Japanese hin

History of the Japanese Hin

It is indisputable that the Japanese hin is one of the oldest dog breeds, but versions about its origin are still being discussed. According to one of them, the breed is truly Japanese, another claims that the hinas were brought to the Land of the Rising Sun from neighboring countries of South Asia, but the routes by which they got there are not exactly known. There is a legend that a pair of dogs similar to the Japanese hin was presented as a gift to the Japanese emperor by the ruler of one of the Korean states of Silla in 732. It is also possible that these dogs settled at the Japanese imperial court back in the VI-VII centuries. The earliest estimated date of the appearance of hin in Japan is called the III century, and in this case India and China are considered exporting countries.

Recently, historians in the field of cynology tend to believe that the Japanese hin is one of the numerous breeds belonging to the so–called "toy" dogs of China, leading their pedigree from Tibetan dogs. Among them, in addition to hin, are also called shih tzu, Lhasa apso, Pekingese, pug, Tibetan spaniel, which, by the way, has nothing in common with a hunting spaniel. All these animals are distinguished by a large head, large eyes, short neck, wide chest, thick coat – features that indicate their adaptability to the climate of the highlands. The version about the kinship ties connecting these dogs is confirmed by recently conducted genetic studies. Graceful miniature dogs have been bred for centuries, living in Buddhist monasteries and imperial courts. It is known that the religious and secular elites of Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan exchanged their pets and presented them to each other as gifts.

The first written sources with descriptions of Japanese hin go back to the XII century. Like their relatives, they were considered sacred and were adored by their owners – crowned heads and representatives of the aristocracy. Legends were made about the hinas, their images decorated temples and luxurious porcelain vases, and masters of wood, ivory, bronze embodied the image of these miniature animals when creating elegant statuettes. Purposeful work on the breeding of this breed began in Japan in the XIV century, the information was entered into the stud books and kept in the strictest secrecy. It is known that very miniature pets were most appreciated, easily fitting on small sofa cushions, in the sleeves of kimonos of noble ladies, they were even placed in suspended cages, like birds. In the XVII century, the daimyo families, the samurai elite, chose the Hin as their mascot. Commoners were forbidden to keep Japanese Hin, and their theft was equated to a state crime and punishable by death.

The origin of the breed name is also controversial. There is an opinion that the word "hin" comes from a Chinese almost consonant word meaning "dog". According to another version, it comes from the Japanese "hii", meaning "treasure", "jewel", which, by the way, was quite consistent with its status in monetary terms.

According to some data, however, not fully clarified, the first Japanese hinas were brought to Europe in 1613 by Portuguese sailors. One of the dogs, or a couple, got to the court of the English King Charles II, where they became favorites of his wife Catherine of Braganza. Perhaps at the same time representatives of this breed appeared in Spain. More reliable information indicates that Japanese hin appeared in Europe and the New World thanks to Commodore Matthew Calbright Perry of the US Navy, who led an expedition to Japan in 1853 to establish trade relations. He delivered five of the hinov presented to him as a gift by the Japanese emperor to his homeland, and one pair was presented to Queen Victoria of England.

The development of trade between Japan and European states, which began in the middle of the century before last, opened up the possibility of exporting chinas to the continent, and systematic breeding of the breed began in many countries. In Europe, Japanese hinas quickly gained popularity as companion dogs and became the favorites of queens, empresses and ladies of high society. They inherited the tradition of the Japanese elite and presented their pets to each other as a gift. The Khins flourished at the courts of all the royal families of Europe. The most famous lover of these dogs was the wife of the English monarch Edward VII, Queen Alexandra, who never for a moment parted with her numerous pets. Members of the family of Emperor Nicholas II also adored their little pets. By the way, the Soviet elite also favored this breed. One of the most famous owners of the pampered Japanese hin was the stern Marshal Georgy Zhukov.

The breed was first demonstrated at an exhibition in Birmingham in 1873. Here Hin appeared under the name "Japanese spaniel". In the USA, this name was retained for dogs until 1977. The American Kennel Club recognized this breed under this name back in 1888, and it belongs to one of the earliest registered by this organization.

In the 20s of the last century, systematic work was carried out to improve the Japanese Hin breed. Before the Second World War, breeding was carried out in several directions. The largest representatives of the breed were called kobe, medium–sized - yamato, and almost dwarf – edo. The appearance of modern khins preserves the features of all three types of dogs.

The International Cynological Organization (FCI) recognized the Japanese Hin as a separate breed in 1957, referring it to the group of decorative dogs and companion dogs.

