Breeds / Medium
Kishu Ken puppies
Calm, stoic and quiet, closely bonded to their household and wary of strangers. A Japanese boar hunting spitz with a strong prey drive.
The facts
- Size class Medium
- Country of origin Japan
- Adult weight 13.6 to 27.2 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 30 to 60 lb
- Adult height 48 to 56 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short double
- Shedding Moderate
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
About the Kishu Ken
The Kishu Ken comes from the mountains of the Kii peninsula in Japan, where they were bred to hunt boar, working close and quiet rather than noisy. Almost all are solid white now. This is a medium spitz of 13.6 to 27.2 kg and 48 to 56 cm, with a short harsh double coat, prick ears and a curled or sickle tail. The temperament is calm and stoic indoors, deeply loyal to their own household, wary of strangers, and intensely focused the moment something moves.
Daily walks, hikes or scent games meet their needs, and they do not have to run all day. Grooming is minimal outside the one or two annual moults, when a bath and a high velocity dryer save weeks of loose hair. Prey drive is the practical problem: fencing must be solid and off lead work is unreliable. They rate in the middle with children and other pets, so supervise and socialise. New owners often read the breed's stillness as contentment when it is actually boredom building up.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Kishu Ken puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Autoimmune thyroiditis, screened by a thyroid blood panel
- Addison's disease, or hypoadrenocorticism, diagnosed by an ACTH stimulation test
- Food and environmental allergies, worked up by a vet with elimination diets and skin testing
- Discoid and systemic lupus, diagnosed by a vet from skin biopsy and blood testing
Your Kishu Ken puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Kishu Ken.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 13.6 to 27.2 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 27.2 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other medium breeds
American Cocker Spaniel
American Pit Bull Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
American Water Spaniel
Aussiedoodle
Australian Cattle Dog
More on the Kishu Ken
Previous: Kerry Blue Terrier · Next: Komondor
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- fci.be for country of origin
- Health notes from Kishu Ken breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/kishu-ken/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: CJ Hammond, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.