Hokkaido

The Hokkaido also known as Hokkaido dog, Hokkaido-inu, Ainu, Ainu dog, Hokkaido-ken, Hokkaidoken, Hokkaïdo, Ainu-ken, Ainu inu, Dō-ken, and Seta, is a medium-sized dog breed native to Japan.

Appearance
This thin and muscular Asian breed is medium-sized, with small, triangular and erect ears. Their small eyes have a slight triangular shape and are set on a wide, flat head. On it, sits a flesh-colored or black nose. They are known to have small black spots on their tongue! With a deep chest and well sprung ribs, these dogs have a stocky and sturdy appearance. Ainus have the classic spitz tail, curled over the back. The hokkaido has a medium-length double coat. This coat typically comes in sesame, brindle, fawnish-red, red, wolf-gray, brown, black, black & tan, tiger, and pure white. Ainus can be 18-22 inches tall, and can weigh 40-60 lbs.

Behavior
The ainu inu is filled with a menagerie of amazing qualities! Ainus are specifically known for their severe determination and boldness. So courageous, it was famous in ancient times as a large game hunter, easily tackling 650-lb Hokkaido brown bears! Surprisingly, at the same time, it is also known for its gentleness and its obedience. They were also loved for hunting due to their amazing sense of direction, always finding its way back to the master. Ainus had a good resilience to the cold environment in which they lived too, and still do!

History
The Japanese originally named the Hokkaido the Ainu, after the tribe. Its origin is not known, but we do know the first recorded reports of a spitz-like dog in that region came about 3,000 years ago from which the Ainu imported it. As the Ainu tribe was pushed onto the island of Hokkaido by the arrival of other tribes, Ainu inus became a practical native to Hokkaido. Its inquisitive nature has changed very little, if any, and is probably the oldest Japanese dog breed. Then in 1869, an English zoologist named Thomas W. Blankiston renamed the Ainu, to Hokkaido. However, the Ainu is still a common alias, as the FCI registered the Hokkaido under this name. Its impervious attitude towards snow, proved useful in 1902, when searching for survivors of an army expedition in the dense snow of the Hakkoda Mountains. Most Ainu inus have bluish tongues which suggests a relationship to the Chinese Chow and Shar Pei. In 1937, it was designated in Japan as a rare species protected by the law, by the Ministry of Education. It was also decided that the dogs official title would be Hokkaido-inu. However, it is mostly known as the Ainu or Hokkaidoken by the local Japanese. In present day, it is rarely found outside Japan, and is mostly used as a companion or watchdog.

In popular media
]]In 2007, a Japanese telecom company, Softbank, began using a Hokkaido named Kai-kun in their commercial campaigns.
 * [[File:Kai-kun.jpg|thumb|Kai-kun

Top Names

 * 1) Baby Boy
 * 2) Callie
 * 3) Archie
 * 4) Bambi
 * 5) Auzzie
 * 6) Riley
 * 7) Angus
 * 8) Baylee
 * 9) Chico
 * 10) Ruby
 * 11) Muffin
 * 12) Lycaon
 * 13) Jupiter
 * 14) Alpha
 * 15) Chewy

Link
Want to buy a crochet Hokkaido plush?? Click this link!!!