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Shikoku (dog)
Encyclopedia
The is a native, primitive Japan
ese breed
of dog
from Shikoku island that is similar to a Shiba Inu
. The Shikoku is not a recognized breed of the American Kennel Club
, but it is recognized by the Japanese Kennel Club, an organization recognized by AKC as an official foreign registry (AKC recognizes the Shiba Inu
, however). The Shikoku is also in the Canadian Kennel Club
Hound group and the United Kennel Club, awaiting full recognition. In 1937 the Japanese Crown
recognized the Shikoku dog as a living "natural monument" of Japan.
; all are within the Spitz
family of dogs. The Shikoku was bred mainly for hunting deer and boar in the mountainous districts of Kochi Prefecture. It is sometimes called "Kochi-ken" and, along with the Kai dog, referred to as a deerhound.
A study of the 1930s carried out by the Japanese cynologist Haruo Isogai classified all native Japanese dog breeds into three categories: large-, medium-, and small-sized. The Shikoku belongs to the Shika-inus, the medium-sized dogs. Other medium-sized dogs are the Kai Ken
, the Ainu and the Kishu Inu. They are all very similar with overlapping colors and only minor differences in size and morphology.
It is cautious and brave with good judgment. It is also loyal to its master. It has sharper features than most Japanese dogs and is sometimes allowed to chase wild boar
so it will maintain its nature.
Shikoku dogs are tough and sufficiently agile to run through a mountainous region. They are the ideal companion for active outdoor people. They are very energetic and active outside but they are calm and quiet indoors. The Shikoku is a very intelligent dog and a quick learner. They are not as stubborn and independent as the other native Japanese breeds, but still it is not a dog for every person.
The Shikoku stands 17–21 inches (43–53 cm) high and comes in sesame (red, black), black and tan (nonstandard color), or cream (nonstandard color). These colors consist usually of a light brown, a light red-brown, or a light black-brown. In addition, there is a cream colored coat that tends to be very rare. In all of these colors there is usually a mixture of white found around the underside of the body, near the eyes, snout, and legs. The Shikoku tends to shed its coat at least one to two times a year. The dog has a fairly thick coat with pointed ears and a curved tail. The body conformation is typically of the spitz-type: the square body, the wedge-shaped head, the prick triangular ears, and feathered curled tail.
The Shikoku dog is somewhat unique in its appearance. It looks similar to an Alaskan Husky
dog physically, but differs in its size and color. The Shikoku Inu ranges from thirty to fifty-five pounds (male; approximately 20 inches tall; female; approximately 18.5 inches tall). This dog would be considered medium sized.
series Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin
are thought to be Shikoku, although they are portrayed as having mohawk
-like shocks of fur on their heads. Tesshin, the son of the Koga leader, Kurojaki, is an important hero in the sequel series Ginga Legend Weed
. The anime-only characters Ryo, Ryu, Heita, and Hanji (four dogs shown aiding Jerome) may also be Shikoku. Both series are by Yoshihiro Takahashi
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese breed
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
from Shikoku island that is similar to a Shiba Inu
Shiba Inu
The is the smallest of the six original and distinct breeds of dog from Japan.A small, agile dog that copes very well with mountainous terrain, the Shiba Inu was originally bred for hunting. It is similar in appearance to the Akita, though much smaller in stature...
. The Shikoku is not a recognized breed of the American Kennel Club
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
, but it is recognized by the Japanese Kennel Club, an organization recognized by AKC as an official foreign registry (AKC recognizes the Shiba Inu
Shiba Inu
The is the smallest of the six original and distinct breeds of dog from Japan.A small, agile dog that copes very well with mountainous terrain, the Shiba Inu was originally bred for hunting. It is similar in appearance to the Akita, though much smaller in stature...
, however). The Shikoku is also in the Canadian Kennel Club
Canadian Kennel Club
The Canadian Kennel Club is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. Beyond maintaining the pedigree registry, the C.K.C...
Hound group and the United Kennel Club, awaiting full recognition. In 1937 the Japanese Crown
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
recognized the Shikoku dog as a living "natural monument" of Japan.
Comparison to other Japanese breeds
The Shikoku is one of the native Japanese breeds intermediate in size between the large Akita Inu and the small Shiba InuShiba Inu
The is the smallest of the six original and distinct breeds of dog from Japan.A small, agile dog that copes very well with mountainous terrain, the Shiba Inu was originally bred for hunting. It is similar in appearance to the Akita, though much smaller in stature...
