Shikoku

Native to the mountainous Kochi region of Japan's Shikoku Island, the Shikoku is a medium spitz-type hunting dog also called the Shikoku Ken or Kochi-ken. It belongs to the Nihon Ken group of Japanese native breeds and was used on steep terrain for game such as boar and deer. Typical dogs have a wedge-shaped head, prick ears, a curled or sickle tail, and a harsh double coat, most famously in red sesame, black sesame, or sesame shades.

Shikoku are best suited to handlers who enjoy an athletic, alert dog with an independent streak. They need more than casual walks: scent work, hiking, and structured training help channel their hunting instincts, and secure fencing matters because prey drive can be strong. The coat sheds seasonally and benefits from thorough brushing during coat blows. Outside Japan the breed is uncommon, so prospective owners often need patience, reliable documentation, and breeders who value temperament and preservation as much as appearance.

Colors: Apricot, Bicolor, Black, Black and Tan, Black and White, Black Mask, Black Sesame, Blue, Blue and Tan, Blue Merle, Blue Roan, Blue Tick, Brindle, Brown, Brown and Tan, Brown and White, Chocolate, Cream, Dapple, Domino, Fawn, Fawn and White, Gold, Gray, Harlequin, Irish Marked, Liver, Liver Mask, Mantle, Mask, Merle, Mottled, Parti-Color, Piebald, Red, Red and White, Red Merle, Red Roan, Red Sesame, Red Tick, Reverse Brindle, Roan, Sable, Saddle, Sesame, Silver, Speckled, Spotted, Tan, Ticked, Tricolor, Tuxedo, White, Yellow