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Tosa Puppies for Sale
Tosa
(Japanese Tosa) (Tosa-Inu) (Tosa-Ken)
Taro the Tosa at 18 months old
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Description |
The Tosa, also called the Tosa-Inu or
Tosa-Ken, is a stately, massive dog. Athletic and surprisingly agile. The head
is large, with a broad skull, fairly abrupt stop, and a moderately long,
squared-off muzzle. The jaws are very powerful. The skin at the neck forms a
dewlap. The ears are fairly small and pendant, falling along the cheeks. The
eyes are small, dark and almond-shaped, with a dignified expression. The long
tail is very thick at the root then tapers to a point, reaching the hocks. The
short-haired coat is dense and harsh. The preferred color is solid red, though
black, yellow, black & tan, fawn, brindle and multi-colored is also
permissible. |
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Temperament |
The Tosa is a brave, fearless and bold
dog. Very attuned to his master's wishes and greatly sensitive to the tone of
ones voice. Protective and loyal. Exceptionally quiet, calm and patient. The
Tosa has been bred to be a very quiet dog because Japanese dog fighting rules
required the dogs to fight silently. They are highly intelligent and do not need
repetitious training, but do require an equable, firm, consistent, friendly approach.
The dog is very affectionate towards their family members and more reserved with
strangers, but will accept newcomers if properly introduced. It places its
family first and foremost, but known visitors are usually happily greeted. Both
males and females make excellent home and family protectors and companions. The
sheer size of the Tosa and his deep bark are effective deterrents. Tosas show
remarkable acceptance of children and will not snap or bite from fear or pain.
However, due to the Tosa's size, he should not be left with children
unsupervised. The owner must learn to control the Tosa, as the breed is too
large and strong to be unmannerly. Good with other dogs and pets only when
raised with them from puppyhood. They need a strong, firm, consistent, confident pack leader who can keep him in this rightful place, below all humans in the alpha order. Tosa who are allowed to take over may be dog aggressive. Keep the
Tosa away from other dogs that may want to fight, because the Tosa will most
certainly win. They have a very high pain tolerance due to their
fighting origins. This breed requires a strong and experienced owner capable of
dealing with a large, powerful animal. With proper training and control, the
Tosa can be a good family companion. Self aware, a very good guard and watchdog.
This is not a breed for beginners. |
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Height, Weight |
Height: around 24 (60 cm.)
Weight 83-200 pounds (37˝-90˝ kg.)
The large height and weight ranges in the Tosa breed is due to their background
in dog fighting; they are grouped into light, middle and heavyweight classes.
The average weight for the USA Tosas are: males 120-170 pounds (54-77 kg.),
females 90-140 pounds. In Japan the Tosa weighs about 66-88 pounds (30-40 kg.) -
smaller than those bred in the West. |
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Health Problems |
Both parents should have the following
certificates: CERF (eyes) and OFA (hips and elbows). Also prone to bloat.
Ask about bloat in the lines. Bloat can be a major problem in these large dogs. |
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Living Conditions |
The Tosa will do okay in an apartment
if it gets enough exercise. It is relatively inactive indoors and a small yard
will do as long as it gets enough exercise. This breed is not suitable for
kennel life. They like to be close to their owners and would be unhappy. |
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Exercise |
With a well-fenced and large enough
area of land, the Tosa can take care of a lot of it's own exercise demands,
however, they still need to go on a
daily walk or jog, to fulfill
the canines primal instinct to walk. Dogs who do not get to go on daily walks
are more likely to display behavior problems. In
theory this breed requires only an average demand for exercise but will enjoy
and be healthier with more. They make good jogging companions. |
Life Expectancy |
About 10-12 years. |
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Grooming |
The Tosa is easy to groom. An
occasional brushing to remove dead and loose hair is all that is needed to keep
the coat looking good. The Tosa may not drool as bad as other mastiffs but, they
do drool, especially when they get excited, hot or when they drink. This breed is a light shedder. |
| Origin |
The Tosa often was referred to as the
"Sumo wrestler of the dog world." It has been bred for hundreds of
years in Japan. It was developed between the period of 1868 and 1912 by crosses
with the Kochi (a local Japanese breed) and native Shikoku fighting dogs. The
Tosa we recognize today was developed in the late 1800's. The best of the
Japanese Tosas were crossed with newly imported European breeds such as the
Great
Dane, Mastiff,
Bulldog,
Bull
Terrier and St. Bernard, to increase its
size. The result was a powerful, agile and athletic mastiff-type dog. In
Japan, the Tosa is considered a national treasure. Although dog fighting is now
illegal in Europe, North America, and Japan, secret, illegal pit fights continue
in remote rural regions of Japan, where the Tosa, at 66-88 pounds (30-40 kg.) -
smaller than those bred in the West - is still used for fighting. The breed
excels at Japanese-style dog fighting. Japanese dog-fighting rules in the last
century demanded that dogs fight silently, without cowering, and the Tosa fought
by these rules - relentlessly and silently. The Tosa is a rare breed, even in
their native land and have only recently been introduced to the USA.
Unfortunately, this breed is banned in some countries as a dangerous breed. It
is definitely unsuitable for beginners, but with the proper socialization,
handling and training, it can make a wonderful family companion. This
massive dog excels at weight-pulling and makes a great watch and guard dog. |
Group |
Mastiff |
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Recognition |
CKC, FCI, NKC, APRI, ACR |
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CKC = Continental
Kennel Club
FCI = Fédération
Cynologique Internationale
NKC = National
Kennel Club
APRI = American Pet Registry
Inc.
ACR = American Canine Registry |
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Taro, the Tosa from Matsu Kennel
Taro, the Tosa from Matsu Kennel
This is Sonny.
Photo Courtesy of Chuck Straw
Straw Dog's B.A. Tosa
This is Kuno. Imported from Japan - from well known fighting lines. Photo Courtesy of Chuck Straw - Straw Dog's B.A. Tosa
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Two year old Kitoshi with his owner
Bred by Pharsyd Tosas
Tosa Pictures 1
Tosa Pictures 2
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