Kishu

The Kishu is a medium Japanese spitz, usually solid white, bred to hunt boar and deer in the mountains of the Kii peninsula — one of Japan's six native breeds and a designated natural monument.

History

It comes from the mountainous Kii region and hunted large game, often silently and alone. Historically the breed carried spotted and red coats as well; from the 1930s white was favoured almost exclusively, and it is now nearly all white.

Temperament

The breed is known for being quiet, dignified and intensely loyal to one household, with a strong prey drive and a marked reserve towards strangers. It is a calm dog with a hunter's alertness underneath.

Care and training

It needs regular exercise and secure fencing, since the prey drive is genuine. Early socialising matters, and training should be respectful rather than repetitive. The double coat sheds heavily twice a year.

Health

Generally hardy, with hip dysplasia and some inherited eye conditions among the known tendencies. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.