In the Soviet Union, few people knew about the breed until the 80s of the last century, when six khins arrived in Moscow, presented as a gift to Russian diplomats upon completion of their service in Japan. With the help of these dogs, Russian quinine enthusiasts set to work to improve and improve the breed. Today, many nurseries in Moscow and St. Petersburg breed Japanese hin, whose ancestors were these six souvenir animals.

Video: Japanese hin

Appearance of the Japanese hin

The Japanese hin is distinguished by its tiny size and delicate constitution, while the more miniature the dog is within the standard, the higher it is valued. These graceful dogs have a square format, determined by the equivalence of height at the withers, which should not exceed 28 cm, and body length. For female individuals, some elongation of the body is acceptable.

Housing

The dog has a short and straight back with a solid backbone. The loin is wide, rounded. The chest is quite voluminous, deep, the ribs are arched, moderately curved. The stomach is tightened.

Head

The skull has a wide, rounded shape, the transition line from the forehead to the muzzle is sharp, the stop itself is deep, depressed. On the short, upturned muzzle, just above the upper lip, the "pads" stand out clearly. The nose lobe is located in line with the eyes. Its color can be black or match the color of the color spots. Wide, open vertical nostrils are facing forward.

Teeth and jaws

Teeth should be white, strong. Often there is incompleteness, the absence of lower incisors, which, however, according to the standard, is not included in the register of breed defects. The bite is preferably straight, but overbite and scissor bite are also acceptable. Wide short jaws are pushed forward.

Eyes

The round black and shiny eyes of the Japanese hin are set wide apart. They should be expressive and large, but not huge and too convex. Dogs belonging to purely Japanese breeding lines have an astonished expression of the muzzle. Such a cute feature is manifested due to the slanted, unfocused gaze of the animal, which is why the whites are clearly visible in the corners of his eyes.

Ears

Triangular ears are set wide, they are covered with long hair. The ears hang down, leaning forward, but if the dog is worried about something, they lift slightly. The fabric of the ear should be light, thin, and not heavy, like a spaniel.

Neck

The short neck of the Japanese hin is characterized by a high delivery.

Limbs

Forearms of the forelimbs are straight, thin-boned. The area below the elbow, behind, is covered with flowing wool. For the forelimbs, let's assume a sweep, which gives the Japanese a reason to compare the dog with a person shod in geta – traditional shoes made of wood. Angles are visible on the hind limbs, but they are moderately pronounced. The back of the thighs is covered with long hair.

Small paws have an elongated oval, hare-like shape. Fingers tightly clenched. It is desirable that there are fluffy tassels between them.

Movement

Hin moves elegantly, easily, proudly, measured, raising his paws high.

Tail

The tail, twisted in a ring, is thrown back. It is covered by a spectacular long coat, flowing and fanning out.

Wool

Japanese hin is the owner of silky, straight, long wool flowing with a lush cloak. The undercoat of the dog is practically absent. On the ears, tail, hips and especially on the neck, the hair grows more abundantly than on other parts of the body.

Color

The breed is characterized by a spotted black-and-white color or white with red spots. The second option implies any shades and intensity of red color for spots, for example, lemon, fawn, chocolate. Japanese hinami with dark chocolate spots are undesirable to knit, since they often have sick and even dead puppies.

Spots should be symmetrically distributed around the eyes, cover the ears and preferably the entire body, along which they can be arranged randomly or balanced. The latter option is more preferable, as well as the presence of clear borders of spots. It is very desirable to have such a detail as a white groove, which should run from the bridge of the nose to the forehead, there may be a small black spot on it, called the "Buddha's finger".

Defects and defects of the breed

• Humpback or depressed back.
• In dogs with a black-and-white color, the color of the nose is not black.
• Curvature of the lower jaw, undershot.
• Total white color with no spots, one spot on the muzzle.
• Painful fragility.
• Shy behavior, excessive timidity.

Photo of Japanese hin

Character of Japanese hin

Japanese hinas are distinguished by intelligence, understanding, poise. They are mobile, but not fussy, unexpectedly brave, and in case of danger to themselves or their owners, their courage can turn into recklessness. The dog never retreats in front of the enemy, but since it cannot enter into battle because of its size, it spits, screams or hisses like a cat. By the way, her similarity to a cat also lies in the ability to meow, climb high surfaces, finding herself in the most unexpected places, and retire, finding a secluded corner. Hinas are proud and unobtrusive – if the owners are busy, they will not bother, but simply delicately wait until they are noticed.

These dogs are characterized by exceptional cleanliness. They are always ready to wash and are able to take care of their fur on their own. If a couple of pets live in the house, they will be happy to lick each other's faces and clean their paws. The Hinas are completely unscrupulous – they do not spoil furniture, do not gnaw cords and shoes, do not create a lot of noise, and they bark infrequently.

