Tosa Inu

Pictured Above: Sumo Owned by Ton and Corrie

General: The Tosa Inu or Tosa-Ken is a dog of stately and robust build, the body is solid with little excess. The Head and chest are broad. The Tosa should appear as a athletic and large breed of Mastiff with great agility for its size. They are protective of their owners and are known for patience and devotion to their families. They are very aggressive to other dogs. The Tosa was developed expressly for the purpose of arena fighting. The Tosa cannot be considered a good choice for a home which includes any other dog.

Origin: Japan.

History: Possibly started in the 1870's. It is said to be the product of the selective breeding of the early Kochi dog with the best of the Western imports, including the Bulldog, Mastiff, Pit Bull Terrier, German Pointer and the Great Dane. This combined the Western dogs best abilities with the abilities of the Japanese dogs. The Japanese were very meticulous in breeding the Tosa for the Japanese style of pit fighting. The Japanese style was much different than the European style and was much more of a sumo type match requiring a much larger and different dog.

Temperament: The Tosa is animal and dog aggressive and should not be intermingled with other pets. It will defend its family and property with all his might and should not be owned by people unfamiliar with large, protective and powerful dogs.

Size:  120-200 pounds.

Today's Uses: The Tosa is still used for it original purpose in Japan but in the US. it has become more of a large intimidating guard and property dog. With its size and power the Tosa could be a strong weight puller but would not be recommended for a novice. This is a BIG and POWERFUL dog that needs a special type of owner.

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