About the breed

Japanese mastiff kennel

The Tosa breed originated in Japan during the Meiji era in the principality of Tosa (modern Kochi prefecture on the island of Shikoku), in the middle of the 19th century. The fans of dog fighting wanted to bring out the Japanese breed of fighting dogs, capable of fighting to death, steadily and silently as samurai did. European fighting dogs were raised for bloody battles with the other animals, for example, bears, bulls,lions, etc. But the Tosa from the beginning were intended to fight with the dogs only.

In the 19th century, Japan was a country completely isolated from the entire world, so there was no question of cross-breeding. Only in 1854, the borders were opened and European fighting dogs such as Bulldogs (1872), Mastiffs (1874), German Pointers (1876), Great Danes (1924) began to arrive in the Japanese Isles.

The breeding of Tosa was based on local so called Dogge dogs, probable descendants of ancient Molossian type dogs, as well as fighting dogs of Shikoku-Ken (the breed existed only in Japan) and such imported breeds as Bull Terriers, Mastiffs, Bulldogs, Great Danes, Pointers, St. Bernards and Bloodhounds. There's now accurate data about the breeds which took part in creating of Tosa as the information is keptcompletely in secret . Hypotheses are built on the basis of the external similarity of the breeds.

As a result, the dogs with excellent fighting qualities were bred, which fought steadily and silently, without rushing the rival and not trying to tear it, but pressing it with their own body, capable of a ruthless attack and a long battle.

Tosa is also called "Sumo Inu". In traditional Japanese Sumo wrestling, it is about pushing an opponent out of a carpet, possibly knocking them over. In the country of the Rising Sun, the fighting of dogs is bloodless and goes according to the rules of sumo wrestling. If at least one dog is hurt - the fight is stopped. The dog deliberately biting the opponent, and also barking or whining with fear is declared a loser. The fightwins the dog, which brings the opponent down on the ground and hold it,dominating for more than 3 minutes (or 5 minutes if the fight lasted for more than 15 min.).The fight is held for a fixed period from 5 minutes to half an hour, in the arena with a cross section of 36 meters. If at the set no one dog was knocked out, then the one which showed more activity in the fight, is declared a winner.

Like sumo wrestlers, the dogs are graded into a hierarchy according to the points they have recently earned, the most powerful and hardy dogs that have won many fights, receive the title of "champions" and "great champions". The dog which takes the first place receives a special painted "apron" and a hemp wreath.The above-mentioned rules of battles demanded a huge mental stability and determination. Capture, detention and throwing of the opponent is the result of physical strength, certain weight and "strength of spirit." Tosa dogs that were sent to the fights had a certain body weight. For ages Tosa fighting dogs were relatively thin and underweight. The appearance was not taken into consideration. At a certain stage of development, the Tosa were stained, had erect ears, and twisted tails. But over the time the appearance of the breed changed drastically.

The history of the development of the breed was undoubtedly influenced by various administrative arrangements, as well as by accidental events. In the years 1910-1911 in Japan, there was a ban on dog fights. And also the taxes on the maintenance of the dogs were introduced.A little later, at the end of the 1920s, a distemper epidemic brought the Tosa to the verge of extinction. However, despite the difficulties mentioned, in the thirties of the last century, dog fighting gained popularity in Japan, and, consequently, the breed was being developed quickly. The police didn't react well enough, as the dog fights were held publicly. At that time, there were about 5 thousand dogs of this breed.

The Second World War led to the extinction of the great number of dogs. Dogs in Japan were killed for skins, which were used to make jackets for the pilots. The livestock of Tosa was disappearing. Almost all adult dogs and puppies of Tosa were killed, as there was a shortage of food in the country, and the dogs needed a lot of food. Only a few dogs were saved by the breeders at the risk of their own lives. Tosa dogs were managed to be taken out to sparsely populated areas of Hokkaido. Several more representatives of the breed were sent to Korea and Taiwan, where they were able to survive the war. Several dogs and two bitches in Tohoku district and several dogs in Kyushu stayed alive. Thoseremaining dogs were used for producing the breed which we can see now. At present, there are about 4 thousand Tosa dogs in Japan.

