Alt Names: Akita Inu, Japaense Akita Country of Origin: Japan

History: Originally Japanese dogs were small to medium in size and no large breeds existed. Since 1603 in the Akita region, Akita Matagis (medium-sized bear-hunting dogs) were used as fighting dogs. From 1868 Akita Matagis were crossed with Tosas and Mastiffs. Consequently, the size of this breed increased but characteristics associated with Spitz type were lost.

In 1908 dog fighting was prohibited, but this breed was nevertheless preserved and improved as a large Japanese breed. As a result, nine superior examples of this breed were designated as « Natural Monuments » in 1931.

During World War II (1939-1945), it was common to use dogs as a source of fur for military garments. The police ordered the capture and confiscation of all dogs other than German Shepherd Dogs used for military purposes. Some fanciers tried to circumvent the order by crossbreeding their dogs with German Shepherd Dogs.

When World War II ended, Akitas had been drastically reduced in number and existed as three distinct types; 1) Matagi Akitas, 2) fighting Akitas, and 3) Shepherd Akitas. This created a very confusing situation in the breed.

During the restoration process of the pure breed after the war., Kongo-go, a dog of the Dewa line, which exhibited characteristics of the Mastiff and German Shepherd Dog influence, enjoyed a temporary but tremendous popularity. However, sensible learned fanciers did not approve of this type as a proper Japanese breed, so they made efforts to eliminate the strain old foreign breeds by crossbreeding with Matagi Akitas for the purpose of restoring the original pure breed. They succeeded in stabilizing the pure strain of large sized breed as known today.

Appearance: The breed stands 24 to 28 inches at the withers (60 to 71 cm). On average, a full-grown male can reach 108 pounds (40 kg), a female 80 pounds (30 kg). Akitas come in three colours: white, brindle, and red and white (called red). In the U.S., however, some breeders still mix the original Japanese type with the heavier American type, which is larger, shorter in fur, and allows more colors. This is not the same Akita as the Japanese Akita. In fact, these two types are nowadays different breeds. The original Akita Inu is now simply called Akita, the American type is called American Akita or Great Japanese Dog (GJD).

Temperament: Although the AKC has put the Akita in the Working Group, the Akita was historically used as a hound to run large game, such as bears, in the mountainous areas of Japan. Anyone who has had hounds will recognise that group's very laid back, easygoing temperament in this breed.

Despite their enormous size, they are excellent house dogs. They require only a moderate amount of exercise. Akitas are known to be very quiet dogs, only barking "when there is something to bark about".

When raised indoors with children, they can be excellent companions. Left unattended in the backyard, they tend to develop "personality" problems and become very destructive to the yard. They are highly pack oriented, thus, isolating them from the pack (i.e., the owner) causes them great stress.

Akitas tend to be stubborn and require a firm but loving education where "no" always means "no" and never "whatever".

While not aggressive to humans, this breed has a certain attitude towards other dogs. Two males can easily get violent with each other if given the chance, which is why most breeders keep their studs separate. The same is true for females, although they tend to be more tolerant towards other females. The Akita is a dominant dog who expects other dogs to be submissive. If they fail to live up to the Akita's expectations, incidents can happen. The Akita is not a dangerous dog but his sociability with other dogs is mediocre.

Health: Some of the health conditions known to affect this breed include:

• Canine herpesvirus, a strain of the Herpes virus that happens to affect canines
• Gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV), a condition associated with bloat;
• Pemphigus, which causes the autoimmune system to attack the dog's skin (leading to pustules)
• Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), an adult-onset condition which gradual degeneration in the eye cells (i.e. rods & cones)
• UveoDermatological Syndrome (UDS)[1], known as Volt-Koyanagi-Harada disease in humans
• Sebaceous adenitis, an autoimmune condition which attacks and destroys the dog's sebaceous glands