# Introduction to Beyond the Breed: Bridging the Gap Between Native Japanese Breeds and American Canine Culture

> Brad Anderson introduces his podcast series 'Beyond the Breed', discussing his extensive experience with Japanese native dogs, his work in breed preservation, and his unique philosophy on dog management and selection.

### Breed Philosophy & Preservation

* **Japanese Breed Expertise:** I have owned and imported all native Japanese breeds, focusing particularly on the medium-sized dogs (Nihon Ken): **Shikoku Ken**, **Kai Ken**, **Hokkaido Ken**, and **Kishu Ken** [10:30]. My primary mission was bridging the genetic gap between Japanese and American populations through a process known as **introgression** [04:12]. 
* **Preservation Through Import:** I've been responsible for importing several 'firsts' into North America, including **Ginko** (a Hokkaido Ken from the last remaining bear-hunting kennel in Japan) [11:15] and a **brindle Hokkaido Ken** [11:27]. 
* **The "Floofs" (Nenets Herding Laika):** I currently own a pair of **Nenets Herding Laika**, which are the first and only individuals of their kind in North America [11:43].

### Management Logistics & Environment

* **Multi-Dog Dynamics:** I manage a complex environment with various breeds. For instance, **Aurora** (a crossbreed) and **Ghazi** (a **Kangal**) exhibit frequent fence fighting behavior, which is part of their breed's protective and territorial nature [02:30].
* **Retirement Model:** I believe in functional working roles for dogs. If I no longer have a working role for a dog, I prefer to rehome or place them rather than 'hoard' them, ensuring they remain active and fulfilled [06:05]. 
* **Northern New Mexico Context:** I recently moved back to Northern New Mexico, where the environment and my personal schedule have shifted my focus from active hunting to more specialized breed preservation and management [06:40].

### Genetic History & Working Selection

* **Population Genetics:** This will be a core theme of my future discussions. Understanding population genetics is crucial for anyone involved in breeding or preserving rare landrace breeds [16:15].
* **Beyond Breed Hype:** I am a strong advocate for looking past the marketing and 'hype' associated with breeds—claims of being the 'strongest' or 'smartest'—and focusing on the actual lived experience and functionality of the dog [08:45]. 
* **Working Dog Specialization:** While my wife, Jen, specializes in the nutritional and logistical side of our operations, my focus is on the behavioral, genetic, and functional aspects of our dogs [15:45].

### Misconceptions & Take-Aways

* **The Expert Myth:** I don't consider myself an 'expert' in the traditional sense, even with Japanese breeds. True expertise comes from dedicated, single-breed focus over decades, which I contrast with my more broad-based experience [08:05].
* **Alpha Dominance Critique:** I plan to address the 'Alpha Dominance' theory, which I believe has caused significant damage to dog training and behavioral understanding [15:10].
* **Intelligence vs. Functionality:** I challenge the common notion of 'breed intelligence', arguing that what is often perceived as intelligence is frequently just a misunderstanding of a breed's specific functional design and drive [14:45].

## Details

- **Category:** Interviews and media
- **Tags:** kai-ken, kishu-ken, shiba-inu, shikoku-ken, hokkaido-ken, akita, kangal, nenets-herding-laika, preservation, hunting, lgd, breeding, genetics, management, import, nippo, aigokai
- **Date:** 2023-11-20
- **Originally published at:** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o99v18UXD9g](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o99v18UXD9g)

**Also read:** [All writing](https://bradanderson.org/writing?format=md) · [About Brad](https://bradanderson.org/about?format=md)

---

**Navigate:** [Home](https://bradanderson.org/?format=md) · [About](https://bradanderson.org/about?format=md) · [Work](https://bradanderson.org/work?format=md) · [Projects](https://bradanderson.org/projects?format=md) · [Breeds](https://bradanderson.org/breeds?format=md) · [Writing](https://bradanderson.org/writing?format=md) · [LLM guide](https://bradanderson.org/llms.txt)

_Ask BradBot directly: POST https://bradanderson.org/api/agent/ask with {"question": "..."} (details in https://bradanderson.org/llms.txt)._