Instructions
Start by looking the dog over for any prominent bodily traits as well as judging its size and weight. Males are typically 20 inches high at shoulder with females an inch or two shorter. Depending on their age, they can weigh between 25 and 50 pounds. The dog’s tail should be short with thin feathery fur and be perpetually curled up over the lower back. The body should be abnormally long and tubular, though muscles should be very visible beneath the skin. The back should be straight, with the forelegs significantly thicker than the rear legs.
Examine the fur. It should be of medium length against thick but elastic skin. Fur around the chest, neck, and back of the skull is a bit longer and finer, like down fluff. The coat can be plain black or have red brindling, also known as stripes. These stripes tend to be very faint and may not be visible until the dog is completely matured. They are the reason the Kai possesses the nickname “Torah,” or “Tiger” in English.
Conclude by examining the dog’s head. It should have the light eyes of a wolf, as well as the long, wedge shaped skull of a wolf. The muzzle should be shorter and thicker than a wolf’s. Also the ears should be shorter and wider. They should be pricked up and covered with a short layer of thick fuzz that will make discerning their bases nearly impossible. If the dog matches these criteria, then it’s a Kai dog.
How to Identify a Kai Dog
The Kai is a Japanese dog legendary for its courage and loyalty to its master. This breed is technically a spitz type, though a bit thicker and more muscular than the average spitz. It was trained for hunting on the island of Honshu many centuries ago and has since been named a national treasure of Japan. In the dog’s history, they were known for their agility and determination in running prey to ground over just about every terrain on the Japanese islands. Despite its relatively small size, a trained Kai was considered quite able to hunt down and kill wild boar. While the Kai’s larger cousin the Akita Inu was often taken to war, the Kai was kept at home as a guardian. It still fulfills that function to this day with skill and alacrity. Here is a guide detailing how to identify a Kai dog.