The Shikoku Dog (Shikoku Inu) or Kochi Ken is a Spitz type hunting and working dog originating from the Kochi Prefecture on the Shikoku Island, Japan. This is one of six native Japanese dog breeds – other five being the Akita Inu, Shiba Inu, Kai Ken, Kishu Inu, and the Hokkaido Dog. The breed, previously known as the Tosa Ken, was developed through domestication of the wolf-like dogs that inhabited this Island in antiquity. At the time, these newly domesticated dogs were, by the ancient Japanese people, mainly used and bred for hunting. They proved successful in their duties and were highly valued as hunting dogs, which eventually proved crucial for the preservation of the entire breed. Thanks to the natural isolation of the Shikoku Island, these Japanese Wolfdogs (as some call these dogs, but it’s quite misleading as you can read here) have had limited ability to crossbreed with other dog breeds. This resulted that the genetic pool of this breed remained almost completely pure to this very day. That’s why the Mikawa Inu, as Japanese also call this dog, is considered one of the purest dog breeds in the world. Continue Reading →