Tosa inu

History of the Tosa Inu breed

Fighting dogs like tosa-tokens were bred in Japan back in the XVII century. Events where animals were pitted against each other were especially respected by samurai, so for several centuries Asian breeders did nothing but experiment with genetics. After the reins of government of the country passed to the Emperor Meiji in the XIX century, European breeders rushed to the East, who brought with them previously unfamiliar breeds to the Japanese. Fighting dogs from Europe quickly proved their professional incompetence to samurai pets, which hurt the national pride of Asians, so in the Land of the Rising Sun they immediately began to "sculpt" a new, more advanced variety of fighting dogs.

At first, they passed their genes to tosa inu pit bulls , staffords and akita inu , which were then joined english bulldogs and mastiffs . And in 1876, Japanese dog breeders decided to add nobility of traits to the breed and crossed their wards with German pointers and Great Dane . Surprisingly, the tosa did not suffer on the fronts of the Second World War, since the prudent Japanese managed to evacuate the breeding stock to the rear. So immediately after the end of the war, experiments to create an invincible fighting dog continued. In 1964, Tosa-inu standardized the FCI and assigned them to the Moloss section. Moreover, Japan continued to be in charge of breeding and further improving the working qualities of animals, despite the fact that tosa-token nurseries began to appear in other Asian countries, for example in South Korea and China.

The breed managed to get to Europe and the American continent only by the end of the 70s, but its representatives did not become a living mainstream outside their own homeland. To this day, progressive breeders continue to acquire male breeders and breeding bitches in Japanese kennels, whose livestock has no equal in the world, thanks to the harsh culling. Individuals from Korea are also considered a valuable acquisition, since they are "sharpened" for fighting. At the same time, representatives of Korean lines lose to Japanese tosa in size and sculptural silhouette. But European and American tosa-tokens are more companion dogs than fighters, although the protective and protective instinct is still strong in them.

Specifics of dogfights in Japan involving tosa inu

Dog fighting in the Land of the Rising Sun is not exactly what Alejandro Inarritu showed in his cult film. In Japan, animals are released into the ring to demonstrate the beauty of the fight and fighting techniques, and not with the aim of destroying each other. Tosa-inu performing in public do not fight to the point of blood – for this the dog faces a lifetime disqualification. And even more so, it never comes to a fatal outcome.

The result of the fight should be the complete suppression of the opponent: knocking him over on the shoulder blades and holding him in this position, pushing the enemy out of the ring. At the same time, the attacking individual should not retreat from the other further than three steps – for such mistakes, you can easily "fly out" of the game.

The fight to complete exhaustion is also not practiced. If after a certain period of time (usually 10 minutes to half an hour is allotted for the duel) the winner is not revealed, the show stops. By the way, a real Japanese tosa inu is not only power and polished to perfection techniques, but also a truly oriental endurance. A dog who humiliates himself in the eyes of the audience by whining or barking is automatically considered to be affected.

As for the championship titles, they are distributed very generously in Japan. Usually, the tosa who wins the fight is awarded with an expensive blanket-apron, receiving the title of yokozuna. To make it clearer: such a title is awarded to the most honored sumo wrestlers of the country. There are several more championship steps that the current four-legged yokozuna can climb. These are sensyuken (National Champion), meiken yokozuna (Great Warrior) and gaifu taisho (Master of Combat techniques).

It cannot be said that dogfights are everywhere in Japan. This kind of national sport is practiced in certain provinces, which translates it into the category of exclusive entertainment. For example, one of the most prestigious nurseries is located in the town of Katsurahama (Shikoku Island). Here tosa are born and train for subsequent performances. By the way, it will not work to buy tosa-inu, who won even in a single fight - the Japanese are extremely sensitive to their own livestock, and they will not part with champion dogs at all for any price.

Asian dog handlers also make additional advertising for the breed, claiming that tosa born outside the Land of the Rising Sun do not have the charisma and culture of behavior that their relatives acquire at home. Perhaps that's why you can get tosa-yokozuna in Japan only in two cases – for fantastic money or as a gift (from the authorities or Yakuza members).

Tosa-inu Breed Standard

Tosa-inu's appearance is a mixture of elegant impressiveness and restrained strength. Widely spaced front legs and massive chest – from stafford , streamlined silhouette and proud posture – from great Dane , brutal, slightly folded muzzle – from mastiff : this breed has absorbed a variety of ancestral characteristics, and carried it out incredibly harmoniously. In terms of the thoroughness of the constitution, "samurai dogs" are real athletes, for whom very vague weight limits are established. In particular, the correct tosa inu can weigh both 40 and all 90 kg.

Head

All tosa-tokens have a massive cranium with a sharp, steep stop and a moderate-length muzzle.

