Sports & Activities for the Kai Ken
The Kai Ken is an adaptable companion who can excel at a number of different sports and ventures.
Mantrailing
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Mantrailing harnesses many of the Kai Ken's skills in scentwork. The dog will use a person's unique scent to follow their trail and find them (and receive lots of food and fuss once they do!). It's a super fun activity, with no prior experience necessary. It's low impact and suitable for puppies all the way through to elderly dogs. All dogs are kept on leads and the sport is suitable for reactive and/or nervous dogs. There are a wide network of Mantrailing Global instructors in the UK, who can help train you and your dog. There are different levels and assessments to progress through if you want to, but you can also just turn up and have fun.
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Kai Ken were bred as hunting companions. They would use their noses to follow the trail of an animal and then hold it in place whilst the hunter arrived. Kai Ken usually don't pull too much on the lead, and are known for walking at about the same pace as their human, so trailing with a Kai Ken is definitely a fun experience.
Hunting
While hunting with dogs is illegal in the UK, it is important to pay respect to the heritage of the Kai Ken. The Kai Ken Club of Great Britain does not support illegal hunting.
While Kai Ken are now mostly a companion dog, they were traditionally bred to hunt a variety of game, from deer, boar, bear and small game. Their specialty, however, was kamoshika, or the Japanese Serow. While no Kai are actively hunting in the UK, there are many dogs still being used for their original purpose in Europe, North America and Japan.
The method of hunting, or the goal of hunting with the Nihon Ken, is ‘ichijyu ikku 一銃一狗’, which translates to ‘one gun, one dog’. This especially skilful type of hunting refers to a team of one hunter, his gun, and his dog, and was the matagi way of hunting. Modern day hunting in Japan however has changed over the years to be more akin to the western style of hunting, where dogs are worked in packs, as a team, in group hunts with other hunters.
As a hot-nosed, mid-range hound, the Kai’s job, like the other Nihon Ken, is to flush the prey and hold it by baying (hoedome) and catching (kamidome).
The Kai’s speciality of hunting kamoshika meant the breed had to adapt to hunting high in the Yamanashi mountains. This is why the breed is an excellent climber, and known to be the most agile of the Nihon Ken.
Today, the Kai’s versatility allows them to work a large variety of game, though they are primarily used to hunt pheasant, deer and boar.
Despite now mostly being companions, the Kai has retained its natural hunting instinct and high prey drive which can be well utilised in other sports and activities.
Credit to Shigeru Kato of The Nihon Ken Blog for his in depth posts about hunting with the Nihon Ken.
While Kai Ken are now mostly a companion dog, they were traditionally bred to hunt a variety of game, from deer, boar, bear and small game. Their specialty, however, was kamoshika, or the Japanese Serow. While no Kai are actively hunting in the UK, there are many dogs still being used for their original purpose in Europe, North America and Japan.
The method of hunting, or the goal of hunting with the Nihon Ken, is ‘ichijyu ikku 一銃一狗’, which translates to ‘one gun, one dog’. This especially skilful type of hunting refers to a team of one hunter, his gun, and his dog, and was the matagi way of hunting. Modern day hunting in Japan however has changed over the years to be more akin to the western style of hunting, where dogs are worked in packs, as a team, in group hunts with other hunters.
As a hot-nosed, mid-range hound, the Kai’s job, like the other Nihon Ken, is to flush the prey and hold it by baying (hoedome) and catching (kamidome).
The Kai’s speciality of hunting kamoshika meant the breed had to adapt to hunting high in the Yamanashi mountains. This is why the breed is an excellent climber, and known to be the most agile of the Nihon Ken.
Today, the Kai’s versatility allows them to work a large variety of game, though they are primarily used to hunt pheasant, deer and boar.
Despite now mostly being companions, the Kai has retained its natural hunting instinct and high prey drive which can be well utilised in other sports and activities.
Credit to Shigeru Kato of The Nihon Ken Blog for his in depth posts about hunting with the Nihon Ken.
Search & Rescue
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While their use in hunting has gradually declined, the Kai Ken have received a new job working in Search and Rescue in Japan.
