Aggression?

edited December 2017 in Kai Ken (甲斐犬)
Are kai ken dog aggressive and also are they stranger aggressive I would like to known because i can handle stranger aggression but dog aggression is for me a bit harder to handle.

Thanks

Comments

  • Kai Ken are generally the least likely to be dog-aggressive of all the Nihon Ken, the whole group of which at maturity doesn't adore strange dogs. Again- speaking really super broadly.

    My intact male Kai is not expected to put up wth or greet strange dogs, but I do let him greet friendly females with well-tuned-in owners. He is proud and somewhat territorial, but he is also subtle about it. Otherwise he is happy to look but walk on by. My adult female Kai is more interested in and tolerant of new dogs- she is not subtle and is very clear about whats going on and how she feels. My female Kai puppy loves everyone and everything- but ... she's a puppy!

    My male is aloof with strangers- he loves his family and everyone else is "fine, but who really cares?" Sometimes he meets a person he really takes to and shows his loving side that he usually reserves. My female Kai is wary of new people and can bark, but she is curious and is soon climbing in their laps and licking their face. The puppy loves everyone and everything.

    Some Kai can be quite shy of strangers and prefer to avoid them, and if pressured too much will try extra hard to get away from contact with them. I feel it's important to do good socialization and friendly prevention work with all Kai throughout life so they continue to think strangers are fun or just no big deal at all. They are generally sensitive dogs and respond best to a high quality bond with their owner, the foundation of which supports their encounters with and work with all other things. If they are confident in their relationship with their owner, they have a good base and can do a great deal with us!
  • Great answer from WrylyBrindle!

    Even though Kai are known to be attached to their owners and aloof, I haven't heard of any with aggression issues. The most "aggressive" I'd say I've witnessed in the breed is maybe males at dog shows because that sort of posturing is a strong look for the dog.

    I'd say my male intact Kai is inordinately friendly with strangers we come across. He's normally quite curious about the people around him and he seems to love dogs, as soon as he greets them he wants to play. I can think of a handful of times he was more cautious or even bristly towards someone, one of which there was a male road worker with a mask on, the other was a guy in a lion costume, so far he doesn't seem to prefer one gender over another though.

    Another thing might be that I'm always around and he feels reassured or my reactions and my energy somewhat informs his response to new situations and people. I've left him briefly with a friend who said he just napped the whole time, and at a pet hotel who said he was energetic and wanted to play but also seemed lonely.

    I've met Kai that seem reserved in a somewhat noble way, who were very friendly and just begging for affection, and perfect guard dogs who barked but calmed down around their owner. This has just been my limited experience with the breed.
  • edited September 2018
    My Kai can sometimes get food aggressive with the other dogs. I think this is in large part due to one of them always trying to eat everyones food. However he mostly just growls and barks if they get to close. We've worked with him and its not really an issue. A few times at the dog park he tried to dominate other dogs, but this is not his normal behavior. With stranges he is very vocal but keeps his distance. He prefers to avoid people he doesn't know and when I do bring him out they have to approach slowly and go slow, if he gets too nervous he'll pull away and try to run. Only time I've seen him get aggressive towards a person is if my wife or I seem to be in danger. Someone shouting or coming up to fast, which I think has only happened once or twice. The rest of the time he just trys to get as far away from people as he can.
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