Where Can I Meet a Kai Ken in Virginia?

edited December 2014 in Kai Ken (甲斐犬)
Hey everyone,
So I just joined this forum in hopes of getting more information about Kai Ken for sale. I am newly discovering the breed so you will have to excuse any lack of knowledge I may have on the subject. A couple of my friends have Shibas who I loved so I was inspired to research all six Japanese breeds and I absolutely fell in love with the Kai. My biggest problem is I am having difficulty finding a lot of information on where I can actually get a Kai puppy. They're rare from what my research has shown, and while I have come across a couple different sites of breeders who sell them, there isn't a lot of info on where they are actually located. I read a thread on here involving someone asking who the best breeder of Kais were, and people threw out several first names, but not enough for me to find out more about them. I was hoping some of you would be able to point me in the right direction so I could hopefully add a Kai pup to my family in the near future! Thanks in advance for the help. Hope everyone has a great night!

Comments

  • Breeders are in Ohio, Colorado, Michigan...
    You ought to meet some Kai in real life- where are you located? Maybe an owner has one near you.

    We have a thread here somewhere about what to expect when talking with breeders- for example, (and you may know this) do not expect that you will contact a breeder who will have a litter on the ground and invite you to come pick one out, rather expect to develop a relationship with a breeder, get to know their dogs and wait for the litter and the breeder will choose the best pup for you now that they know you and of course they know the puppies individual personalities best. :)

    Kai are terrific - but not without their quirks. There is a lot to learn so read up in the Kai section :) and welcome to the Forum!
  • edited December 2014
    I'm currently in Virginia, however I will be moving to Fort Bragg North Carolina in a few months. I actually wasn't really sure how exactly the process of finding a dog and picking out a pup would go as this will be my first dog. It actually works out better that way since I am probably at least a year out from getting one. My girlfriend would kill me if I got a dog without her haha. I figured I would start the search now though to be as prepared as i could be when she comes back. Thanks for the input! Also, just out of curiosity, about how much do Kai puppies usually cost?
  • edited December 2014
    Welcome to the forum, and yes, definitely meet one before you decide. Kai are wonderful dogs, but very different from typical dogs (and even different from the other Nihon ken) and you may find they are not actually to your taste when you meet one. (or you may fall hopelessly in love!)

    Here is the thread about Kai Ken: http://www.nihonken.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/9135/misconceptions-about-kais-for-prospective-kai-owners#Item_127

    Also, you should understand there are very few breeders of Kai Ken in North America, and most of them are on this forum (one owns the forum and also Yamabushi Kennel), and it is a small community, with a limited number of dogs available. They run about the same price as most pure bred dogs, which is anywhere from $1000 to $1200 and up depending on the breeder.

    I don't know, btw, if you're in the military now (I wondered because of Fort Bragg) but if you are, it might be better to wait til you're not likely to be moved around a lot, because Kai are very sensitive dogs, and difficult to rehome especially, but also, do tend to thrive best with a lot of stability.

    But doing research now is great, and there is plenty here about all the Nihon Ken, and yes, do try to meet some Kai!
  • Also, there are several Kai in Virginia at the moment, so depending on where in VA you are, it will probably be super easy to set up a meet and greet with one (or more) kai. :)

  • That would be amazing! I would love to meet one. How should I go about trying to find them? Post on this forum? Or is there a better way to contact owners here in VA.
  • edited December 2014
    Change the title of this forum post to "Where can I meet a Kai in VA?" forum members residing in VA will more than likely chime in:).

    Jesse
  • Im in VA(ish) btw. no kai though. I think they are a little further south- VA beach richmond etc..
  • I posted on your new thread, but I'm also in VA, in Newport News
  • I'm in NoVA and there is another kai owner up here too, there are 4...? In southern VA who are active here and will chime in if they have time. If you want a meet perhaps we can get a big meet organized with SoVa and NoVA folks and all their NKs? That way you can see most of the breeds and learn too.
  • I posted on your other thread, but I'd be happy to meet you in Richmond with my Kai, Hanzo. Just let me know.
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