Japanese hinas are incredibly proud and adore being admired. But they don't like familiarity, and they are wary of strangers, not allowing themselves to be touched. In the family circle, these dogs demonstrate love and friendliness, while choosing a favorite whom they idolize. They treat other animals, including cats, kindly, they are not afraid of large dogs. Hin get along with children, but it is not recommended to keep them in a family where a baby is growing up: a child may inadvertently injure an animal.

Moderate activity and balanced temperament allow the Japanese hin to feel comfortable in any family. With owners who prefer a mobile lifestyle, he will be happy to go for a long walk or jog, go swimming, with stay-at-home or elderly people he will share a place on the sofa, burrowing into a pile of plush pillows. Unobtrusive and delicate, hin is an excellent companion for people prone to loneliness. However, all owners should take into account that these gentle dogs should know that they are sincerely loved, otherwise they will feel completely unhappy.

Hinas love to travel and recognize any means of transportation, be it a car, a motor boat, an airplane. A bicycle basket will also suit them quite well.

Education and training of the Japanese hin

Despite its small size, the Japanese hin, like any other dog, needs training and training. Pets learn commands easily, and if desired, they can be taught to perform various funny tricks.

During classes, it is unacceptable to raise the dog's voice and, moreover, to use physical punishment. It is advisable not to touch the animal's muzzle and tail rudely during the training process. It is also not necessary to make sudden movements – this can disorient him and even provoke aggression. It is better to conduct classes in the form of a game, while you should not be zealous with repetitions of the same command, let Hin perform it five or six times during the lesson - this will be enough.

It is noticed that among the Japanese hin very rarely there are pets, which dog lovers call foodies for the fact that they are trained with the help of incentive treats. But praising the dog, gently calling her affectionate names, is necessary – this will only contribute to her fully showing her intelligence.

Care and maintenance

Caring for a clean and unpretentious hin is absolutely simple. It is desirable, of course, to take him for a walk three times a day, but it is permissible to limit yourself to one walk, having accustomed the dog to a home toilet tray. In bad weather, you can walk with your dog, holding it in your arms or dress up your pet in a waterproof jumpsuit. In the hot season, it is advisable to walk with the dog in the shade, because overheating can cause it to suffocate. For walks with hin, choose not a collar, but a chest harness – a kind of harness, since his neck is quite tender. Keep in mind that these dogs, being without a leash, may well climb to the first available height, for example, a children's slide, so you need to make sure that the little pet does not fall, injuring himself.

It is also not difficult to take care of the wool of the Japanese hin. He does not need model hairstyles, and the haircut is carried out only hygienic, requiring only the removal of overgrown hairs. It would be good to comb the pet daily, in any case, this procedure should be performed at least twice a week, accustoming the dog to it from puppy age.

Hina is bathed as needed, but not more than once every two weeks. Paws and ears are washed as they become dirty. For bathing, use pet shampoos that have, in addition to the washing effect, also antimicrobial, antiparasitic properties. After shampooing, treat the dog's coat with conditioner – from this it will fluff up and smell nice. After the procedure, the Japanese hin must be dried so that it does not catch a cold. You can use a towel or a hairdryer.

As an alternative to bathing, you can use a dry method of cleaning the animal's fur, using a special powder. Some owners use talc or baby powder for this procedure. The product should be gently rubbed into the pet's fur, making sure that some part of it gets on his skin. After dusting, carefully comb the animal's fur until the powder completely disappears. This method allows you to effectively clean the coat from dirt and dead hair.

The claws of Japanese chinas grow very quickly, while they bend, delaminate, which makes the dog uncomfortable. They should be cut with a claw cutter as they grow, as a rule, at least once a month. For this cosmetic procedure, the dog will be especially grateful to the owner.

Quinine nutrition should be high-calorie. These dogs do not eat much, but they move very actively, even while living in an apartment. The diet should include foods containing sufficient amounts of protein and calcium. For animals of this breed, the following products are preferred, which need to be alternated: turkey meat, chicken, lean beef, boiled liver, tripe, kidneys, sea fish (no more than 1 time a week), boiled yolk (two to three times a week). Periodically, you need to give rice, boiled vegetables, raw fruits without seeds.

The finished food must be premium or holistic.

It is important not to overfeed hin, because he quickly gains excess weight, and this negatively affects his health.

It is desirable that the gentle Japanese hin should be periodically examined by a veterinarian for prevention. For animals of advanced age, veterinary examination is recommended to be carried out regularly.

