Kai Ken - What can they do?


Has anyone heard of a Kai Ken being used for mushing or SAR? I know a few of us are very interested in this, I'm interested to know if anyone has tried it.





~Brad



Comments

  • edited November -1


    I have heard of a Kai in Japan (an American couple that live over there) who has been involved with SAR, along with another Kai.  Apparently it's working great, he's a natural.  I've got a friend who started the metro SAR and her own SAR group... I've been thinking about trying it out, but I have to find the time to dedicate to it.


    ~Gwen

  • edited June 2007

    That's really cool! I really had never considered SAR until Heidi [Hondru] mentioned it on the Shikoku Forum - now that I have heard other have done some SAR work w/ there Kai Ken it makes me think I may want to try it. Tho I have a little while to wait - my Kai will be here end of the summer.







    Do you know if it's Alpine SAR?







    ~Brad
  • edited November -1
    Your kai will be here this summer?  I didn't know that.  That sure is a lot of puppies in a short amount of time, I'm jealous.
  • edited November -1


    Yes, it's kinda ridicules... But with all our pups being "fighting breeds" [a our behaviorist says] we wanna make sure they all get comfortable with each other early on. The younger they are the better.


    I just re-read Marian's email and it looks like it will be 5 - 7 months wait for me... So I guess that's not really summer. My bad - I am completely oblivious to time, on an average day I have no idea what month or day it is... I think it's because I work 24/7 and therefore don't get many breaks to that would act as milestones. I was on the list for Marian's current litter [born a few weeks ago] but I had to pass because it would just be to much work for us with Hilo and Ahi.


    ~Brad


     

  • edited November -1
    Yeah, that's a good point.  I'd like to get three more dogs within the next three years, but we'll see.  Our priority is to first get a shikoku and then work on getting a kai and a finnish spitz, although I definitely want the kai first.  Noah (my husband) wants the finnish spitz more, so we'll have to play rock paper scissors, or get both.
  • edited November -1


    That's pretty much exactly what happened w/ Jen and I - we both want a Kai and an Akita - she wanted the Akita more, I wanted the Kai more... She won. :c)

  • edited November -1
    Brad--Are you talking about Marrian from Classy Kennels in Michigan? I am from Michigan and I have a 3 1/2 female shiba inu and I have been wanted a Kai from seeing them on her website, and I know they were born just a  couple weeks ago and will be ready in August so im sure that has to be the same one! Especially since not alot of people breed Kais. I want another dog for my shiba but not necessary a shiba, eventhough they are so darn cute! I was considering it then I saw the other Japanese breeds and then looked more into the Kais and Marrian said that she has a male Kai left and that it would do much better with my female shiba so I might just have to consider it! =) I know that with Shibas they should be introduced to other animals in the house hold at this young of a age or then will become jealous if you do it when they get older so that was my thinking. Kais are so cute and I can see how once you get one of these Japanese breeds you are hooked! I would never consider getting any other type of breed. Have you seen the Kais in person and if so how is their temperment?
  • edited November -1


    Hi anfbaybedoll! Welcome to the forum!


    Yes I was speaking of Marian, and that is the litter I was speaking of... I saw some pics from that litter and the pups look AMAZING! I would go for it if I was you. :c) Also, BTW, Marian is a member on this forum, so she may be able to address your questions from here.


    No I have not seen a Kai in person, just pictures - I had not seen a Shikoku in person before I got Ahi either... Kinda risky I suppose but I do a lot of research before I sign a contract. I would like to see a Kai in person, and may try to arrange a trip to Marian's kennel.


    YES - Japanese dogs are very addictive... I have 4! We had our male Shiba, Maui, first, and introduced our female Shiba, Kaia, to him... That went great, but introducing our Shikoku was not that pleasant, it took the Shibas a long time to accept her. We just added Hilo, our Akita, a month or so ago and it went very smooth. I think it's because Ahi, our Shikoku, was a ball of energy, but Hilo is pretty chill.


    When you introduce them try to do it somewhere that your Shiba would consider neutral territory. Also try to exercise both of them, separately, before you introduce them so that they are tired. Also bring lots of treat and treat your Shiba a lot when she is meeting the Kai... Once you have them home let them socialize in short intervals allowing each one time to hang out w/ you w/o the other one around... Also try to stay on the same schedule you have been on with your Shiba, that will help her feel more comfortable with the transition. That's a lot of stuff I just wrote - but at the end of the day you know your Shiba and you will be able to judge the situation better than any of us can give you advice... Just take it slow.


    I think male / female pairs are the best when it comes to these Japanese breeds.


    Your Shiba is soooooo cute - BTW! Is she 3 1/2 months or years old?

  • edited November -1
    Keira my shiba inu actually just turned 4 months today. She was born March 1st! Shes growing up so fast! She loves any kinds of dogs, puppies, and cats too. I am also taking her to puppy class to get her socialized and she loves people alot too. I also have 2 cats that she loves to play with but she needs a dog companion to play with that has just as much energy as she does and if I am ever going to get one the best time is now i suppose before she gets older and territorial. Well thank you for the info and I will let you know what we decide! I know he would make a great companion for us as well as Keira. =)
  • edited November -1
    Anyone ever try this... http://www.malinut.com/ref/write/paws/   It's a working dog evaluation test.
  • edited November -1


    I have been looking up Kai Ken video clips on YouTube and found some nice ones that show the Kais personality a little bit more and how they interact. It took me awhile but I was able to find some under "Kaiken" as all one word. They are such a beautiful dog! Brad: Just to update you, I put my down payment last week with the all black male Kai with Marrian at Classy Kennels and will be able to pick him up around Aug. 5th or somewhere abouts! My husband and I agreed that our Shiba girl needs a dog companion. We are both very excited to own this amazing breed and I cant wait to share my experiences with him on this forum so everyone will be able to learn more about them. Here is a video clip that I found of Kais playing together. Its very cute!


