MyDogBreedsWalker Hound is originated from United States but Shikoku is originated from Japan. Walker Hound may grow 42 cm / 17 inches higher than Shikoku. Walker Hound may weigh 21 kg / 46 pounds lesser than Shikoku. Both Walker Hound and Shikoku has almost same life span. Both Walker Hound and Shikoku has almost same litter size. Walker Hound requires Low maintenance. But Shikoku requires Moderate maintenance
The Walker Hound is actually two different breeds today both descendant from the original Walker. They are the Running Walker Hound and the Treeing Walker Coonhound and mark their ancestors as the American Foxhound and the English Foxhound. The Treeing Walker is a breed developed in the United States when a “Tennessee Lead Dog” was crossed with a Walker Hound. The Running Walker is considered a Foxhound not a coonhound. They Running Walker does not have a treeing instinct and is not as common in hunting in the southern US as the Treeing Walker Coonhound.
In 1945 the United Kennel Club (UKC) recognized the Treeing Walker Coonhound and by the AKC (American Kennel Club) in 2012. They were developed to hunt and “tree” racoons – so the coonhound label. They also are capable of hunting bears, deer, bobcats and mountain lions. Their baying voice is distinctive that even at a great distance a hunter can recognize the voice of his dog.
Both types of Walkers are calm, gentle and friendly family dogs. The original Walker Hounds were bred in Kentucky by John Walker and George Maupin. The Walker Coonhound, Treeing was recognized as part of the English Coonhound breed by the UKC in 1905. In 1945, they were then recognized as their own breed by the UKC.
They have become the most popular hound competitor in coon hunt competitions. They are known for speed and an ability to catch more racoons in a shorter period of time than any other coonhound. They also tree squirrels, cougars. Opossums, roof rats and skunks.
The Shikoku is from the Shikoku Island in Japan and they are very much like the Japanese Shiba Inu. There are six native Japanese dog breeds and the Shikoku is medium sized and sits in between the smaller Shiba Inu and the very large Akita Inu. All of the Japanese native breeds are members of the Spitz family. The Japanese have sorted their six breeds into 3 categories by size. Being medium size, the Shikoku is a member of the Shika-inus group. Others in this group are the Ainu Ken, the Kai Ken and the Kishu Inu. There are small differences between the three dogs in the Shika-inus group.
The Shikoku was bred to be a hunting dog in Kochi Prefecture to hunt boar and deer. Other names for the breed include Kochi-ken and Kishu dog or boar hound. This dog is considered to be the purest of the Japanese native dogs or Nihoken. They are today very , very rare. There are very few outsides of Japan, but some in North America are attempting to save the breed.
The are od Kochi Prefecture is a mountainous region with rough terrain that anyone outside of the area would have a hard time accessing. That is why the Shikoku is considered to be so pure as they were pretty well isolated in the mountains. The breeders were also isolated by the mountains and there was very little interbreeding. Although breeding the same dog, these different groups developed different lines of the Shikoku.
Documentation tells us that the number of originals lines was just two and these were the Western and Eastern Shikoku. The Western dog was known as the Mount Ishizuchi Shikoku and the Eastern as the Mount Tsurugi Shikoku. Within these two lines of Shikoku there are additional strains.
Within the Eastern line there is the Tokushima (lya) and the Koci-Aki strains. Within the Western line there is the Hata Uwahara, the Ehime-ken Shuso-gun and the Honkawa. Among these lines and strains, there are different coats and different colors; some heavier and some taller, but all figure into the development of the breed.
Finally, in the Showa Era the Japanese established the Dog Protective League and they began collecting the native dogs from around the country. They protected them so that the breed will go on. The Shikoku is today recognized as Foundation Stock by the AKC and it is fully recognized by the Japan Kennel Club, the Canadian Hound Club and the Shikoku has been declared a living Japanese “natural monument”.
Two bloodlines became the way the Shikoku were know after the war – the Honkawa and the Hata lines The Honkawa line were the descendants of the Choshun-go and the Hata line were the descendants of the Matsukaze-go. They bred the lines separately until 1955, when they mixed them to make the breed stronger. They are no longer considered separate in any way.
Because they are such primitive dogs, the Shikoku are good watch dogs and quite reserved with strangers. They need a lot of socialization to be a family pet but once they are, they make great companions. Intelligent, quick to learn and eager to please. Of the two lines of Shikoku dogs from the Western strains, the current Shikoku owes much of its current development to the Honkawa and Hata strains.
This working dog is tall and lean with the males being somewhat larger than the females. They have broad skulls and hanging, long ears with a long muzzle. They have a soft expression in their dark eyes, straight legs and compact cat-like feet. The coat is smooth, glossy and fine. The traditional color is a tricolor or a bi-color in white with black and tan markings. The bicolors are white and tan or white and black. Their speed comes from the long , powerful and muscled legs and hindquarters along with the frame that is lean and streamlined.
Today’s Shikoku is a medium sized breed with a Spitz like body – square with a head that is wedge shaped. The ears are pointed, and the tail is curved and feathered. They have arched toes and hard pads with dark, hard nails.
The two lines of the Shikoku are slightly different in built and look. The Honkawa strain is slender and athletic; agile and single coated. They have dark eyes and most of them are black and tan.
On the other hand, the Hata strain is much heavier boned, with the front more muscular than the rear. They have small ears, a wide skull and a strong undercoat. His eyes are shaped differently than the Honkawa. Their coats are also mostly red and tan.
2.Special talents Walkers are capable of covering a lot of ground in a hurry. Speed and treeing instinct.
The Treeing Walker Coonhound is a fairly healthy breed needing to watch out for accidents on the hunting trail from shrubs, brush and tree limbs. They can become tick infested if you are not careful, especially in their long ears that flop on the side of their head. Clean their ears weekly and check them after every run in the woods.
They are also prone to hip dysplasia and eye issues. Hip dysplasia can cause lameness and/or arthritis. Before to keep the ear clear of debris and wax to avoid ear infections.
Being isolated as they were, the Shikoku was a fairly healthy breed, no genetic testing has been done. Despite this they suffer a few of the same potential issues as other breeds their size.
Otherwise this is an agile and hardy breed with no known congenital health issues.
1Feeding the puppy – don’t overfeed. Feed quality medium size breed 3-4 small meals per day
2.Feeding the adult – don’t overfeed. Feed quality medium size breed 1-2 small meals per day
running or hiking companion. long daily walks at a minimum. He loves to run and play with his family. Hunting and “coon trials” are his specialty and best ways to get exercise. He needs to run
Feeding the puppy Be careful with feeding the puppy and adult as the breed is known to have a tendency toward obesity. Fresh food is better as it is what the breed has been used to, but a high quality puppy kibble is acceptable. Feed three times per day.
2.Feeding the adult He is a high energy dog so feed a high energy food designed for a medium sized dog. Feed in two meals each day.
4. Games and Exercises You will need a fenced yard for this breed and time to play with them. If not, you would need time to walk her more than once a day. They love to play indoors as well, chasing balls, learning new things. The breed make great companions for hiking, swimming, play frisbee or catch outside. They do well at agility, rally, obedience and flyball.
1.Children friendliness – They might be a little aloof with children. They are hunters.