Health and diseases of the Japanese hin

Japanese hin, despite their subtlety, cannot be called painful dogs, and the main ailments that are characteristic of these animals are characteristic of most of all small dog breeds. However, there are a number of diseases associated with breed predisposition and heredity, and this is not an accident.

The original, striking features of the appearance of khins have been formed since time immemorial, appearing unexpectedly and attracting ancient breeders of South Asia and the Far East. Dogs with a distinctive appearance were used for mating, but their expressive external features were associated with nothing other than mutations that gradually change the gene code of the breed. The cute "highlights" of the appearance of Japanese Hin have been confidently passed down from generation to generation, and today they are imprinted in the breed standard. However, being not harmless in their biological basis, they can be the source of serious diseases. Fortunately, not every dog inherits abnormal genes.

Brachycephalic syndrome is widespread among Japanese hin, as well as among their tribesmen with a flat muzzle, that is, shortened facial bones of the skull – a change in the structure of the upper respiratory tract, leading to disruption of their work. Even at a comfortable air temperature, the breathing of these babies is difficult, and in the heat and cold it is especially difficult for them to breathe. In the hot season, they can suffer from heat stroke.

Japanese hin puppies sometimes have dropsy of the brain in the first weeks of life, which in some cases can lead to fatal consequences. Rare but possible diseases include GM2 gangliosidosis, a hereditary defect that catastrophically disrupts the central nervous system.

Another possible genetic anomaly is distichiasis, which manifests itself in the formation of an additional row of eyelashes, which leads to irritation of the mucous membrane of the eyeball and can cause constant lacrimation, strabismus, erosion and corneal ulcer. Among other eye diseases, cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, and eyelid inversion are common.

Disorders of the function of the endocrine system in combination with the specifics of genetics are manifested in the Japanese chin in a misalignment of the jaw, multi-toothedness or false polyodontia, which occurs due to delayed loss of baby teeth. Failure of the dental system, in turn, leads to dysfunction of the digestive system.

Among the defects inherent in small breeds of dogs, characteristic of the Japanese hin, is the underdevelopment of the reproductive system, as well as a violation of the musculoskeletal system, which manifests itself in frequent dislocations of the kneecap and necrosis of the femoral head. Excessive curvature of the tail can cause suffering to dogs.

It should be borne in mind that after 8 years, when the female childbearing age ends, they begin to age, lose teeth, they often have exacerbations of chronic ailments. From the age of 10, Hinov often have hearing problems.

You need to know about one more feature of the breed – these dogs do not tolerate anesthesia very well.

How to choose a puppy

Whichever Japanese hin puppy you decide to buy – a show-class dog or just a pet, it is important, first of all, to choose a seller. They can become a reliable, responsible breeder, and ideally – the owner of a breeding nursery with a good reputation and a documented history of breeding the breed in this particular nursery. Professionals in their field will always pick up exactly the kind of puppy you dream of, will issue documents confirming that he is healthy, a certificate of pedigree, a description of his potential breeding qualities.

First make sure that the puppies are kept in a clean room, watch them. Check whether all the puppies from the same litter look healthy, whether they are active, whether they are well-fed. The baby that you like the most, examine from head to tail. Make sure that his ears are clean, without redness, his eyes are clear, mischievous, his gums are pink, his teeth are white, his fur is silky, shiny. Suspicion should be aroused by any sign of undershot and excessive snacking.

Take a closer look at the hin you like carefully at the moment when he is playing. Such an observation will help to notice whether the vices that are conspicuous are not peculiar to him: the "cow" set of the hind limbs, their instability, an excessively lowered sternum. These shortcomings are rarely leveled with age.

It is very important to make sure that the parents of your potential pet do not have diseases, and also to clarify whether the bitch was ill during pregnancy, since in this case the puppies may develop pathologies, including such a dangerous disease as hydrocephalus. It is also necessary to look closely at the puppy's mother, and if you choose a Japanese hin with an exhibition perspective, it is advisable to see both parents.

Photos of Japanese hin puppies

How much is Japanese hin

You can buy Japanese hin "with your hands" for an amount from $50 to $100. But in this case, you run the risk of getting a pet, whose purity will be in question. The kid may be a half-breed. At best, among his parents will be a Pekingese, which unscrupulous breeders often knit with a more expensive hin.

In kennels, puppies of the pet class cost from $100, babies of the most popular breed class - from $150. Show-class dogs with exhibition prospects cost at least $250. The best of them can be sold for an amount exceeding $600.

Prices in various nurseries vary and depend on their location, the reputation of the owners, the breeding stock.