     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNUr4Dm_MlU


     

  • edited November -1


    Those are really great - thanx for finding them.


    It looks like the Kai plays very similar to our Shikoku, tho maybe not quite as rough. That clip where the Kai was barking at the boots is EXACTLY like our female Shiba, she barks at things like that - things that seem out of place to her.


     

  • edited November -1
    Those videos are awsome thanks for posting them!!!  The dog fight one is kinda scary; the one that is retreiving is very cute, he is a handsome dog.  I wish mine would retreive like that!! Anfbabyedoll, you are going to love your Kai, I have the same combo you are going to have, a black and tan female Shiba, and a male Kai.  Make sure you post pics when you get him!!  What are you thinking naming him?
  • edited July 2007


    Kwyld--I am thinking about naming him Koy or Kenji. My shibas name is Keira, but my husband really wants to call him Kenji. I got to pick out Keiras name so all is fair =) Which dog did you get first, the Shiba or Kai? and when they first met how old were they and how did they react to one another? Marian said that the Shiba females do best with the male Kais v.s. the female or even the male Shibas. I was suprised to hear about the male shibas and her not getting along as quite as well but as we all know how Shibas are, "mine mine mine mine" so I think thats their niche and Kais seem to have a more mellow personality and will let the shiba have its way. I am very excited! She sent me 2 pictures of him a few days ago. They are now 4 1/2 weeks old and so adorable! I will go on youtube and see if I can get some more Kai videos. Is your Kai more mello than your Shiba?


     Kai


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     kai

  • edited November -1
      I got the Shiba first and she about 1 1/2 when I got the Kai.  We brought her with us when we met Marian at a dog show to pick up Kohji.  Taj was not happy, we set him down in the backseat with her and she looked at us like we had sprouted a third eye, and she ignored the puppy the whole way home.  He was happy as a clam, but didn't try to bother her or play with her during the ride.  She soon got used to him as time went by, I think that she really wanted to be the only dog, but not every Shiba is like that.  Plus, yours will be younger when you get your Kai.  With Japanese dogs, you will always have an easier time with a male/female combo, as opposed to same sex combos.  It's just in their tempermant, unless you have a really nice one that loves everyone, but I don't think that is correct for their temperment to be like that.  Kohji definatly tolerates the crap Taj pulls, and he was not mellow at all when he was a puppy.  He is still pretty active compared to other breeds, especially if he knows he's going on a walk, or to class.  I did have issues with him when he was younger regarding fear aggression, such as not liking other dogs, people, corrections, etc.  Make sure you use positive training methods and TONS OF SOCIALIZATION with WELL BEHAVED dogs and all kinds of people(ie:men, women, different races, wearing hats, skateboards, etc.)  This will have to go into adulthood, and use lots of food and praise and if you know how to use a clicker, use that too.  They DO NOT respond well to negative corrections.  I would highly recommend taking him to puppy classes, obedience classes, and even go further into Rally, Agility, Tracking, or some other kind of class that you do on a regular basis, it will keep him looking forward to something he loves doing.  Their tempermant is not like the Shiba at all.  Mine has turned out to be a wonderful dog and I love him dearly, they just need a job to do.  I like the name Kenji, I was thinking about naming the Shikoku I am getting in the future Kina.  Where did you get your Shiba from again??
  • edited November -1
    I got my Shiba from a lady in Michigan. Its a small breeder from Wayne called Tokala Shibas. I wanted a black and tan shiba so bad and it didnt really matter if I got a female or a male because they are not as common as they red and red seseme. I am so glad I got a female though, my impression of female dogs was that they are like female cats, they dont like to be touched or want attention and are snotty but my impression was way wrong. My parents also had a minature dashaund and she was like that. Does your male Kai pee on random things in the house and if so is there anyway i can prevent it from happening? Thats the only thing I am worried about but then again I have never had a male dog before, just male cats and they dont "mark their territory". Keira is almost 4 1/2 months and will be 5 months or so when we get Kenji so I think she will do fine since she is still so young. She loves anyone and any animal she meets. I take her to Petsmart for puppy classes and I have 1 more class left until shes done with that. I will probably take it to it the same type of class too. I am glad I got her out to socialize her at such a young age and she is so good around people and other dogs, walks and car rides. She loves the bigger dogs like the german shepards and huskys, and gets frustrated when she sees the little dogs at petsmart or our neighbors dogs that ignore her because they arent in that puppy stage anymore and most of them are like 7 and 8 yrs old. She loves to play and doesnt understand that not every dog wants to play with her. Its quite funny. Does your Kai do Kai 100's like shibas do the shiba 100's? How much does your Kai weigh? I herd that their weight varies so there isnt really a "normal" weight they should be.
  • edited November -1


    Those pups are very cute - which one is yours?

  • edited November -1
    I have the one on the right (the all black one).
  • edited November -1
    What is SAR?  Im new to all this.  Going on 2 years of dog ownership for the first time this fall!!
  • edited November -1


    SAR = search and rescue.  


    Those videos are really neat!  The testicle shot in the last one was kind of odd, but whatever. 

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