“While he mused on the effect of the flowing sands, he was seized from time to time by hallucinations in which he himself began to move with the flow” (Kōbō Abe, The Woman in the Dunes)
Our Super Puppies
What you get with our puppies programs
I want to give our puppies and puppy owners the best chance they can have to be happy and successful in what ever their endeavors. So I have taken the training I gained through working with the military police dogs and the puppy raising program at the Medical Alert Dog Academy, my rehabilitation experience, and the combined knowledge of the current and past breeders to create two programs specifically for Shikoku and performance sports.
What is in these programs?
All puppies from our litters will receive super dog early neurological stimulation, socialization, house training, and impulse control/intro obedience. Super dog ENS involves an already well known and established series of 5 exercises that are repeated once per day, every day from day 03-16 of the puppies life. It was originally developed by the U.S. Military Working Dog program called, "Bio Sensor". The resulting benefits were;
Improved cardio vascular performance (heart rate)
Stronger heart beats
Stronger adrenal glands
Larger Lung Capacity
More tolerance to stress
Greater resistance to disease
In edition your puppy will be handled by many different types of people over the course of 9 weeks, under strict supervision and health safety. This means they will be less reactive around people they may not encounter daily in their new home (elderly, disabled, children, diabetic) Frequent handling also improves their tolerance for touch in sensitive areas (feet, tail, ears, mouth). After their ears and eyes open I introduce them to typical household sounds such as vacuums, TV, laundry machines, construction, children screaming/running, etc. Once they are fully weened I take them everywhere I can from Game Stores, outside coffee stores, schools, Police/Fire stations. Once thee puppies receive their first vaccinations they go to competitions, sporting events, our annual Matsuri, and out on the trails. I start house training and impulse control at week 5, and intro obedience at week 7.
I offer other additional training and exposure for competitive/recreational sports at a cost. These include but are not limited to; gunfire intro, conformation, obedience, rat intro, and more. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about any of the programs.
What comes with purchasing a puppy?
AKC registration, Contract with health guarantee, Microchip with lifetime AKC Reunite tracking, an essentials kit including food, treats, toys, leash/collar, training and healthcare information/coupons, and more.
Pet or
Guardian/Co-Own?
What is the difference?
Pet Puppy
Our pet pups are meant for homes that are interested in having an amazing, companion to love. These puppies may not have the extreme drive, higher energy, or perfect structure needed for competitive sports that is I desire for a performance puppy in our program. This does not mean they are not able to still actively compete in dog sports or even do well in those sports. All of our puppies are brave, intelligent, and well socialized. They are raised in home and not in a run or a kennel. Some of the socializing involves; kids, elderly, disabled, crowded environments, vaccums, fireworks, sirens, etc. If there is something you have in home that you would like us to specifically introduce your puppy to just ask. I will try to accommodate any request. I only want them to have the best chance at succeeding in their forever home.
What is asked of our pet home owners:
- Continue training and introducing them throughout their life. The Shikoku needs stimulation and clear direction in order to thrive.
- Exercise, exercise, even Shikoku puppies that are best suited for pets need daily exercise. This is not a breed that you can go days without walking them. Lack of exercise will lead to behavioral problems such as depression, anxiety, or destructiveness. Shikoku also love the outdoors and have the stamina as adults to do long hikes through difficult terrain.
- Love and cherish your rare breed puppy! These are one of a kind dogs and the loyalty you will received is unlike any other breed I have met or owned.
- Due to the small amount of Shikoku in the country the Shikoku breeders as a whole are trying to gather information on the breeds overall health so we can identify consistent health issues and fix them through breeding selection. In the contract it is required that the pet parents at a minimum conduct a OFA/Penn hip screenings with a certified veterinarian. Optional prelims are done once between the ages of 6-18 months, and certified screening between 24-38 months preferably around 36 months or 3 years of age. Testing includes; DNA, OFA hips, patella, elbow, thyroid, and eyes, along with Penn Hip.
- Ask questions!! You are not just getting a puppy but a community to help and support you. There are online forums, the NASC, and me to assist with any concerns.
Guardian/Co-own Puppy
At Sabaku-jō, I am highly focused on better health and performance puppies, but cannot ethically accommodate all prospects to join my breeding program in my home. This is where the very important role of Guardian & Co-own puppy owners come in. The puppy will live with their guardian just like a pet puppy would, but just have additional requirements that are listed in the guardian/Co-own contracts. These are a few.
- The puppy must attend 2 conformation shows and 2 performance events a year at a minimum, with the goal to earn titles. This can be done by the Guardian/Co-own owner themselves or with me the breeder when I attend competition.
- The puppy will need to attend training this can be done with a professional or self practice.
- The puppy must remain intact and: For male Shikoku they will need to be available for stud between the ages of 3-8 years. For female Shikoku they will need to come to my home once per year after the age of 3 years old for 3-5 months depending on how involved the Guardian wants to be with the pregnancy. At the end of their breeding capabilities (generally between 5-7 years) the dog will be spayed/neutered at the expense of the breeder.
- The Guardian will need to provide a specified diet, that is ideal for maintaining peak physical health of the puppy throughout its life. This may include some high-end Dog food such as Orijen or raw diet ingredients, and all details will be listed in the purchase contract.