As with its sibling-breed, the Kishu Ken, the Shikoku Ken is a relatively young breed with deep, old roots. First recognized in 1937 as a Natural Cultural Monument, it was one of the last Japanese breeds which have survived to modern times to earn this distinction. The Shikoku was developed as a large game hound, similar to the Kishu Ken, but has been used more commonly on both deer and boar.
The breed lost this primary use sometime after the reconstruction effort which saw the dissolution and combination of its three distinct lines and mostly became kept as a pet and show dog. As fewer and fewer proven hunting Shikoku Ken were born, it lost favor as a hunting dog to the Kishu Ken. There has been some modern interest in restoring Shikoku Ken as hunting dogs with varied success (and failure.)
The breed traditionally came in sesame, black (tan point), red, and white - with or without pinto markings - but pinto markings and white coats eventually became faulted in the show ring where the Shikoku came to shine. Very few white Shikoku exist today and pinto markings may be functionally removed from the genepool (though some dogs are still born with excess white markings.)
The Shikoku Ken remains one of the consistently rarest of the Japanese breeds within Japan with only 200-300 registrations annually. The breed has experienced a boom in popularity in Europe and North America where it is popularly sought after for the breed's striking appearance.
The breed lost this primary use sometime after the reconstruction effort which saw the dissolution and combination of its three distinct lines and mostly became kept as a pet and show dog. As fewer and fewer proven hunting Shikoku Ken were born, it lost favor as a hunting dog to the Kishu Ken. There has been some modern interest in restoring Shikoku Ken as hunting dogs with varied success (and failure.)
The breed traditionally came in sesame, black (tan point), red, and white - with or without pinto markings - but pinto markings and white coats eventually became faulted in the show ring where the Shikoku came to shine. Very few white Shikoku exist today and pinto markings may be functionally removed from the genepool (though some dogs are still born with excess white markings.)
The Shikoku Ken remains one of the consistently rarest of the Japanese breeds within Japan with only 200-300 registrations annually. The breed has experienced a boom in popularity in Europe and North America where it is popularly sought after for the breed's striking appearance.
More Reading
Shikoku Ken history is recorded in spoken lore, in books, and on pedigrees made available to the public through various publications.
- The Shikoku Ken Dog Breed Series by Aiken no Tomo (Japanese) offers a comprehensive look into the breed with a handful of founder photos and pedigrees, as well as a total overview of Shikoku Ken care and traits.
- The Nihon Ken Blog by Shigeru Kato (English)
The three essential traits of the Japanese dog are Kan'i, Ryousei, and Soboku. If you are familiar with the Shiba Inu, these may be terms you are likewise familiar with, as they were first translated and brought to English via the NIPPO standard for Shiba Inu, but this is the standard for all Japanese dogs under the NIPPO standard.
Kan'i, Ryousei and Soboku are the essence of the Japanese dog and are of immense importance. Kan'i is spirited vigour and dignified majesty; Ryousei is faithful devotion and gentle obedience; Soboku is rustic, sober and unadorned elegance. A good Japanese dog possesses and expresses these fundamental inborn characteristics by its very nature.
Temperament is the first item listed in the Nihon Ken Hozonkai standard and it is among one of our first considerations at Akiyama no Roushya. After all, to perfect the body without keeping the spirit and the mind is to only keep a shell of what these wonderful dogs should be. And the Shikoku Ken is a spirited and family-oriented dog.
This breed tends to be a "one person" or "one family" breed where the dog bonds very closely and fiercely with their family and may be stoic or neutral to strangers. While excessive aggression or shyness is faulted or disqualified per the standard, Shikoku Ken tend to be somewhat environmentally sensitive and self-preserving which can often produce shy or very stranger-adverse individuals either by breeding or by rearing and socialization. Our hope at Akiyama no Roushya is to produce Shikoku Ken who have the same "fire in their belly" as our Kishu while also being stable, confident members of their family and society. This breed may never be as friendly and open toward strangers as our Kishu Ken, but their aloof and neutral demeanor can make them enjoyable companions to the right individual or family who knows exactly what they are getting.
