Hokkaido ken

Overall description of the breed

The Hokkaido or Hokkaido Ken is a very old Japanese hunting dog breed, long called Ainu-Ken in reference to the Ainu community. Originally from the island of Honshu, this mysterious nomadic people who once ruled over an immense area between Russia and Japan, migrated by force to the island of Hokkaido in 1140, after having been persecuted for several decades. Centuries later, in 1937 to be precise, the breed was recognised as a national natural monument in Japan and officially named after its original atoll, Hokkaido Island. Specially developed for hunting bears and other large game, they are robust and intelligent dogs that can endure the most extreme cold and complicated tracking conditions. The breed was finally registered by the international cynological federation on April 22, 1964, and its current standard was published on October 30, 2016.

The Hokkaido Ken is a medium-sized Spitz-type dog, homogeneous in its proportions, solidly built, while maintaining pure and elegant lines. They are energetic and bold hunting dogs, never shying away from an obstacle or difficulty. Formerly used to hunt bears, he has kept his fighting character and his daring. His limbs are powerful, his body high, which gives him a lot of range of movement. His topline is straight, clean, broad and robust. He has exceptional endurance and can run for miles without showing the slightest sign of fatigue. The head is typical of primitive dogs, triangular in shape, with a long, sweeping muzzle and short, pointed ears, standing high on the skull. As a distinctive sign of the breed, one can observe a thick, curved tail, giving shape to a beautiful plume, falling subtly on its back. The coat is thick with a hard texture, associated with a thick undercoat, and the colours allowed by the standard are red, black, black and tan, white or sesame.

Like all primitive dogs, the Hokkaido Ken is equipped with a great instinctive intelligence, the report of force is omnipresent, while preserving a pronounced family spirit. Hierarchy is important to him, if the rules are clear and his education mastered, he will show himself gentle, calm and affectionate, on the other hand, he will take advantage of the slightest breach of authority to thwart your attention. Never timid, never fearful, he remains rather reserved in front of people he does not know, his legendary phlegm and his independent side can disturb a little at the beginning. He is an active companion, who needs to exercise daily, without regular activity his energy can become explosive. He will enjoy endless games with his owners, but meaningful games to stimulate his intelligence. He is a trustworthy partner, always willing to go for walks or hunting activities. Close to his social group, he remains quite autonomous in spite of everything, he will nevertheless know how to show you his love in his own way and will remain faithful to his family no matter what.

Adult: The Hokkaido Ken will weigh between 44 to 55 lbs for the male and 39.6 to 50.7 lbs for the female, his height at the withers will be between 18.9" to 20.5" for the males and 17.7" to 19.3" for the females.