As breeds go, the Sanshu Dog is a relative newcomer. Japanese breeders created the Sanshu in 1912 from Chow Chows, the Akita Inu, the Phu Quoc Dog, and now extinct Japanese Aichi.  The dogs were developed on Japan’s main island of Honshu where all the major cities and higher populations were, and one wonders if the idea was to fill a “size niche” for an urban setting since the Sanshu resembles a smaller Akita or larger Shiba Inu.

Over time, two varieties emerged, a larger dog standing between 20-22 inches, and a smaller version coming in at between 16-18 inches, with a weight range of 44-55 pounds.

The Sanshu is very popular in Japan for its gentleness, loyalty, biddable nature and intelligence. The dogs bond very strongly to their families, are affectionate and loving, and playful with children. The Sanshu is a dog that loves to please its owners, and owners love their dog’s sensitive and sweet soul. These qualities combined with a territorial and very protective nature makes the Sanshu a terrific family watchdog.  Despite their popularity in Japan, the Sanshu is not recognized by any breed organizations – including the Japan Kennel Club –  and because there is no breed standard, coats may vary in color and can be red, white, tan, gray, fawn, piebald, black and tan or pepper and salt. That said, the dogs have bred true for over 100 years: They all have a wedge shaped head with tapering muzzle, almond shaped eyes, and triangular eyes. We suspect it’s only a matter of time before efforts are made to have this beloved breed recognized.

Images all come from Kot-Pes.com and appear here for informational purposes only.