Strong, powerful,bold and courageous Tosa are often called a samurai dog. However, this name largely reflects the talent of the dog itself,than determines the range of its traditional owners. The combination of rare bravery with excellent restraint and patience provided Tosa with a reputation of undefeated fighters. Today, the same qualities allow Tosa to cope brilliantly with the role of the guard, and also makethem reliable companions, next to which one can not be afraid of practically anyone.

Like every dog with a strong personality Tosa should be properly raised from their childhood, and, in particular, to deal with the other pets. Because of the huge size, great physical strength and strong personality this breed is not for everyone. Correctly brought up, well-civilized Tosa is marked as adorable, unpretentious family dog and companion. Tosa has a high intelligence and delicacy, easily and quickly learns good habits. Despite of the fame of the fighting dogs, Tosa becomes an incredibly tender and a loving pet one can get. They are devoted to their masters, they are patient and affectionate with children. These smart with well-developed guarding instincts dogs can be totally reliedon. In addition to protection Tosa is successfully used for search and rescue operations and in canine-assisted therapy.

Australian cattle dog kennel

The Australian shepherd dog was bred in early colonial Australia to help farmers raise livestock. The fundamental requirements for the breed included mobility, impetuosity, endurance, and the ability to manage the herd carefully and purposefully by biting animals . The service dog breeds introduced earlier did not meet these requirements. The first settlers did not have enough labor, and this created problems in controlling the movement of cows and sheep. The pastures were vast and unfenced territories intersected by thickets of wild, impenetrable Australian bush. Since the first breeders of the Australian shepherd dog rarely recorded information about their work, there are some differences of opinion regarding the origin of the Australian shepherd dog. It is generally accepted that the breed originated from the crossing of blue-marbled smooth-haired collies with the wild dog dingo, with the addition of Dalmatian and black at later stages of breeding.Dingoes were predominantly red in color, with occasional whites and even blacks among them.They also tried to add bull terrier blood and blood from other breeds to the breed, but the latter did not give the successful results necessary for work.

The Australian shepherd dog is primarily characterized by its endurance and strength, as the name makes clear, the breed was originally created to drive cattle, as well as to protect owners and their property (including livestock). A strong, compact, proportionally built working dog, loving and zealous in carrying out his work in harsh weather conditions.The combination of strength, strength, balance and muscularity gives the impression of mobility, strength and perseverance. A natural sense of loyalty and devotion combined with an innate protective instinct makes representatives of this breed the guardian of the herd and the property of farmers. By its nature, it is distrustful of outsiders, obedient in training.

These dogs are devoted to their master, they are smart and quick-witted, easy to train. But despite having such purely professional qualities, they are also gentle and affectionate pets. Just like many other working dogs, the Australian Shepherd Dog has a high level of energy, an active mind, and a certain level of independence. The breed is in the top ten in terms of intelligence.

In 1903, the New South Wales Kennel Club developed the first breed standard for the Australian Shepherd Dog.The National Cynological Council of Australia adopted this standard in 1960. And 12 years later (05.12.2012), the Australian healer was recognized by the FCI. The Australian healer came to Russia only in 2004. The breed's popularity is steadily growing, even considering that modern healers contain more than 50% of wild dingo blood. It is for this reason that the healer has such a deprecating look.

The blue Heeler is a medium–sized dog with a harmonious build. The musculature is powerful, the chest is of medium depth, which is ideal for long-term running, the paws are strong and strong. The muzzle is of medium length, bony, the ears are erect, pointed at the ends. They are placed on the sides of the head. The look is attentive, intelligent, and friendly. The back is straight, the tail is set low, usually lowered down. The jacket is stiff, very thick and waterproof, of medium length. Too long, as well as too short hair, is considered a vice.

The color of the healer can be either blue or red, a combination of both is undesirable. A white tail with colored markings or a dark tail with white markings is the norm for both colors. The size of the specks in both colors is about 2 to 2.5 cm. A white spot (from a few hairs to a large one) on the forehead is a feature of the breed.