Hokkaido (dog breed)

Japan's northernmost native breed was kept by the Ainu, which is why it is still called the Ainu-ken, and it carries a reputation as the boldest of the medium breeds, used to stand its ground against brown bears and to hunt deer. It was declared a natural monument in 1937. The double coat copes easily with cold, and colours run from red, white and black to brindle, sesame and wolf grey. At home it is loyal and steady with its family but wary of strangers and quick to chase other animals. One health point outweighs the rest: about a third of the breed has Collie eye anomaly and most of the remainder carry it, so insist on eye-tested parents. It is extremely rare outside Japan.