Kai Ken Energy Levels
As I've researched Kais, I've found a lot of contradicting information about this. I've heard some things about them being low energy dogs, and others saying that they are very high energy.
I'd like a dog who's energy levels are above average, but nothing extreme. For all those Kai owners out there, I'd really appreciate if you'd be willing to let me know how much your dog exercise your dog usually gets per day.
I'd like a dog who's energy levels are above average, but nothing extreme. For all those Kai owners out there, I'd really appreciate if you'd be willing to let me know how much your dog exercise your dog usually gets per day.
Comments
If we don't follow that general template, they exercise each other by playing chase around the apartment, up the stairs, and jumping on the bed. Before we got the younger one, Luna, if Suki didn't get enough exercise or skipped a middle of the week agility class, she would get mildly destructive. She started digging at the carpet on the stairs and ripped a hole in it, and would find socks and things to steal. But she hasn't done that since the little one arrived. Not saying that will happen to each Kai, but it can when they're not stimulated enough.
In the summer, we do small hikes with the Kai and Shiba and we walk around downtown. We are also able to go on more car ride adventures with her.
She generally just likes to be around us and whatever we do tickles her.
Hope some of the lovely Kai owners here can give you something of a consensus! This was something I was wondering as well, as I'm positive that Shikoku and Hokkaido have way too much energy for me, but Akita and Kai seem right, with Akita being probably a bit too low energy...
If you want a 30,000 foot view of the breed, I'd say their energy level is average for the NK breeds. For sure our Hokkaido and the Shiba I've been around have had more energy than our average Kai Ken, but I'd also say our average Kai Ken has more energy than our Shikoku and Akita in the past. The Kishu is probably similar to the Kai in energy level IMHO.
Something that needs to be understood about all the NK breed is that they are "designed" to be relatively chill in the house. The hunting season in Japan is short, and the NK breeds were expected to be calm family companions during the off season, but ready to hunt hard and often, with little rest, during the hunting season.
So, if you own an NK and do not take them out much, they will be lazy and low energy around the house. If you own a NK and do take them out all the time, then they are more than ready and willing to go-go-go. IMHO this is something unique and special with the NK breeds, as many hunting and working breeds do not have an "off switch".
We live in a apartment so we haven't yard. We walk them 3 or 4 times a day (city, park) and they have to be leashed all the time. We also love to teach them some tricks. So during the week end, we go in my parents's garden so they could run like crazy and we go to the dog class like that they spend all "the week energy" to play with other dogs and do some exercices.
My younger kai (7 months old female) is energic, always want to do something and my older (2.5yrs old male) loves to watch by the window, sleep and play with the girls (I have a shiba too).
I don't find his activity levels to be too much, because as others have said, he adapts quite well to what is going on, and he's also happy to curl up on the sofa (or on the back of the sofa). More active than my Akitas for sure, but they aren't really active dogs in my book.
We also have a Forest Preserve with hiking trails we use more depending on weather. I've stopped using the local Forest Preserve dog park due to outbreaks of dog flu and a few other issues.
Nero has 'zoomies' and races from one end of the apartment to the other. Nero communicates extremely well. I spend on average 30-45 minutes every night playing fetch and tug with him. He would certainly play longer and sometimes we do. It has become a routine and truth is it helps me unwind from what are generally stressful work days. In fact I look forward to that time with him now.
In short, at least from my experience with Nero, he is an active dog and does look forward to that activity. He has a 'potty bell' he will sometimes ring just for the attention of a walk (he is incredibly intelligent) but usually he will give me several other clues first. If he rings the bell for something other than a potty run, it's because we weren't paying him attention and he gently reminds us of what is important in life.
When Rakka (Shikoku) was younger, she definitely needed more exercise or she would become quite agitated. She's 8 now, and she does fine with leisurely neighbourhood strolls and the occasional hike. Sosuke's 4, and I'd say he really needed daily walks in his first year or two and now he's pretty chill. I take him out more than Rakka. Partly because he's younger and partly because he's easier to take places (doesn't fight with other dogs, kill small animals, etc).
When I take my pups off leash, I have to go out to where there are no people or trails, meaning, random coulees by the river. It works them pretty hard because they are constantly running up and down hill over rough terrain, and they handle it just fine. Sosuke likes to swim, so he gets an extra workout. After a couple hours of that, we go home and they chill out until next weekend, or whenever we get back out to the river. Sometimes we take a nice walk with the kids on their bikes around the block. Some days we don't get out and the dogs are fine.