The Javanese is a breed of domestic cat recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association as a show cat. It is an oriental-type longhair.The breed was developed in North America and its name is derived from the tradition of naming oriental-type cats after south-east Asian countries.

Health

Common genetic defects are shared with the "Balinese Cat" and the "Siamese Cat". These include: deafness, joint issues, early-onset arthritis, hip displacement and cross-eye.

The Kai Ken (甲斐犬, also called the Tora Inu or Tiger Dog) is a breed of dog that hails from Japan where it is a natural monument and has been bred for centuries. It is an extremely rare dog even in its native land and is related to the Japanese Spitz dog type.

History

The Kai Ken is considered to be the most ancient, and purest dog breed in Japan. It was developed in the isolated district of Kai (Yamanashi Prefecture) as a hunting dog. Kai were used to hunt boar and deer. This breed was designated a natural monument in Japan in 1934.

In popular culture

• Many Kai Kens play important roles in the Yoshihiro Takahashi's series Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin and its sequel, Ginga Densetsu Weed, including the brothers Kurotora, Chūtora, and Akatora. In the sequel, Ginga Densetsu Weed, Kurotora's son, Kagetora, stars as an important character, with his less prominently featured brothers, Harutora and Nobutora, and cousins Dodo, Buru, Shōji, and Shigure.
• Another Yoshihiro Takahashi's manga, Kacchū no Senshi Gamu featured a villainous Kai Ken named Gama.
• Chu, a Canine Warrior from the 2006 video game Ōkami, is also a Kai Ken.

The Kaikadi is of the terrier dog breed, named after a nomadic tribe in Maharashtra, India. They make excellent watchdogs due to the nomadic life they have led watching over herds and they are excellent at hunting hare and vermin. The Kaikadi is very similar to the whippet dogs and due to their history are best suited for large open areas as opposed to being kept in urban home settings.

The Kanni alias Chippiparai is rare indigenous South Indian dog breed found in the state of Tamil Nadu. Native people in Tamilnadu also call it as "Vettai Naai"(hunting dog) introduced and dominantly used by Nayakar dynasty. It is used primarily for hunting hare, wild boar and deer. It is also used for guarding the home and farm. The Kanni is found in and around Tirunelveli, Pollachi, Kovilpatti, Kazhugumalai, Kileral, Kodangipatti, Sivakasi, Madurai , rajapalayam and its surroundings like thalavaipuram,mugavoor (villages) and thoothukudi. The Kanni is kept by families who do not sell them but may gift them if a promise is made to look after them well. They are not allowed to roam on the streets and are brought up as pet animals. The breed is now extremely rare, now a days most of the good specimens are owned by the village peoples .And is on the verge of extinction. Efforts to revive the breed have been taken up by group of enthusiasts in Tamilnadu by forming the Group in Facebook called kannidog and chippiparai dog the indian dog community.

Health

Generally the breed is healthy. Though sturdy enough to cope within limited means and harsh weather conditions, the breed does suffer from cold weather. They have certain general health issues such as are: sensitivity to anesthesia and food allergies.

The Karakachan is a breed of dog that originated in Bulgaria as a mountain livestock guardian dog. Other names are Bulgarian Shepherd and Thracian Mollos. The dog is named after the Karakachans, Balkan Greek nomadic shepherds. Due to their conservative stock-breeding traditions, they have preserved some of the oldest breeds of domestic animals in Europe: the Karakachan sheep, Karakachan horse and the Karakachan dog.

In the past, this Mountain dog was widely used in Bulgaria as a border army watchdog. Nowadays it is used primarily as a livestock guardian dog and property guard dog. The most numerous populations of working purebred livestock guarding Karakachan dogs are found in Bulgaria and the United States. The Karakachan was officially approved as a Bulgarian old native breed in 2005. The Karakachan dog may be a descendant of ancient Balkan domestic dogs, possibly since the time of the Thracians. In ancient Thracian treasures, figures were found of big, longhaired guardian dogs with curled tails. The Karachan is part of the origin of the Bulgarian Shepherd dog, with which it should not be confused.

History

The Karakachan dog is one of Europe's oldest breeds. It is a typical Mollos, created for guarding its owner's flock and property; it does not hesitate to fight wolves or bears to defend its owner and his family in case of danger. Its ancestors started forming as early as the third millennium BC. The Karakachan dog is a descendant of the dogs of the Thracians, renowned as stock-breeders. The dog is named after the Karakachans. Due to their conservative stock-breeding traditions, they managed to preserve some of the oldest breeds of domestic animals in Europe - the Karakachan sheep, the Karakachan horse, and, of course, the Karakachan dog. It is with this name that the Karakachan dog appears in the works of some of the classics of Bulgarian literature, namely Yordan Yovkov, Georgi Raitchev and Yordan Radichkov. In 1938 H.B. Peters wrote about it in the German cinologycal magazine "Zeitschrift für Hundeforschung" [Zentralblatt für Kleintierkunde und Pelztierkunde "Kleintier und Pelztier", Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Leipzig]. The first researcher of the breed was Todor Gajtandjiev, who proposed the standardization of the breed in the 1970s. The Karakachan dog's bravery and dignity, together with its incredible loyalty, make this dog an invaluable friend and helper.