; all are within the Spitz
Spitz
Spitz-type dogs are a type of dog, characterized by long, thick, and often white fur, and pointed ears and muzzles...
family of dogs. The Shikoku was bred mainly for hunting deer and boar in the mountainous districts of Kochi Prefecture. It is sometimes called "Kochi-ken" and, along with the Kai dog, referred to as a deerhound.
A study of the 1930s carried out by the Japanese cynologist Haruo Isogai classified all native Japanese dog breeds into three categories: large-, medium-, and small-sized. The Shikoku belongs to the Shika-inus, the medium-sized dogs. Other medium-sized dogs are the Kai Ken
Kai Ken
The is a breed of dog that hails from Japan where it is a natural monument and has been bred for centuries. It is an extremely rare dog even in its native land and is related to the Japanese Spitz dog type.-Appearance:...
, the Ainu and the Kishu Inu. They are all very similar with overlapping colors and only minor differences in size and morphology.
Characteristics and temperament
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
so it will maintain its nature.
Shikoku dogs are tough and sufficiently agile to run through a mountainous region. They are the ideal companion for active outdoor people. They are very energetic and active outside but they are calm and quiet indoors. The Shikoku is a very intelligent dog and a quick learner. They are not as stubborn and independent as the other native Japanese breeds, but still it is not a dog for every person.
The Shikoku stands 17–21 inches (43–53 cm) high and comes in sesame (red, black), black and tan (nonstandard color), or cream (nonstandard color). These colors consist usually of a light brown, a light red-brown, or a light black-brown. In addition, there is a cream colored coat that tends to be very rare. In all of these colors there is usually a mixture of white found around the underside of the body, near the eyes, snout, and legs. The Shikoku tends to shed its coat at least one to two times a year. The dog has a fairly thick coat with pointed ears and a curved tail. The body conformation is typically of the spitz-type: the square body, the wedge-shaped head, the prick triangular ears, and feathered curled tail.
The Shikoku dog is somewhat unique in its appearance. It looks similar to an Alaskan Husky
Alaskan Husky
The Alaskan husky is not a breed of dog rather it is a type or a category. It falls short of being a breed in that there is no preferred type of and no restriction as to ancestry; it is defined only by its purpose, which is that of a highly efficient sled dog...
dog physically, but differs in its size and color. The Shikoku Inu ranges from thirty to fifty-five pounds (male; approximately 20 inches tall; female; approximately 18.5 inches tall). This dog would be considered medium sized.
Varieties
Three varieties of this breed have been identified: the Awa, the Hongawa, and the Hata all named after the area where they were bred within the Shikoku prefecture. The Hongawa breeding area being the most remote and least accessible, the dogs of the Hongawa line maintained the highest degree of purity and was considered the best type.Health
With a life span of ten to twelve years or so, Shikoku need to be properly taken care of, like every other dog. Health is a big part of the Shikoku's life, because dogs such as these suffer from common illnesses when not given the proper things to eat, or not getting enough time outside. Common illnesses in the Shikoku can appear in the bones, joints, ears, muscles, and nerves. Disease also occurs from things such as trauma and infection. Other more serious issues relate to heart, lung, digestive, and urinary problems.In popular culture
The savage Koga Dogs of the Japanese mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin
Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin
Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin Silver") is an adventure manga by Yoshihiro Takahashi. It was published by Shueisha in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1987, and collected in 18 bound volumes...
are thought to be Shikoku, although they are portrayed as having mohawk
Mohawk hairstyle
The mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
-like shocks of fur on their heads. Tesshin, the son of the Koga leader, Kurojaki, is an important hero in the sequel series Ginga Legend Weed
Ginga Legend Weed
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Takahashi. It is a sequel to Takahashi's 1980s manga Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin, and focuses on Weed, an Akita-Kishu mix and the son of Gin, the original series' protagonist. Weed, named after the English word for wild plant, leaves his...
. The anime-only characters Ryo, Ryu, Heita, and Hanji (four dogs shown aiding Jerome) may also be Shikoku. Both series are by Yoshihiro Takahashi
Yoshihiro Takahashi
is a Japanese manga artist. He writes under a pen name in which his first name Yoshihiro is spelled out in hiragana .Takahashi was born September 18, 1953, in Higashinaruse, Akita. He was very interested in drawing growing up and, in the 60's, started publishing small comics in several newspapers...
.