During his regime (1680–1709), he promoted the Neo-Confucianism of Chu Hsi. Late in his administration, he came to be obsessed with protection of animals, particularly dogs, since he was born in the year of the dog in the Chinese calendar. In 1687, he issued the Shorui Awaremi no Rei (生類憐みの令), an order prohibiting the killing of animals and establishing an administrator of animal protection; later, he set up kennels for feeding and boarding as many as 100,000 dogs. This resulted in his being known as the "Dog Shogun".
TokugawaIenobu; 徳川 家宣 (June 11, 1662-November 12, 1712) was the sixth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan.
He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Tsunashige, thus making him the nephew of Tokugawa Ietsuna and TokugawaTsunayoshi, the grandson of TokugawaIemitsu, the great-grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the great-great grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
TokugawaIenobu was born as the eldest son of Tokugawa Tsunashige, daimyo of Kofu, in 1662.