Etymology

The word karakachan is derived from 2 Turkish words kara and kaçan, kara means black and kaçan means the one that got away. Therefore the word karakaçan has the meaning: the black one that got away

Popular culture

When U.S. President George W. Bush visited Bulgaria in 2003, Bulgarian site presented him with a karakachan shepherd. The Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov gave a Karakachan dog, called Buffy to Russian PM Vladimir Putin as a gift in 2010.

The Karelian Bear Dog (KBD) is a Finland or Karelian breed of dog. In its home country, it is regarded as a national treasure. KBD will hunt a variety of animals. Its quick reflexes and fearless nature have made it very popular for hunting aggressive game, including bear, moose, and wild boar. It was the breed's ability to hunt and offer protection against a bear that earned the breed its name.

The Karst Shepherd (Slovene: kraševec or kraški ovčar) is a breed of dog of the livestock guardian type, originating in Slovenia. This Mountain dog breed is recognised under sponsorship from Macedonia by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.

History

The Karst Shepherd is named after the Karst Plateau in Slovenia and Italy, and more generally after the Karst landscape that extends to Croatia and partly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, from the Gulf of Trieste to the Dinaric Alps. Mostly bred in Slovenia and Istria in Croatia. The ancestral type of the modern day breed travelled with shepherds through this area, and most likely came with ancient nomadic pastoralists. In 1689, the etnographer Janez Vajkard Valvasor mentioned the shepherd's dogs of the area in his work The Glory of the Duchy of Carniola without description of dogs. In the 20th century, when the landrace shepherd dogs began to be documented as a modern breed, it was first referred to as the Illyrian Shepherd (1939). Karst Shephard and Šarplaninac were considered Type A and B of the Illyrian Shepherd Dog by the Yugoslavian Federation of Cynology for some time, leading to some cases of crossing between both breeds. After comparing typical dogs of both "Types" the Federation recognised Karst Shephard and Šarplaninac as two distinct breeds in 1968.

The Fédération Cynologique Internationale recognises the breed in Group 2, Section 2.2 Molossoid breeds-Mountain type, number 278. The breed has also been exported to the United States, where it is recognised by The United Kennel Club in the Guardian Dog Group. The breed is also recognised by various minor kennel clubs and internet-based dog registry businesses, and is promoted as a rare breed for those seeking a unique pet.

During the 20th century there were several periods when the number of Karst Shephards was low. Fearing inbreeding a decision was made to introduce a single male Newfoundland into the population. The total number (including puppies, sterilised dogs and dogs not suitable for breeding) of Karst Shepherds in 2008 was estimated between 600 and 700.

A breeding program was accepted in 2009 to boost the number of dogs, improve their characteristics and preserve their genetic diversity. To avoid popular sire effect every sire can father up to 3 litters, sire must be unrelated to the dam (no common great grandparents), genetic distance between them must be higher than 0.45. Dogs with heritable diseases, atypical physical and behavioural characteristics are excluded from the program. Exceptions are possible with DLVKOS permission.

The Keeshond plural: Keeshonden) is a medium-sized dog with a plush two-layer coat of silver and black fur with a ruff and a curled tail. It originated in Germany, and its closest relatives are the German spitzes such as the Großspitz, Mittelspitz, and Kleinspitz or Pomeranian. Originally called the German Spitz, more specifically the Wolfspitz, the name was officially changed to Keeshond, in 1926 in England, where it had been known as the Dutch Barge Dog.