Nose

The lobe is convex-large, black in color.

Jaws and teeth

Tosa-inu has perfectly developed and strong jaws. The dog's teeth are strong, closed in "scissors".

Eyes

Dark chocolate small eyes of Japanese mastiffs look deeply and at the same time proudly.

Ears

The breed is characterized by a high fit of the ears on the sides of the head. The ear blade is small, thin and tightly pressed against the zygomatic part of the skull.

Neck

A powerful, muscular neck with a moderate suspension gives a pleasant solidity to the tosa-inu silhouette.

Housing

Tosa-inu is a dog with a high withers, straight back and slightly convex rump. The chest of the breed is wide and of sufficient depth, the belly is elegantly matched.

Limbs

Japanese mastiffs have moderately sloping shoulders and pasterns. The hind legs of the animals are well muscled, strong. The angles of the knee and hock joints are moderate, but surprisingly strong. The toes of tosa-inu's paws, gathered into a ball, are "reinforced" with thick, elastic pads, and the paws themselves are rounded and of impressive size.

Tail

All tosas have thickened tails at the base, lowered downwards and reaching the hock joints of the legs.

Wool

Thick, stiff wool looks very short and smooth, but it is a cover of this type that animals need in the fighting ring.

Color

The colors allowed by the standard are red, black, apricot, deer, tiger.

Disqualifying defects of appearance and behavior

There are not so many vices blocking Tokyo fighting dogs from participating in exhibitions. Usually, sumoist dogs are disqualified for cropped ears, a blue tinge of the iris, tail creases, as well as for anomalies in the development of the eyelid (inversion / eversion). Individuals with behavioral abnormalities will also not be able to exhibit in the ring: aggressive, cowardly, insecure.

Tosa-inu character

Due to the ban on breeding in a number of countries, tosa-inu has gained the image of ferocious monsters who do not know how, and more often do not want to control their own aggression. In fact, the Japanese mastiff is quite an adequate pet, albeit with its own characteristics of character and temperament. First of all, it is important to understand the purpose for which the breed was bred, and to be able to correctly assess the habits of the animal. Remember, the Tokyo fighting dog will not respect a timid and insecure owner. The owner of a representative of this breed should be at least a little samurai, able to assert his own "I" and let the four-legged pet understand who is the main one in the life ring.

Tosa-tokens do not harbor natural hostility to any unfamiliar person. Yes, they are a little suspicious and do not trust anyone one hundred percent, but if an outsider does not take threatening actions, the Japanese mastiff will not settle scores – his ancestors were not taught this. At home, Tosa is a good girl, what to look for. He is kind to children, honors the traditions and rules of the family in which he lives, and does not arrange concerts because of the refusal of an additional walk or treat. But the territorial instinct of the representatives of this clan is developed by five, and no training methods can drown it out, so Tosa-inu are often found in the role of watchmen-guards. Another important quality of the breed is fearlessness. Tosa-token can be angered, teased, insulted, but not forced to run away.

The purebred Japanese mastiff is a calm, patient and restrained creature in an oriental way. It is not for nothing that representatives of this family are called "philosophers" for their easy detachment and periodic "withdrawal into themselves". A stormy expression of feelings from four-legged sumo wrestlers is also not worth waiting for. Tosa-inu can love the owner to unconsciousness, but in the manifestation of emotions he will continue to bend his line, that is, to pose as a cold phlegmatic.

Outwardly, the brutal tosa is too intelligent for such humiliating activities as empty-talking and whining. Accordingly, if the pet is characterized by excessive talkativeness, there is a reason to think about its origin. Tosa-tokens do not have a special friendship with other pets, but they do not see them as an object of persecution either. Socialization from the first months of life, of course, has not been canceled, but in general, the breed does not differ in bloodlust. Moreover, Japanese mastiffs are aware of their own physical superiority, so they do not attack small animals and children.

Education and training

Japanese breeders prefer not to spread about the secrets of training and preparation for dog fights, so they will have to rely on domestic basic programs of OKD and ZKS in the upbringing of the animal. But first, of course, socialization. Walk with the puppy on the street so that he gets used to the noise and the presence of other people, introduce pets and let him participate in your parties with friends – the dog should know by sight everyone who enters the owner's house.

It's better not to forget about your own authority, too. Always go out the door and have lunch first, leaving the puppy to be content with the role of the second plan, do not let the young tosa lie on your bed and squeeze the baby less in your arms. A dog should see a strong, fair owner in a person, and not a playmate or even worse – a love-blinded foster parent. In general, the upbringing of a tosa token should be handled, if not by a specialist, then by an experienced owner. And it should be one person, not all the household members who had a free minute.