Kai Ken have been deployed as Search and Rescue dogs during the 2007 Chūetsu offshore earthquake, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and were utilised in the Fukushima nuclear disaster. They are also used in landslides, avalanches, as well as missing people such as runaway children, those at risk of suicide, and kidnap victims. The first Kai Ken search and rescue dog Musashi Go Ikeura Sou 'Suguri', owned by Mr. Yamashita, his offspring Kumoi No Kari Go 'Kari', owned by Mr. Kinoshita, and Sai No Saradahime Go 'Sarada', owned by Mr. Umei, paved the way for Kai in this field. Handlers of Kai Ken SAR dogs say that the breed is suitable for mountainous searching, and their inseparable bond and sensitivity to their handler makes them able to understand what is required of them. With the Kai being one of the more dog-social breeds of Nihon Ken, it means they can work well in a team of other dogs during searches. |
Daizen Kinoshita and his Kai work as the Yakushima Rescue Dog Society.
Mr. Kinoshita has kindly given us permission to share his photos of his incredible dogs. |
Lure Coursing
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Lure coursing is a sport which features dogs chasing a mechanical lure around a track. The sport mimics live coursing with rabbits and is excellent for breeds with high prey drive.
In the United Kingdom, coursing is seen only as a Sighthound sport, and it is difficult to find a track willing to allow a non-sighthound breed to enter. |
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We recommend contacting your local coursing clubs and asking if they are willing to allow you to run your dog, though you will not be able to compete. Otherwise, you can often find lure coursing at dog events like Dogstival and All About Dogs, where you can run your dog with no restriction!
In North America, while only sighthound breeds can take part in lure coursing trials, all breeds can enter Coursing Ability Tests (CAT). This is where the Kai has proven it's suitability and enjoyment of the sport!
In North America, while only sighthound breeds can take part in lure coursing trials, all breeds can enter Coursing Ability Tests (CAT). This is where the Kai has proven it's suitability and enjoyment of the sport!
Agility
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Agility is an extremely popular sport, and one of the few Royal Kennel Club sports that the Kai can compete in here in the UK!
Agility is made up of an obstacle course which the handler must direct the dog through in a race of time and accuracy. It's a popular, well known dog sport which tests the dog's fitness as well as the handler's training and directing ability- it's a game of team work! The course is complex enough that the dog requires guidance from the handler to complete. |
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We think Kai are well suited to agility. As in SAR, the Kai Ken's bond and sensitivity to their handler makes them able to understand what is required of them. It's a sport that makes excellent use of the relationship between the dog and its handler!
Dock Diving
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Dock Diving is a sport in which dogs jump into water from a deck, where they compete in one of three competitions:
Kai Ken are often lovers of water and strong swimmers, making the sport fun for them! In the UK, owners can try dock diving at a large number of events thanks to K9 Aqua Sports! |
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Barn Hunt
After gaining popularity in the USA, Barn Hunt is one of the newest dog sports to make its way over to the UK.
Another sport that uses teamwork between dog and handler, Barn hunt uses the dog's natural instinct to search for rats among bails of hay. In the UK, the sport does not use live rats, and they are secured in sealed tubes which allow only the scent of the rat to escape, meaning the dog must rely entirely on their nose to find the rat.
Barn Hunt is an excellent sport for the Kai, utilising their high prey drive and keen noses.
Another sport that uses teamwork between dog and handler, Barn hunt uses the dog's natural instinct to search for rats among bails of hay. In the UK, the sport does not use live rats, and they are secured in sealed tubes which allow only the scent of the rat to escape, meaning the dog must rely entirely on their nose to find the rat.
Barn Hunt is an excellent sport for the Kai, utilising their high prey drive and keen noses.
Canicross
Canicross is essentially cross country running with your dog. Starting out as a way of training in the off-season for mushing, Canicross became its own sport and quickly gained popularity. It is one of the few dog sports that is partiularly popular in the UK!
Canicross is open to all breeds and owners of all different abilities. While there are events and championships, Canicross can be done completely at your own pace, on your own or with friends, and is all about getting out there and taking part in outdoor activities with your dog.
Dogs can run alone or in pairs, and are tethered to their owner using a specially designed harness and hands-free bungee line, which allows them to pull.
Canicross is open to all breeds and owners of all different abilities. While there are events and championships, Canicross can be done completely at your own pace, on your own or with friends, and is all about getting out there and taking part in outdoor activities with your dog.
Dogs can run alone or in pairs, and are tethered to their owner using a specially designed harness and hands-free bungee line, which allows them to pull.