What is Hokkaido (dog)?
The Hokkaido dog is one of the Japanese dogs which is from [[Hokkaidō|Hokkaido]] prefecture in Japan. There are six types of purebred dogs that originated in Japan. They are Hokkaido, [[Akita Inu|Akita]], [[Shiba Inu|Shiba]], Kai, Kishuu, and [[Shikoku (dog)|Shikoku]]. These are said to have the same ancestry. In the public interest incorporated foundation “Nihon Ken Hozonkai<nowiki>''</nowiki> has designated those six ones as the Japanese dogs and each of which is a national natural memorial. The Hokkaido dog is known as a character of the Japanese mobile company SoftBank. Therefore many Japanese people may know or see this breed at least once through the animal TV programs or TV commercials even if they are not familiar with it.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hokkaido Dog Breed Pictures, Characteristics, & Facts|url=https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/hokkaido|access-date=2021-10-24|website=DogTime}}</ref> == Appearance == Hokkaido dog is a relatively rare breed in those six types, and it is estimated that there are only about 7,000 dogs currently in Japan. Their lifespan is about 13 to 15 years old. It is generally said that medium dogs have a lifespan of 10 to 14 years old, so Hokkaido dogs are the same as those. Also, the height is about 42 to 53 centimeters and the weight is about 15 to 30 kilograms. It is a little bigger than the other medium dogs. Some people may be mistaken for the Shiba dogs because they and Hokkaido dogs look similar in their figures a bit, but the size is a little different. It is one size larger than Shiba dogs, and the chest of the Hokkaido dog is deeper and the muscles are firm.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=January 28|first1=Ciera Velarde|last2=2021|title=Hokkaido|url=https://www.dailypaws.com/dogs-puppies/dog-breeds/hokkaido|access-date=2021-10-24|website=Daily Paws|language=en}}</ref> They have the double coat with long hard and short soft. Because they are from the Hokkaido area, so it prevents cold weather and the air. It consists of an over coat which is bristle and an under coat which is a soft