Hardy kiwi in dry climate

I am wondering if anyone has had luck with Hardy kiwi in a dry climate with annual precipitation of about 16 inches? I planted three this year, two females and a male. The male leafed out early, and of course, we promptly got a frost. He was unhappy for the rest of the growing season and died by the end. Neither of the females did particularly well either and also died by the end of summer. I did water them as much as I watered everything else, but maybe they are just too tender for the harsh climate? If anyone else in this sort of climate has been able to keep Hardy kiwi alive, how did you do it? I'm just wondering if these plants are too fiddly for me and I should try something else.

I have had no success with hardy kiwi even with my marine climate.  I do think it is the dry summer.   Origon State webpage
mentioned drip irrigation and frost protection as being necessary.

Hi Rachel,
I am not in a dry climate (I get probably 3 times that amount, so not rain forest, but a decent amount), and I know that was the question. However, I couldn't help but mention that my experience has been that hardy Kiwi's are really hardy. My wife bought a male and female plant because she liked the color of the leaves. They sat in pots for weeks before I got a chance to plant them. I had some 6x6 beams around a trellis and planted them in a sort of raised bed that was 3 feet long and about 12 inches wide. One on each side. The next year I decided I wanted to move the trellis to make the garden more straight. This shifted the plants over about 2 feet. They kept growing. A wind storm knocked the trellis over on top of them and it sat for weeks before I had a chance to set it back up right. They kept growing. The next year I decided I wanted that trellis in a whole different area about 30 feet away. I told my wife we may need to replant the Kiwis, but I would stick them in there. I had to pull about 4 feet of vine out of the trellis sides, broke leaves, a branch or two, and I know I shortened the roots. When I moved them that last time... they kept growing AND had a few fruit on them. Then the trellis fell down again, and I removed it entirely, again pulling the vines out of the trellis and left them with very little to grow on. They were still alive, green, with leaves when we moved later that year. I didn't have the heart to try moving them again.