The is a breed of dog originating from Japan. Other names for the breed include Ainu-ken, Seta, Ainu dog, Hokkaidog. In Japan, its name is sometimes shortened to ''Dō-ken'' (道犬). The Hokkaido is native to the

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...

of the same name in Japan.

Appearance

The dog is medium in size, with small, triangular, upright ears. The small eyes have a rising triangular outline. The Hokkaido has a

coat A coat typically is an outer garment for the upper body as worn by either gender for warmth or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and are open down the front and closing by means of buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, toggles, ...

of long, stiff fur, and a second, shorter coat of soft fur. Colors include red, white, black, brindle, sesame, black and tan, and wolf-gray. Males are typically 50 cm (20 in) tall at the

withers The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped. In many species, it is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, cattle a ...

, females slightly shorter, with body masses in the 20 kg (44 lb) range. Dogs bred on continents outside of their native Japan may be smaller.

History

The Hokkaido dog is thought to have originated from the medium-sized dogs brought by immigrants from the main island of

Honshu , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island s ...

in the 1140s. In 1869, the English zoologist Thomas W. Blakiston gave the breed the name Hokkaido. The breed was useful in the search for survivors of an

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

expedition that was caught in heavy snow crossing the

Hakkōda Mountains The are an active volcanic complex in south-central Aomori Prefecture, Japan, in Towada-Hachimantai National Park. Often called or simply , the mountains are collectively listed as one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains. Its highest peak, ...

Aomori Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku region. The prefecture's capital, largest city, and namesake is the city of Aomori. Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the eas ...

in 1902. In 1937, the Ainu dog was designated in Japan as "a rare species protected by law" by the

Ministry of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...

and it was decided that the official name of the breed would be Hokkaido-Inu. However, the dogs are almost always called Hokkaido-Ken among the Japanese people. The breed is extremely rare outside its native country.

Health

The Hokkaido dog has a very high rate of Collie eye anomaly (CEA). About 1/3 of Hokkaidos are affected by CEA while 2/3 are carriers.

References

External links

Hokkaido Dog Photos

Hokkaido Association of North America

Hokkaido Breed information website (including CEA info)
{{Authority control Ainu culture Breeds originating from Indigenous people Dog breeds originating in Japan Mammals of Japan Rare dog breeds Spitz breeds