It is worth noting that Shikoku Ken tend to be more willing to escalate and push other dogs' buttons during playful interactions. Their tenacity and adrenaline-seeking personalities may make them poor companions to dogs who prefer their personal space and mutual respect. This does not necessarily mean that the Shikoku is dog-aggressive or bad with other animals, but lifelong management may be required to keep a harmonious household when it comes to keeping Shikoku Ken. This can make these dogs a poor candidate for places like dog parks or dog daycares which have "all day play" environments as the Shikoku matures.
This breed tends to be a "one person" or "one family" breed where the dog bonds very closely and fiercely with their family and may be stoic or neutral to strangers. While excessive aggression or shyness is faulted or disqualified per the standard, Shikoku Ken tend to be somewhat environmentally sensitive and self-preserving which can often produce shy or very stranger-adverse individuals either by breeding or by rearing and socialization. Our hope at Akiyama no Roushya is to produce Shikoku Ken who have the same "fire in their belly" as our Kishu while also being stable, confident members of their family and society. This breed may never be as friendly and open toward strangers as our Kishu Ken, but their aloof and neutral demeanor can make them enjoyable companions to the right individual or family who knows exactly what they are getting.
It is worth noting that Shikoku Ken tend to be more willing to escalate and push other dogs' buttons during playful interactions. Their tenacity and adrenaline-seeking personalities may make them poor companions to dogs who prefer their personal space and mutual respect. This does not necessarily mean that the Shikoku is dog-aggressive or bad with other animals, but lifelong management may be required to keep a harmonious household when it comes to keeping Shikoku Ken. This can make these dogs a poor candidate for places like dog parks or dog daycares which have "all day play" environments as the Shikoku matures.
The Shikoku Ken is a generally hardy and functional dog, but the breed does have some health concerns which may have mild to severe impacts on the Shikoku Ken's quality of life and longevity. It is of the utmost importance for breeders to have the knowledge of their dogs' lineage and health test when available, but also for owners to be prepared. Bolded conditions are those which may need immediate treatment, complicated diagnostics, or have a more serious impact on a dog's longevity and quality of life. I encourage owners familiarize themselves with these illnesses ONLY to know the signs and symptoms should their dog need medical intervention.
Known Health Conditions
- Cancer
- Lung, brain, and skin cancer have been found in the Shikoku Ken. Most of the time, cancers occur in dogs who are aging or are already at advanced age. Late age cancer does not appear to be uncommon in the breed at this time. There is no test for cancer in breeding dogs, but knowledge of family lines may be able to inform and prepare owners for the risk.
- Hip Dysplasia
- Evaluation of both OFA and PennHip shows the breed averages to moderate to increased risk of developing hip dysplasia in their lifetime. Fortunately, many Shikoku Ken who have hip/joint deformity are not adversely affected and some are even entirely asymptomatic likely due to their relatively moderate size and athleticism. Still, puppy owners should know the risk of joint deformity and find breeders who have their dogs' hip results listed with the OFA database. While good parent scores does not ensure a puppy produced will have good hips, it does provide important trends and family history which is invaluable.
- Idiopathic Epilepsy
- Neurological issues are a concern in the Shikoku Ken. Epilepsy in particular pops up in the breed and can severely negatively affect the health and longevity of a dog. Idiopathic epilepsy is believed to be genetic and in the Shikoku Ken, this illness tends to appear within particular family lines. Many seizures may be controlled on medication and strict medical guidance from a veterinarian. Some serious cases of epilepsy may not be as easily controlled and must be closely monitored.
- Panosteitis
- Panosteitis, sometimes called "growing pains" (though this is sometimes a misnomer in the Shikoku Ken) is a painful inflammation of the bones and joints as the dog is growing. Many affected dogs will have symptoms until maturity, at which time the condition will entirely resolve. This is usually around 2 years of age, but as the Shikoku Ken is a slow maturing breed it may be 3 or 4 years at which time symptoms may resolve. There are some dogs which have lifelong episodes of panosteitis and other dogs which may have the more serious autoimmune condition, immune mediated polyarthritis.
Uncommon and rare Health Conditions
- Cystinuria Type III
- Distichiasis
- Elbow Dysplasia
- Entropion
- Immune Mediated Polyarthritis
- Hypothyroidism
- Luxating Patella
- Lysosomal Storage Disease (Gangliosidosis)
- Missing Dentition
- Persistent Pupillary Membranes