Training Japanese mastiffs is a long and energy–consuming process. This is a very special breed, not devoid of a bit of stubbornness, which is in no hurry to execute commands and categorically does not accept raised tones. For this reason, Western dog handlers prefer to use the method of positive reinforcement in training – they respond more readily to treats and affection tosa-inu than to strict reprimands. A good helper in the formation of positive motivation can be a clicker used in combination with a treat.

In addition to commands, Tokyo fighting dogs are able to understand sign language and noise effects. Pointing to an object /object, clapping your hands, waving your hand, clicking your fingers – if you are not too lazy to give a specific meaning to each of the listed combinations, tosa-inu will easily remember them and react instantly. As for the bad habits from which sumo dogs will have to be weaned, the most common among them is the desire to gnaw everything and everything. Usually all puppies sin with such pranks, but tosa-inu has a special scope in such matters.

It's not easy to make a puppy forget about his "biting" addiction to furniture and human hands, but it's real. For example, buy new, interesting toys, and hide the old ones. At first, the enthusiastic animal will gnaw the balls and rubber squeakers brought from the store, and then, when he gets tired, you can return the old toy stocks. Sometimes tosa-inu is bitten and gnawed from idleness, so the more often a pet walks and trains, the less time and energy he has for destructive hobbies.

Maintenance and care

Tosa-inu is a space–demanding dog and has no place in an apartment. Limited in movement, the "Japanese" quickly loses his temper and self-control and begins to turn into a barking, nervous creature. That is why a house with a spacious courtyard, and ideally also with an extensive backyard, is what every tosa–in needs to maintain a serious, unflappable image.

Going to the other extreme, allowing a pet to live around the clock in the yard or aviary, is also not worth it. At night (even in summer), a four-legged friend must be taken indoors, having arranged an inviolable corner for him. Don't worry, despite the size, tosa-inu is the dog whose presence in the house you just won't notice. These muscular "Japanese" are very modest and do not get in the way. But the mattress for tosa should be chosen softer, so that calluses do not form on the elbows from friction with a hard surface.

In general, Japanese mastiffs are not the most suitable breed for a megalopolis. Even if the pet has easily grasped the basics of OKD and behaves flawlessly during walks along busy streets, such a life does not cause him much joy. The need to constantly contact strangers, large crowds of people and the roar of public transport, if not unnerving, then keep you in a light tension.

Hygiene

Pet care is always a routine. However, like all shorthair breeds, Tosa-inu has an advantage here: they do not need to be combed constantly. It is enough to collect dust and dead hairs from the body once a week with a rubber mitten or a brush with soft bristles. They wash sumo dogs even less often: once every three months, and it's better to do it as soon as it gets dirty.

What you'll have to tinker with a little bit is the face of the pet. Firstly, tosa-tokens are born "slobs" (genes mastiffs , there's nothing you can do), so get ready to go over the dog's lips and chin with a dry cloth several times a day. Secondly, the slight folding of the skin on the head of animals requires certain procedures to avoid the appearance of dermatitis. In particular, "wrinkles" should be regularly ventilated, cleaned and dried. You can do all this with cotton swabs, napkins and disinfectant solutions like chlorhexidine or miramistin, as well as any salicylic-zinc ointment.

Cleaning of the ear funnel tosa-in will have to be carried out once a week. The ear cloth tightly fitting to the cheekbones prevents air access, which stimulates the release of sulfur and unnecessary increased humidity inside the shell for the animal. For this reason, the hearing organs of tosa need daily ventilation – lift your ear and wave it slightly, forcing air into the funnel.

A couple of times a week tosa-tokenu is supposed to brush his teeth with a special zoopast. As a prevention of dental diseases, solid vegetables and fruits are also suitable. Dogs are always not averse to chewing something and will willingly tinker with a tossed carrot or turnip. By the way, at the first signs of tartar, it is not necessary to immediately take the Japanese mastiff to the veterinarian – sometimes it is easy to remove the deposits with an ordinary bandage soaked in chlorhexidine.

Walking and physical activity

If tosa-inu does not participate in fights (and he does not participate if he does not live in Japan), he will have to puzzle over how to satisfy the dog's need for physical activity. Usually breeders recommend long walks – two hours three times a day, as well as jogging behind a bicycle. In addition, endurance exercises are useful – for example, walking in a collar with weights, moving loads.

The only caveat is age restrictions. It is possible to strain an animal with active activity only when its backbone is fully formed, because forcing a teenage dog to work intensively, you risk spoiling its joints. Usually, individuals under the age of one year are simply taken for a walk at a calm pace. You can also try leisurely uphill climbs and short outdoor games. In summer, it is more expedient to instill in the ward a love of swimming – the loads on the bone system in this case will be more gentle. But strength training and weightpulling should be saved until the pet turns two years old.

