Kai at Inoue Kennel

I visited a friend's family kennel last week. I didn't take that many pictures of the Kai as I was talking most of the time, but here's a few pictures.

Inoue-san actually bred Tone-no-isshin, the male that took overall champion at the Kai-ken Aigokai Exhibition a few years back. He's still breeding the same lines, and had quite a few stunning dogs.

What surprised me most was his Kai's temperament. No shy animals at all, and once Inoue-san walked past all the kennels with me and introduced me, they were all tails and tongues.

My thoughts on the subject...

I've seen a lot of Kai over the past few years, and temperament has always been a sticky issue for myself, and the breeders I've discussed it with. Preserving the Kai in its original form should include not just the aesthetics, but the temperament and workability of the breed as well. The Kai should not be aggressive toward strangers or other dogs, but it should be slightly wary of them, all the while staying alert and inquisitive. Once the dog is shown (or perceives) that there is no immediate danger or threat, they should be at worst indifferent, and depending on the individual dog, perhaps even friendly.