MyDogBreeds
Hovawart is originated from Germany but Kai Ken is originated from Japan. Hovawart may grow 14 cm / 6 inches higher than Kai Ken. Hovawart may weigh 29 kg / 64 pounds more than Kai Ken. Both Hovawart and Kai Ken has almost same life span. Both Hovawart and Kai Ken has almost same litter size. Hovawart requires Low maintenance. But Kai Ken requires Moderate maintenance
The Hovawart, is a German Black Forest breed developed as a guard dog for large estates in the medieval era. They first appeared in history in the early 13th century as heroes who saved the German son of a castle lord, despite being injured themselves. The boy they saved grew up to be a German legend. He wrote the oldest German code of law that remained from medieval times. In it he names the Hovawarts as a dog that if you are responsible for hurting, stealing or killing it, you must pay for it or replace it. No other dog had this protection.
In the late fifteenth century Hovawarts were featured in Heinrich Mynsinger’s “The Five Noble Breeds”. This guard dog breed was esteemed on a level with the hunting dogs – their health a question of life or death for their owner. In the 1500’s the popularity of the breed began to fade. The GSD or German Shepard Dog began to replace the Hovawarts as the preferred guard dog.
By the early 20th century the breed had almost disappeared but were saved by breed enthusiasts in the early 1900’s. Zoologist Kurt Konig was prominent in this effort and went looking in the Black Forest area for dogs working on farms. Using the dogs, he found on these farms, Konig began a breeding program crossing the them with Newfoundland’s, Kuvazoks, Leonbergers, GSD, an African hunting dogs and Bernese Mountain Dogs.
By 1922 the first litter of these pups was entered officially into the German Breeding Registry. In 1937 the Hovawart was recognized by the German Kennel Club. However, many members of the breed died in World War II as they were used widely by the military and not many were left by 1945. Once again breed enthusiasts came to the rescue forming a Coburg Hovawart club. This club still exists and in 1964, for the second time, the breed was recognized by the German Kennel Club. Other countries also began to take notice of this working breed.
The Hovawart has many skills in addition hunting and guarding. The Hovawart does not work for people, he works with them as he is a very independent thinker. He is also good at search and rescue and tracking. An owner of this breed must be stronger, smarter, more alert, intentional and consistent than his Hovawart. These are not dogs for the faint of heart or first-timers.
The Kai Ken dog hails from Japan and is both an ancient and rare dog. In fact the dog was discovered in 1929 in the Kai province near Mount Fuji. The dog has the nickname Tora Inu in Japan which means 'Tiger Dog'. Maybe its got to do with the brindle striped coat or his bravery.
He falls into the working class category. In 1931, the Kai Ken Aigokai registry was formed to preserve the dog. In fact in this year Dasuke Adachi discovered these dogs and in 1934 was actually designated a Natural Monument in Japan and also protected by law.
The Kai Ken was recognized in 1934 by the Japanese Kennel Club. It is not 100% certain but it is thought that the dog was brought to the United States in the 1950s.
The Hovawart is a proud and majestic dog and his looks match his character. He looks a bit like the Golden Retriever with a powerful and broad forehead. His skull and muzzle are the same length and his nose is black. His oval eyes are a medium to dark brown and his ears are high set and triangular.
Their chests are strong, broad and deep. The breed has strong legs straight in front with round, strong and compact feet. They are heavy boned with dense, long coats that lie flat and have a slight wave to them. The coat can be black and gold, blond or black.
The Kai Ken has always been used for hunting purposes. He comes as recommended for hunting people and those who are active.
It is a medium sized dog standing at between 43 to 56cm in height both male and female and weighing between 14 and 22kg.
The ears of the dog are erect, the muzzle is fairly tapered and the nose is black. The tail is bushy like that of a fox and curls over the back. The double coat of the dog is of medium length and harsh and is a brindle color in a reddish or black shade.
Puppies are born black and then the brindle stripe-like pattern comes in later. He has an athletic body and is a keen swimmer.
The Kai Ken is an intelligent dog, loyal to his human family while being somewhat reserved around strangers. They are amicable with both children in the home as well as other pets.
He is a friendly, intelligent dog, forming close bonds with his family. Have him trained and socialized and he'll make you a splendid pet who will be willing to guard you if anyone threatens.
One look at that bright face and you can see that he is an intelligent, independent dog. He is also courageous and fearless and makes a great watchdog, especially because he is naturally reserved and suspicious with strangers.
They have a great sense of smell and a well-balanced personality.
They are not indoor dogs and should have a yard to run in. They do not tolerate hot weather well. They do great out in the country.
They are intelligent independent thinkers. They lengths well with positive reinforcement.
The Kai Ken is a working- and hunting dog, so he is used to being active and will want a home where he can be played with and exercised regularly.
He can be slightly stubborn and independent so training and socialization are imperative. This is also because the dog’s curiosity and his athletic skills can lead to trouble if he isn’t properly trained.
Treat him the way he deserves and you’ll see that he is able to develop a strong bond with you and be altogether an excellent family pet.
Though their isolation protected them from genetic health issues for centuries, once they were being rejuvenated and mixed with other breeds some common issues began to show up. These include:
With a lifespan of 14 to 16 years, and given the genetic purity of the Kai Ken, you aren't likely to battle with congenital health problems with your dog, but it is always good to be aware of certain minor health issues that he could succumb to.
He can suffer from a few common dog diseases such as progressive retinal atrophy or hip dysplasia.
This is a disease of the eye where there is wasting of certain parts, and in this case the cells of the retina develop abnormally. This can eventually lead to blindness. It’s an inherited disease that can occur in pure- and mixed breeds, and dogs with PRA shouldn’t be used for breeding.
It isn’t a painful condition, and the first symptom usually noticed in a dog is night blindness where you may notice him bumping into things at night and being reluctant to walk around in the dark.
Feed breed specific high quality dry food for puppies. Feed 1-2 cups in 3-4 meals per day
Again Feed breed specific high quality dry food for adults. Feed 2-3 cups per day in 1-2 meals per day.
Points for Good Health – Stamina
The Hovawart needs plenty of exercise. Remember this is a mountain farm dog used to working all the time. Walk or jog with them daily. They can excel at field trials, obedience, search and rescue, agility, flyball, therapy dog, and service dog.
Even though the coat is thick, the Kai Ken will require basic canine care, so a brush twice a week will be enough to keep the coat free of loose hair. He sheds more heavily a couple of times a year and then he will require more brushing.
He has always been used to hunt so he is a dog that will require regular exercise such as walks, hikes, swimming and ball games.
The nails of the dog should be trimmed regularly once they become long as long nails can be hazardous and can hook onto things, causing injury to the nail area.
The ears of the dog should be checked regularly for fleas and ticks, and teeth should also be brushed with canine toothbrush and toothpaste.