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History
Tosa Inu is a dog breed with origin in a small Japanese island known as
Shikoku. This breed received its name from where it came from, that is Tosa
province which has since been renamed to Kochi. The dogs were crossed with
other breeds such as the Kochi in 1868. The breed was later crossed with
popular European breeds namely; Bulldog, Great Dane, Bull Terrier, St.
Bernard and Mastiff. The result of the crossbreeding was an agile, athletic
and powerful dog best suited for fighting.
Description
The Tosa or the Tosa Inu is a huge dog and despite its size it is very swift
and responsive. The dog has a strong, large head with an extensive skull and
a fairly long muzzle that is squared off. The jaws of the Tosa Inu are very
powerful and close to form a scissors bite. It has a black nose that rests
at the end of the muzzle. Underneath the muzzle the dog’s loose lips hangs
down. The dog’s muscular neck is covered up by a thick and baggy skin. Tosa
Inu has small almond shaped dark eyes giving it a dignified expression. They
have well-muscled legs that have powerful paws while their hips and chests
are very broad. The tails are medium sized and hang straight downwards off
their bodies. They have a short hair coat that is harsh and dense and comes
in red though other colors such as black, tan, brindle, fawn and yellow are
not uncommon. Temperament
The Tosa Inu is a fearless, brave and bold dog that is very eager to please
and highly responsive to its master’s voice. The dog is loyal and will do
anything to protect its owner. At times the breed can be exceptionally
patient, calm and quiet. These dog’s are very intelligent and thus do not
require repetitive training. Because of their sensitive nature the owner
needs to be calm and not harsh to them during training to prevent them from
being unstable. The dogs are reserved towards strangers and though it is not
overly aggressive, it guard’s its family very well. The dogs are very
comfortable with children. Though, children should not be left unsupervised
around the dogs. The dogs can be unruly if left on their own. To prevent
this, the owner should be consistent, strong, confident and firm in
restraining the breed.
Health and Care
Like other huge dogs, the Tosa Inu is prone to suffer from hereditary
diseases such as bloat, elbow dysplasia and hip dysplasia. Because of its
size it requires daily physical activity such as short runs, jogs or walks.
Lack of sufficient exercise will cause it to develop behavioral problems.
The dog can adapt to living in apartments if they receive regular exercise.
The breed will not do well if placed in kennels since they prefer to be near
the family.
Grooming
The Tosa Inu does not shed much compared to other breeds making it easy to
take care of. All that is needed is once in a while brushing to get rid of
loose and dead hair. Doing this will keep the coat in excellent condition.
Pets4You offers listings of
Tosa Inu breeders with puppies for sale. |
