The Japanese Terrier is a small breed dog from the Asian country. Its compact size and cheerful character makes it an ideal companion if we are looking for a loving, cheerful pet that requires little space.
It is a breed of short coat and in general it is in good health, so we will not need much care to keep it happy. Do you want to know everything about this fabulous breed? Let’s go there.
History of the Japanese Terrier breed
Also called nihon teria, it is a companion dog bred from smooth-haired Fox Terrier crossbreed. These specimens were brought to Japan from the Netherlands from the 16th century, at which time there was no definite intention to reproduce the breed.
From 1920, this variety caught the attention of breeders and controlled reproduction began to obtain the characteristics that we know today.
Being a breed related to the Fox Terrier, it is sometimes called the Japanese Fox Terrier and even the Japanese Bull Terrier. However, both Fox and Bull are varieties from Great Britain.
Characteristics of Japanese Terrier Dogs
This breed is small, elegant and compact, with a head that is proportional to the body. The head is slightly flattened with a long snout. The ears are thin, “V” shaped and rest on the forehead.
The Japanese Terrier has medium-sized, oval eyes that are always dark. The tail for its part is thin, a little curved and narrow at the tip.
The coat of hair is short, only two millimeters long, dense and shiny. It appears in tricolor combinations: head with a mixture of black, reddish and white, while the body is white with black or reddish spots.
Its physical appearance makes it very similar to the Spanish breed Andalusian cellar buzzard.
- Height between 30 and 33 cm for males and females
- Weight of 20 kilos
- Smooth, short and shiny hair
- Good health
- Estimated life expectancy of 13 to 15 years
How is the character of the Japanese Terrier?
If we are looking for an agile and fast puppy to accompany us to the park for a walk and enjoy outdoor activities, the breed of Japanese Terrier is perfect for us.
As with the Fox Terrier, we can reinforce the friendly temperament of this breed by socializing it well as a puppy, allowing it to interact with other pets and people.
Thanks to his tipsy personality, enjoy intelligence games and they are easy to train. It is a good dog for families with children because of its playful character, as long as we teach both the dog and the children to be respectful of each other.
Care for a Japanese Terrier
This terrier breed requires little care. With such a short coat, we only need to brush it once a week to remove dead hair. Bathing is recommended when the coat looks dirty, depending on the physical activity you do.
Exercise is the main demand of the Japanese Terrier. Taking them for walks every day, offering games at home, outings to the park and contact with other canine and human companions is essential to keep him happy.
Although their small size allows them to live comfortably in small apartments, are dogs that need contact with people or pets. If we spend too much time away from home, it may be wise to adopt another pet to keep them company.
In winter we can dress them to prevent low temperatures from causing disease, as the short coat offers very little protection.
Japanese Terrier diseases
The Japanese Terrier is a healthy breed that does not suffer from inherited diseases. The main problem is due to their small size, as they are prone to fractures.
For this reason, it is recommended that we take special care during its puppy stage, since it is easy to step on them by accident. In the same way, it is convenient to keep them away from unknown adult dogs, to avoid that a too abrupt game ends in a visit to the vet.