When walking in public places, tosa-inu must appear exclusively on a leash and in a muzzle. Even if a four–legged athlete pleases with exemplary behavior and obedience at home, do not forget - there are genes of fighting dogs in every individual. In addition, a tosa-inu walking on a leash and "sealed" in a muzzle will not give passers-by who are experiencing panic fear of dogs a reason to complain about you and your pet to law enforcement agencies.

Feeding

Theoretically, tosa-inu is able to eat both industrial feed and "straight", but Russian breeders agree that those individuals who were fed animal protein of natural origin, that is, fish and meat, grow healthier and stronger. The only disadvantage of the natural menu is the time and effort spent on searching and subsequent preparation of suitable products. For this reason, the owners of tosa tokens traveling to international exhibitions and dog shows prefer to keep their wards on "drying".

Like all representatives of the canine family, Japanese mastiffs are useful offal, as well as any lean meat from beef to horse meat. The four-legged "sumatori" also respect fish and prefer to eat raw, it is important to remove the bones from it beforehand. But the dogs agree to tolerate a variety of porridges and vegetable shavings only on condition that their share in the diet is negligible. So if you were planning to save money by treating your pet to cereals, soups and salads with vegetable oil, keep in mind that this number will not work with tosa inu.

Japanese mastiffs like to indulge and, as a rule, do not refuse supplements – this is the first trap for a novice breeder. The fact is that the breed tends to overeat and gain extra pounds, which gives an additional load on the joints. That is why the dog's diet must be carefully calculated and try not to deviate from the set course. Remember that tosa, who spends most of the day outdoors, needs a more caloric diet than a domestic resident. If 1.5-2 kg of meat products and about 500 g of vegetables per day are enough for an apartment-dwelling and well-walked "Japanese", then his yard brother needs to increase the protein part by 400-500 g.

Tosa-inu Health and Diseases

The average Tosa Inu lives up to 10 and much less often up to 12 years. No serious genetic diseases have been recorded for the breed, but the predisposition to dysplasia of the elbow and hip joints is a proven fact. Moreover, the disease often manifests itself even in the offspring of healthy parents, while dysplasia is almost always found in puppies obtained from sick producers. Sometimes problems with joints can provoke old injuries, as well as constant loads on the bone apparatus (overloads in weight lifting, overweight).

Are susceptible to tosa-in and allergic reactions, while animals are characterized by various types of immunopathologies, for example, allergies to food, pollen, dust, veterinary drugs. Usually allergic reactions provoke dermatitis, which is extremely difficult to fight, so you should be prepared for such surprises. Urolithiasis and heart failure in tosa-inu are diagnosed less often than joint dysplasia, but these ailments are not completely defeated.

How to choose a puppy

Despite the fact that Tosa Inu is not considered a popular breed, dogs still continue to suffer from commercial breeding. Unscrupulous sellers abuse inbreeding (closely related crossing) and mating with producers dubious in terms of pedigrees, which affects the quality of litters. The harsh rejection of unhealthy puppies, which takes place in Japan, is not held in high esteem by domestic breeders, so even defective individuals are being implemented, subsequently creating problems for owners. To avoid such deception, adhere to a number of general rules that will help you choose an honest breeder and a relatively healthy baby.

• No apartment nurseries! Dogs should have enough space to move and play. In addition, animals living in cramped conditions and poorly ventilated rooms are always more likely to catch an infection.
• Specify whether the nursery is registered by the FCI or at least the RCF. If not, it is not worth buying any puppies in such a place, especially tosa-inu.
• Study the pedigrees of litter producers. It is better if they are not descendants of Russian lines, but foreign individuals. In addition, a male and a female should not be littermates, since offspring from such parents is a big lottery.
• Give the puppies a test of bravery by suddenly clapping your hands over their heads. The right tosa-inu will not rush off, flashing their heels, but will only listen to a sudden threat.
• See how the puppy moves, whether there is stiffness in the gait and limping, which are typical for joint dysplasia. Be sure to ask to show the results of the survey of offspring producers for the presence of this disease.

Tosa-inu price

Since it is still incredibly difficult to buy tosa in Japan, most compatriots continue to buy individuals from American, European and even Russian lines. At the same time, it is important to understand that European and American individuals will look like Japanese tribesmen except in the exterior plan – in order to get a seasoned character and combat training, tosa must be born in the Land of the Rising Sun, from Asian manufacturers. As for the cost, the standard price tag for Japanese mastiff puppies of the pet class in Russian and Ukrainian kennels ranges from $500 – $650. Promising offspring from interchampions are already worth about $750 and above.