The Tosa Inu: Union Between Europe And Asia
The Tosa Inu is an imposing-looking dog, born from the crossing of some selected European and Asian breeds and created with a very specific intent. In the following article we will tell you everything about this Molosser.
History of the Tosa Inu
The Tosa Inu is a relatively recent creation breed. Bulldog, Mastiff, German Bracco, Great Dane and Shikoku were used to obtain this imposing dog. According to some sources, Bull Terrier and Saint Bernard genes have also been included.
This breed first appeared in the Tosa province of Japan in the 19th century. It was conceived with the aim of creating a great fighting dog : a specimen with the physique of the Great Dane and the Saint Bernard, the resistance of the Bull Terrier and the Bulldog and the dedicated and courageous character of the Shikoku.
In fact, the breed was used for dog fighting for decades. Nowadays, although clandestine fighting continues to exist in Japan, the Tosa Inu has become a watchdog with a life outside the ring.
Characteristics of the Tosa Inu
The Tosa Inu is a large breed dog with an imposing and robust appearance. There is no standard weight for the breed, while the height is established for a minimum of 60 cm at the withers for males and 55 cm for females. With these reference data, adult specimens, depending on their constitution, should weigh between 50 and 70 kilos.
As for the morphology, the head of these dogs is large, with a muzzle of square proportions and a very marked stop . They have a powerful and wide neck, where the skin falls in folds: they have a double chin, drooping lips and a lot of excess skin.
Their ears drop down to the sides of the head; they are triangular in shape slightly rounded, and are positioned high on the head. The tail is instead long and thin: it is wider at the base and tapers towards the tip; it is straight and when at rest it is positioned below the line of the back.
As for the proportions of the body, the chest is broad unlike the belly which is narrow, although not as much as that of the Spanish Galgo; for this very reason, the back is straight and not curved.
The coat of the Tosa Inu is smooth, thick and very short. It comes only in solid colors: red, apricot or black, with the only exception of the brindle specimens. It may happen that the black specimens have the muzzle of a darker shade than the rest of the body.
Behavior of the Tosa Inu
The Tosa Inu has earned a place as a watchdog in families thanks to its inherited character from the breeds of which it originates. It is a dog attached to its family and protective of the people it loves, which it will protect beyond the home territory.
Despite this, the genes of the Shikoku give it a character more similar to that of other Japanese breeds, such as the Shiba or the Akita, rather than that of the mastiffs. We are faced with a courageous and tenacious dog as well as independent, therefore a being with precise ideas and a bit stubborn.
For this reason, it is not a suitable dog for everyone. The Tosa Inu does not learn through punishment, strength or domination theory: on the contrary, his character responds very well to positive reinforcement, and his education should be based on collaboration rather than submission.
As a companion dog, he is very affectionate with the people he loves and can be a little reserved with strangers. Paradoxically, thanks to its past as a fighting dog, only the specimens with a stable, predictable and more sociable character towards humans were selected.
Cure for the Tosa Inu
The short and thick fur of the Tosa Inu makes the care of this breed much easier: just a few brushes during the hair change period to eliminate dead hair; in fact, it does not run the risk of presenting knots.
At the same time, the breed enjoys good health and is not marked by hereditary diseases. However, due to its size it is prone to suffer from hip dysplasia or gastric torsion. A veterinarian needs to establish a check-up schedule and preventative treatment if he deems it necessary.
Also due to its size, the Tosa Inu requires you to take at least three walks a day, so that you can stretch all the muscles in your body and do the necessary exercise. In general, these are not energetic dogs that require special exercises: just let him play a little with other dogs and take the right walks to make him feel good.
The Tosa Inu is a dog of relatively recent creation and born to fight, but thanks to its imposing physique and guard dog courage it has managed to survive when dog fights have been banned.
