Ainu Dog Names

Introduction

The Ainu breed of dog is one of the oldest breeds in the world and was first bred by the indigenous Ainu group of Hokkaido. They were typically used in hunting bears, deer, and even salmon. However, not only did these fur buddies make good hunters, but they were also pawesome furever friends. The Ainu people kept dogs as companion pets as well as hunting partners. The Ainu dog is also known as the Hokkaido, which looks a lot like a Shiba Inu and is the same size and shape. With a double thick coat and protective outer guard hairs, the Ainu is protected from the cold and shed their undercoat to be prepared for the heat as well.

Ainu Dog Names in Pop Culture

Featured Famous Dog with an Ainu Name

Kai

The name Kai means several things in the Japanese language including ocean, shell, restoration, and recovery. In the case of Kai the arson dog, recovery would probably make the most sense although she reportedly likes the ocean as well. In her job as an arson dog, she not only finds the accelerant used in starting a fire, she has recovered several important items (including people) from fire-damaged areas.

But Kai was not always a hero. In fact, when Kai was found in 2009, she was wandering the streets of a small town in Illinois named Bloomington. And when her handler Justin Davis met her, he said he thought she was crazy. Kai was literally bouncing off the walls when he met her. However, the instructor for the San Antonio Fire Training Academy in Texas went ahead and gave Kai a chance, and he is very glad he did, considering all the help she has been to everyone involved.

When Kai was abandoned by her family in 2009, she probably never thought she would be sniffing out fire and bomb-related accelerants, and she sure did not think she would be a hero. However, after watching this determined black Labrador Retriever dig through a box of toys to find the only ball at the dog shelter at the Humane Society of Central Illinois, an employee thought she might be a good choice for the arson dog program.

Because Kai was six years old at the time she was brought to the shelter, the employee knew that she was over the age of the animals that usually get adopted. Most people want a puppy or at least a dog that is under five years old. Typically, dogs over five do not end up being adopted, and that is not a good thing to happen to a dog because the shelter would have to make room for other animals soon.

So the employee that suggested Kai for arson dog training saved her life and Kai, in turn, saved many others’ lives. As of 2014, Kai had been on more than 200 fire and bomb-related investigations. But that is not all Kai does. She and her partner, Justin also do fire safety classes at local schools and teach students in college about the forensics of fire detecting.

For all of her hard work, Kai was nominated to be one of the eight finalists for the American Humane Hero Dog Awards in 2014. She and Justin were also on the Today Show on NBC and traveled to Beverly Hills, California to be part of the awards ceremony. Kai and Justin donated the $1500 winnings to their charity partner, Project Paws Alive, which provides special canine equipment to law enforcement agencies.

Ainu Dog Name Considerations

The Ainu was descended from medium-sized dogs that came to the island of Hokkaido, Japan about three thousand years ago with immigrants from the main island. They were officially named the Hoddaido-Ken dog breed in 1937 by the American Kennel Club and come in several colors such as gray, brown, brindle, black, red, and white. They are very intelligent, strong, loyal, and lovable while still being excellent hunters and guard dogs. Whether you are lucky enough to have one of these rare breeds or are fascinated with the Ainu people and their history, you can find many perfect pooch names among their Japanese language.

For example, Takeo is Japanese for a warrior and ideal for a guard dog, Dai means large in Japanese and great for a huge doggo, and Kurumi, which means walnut in Japanese is cute for a brown pupster. You could also name your new canine kid a fun Japanese name such as Sushi, which is a catchy name for a water dog. Tofu suits a white canine, Teriyaki is neat for a brown pup, and Chopsticks is an adorable name for any pooch. Whichever name you choose, make sure you like it because you will be using it a lot in the next few years or so.

Male Ainu Dog Names

Votes	Name	Vote
0	Yoshi In Japanese this means lucky
0	Kane Japanese for golden and great for a gold dog
0	Fujin The Japanese god of the wind
0	Akio The Japanese name meaning bright man
0	Dai Means large in Japanese and perfect for a huge dog
0	Hachiman The Japanese god of war
0	Megumi The Japanese word for blessing
0	Ichiro Means first son in Japanese
0	Raiden The Japanese god of thunder and lightning
0	Jiro Means second son in Japanese
0	Kichiro Means lucky son in Japanese
0	Yukio The Japanese name meaning blessed hero
0	Suijin The Japanese god of water
0	Inugami A Japanese dog spirit
0	Osaka Means dragon god in Japanese
0	Takeo The Japanese word for warrior hero
0	Keubiko The Japanese god of knowledge
0	Izanagi The forefather of the Japanese gods
0	Aizen A wisdom king of Japan
0	Hayashi A popular samurai during the Sengoku period
0	Daruma The Buddhist founder of Zen
0	Mizuchi A Japanese water dragon
0	Kotaro Japanese for small boy and great for a petite pup
0	Jizo The Japanese protector of the children
0	Hotei Better known as the laughing Buddha
0	Marun Means chestnut in Japanese and great name for a brown or tan doggo
0	Abumi A mythical furry Japanese creature
0	Okami A powerful Japanese wolf spirit
0	Tanuki A shapeshifting Japanese raccoon dog
0	Shishi The lion dogs in front of Japanese temples

Female Ainu Dog Names

Votes	Name	Vote
0	Sushi A fun name for a water dog
0	Chopsticks A cute name for any pooch
0	Teriyaki An adorable name for a brown pup
0	Hana The Japanese word meaning flower
0	Kimi Means noble in Japanese
0	Inari The Japanese goddess of fertility
0	Momo Japanese for peach and great for an orange dog
0	Haru Means spring in Japanese language
0	Ren The Japanese name for love
0	Saki A fun name for any pooch
0	Kurumi Means walnut in Japanese, great for a brown dog
0	Tofu A cute name for a small white dog
0	Yasu Japanese for peace and awesome for that calm dog
0	Miyu Means beautiful and gentle in Japanese
0	Akira The Japanese name for bright and clear
0	Keiko Means blessed child in Japanese
0	Suseri A Japanese princess who is Susanoo’s daughter
0	Mai Japanese for dance, for the dog who loves to boogie
0	Dumpling A very popular Japanese cuisine
0	Yuki Means snow in Japanese and great name for a white dog
0	Izanami The goddess of creation and wife of Izanagi
0	Kannon The Japanese goddess of mercy
0	Sakura Means cherry blossom in Japanese
0	Yobuku A spirit that lives in the mountains of Japan
0	Kodama A Japanese spirit that lives in the trees
0	Tennin A heavenly being of Japan
0	Misaki A high ranking divine spirit
0	Wani A Japanese water spirit and great name for a water dog
0	Sashimi A favorite Japanese cuisine of raw fish
0	Yosei The Japanese name for fairy and cute for a petite pup