History

The Keeshond was named after the 18th-century Dutch Patriots (faction), Cornelis de Gijselaar (spelled 'Gijzelaar' in Modern Dutch), leader of the rebellion against the House of Orange. The dog became the rebels' symbol; and, when the House of Orange returned to power, this breed almost disappeared. The word 'keeshond' is a compound word: 'Kees' is a nickname for Cornelius (de Gyselaer), and 'hond' is the Dutch word for dog. In the Netherlands, "keeshond" is the term for German Spitzes that encompass them all from the Pomeranian to the Wolfspitz (Keeshond). The sole difference among the German Spitzes is their coloring and size guidelines. Although many American references point to the Keeshond as we know it originating in the Netherlands, the breed is cited as being part of the German Spitz family originating in Germany along with the Pomeranian (toy or dwarf German Spitz) and American Eskimo dog (small or standard German Spitz) according to the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.The first standard for "Wolfspitz" was posted at the Dog Show of 1880 in Berlin. The Club for German Spitzes was founded in 1899. The German standard was revised in 1901 to specify the characteristic color that we know today, "silver grey tipped with black". In the late 19th century the "Overweight Pomeranian", a white German Spitz and most likely a Standard German Spitz, was shown in the The Kennel Club. The "Overweight Pomeranian" was no longer recognized by the British Kennel Club in 1915. In the 1920s, Baroness van Hardenbroeck took an interest in the breed and began to build it up again. The Nederlandse Keeshond Club was formed in 1924. The Dutch Barge Dog Club of England was formed in 1925 by Mrs. Wingfield-Digby and accepted into the British Kennel Club in 1926, when the breed and the club were renamed to Keeshond.Carl Hinderer is credited with bringing his Schloss Adelsburg Kennel, which he founded in 1922 in Germany, with him to America in 1923. His German Champion Wolfspitz followed him two by two in 1926. At that time, less than ten years after World War I, Germany was not regarded fondly in England and America; and the Wolfspitz/Keeshond was not recognized by the AKC. Consequently, Carl had to register each puppy with his club in Germany. Despite this, Carl joined the Maryland KC and attended local shows.Carl regularly wrote to the AKC, including the New York headquarters, to promote the Wolfspitz. While going through New York on his way to Germany in 1930, Carl visited the AKC offices and presented Wachter, his Germany champion, to AKC President, Dr. DeMond, who promptly agreed to start the recognition process, with some caveats including changing the name to Keeshond, and asked Carl to bring back all the relevant data from Germany. Carl also translated the German standard to English for the AKC. The Keeshond was accepted for American Kennel Club registration in 1930.Despite intense lobbying the Fédération Cynologique Internationale would not accept the Keeshond as a separate breed since it viewed the Wolfspitz and Keeshond as identical. In 1997, the German Spitz Club updated its standard so that the typically smaller Keeshond preferred in America and other English-speaking countries could be included. This greatly expanded the gene pool and unified the standard internationally for the first time. Now bred for many generations as a companion dog, the Keeshond easily becomes a loving family member.As a result of the breed's history and friendly disposition, Keeshonden are sometimes referred to as "The Smiling Dutchman".

Health

Keeshonden are generally a very healthy breed. Though congenital health issues are not common, the conditions which have been known to sometimes occur in Keeshonden are Hip dysplasia (canine), luxating patellas (trick knee), Epilepsy in animals, Cushing's syndrome, diabetes, primary hyperparathyroidism, and hypothyroidism. Von Willebrand's disease has been known in Keeshonden but is very rare. An accurate (or PHPT) has recently been developed at Cornell University. As with any breed, it is important when buying a puppy to make sure that the parents have been tested and certified free from inherited problems.Keeshonds in a UK Kennel Club survey had a median lifespan of 12 years 2 months. 1 in 4 died of old age, at an average of 14–15 years.When purchasing a Keeshond, make sure to check the health testing available on both parents, both through the breeder, and the public Orthopaedic Foundation of Animals (OFA) health site. www.offa.org

The Kerry Beagle is one of the oldest Irish Hounds, believed to be descendant from the Old Southern Hound or Celtic Hounds, detailed pedigrees date back as far as 1794. Originally bred as a scent hound used to track game, larger hounds were then sent in to do the actual hunting. This breed is still used today for hunting fox, hare and takes part in drag hunting.
The Kerry Beagle almost died out and may have been revived by adding braque de l'Ariège, a French hound.

The Kerry Blue Terrier is a breed of dog. In Ireland it is often called the Irish Blue Terrier. Originally bred to control "vermin" including rats, rabbits, badgers, foxes, otters and hares, over time the Kerry became a general working dog used for a variety of jobs including herding cattle and sheep, and as a guard dog. Today the Kerry has spread around the world as a companion and working dog. Despite winning Crufts (the most important UK dog show) in 2000, it remains an unfashionable breed, still distinctly uncommon, but not as threatened as some of the other terrier breeds such as Skye Terrier, Sealyham Terrier, and Dandie Dinmont Terrier.

Health

Kerries are fairly healthy, however there are some genetic disorders that are prevalent in the breed. They are prone to eye problems such as Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eyes), cataracts, and entropion. They sometimes get cysts or cancerous growths in their skin, but these are rarely malignancy. Hip dysplasia (canine), hypothyroidism, cryptorchidism have also been reported. (PNA) is also seen but rare in the population. This condition is also referred to as Cerebellar cortical abiotrophy (CCA) or Cerebellar Abiotrophy (CA). Another skin-related health issue is spiculosis. This is a skin disorder that produces abnormally thick hairs that are also called thorns, spikes or bristles. A US breed club survey puts the average lifespan at 9 1/2 years. Many live to 12 or 13 years.