Kishu (breed of dogs)

Kishu is a local breed belonging to the indigenous Spitz-shaped Japanese dogs, whose history goes back over three thousand years ^[3] . The breed was formed in the mountainous areas of the Kii Peninsula , in the territories of the Kishu Principality , where the prefectures of Mie , Nara and Wakayama are now located. Dogs originating from different localities and slightly different in appearance are often called by their origin: in the region they are called Kumano-inu and Taiji-inu, in the Nansei region, they are called Outiyama-inu, and in the district they breed mostly whites hidaka-kei. The common name of the breed "Kishu" was applied after the approval of the Nippo standard in 1934 ^[4] . In 1934, the breed is recognized as the national treasure of Japan ^[2] .

There is a legend about the origin of kisu. Japanese hunter went out wounded wolf, asking in exchange for one of her future wolf cubs. The she-wolf kept her promise and brought a wolf cub to the hunter, who was raised by a man and became the progenitor of all kisy. Fearless and tireless assistant, kisyu was highly valued by local hunters for centuries, hunting scenes involving kisu are depicted in the drawings of 700 years ago. Life in remote and isolated areas of Japan allowed the kisu to survive during the Second World War , which killed many dog ​​breeds. Kishu are rare even in Japan, the population is estimated at 11-13 thousand individuals. Nippo annually registers 700–900 puppies ^[5] .

The breed is recognized by the Nippo Japanese Dog Conservation Association as a primordially Japanese medium sized dog. The Nippo standard, which describes a Japanese dog and includes six similar breeds, was developed in 1934 ^[2] and formed the basis of the breed standard presented by the Japanese Kennel Club of the International Canine Federation (FCI) . The breed is recognized by the International Canine Federation in 1982 ^[6] . In the United States, Kisy was included in the register of the organization of the Foundation Stock Service, which deals with the conservation of rare breeds, in 2005 ^[3] .

Kishu is a typical, medium-sized Japanese dog with pointed, erect ears and a ring-bent tail. Strong, compact, perfectly balanced and muscular, exceptionally hardy. The ratio of height at withers and body length is 10:11. The standard requires pronounced sexual dimorphism ^[7] .

The head is wide, the transition from the forehead to the muzzle is rather steep, with a small median sulcus, the back of the nose is straight. Nose black, white dogs may be flesh-colored. Muzzle is voluminous, wedge-shaped, pointed. Dark brown eyes are medium-sized, triangular in shape, the outer corners of the eyes are raised. Erect triangular ears slightly tilted forward ^[7] .

The back is straight with a pronounced withers, the neck is thick, the waist is wide, the chest is deep, the belly is tucked up. The corners of the limbs are moderate, the paw is well-collected, the crumbs are thick and strong, the claws are dark. Often there are dewclaws on the hind legs. The movements are light and elastic. The tail is thick and rather long, set high, rolled into a ring or curved in the shape of a sickle above the back ^[7] .

Like all Japanese dogs, kisyu are dressed in wild-type wool with coarse, straight top coat and thick soft undercoat. On the cheeks and tail there is a somewhat elongated toilet wool. Initially, the predominant colors of the kisu were red and sesame, or sesame (the so-called zonary color, formed by hair with dark and light colored areas), and black and tiger individuals were encountered. Red, sesame and brindle provided an advantage in the hunt, making the dog inconspicuous for the beast, but dignity often turned into a disadvantage: there were tragic cases when inexperienced hunters killed the dog by confusing it with the beast. White kisyu are more convenient in work, although the beast is more visible, so almost all modern kisyu are white, their color is more like for breeders. The standard also allows red and sesame colors, but such kisyu are very rare. Brindle color completely disappeared by 1945 ^{[4] [7] [8]} .

The dog gives the impression of nobility and dignity and at the same time close to the wild ^[7] . Kisyu looks similar to another Japanese medium sized dog, shikoku ^[4] .

In Japan, there are three intrabreed kisyu types associated with the main target of hunting. Dogs that hunt wild boars are strong-built, muscular and distinguished by malice towards the beast. This species is considered the most typical of the breed. Deer hunters must be able to run fast and sometimes long; they are slimmer, very hardy and more excitable. Kisa, which are used in hunting for rabbits and poultry, are less common; these dogs are little adapted to work with small game ^[4] . The Nippo standard identifies two varieties of medium-sized Japanese dogs, including kitty ^[9] .

Kisyu have a balanced character, in everyday life they are calm and calm, but thanks to the mobile nervous system they are ready to immediately go to work. The hunting behavior is well developed, the dogs are independent, courageous and resolute ^{[4] [8]} . Kisyu are easily trained, in addition to the passion for hunting, they show territorial behavior and can be used for guard and even shepherd services, they can be good companions, and they do not have the capacity for protective or guard duty ^{[10] [8]} . They show ingenuity and even cunning, capable of keeping watch over their prey for a long time. At the same time, like most hunting dogs, the kisy is loyal to the owner and obedient, with strangers are incredulous. The essence and typical character of the original Japanese dog kisyu express fully ^[4] .

Kisyu specialize in hunting large game - wild boar, deer, can even hunt the bear ^[11] . Almost all dogs used in hunting wild boar in Japan belong to this breed, other Japanese breeds - hokkaido, kai, and shikoku - are also loved by hunters, but are used less frequently ^[12] .

On the hunt, the dog is required to find the trail, hunt down the beast, go around it and hold it with barking until the person arrives, blocking the escape routes and not letting them escape. If the beast tries to break past the dog, the dog can jump onto the beast and cling to it with its teeth, while the dog should only hold back the beast, but not kill him ^[12] . Jumping the boar on his back to allow the hunter to make a shot with a short distance - a typical manner of working kisu. This dog has enough strength, courage and viciousness to keep the boar alone, the Japanese say about such dogs “One gun, one dog” ( Jap. 一 銃 一 狗 ichiju: Ikku ) , meaning that it is enough for a successful hunt ^[4] .

Modern hunters often work with a pair or a pack of dogs ^[4] . If dogs work in pairs, they can use both methods at the same time. Unlike most hunting dogs, kisyu can use both ways of holding their prey, both by barking and by bite ^[12] .

Dogs are unpretentious in food, easily tolerate cold, well adapted to life in stony terrain ^[10] .

• Chiba M., Tanabe Y., Tojo T., Muraoka T. Japanese dogs: Akita, Shiba, and other breeds. - Kodansha International, 2003. - 94 p. - ISBN 4-7700-2875-X .
• Anderson B. The Nihon Ken (Eng.) // Journal of the International Society for the Primitive Aboriginal Dogs. - PADS, 2012. - Iss. February . - No. 30 - P. 4 . Archived March 18, 2015.