Kishu Ken Labrador Retriever Mix

The Kishu Ken Labrador Retriever Mix, is a mixed breed dog resulting from breeding the Kishu Ken and the Labrador Retriever. Both of these dogs can be friendly but personalities differ, so you never know. The Kishu Ken is known for being docile, dignified, and noble. All dogs need proper socialization and that will be a big factor in how they interact with others. What does this mixed breed look and act like? Is it more like the Kishu Ken or the Labrador Retriever? Those are the questions we will try and answer below. Continue reading below to see pictures, videos, and learn more about the beautiful Kishu Ken Labrador Retriever Mix.

While we really recommend that you acquire all animals through a rescue, we understand that some people might go through a breeder to get their Kishu Ken Labrador Retriever Mix puppy. That is, if they have any Kishu Ken Labrador Retriever Mix puppies for sale.

If you are interested in helping animal rescues raise money, please play our quiz. Each correct answer donates to help feed shelter animals.

Kishu Ken Labrador Retriever Mix History

All hybrid or designer dogs are tough to get a good read on as there isn’t much history to them. Breeding specific dogs like this has become common in the last twenty years or so even though I am sure that this mixed breed found it’s share of dogs to the shelter due to accidental breeding. We will take a closer look at the history of both parent breeds below. If you are looking at breeders for new, designer dogs please beware of Puppy Mills. These are places that mass produce puppies, specifically for profit and don’t care at all about the dogs. If you have a few minutes, please sign our petition to stop puppy mills.

Kishu Ken History

Kishu Ken, also known as Kishu Inu or simply Kishu. This is a Japanese breed of dog that has been developed in Japan for thousands of years. Although the standard only permits solid colors to be shown, the many acceptable colors of the Kishu include white, red or sesame. White seems to have become a more popular color than the others.
Tough, agile and friendly. These are three great words to describe the Kishu Ken. As a very loyal breed, the Kishu is great with a single owner or a family. There is a tendency to hunt small animals or rodents, but with socialization skills instilled at a young age, there should be no problems with other animals such as dogs and cats. Also, being a medium-sized breed, be sure to have the time and the space to let these dogs move around if you decide to bring home a Kishu Ken.

Labrador Retriever History

Labrador Retriever, also called a Lab, is a retriever-gun dog—hence the name. The Labrador is one of the most popular dog breeds in not only the United States but in the United Kingdom as well. This breed is also frequently trained as a disability assistance animal and are still prized as a sporting and hunting dog to this day.

Known for being a loving, loyal and smart breed, the Labrador Retriever is a strong choice among families for the types of dog to bring home. They are great with kids and love to play as much as they can, so going on family adventures is just as exciting for them as it is for the family.

The origin of the Labrador Retriever comes from Canada as well as the United Kingdom. The ancestors of the Labrador Retriever—a St. John’s water dog—were in England. At the same time, over in Canada, the St. John’s water dog started to lose its numbers due to rabies quarantine issues.

In the 1830s, many ancestors of the breed were imported from Newfoundland to Europe to be used for gundogs. Moving forward to 1880s, the 3rd Earl of Malmesbury, the 6th Duke of Buccleuch and the 12th Earl of Home came together to breed what is now the modern Labrador Retriever.

In terms of the history of the subtypes of the Labrador Retriever, there is a Yellow and a Chocolate option for this breed. The first Yellow Labrador Retriever was born in 1899 while the first Chocolate Labrador Retrievers were established in the 1930s. There is also a black Labrador Retriever.

Kishu Ken Labrador Retriever Mix Size and Weight

Kishu Ken
Height: 17 - 22 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 30 - 60 lb.
Lifespan: 11 - 13 years

Labrador Retriever
Height: 21 - 23 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 55 - 80 lb.
Lifespan: 10 - 12 years

Kishu Ken Labrador Retriever Mix Personality

The Kishu Ken and the Labrador Retriever are both loyal and affectionate. They are also very charming, so watch out! This dog will require a good training regimen as they can get excited. They are very loyal to their family. One of the best things you can do for any breed is to socialize it as much as possible. Please use positive reinforcement, it goes a long way! She should be rather affectionate and love being with you, she can also be stubborn so keep that in mind.

Kishu Ken Labrador Retriever Mix Health

All dogs have the potential to develop genetic health problems as all breeds are susceptible to some things more than others. However, the one positive thing about getting a puppy is that you can avoid this as much as possible. A breeder should absolutely offer a health guarantee on puppies. If they won’t do this, then look no more and don’t consider that breeder at all. A reputable breeder will be honest and open about health problems in the breed and the incidence with which they occur. We obviously recommend that you look for a reputable animal rescue in your area to find your new mixed breed. Health clearances prove that a dog has been tested for and cleared of a particular condition.

The Kishu Ken mixed with the Labrador Retriever might be prone to joint dysplasia, allergies, among others.

Note that these are just common problems in both breeds.

Kishu Ken Labrador Retriever Mix Care

What are the grooming requirements?

Even if you know the breed, sometimes it is hard to tell if it will be a heavy shedder or a light shedder. Either way, Get ready to invest in a good vacuum if you want to keep your floors clean! Give them baths as needed, but not so much that you dry out their skin.

What are the exercise requirements?

Plan on taking them for extremely long walks and hikes to keep their energy level down. This mix will more than likely have a high energy level. This exercise will keep them from being destructive. A tired dog is a good dog. A tired dog is a good dog though. Never tie your dog up outside - that is inhumane and not fair to him.

What are the training requirements?

This is an intelligent dog that will be a little bit challenging to train. They are going to want to take the alpha position and need someone with a firm, strong, hand that can let them know their place. The best thing you can do is break the sessions into shorter daily sessions to keep their attention span higher. It might have a prey drive and be disposed to running for and chasing small prey, but if handled properly this can be managed. All dogs respond best to positive reinforcement. So make sure to praise her when she does well. She is an intelligent dog who loves to please, and loves a physical challenge. The more exercise she gets the easier she will be to train. Proper socialization is imperative to all dogs and puppies. Make sure to take her to the park and doggy day care to get her around as many people and dogs as possible.

Kishu Ken Labrador Retriever Mix Feeding

"A lot of times diet is done on a per-dog basis. Each one is unique and has different dietary requirements. Most dogs in the U.S. are overweight. A mix like this one that is prone to hip and elbow dysplasia should really be on fish oil and glucosamine and chondroitin supplements as soon as possible. A good diet to look into is Raw Food Diet. A raw food diet will be especially good for the Wolf background.

Overfeeding any dog is not a good idea as that can really exacerbate health problems such as elbow and hip dysplasia.

I good diet to look into is Raw Food Diet. A raw food diet will be especially good for the Wolf background."

Kishu Ken Links

Links to other breeds you might be interested in