Tanuki (a raccoon dog) History, characteristics, and general lifestyle

Japanese have various old tales regarding the superiority of tanukis, that they have supernatural powers and have the possession of humans or they were shape-shifters.

It is a famous tail that Tanukis can remarkably shift shape to a gorgeous lady. After shifting, he used to play mischievous tricks on men who passed by him. Other miracles that he used to hold (according to tales) was his ability to convert one thing into another, for example, the conversion of ordinary pebbles into diamonds or gold and poo into a meal.

If you have ever visited Japan, you might have seen a magnificent creature holding a leaf on its forehead, conveying its supremacy to others.

Statues of Tanukis:

If you want to know the influence of this breed in Japan, visit the city of Shigaraki, where you will find multiple statues of this wonderful creature. You will see them in several parks, in front of restaurants, and at the corner of maximum streets.

Sleeping schedule of Tanuki:

Tanuki lies in the rare Canid species that hibernate throughout the winter. Animals residing in the northernmost portion of their range build their fat reserves before winter. They make a warm burrow, put on weight, slow down their metabolism by 25%, and sleep off the winter.

Dog with no bark:

Another stunning characteristic of this breed is that it cannot bark like other breeds. That is why veterinarians do not consider them good domestic dogs because they cannot become good guards for your house. Instead of barking, they usually whine when they find something exciting and growl if something goes wrong.

Habitat:

They mostly habitat the area enriched with the food source, mainly near the water. Despite this, they do not have any specific place to live, as you can find them in deciduous, evergreen, mixed forests and sometimes in urban areas.

Distribution:

Tanuki is one of the Raccoon dogs, other breeds of raccoon dogs can be found in different regions, including Korea, China, Japan, and Vietnam, and even in Europe.

Diet:

They are omnivores, as mentioned above. So, food is not an issue for them, as they can rely on plants, rodents, mollusks, eggs, birds, etc. Yet, Voles and gerbils are their favorite dishes for them to eat.

Despite being members of the dog family, raccoon dogs are not the same as domestic dogs. Owning a raccoon dog is probably prohibited in your region as well. Raccoon dogs may bite, just like any other animal with teeth. They would be tough to maintain as pets because they are wild creatures.

They are kept in the zoo under the high supervision of zoo staff. Yet, they need climbing or exercise opportunities as well.

They must have plenty of places to nap in their cages, as well as places to hide from the elements. They are given a diverse diet in U.S. zoos. Fruits and vegetables, canned beef diet, dog food, salmon, and hard-boiled eggs are a few typical feeding items.