What does each club give for Height at the withers in the Kai Ken?

FCI, Male: under 53 cm; AKC, Male: 47–53.3 cm; UKC, Male: 47–55.9 cm; FCI, Female: under 48 cm; AKC, Female: 40–46.4 cm; UKC, Female: 44.5–50.8 cm.

Kai Ken breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC.

Size

Size
Measure	FCI	AKC	UKC
Height at the withers, male	under 53 cm	47–53.3 cmover 53.3 cmFaultunder 47 cmFault	47–55.9 cm
Height at the withers, female	under 48 cm	40–46.4 cmover 46.4 cmFaultunder 40 cmFault	44.5–50.8 cm
Weight	No ruling	No ruling	11.3–25 kg

Conformation

Conformation
Form	FCI	AKC	UKC
BiteScissors bite	Standard (“Jaws/Teeth: Strong with a scissor bite”)	Standard (“Teeth are strong with a scissors bite”)	Standard (“A scissors bite is preferred”)
BiteLevel bite	No ruling	No ruling	Alternate (“a level bite is acceptable”)
BiteUndershot	Disqualifying (“Extremely overshot or undershot mouth”)	Disqualifying (“Disqualifying faults - overshot or undershot jaw”)	Fault (“Faults: Overshot or undershot bite”)
BiteOvershot	Disqualifying (“Extremely overshot or undershot mouth”)	Disqualifying (“Disqualifying faults - overshot or undershot jaw”)	Fault (“Faults: Overshot or undershot bite”)
DentitionFull dentition	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“complete set of good-size, evenly spaced, white teeth”)
DentitionMissing teeth	No ruling	Fault (“Faults - ... missing teeth”)	Disqualifying (“Disqualification: More than four missing teeth”)
Tongue pigmentSpotted	No ruling	Standard (“The mouth and tongue is generally spotted”)	Standard (“The tongue is generally spotted”)
Tongue pigmentPink	No ruling	No ruling	Alternate (“may be pink or blue black”)
Tongue pigmentBlue-black	No ruling	No ruling	Alternate (“may be pink or blue black”)
Ear carriageErect (prick)	Standard (“Triangular, slightly inclining forward and firmly pricked”)	Standard (“Firmly pricked, moderately thick, triangular in form”)	Standard (“The ears are strongly erect”)
Eye shapeTriangular	Standard (“EYES: Nearly triangular and dark brown”)	Standard (“Eye shape is triangular, but not as extreme”)	Standard (“while slightly triangular in shape, are rounder”)
StopPronounced	Standard (“Stop: Abrupt with slight furrow”)	No ruling	Standard (“joined by an abrupt stop”)
StopModerate	No ruling	Standard (“wide falling to a moderate stop”)	No ruling
Muzzle shapeSnipy	No ruling	Fault (“snipy muzzle, roman nose”)	Fault (“Fault: Snipy muzzle”)
ToplineLevel	Standard (“Back: Straight and short”)	Standard (“inclining slightly downward to a firm, level back”)	Standard (“inclines very slightly downward from well-developed withers and then becomes level”)
Tail setHigh	Standard (“TAIL: Set on high, thick”)	Standard (“Tail is set on high, thick, and strong”)	Standard (“The tail is thick, and set on high”)
Tail carriageSickle	Standard (“vigorously curled or carried curved like a sickle over the back”)	Standard (“either sickle, sword or curled”)	Standard (“The preferred carriage is a sickle tail”)
Tail carriageCurled over the back	Standard (“vigorously curled or carried curved like a sickle over the back”)	Standard (“either sickle, sword or curled”)	Alternate (“a tail that curls over the back is acceptable”)
Tail carriageLow (hanging)	Disqualifying (“Hanging tail, short tail”)	No ruling	No ruling
Tail lengthShort	Disqualifying (“Hanging tail, short tail”)	No ruling	No ruling
FeetCat foot	No ruling	Standard (“the springiness of the round, catlike feet”)	No ruling
FeetSplayed	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Faults: Splay feet; poorly cushioned pads”)
HocksWell let down	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“The hocks are tough, elastic and well let down”)
Neck lengthMedium	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“The neck is of moderate length, thick and muscular”)
Neck lengthShort	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Faults: Neck too short, too thin, or too weak”)
ChestDeep	Standard (“Chest: Deep, ribs moderately sprung”)	Standard (“Chest is deep and oval”)	Standard (“The chest is deep and moderately broad”)

Markings

Markings
Marking	FCI	AKC	UKC
Star	No ruling	Alternate (“A small white blaze is allowed on the forechest, between the front legs”)	Alternate (“Some white is allowed on the forechest, between the front legs and on the belly”)
Socks	No ruling	Fault (“Faults - Faded coloration, socks”)	Alternate (“Some white is allowed on the legs, but never above the knees”)

Cropping, docking and other procedures

Cropping, docking and other procedures
Procedure	FCI	AKC	UKC
Dewclaw removal	No ruling	No ruling	Alternate (“Dewclaws may be removed”)

The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live.

Kai Ken colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every Kai Ken color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the Kai Ken in Black and Red. Standard patterns: Brindle and Reverse brindle.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC
Black	Standard (“Black brindle”)	Standard (“Black Brindle”)	Standard (“All brindle colors are equally acceptable”)
Red	Standard (“red brindle”)	Standard (“Red Brindle”)	Standard (“All brindle colors are equally acceptable”)
Albino	Not recognized	Not recognized	Disqualifying (“Albinism”)
Cream	Not recognized	Disqualifying (“cream”)	No ruling
Patterns
Brindle	Standard (“Black brindle, red brindle and brindle”)	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“All brindle colors are equally acceptable”)
Reverse brindle	Standard (“Black brindle, red brindle and brindle”)	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“All brindle colors are equally acceptable”)
Solid	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Pinto, cream, or any non-brindle coat”)	No ruling
Piebald	Disqualifying (“Pinto colour”)	Disqualifying (“Pinto”)	No ruling

Eyes: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC
Dark brown	Standard (“dark brown in colour”)	Standard (“the iris dark brown”)	Standard (“dark brown”)
Light brown	Fault (“Light-coloured eyes”)	Fault (“light colored eyes”)	No ruling
Yellow	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Yellow or bird-of-prey eyes”)

Nose: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC
Black	Standard (“Black”)	Standard (“black”)	Standard (“solid black except in red brindles, where it may be brownish black”)

Tongue: rulings by club
Color or pattern	AKC	UKC
Blue-black	No ruling	Standard (“may be ... blue black”)
Pink	No ruling	Standard (“may be pink”)
Patterns
Spotted	Standard (“The mouth and tongue is generally spotted”)	Standard (“The tongue is generally spotted”)

What the rulings mean

Standard: Described by the club's breed standard.
Fault: Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalized.
Disqualifying: The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this color or pattern.
Not recognized: The club does not accept this color or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Kai Ken's colors can change over its life.

Blackchanges toRust
Coat · With body condition · can change back
Blackchanges toGray
Coat · Progressive
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · In the sun · can change back
Blackchanges toSnow nose
Nose · With the season · can change back
Blackchanges toPink
Nose · With the season · can change back

Sources

Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.

Published standards

Back to the Kai Ken guide Grooming styles for the Kai Ken