rules and structure).
The only downsides are she's gotten a big more "barky" and is even less a fan of strangers now than before (she was good as a pup, but as she aged, she's gotten increasingly more wary of strangers).
Snf
Though after seeing @Losech's Katana scream like he's dying I'm not completely sure. @Whobitme's hokka, Meitou, was pretty awesome though, and got along really well with Lobo. And by that I mean, Lobo was able to look past the initial face bops and allow Meitou to hump him relentlessly.
I'm now pretty sure my next dog will be a Kai.
This forum seems to have that effect on people!
Matsu is less demonstrative, but not spooky at all. He goes right up to strangers and leans in for a pat. He enjoys all people but is not much of a kisser. (Juno, once comfortable, will lick even newly-met people right up the nose if allowed) He doesnt bark much, even when the other dogs are barking. If I am getting fuel at the gas station, Juno barks at the attendant, Matsu says "Yo." and doesnt much care. He loves to play fetch, and play with Reilly and Juno.
He likes most girl dogs a lot, but I can see a competitiveness in him around staring males, a kind of sizing up. He is a macho man, a quiet but strong man, who loves his family. He sticks closer to me than Juno when we're in the forest, and he checks on me. He is not a quick-decider, and thinks things over. He's really reassuring and I adore him for his steadyness. He has cute behaviors like nosing under my elbow, or pressing his chin on my leg while looking up at me with his deep black eyes, or walking through my legs so I can rub his whole body while he stretches. He is only 14 months old so he still gets puppy excited when we work together and needs to remember to slow down and listen, not guess what I am about to ask for. If something unexpected happens, he doesnt run- he stands and thinks and maybe barks till I help him out with a recall or directions. He is kindof like Pooh Bear in the original books (not the Disney cartoons)- straightforward, steady & strong. Always in the front of his mind.