Japanese Terrier

The Japanese Terrier is believed to date back to the 1600s. It is thought that dogs such as the Smooth Fox Terrier and German Pinscher were brought into the Japanese port Nagasaki by Dutch and British sailors. These Smooth Fox Terriers and German Pinschers bred with local Japanese dogs producing small terrier type dogs that became very popular in the Nagasaki area. His popularity spread beyond Nagasaki and he was soon found all over Japan. It is unknown whether these little terrier type dogs were used solely as companion or lap dogs or whether they were also used to hunt small vermin. The Japanese Terrier has been exclusively a companion dog for decades. In the 1920s breeders of the Japanese Terrier began trying to standardize the breed and the Kobe Terrier was added to the gene pool. Consistent breeding practices successfully established a breed that was uniform in look and personality. The breed standard was written and then recognized by the Japanese Kennel Club in 1930. World War II caused dog breeding to grind almost to a complete halt and the Japanese Terrier’s numbers drastically dwindled. Post-World War II saw the breed rebound slightly, the Japanese Terrier is still considered a rare breed in Japan and is virtually unknown anywhere else in the world. There are a few Japanese Terriers that have been documented in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe. The United States and Canada are even thought to have a few living within their borders. The United Kennel Club recognized the Japanese Terrier in 2006.