The Great Japanese Dog or more commonly known as Akita is a rare breed and is not easily available in India. And, if available, they should only be purchased from a trusted breeder. But whether they are available or not, they are still not meant for places with high temperatures and humidity. They have a below average resistance to heat and are not able to thrive in hotter conditions very efficiently. On the other hand, they are built like a tank for colder regions. But, sadly most of the Indian regions are known for their harsh summer months and thus, this great dog would not be an ideal fit for a country like India. Passionate dog lovers who still want to raise an Akita should be extremely careful and must provide special attention to this dog especially during the summertime.
Akita is a fairly large breed of dogs who are quite powerful and strong. Akitas appear to be a bit bulky and have a heavy bone structure. They have a large curled tail which balances their broad head which is a special characteristic of this breed. General breed standards for Akita are given below:
As mentioned, Akita is a large breed and thus have a decent weight and are also reasonably tall. The average height of an Akita is between 24-28 inches and its weight is anywhere between 34-56 kg. Females are light weighted and shorter in height than the male Akitas.
|
GENDER |
WEIGHT |
HEIGHT |
|
MALE |
45-56 kg |
26-28 inch |
|
FEMALE |
34-45 kg |
24-26 inch |
Akitas are double coated with a thick, dense and soft undercoat which is shorter in length and a straight and harsh outer coat. The length of the hair is on the shorter side in the head region, ears, and legs. Their coat is available in quite a few colors like white, brindle, fawn et cetera.
Their body is longer rather than high. Chest region is wide and deep with well-sprung ribs. They have a short and thick neck which is fairly muscular and it becomes wider as we move towards the shoulder. As mentioned, their tail is quite large and curled. They also have strong and powerful forequarters and hindquarters.
They have a massive but balanced head which is in proportion to their body. The head region is free of any folds of skin or wrinkles when at ease. They have small, dark-brown eyes which are triangular in shape. Ears are small and remain strongly erect.
They have broad and powerful jaws with strong teeth and a full and wide muzzle.
Akita is a faithful and friendly breed of dogs. They are very affectionate with their family members and their loved ones but remain a bit reserved with the ones stranger to them. They are also quite submissive and docile and are ready to listen to their owner’s instruction most of the times. Akitas also remain alert and aware of their surroundings and are quite territorial as well. Some of the temperamental traits related to Akita are listed below:
Akita is a fairly ancient breed but their popularity skyrocketed especially in India when an Akita was presented in a movie called Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, which was inspired by a true story of an Akita named Hachiko who used to visit the train station every day to meet and greet his owner. When the owner died one day, Hachiko with no knowledge of his owner’s demise, still went to the station every day for over nine years till the day he was alive.
The above-mentioned story illustrates just how much loyal an Akita can be. They are extremely faithful and always stick by their owner’s side through thick and thin. They are also very courageous and always alert and prove to be an excellent guard dog. They are very protective of their loved ones and are considered to be a devoted companion.
Akitas require a good trainer who can train and handle them well and can enhance their inhibit skills. And, that is why they are not a good choice for a novice dog owner. Also, they were bred in the snowy regions of Japan and are thus comfortable in a colder environment. They are not built for a hotter region. And, as they are fairly large in size, they do require a bigger space for themselves and are not a very good fit for small apartments or houses.
But if a passionate and skilled dog owner wants to raise an Akita and is ready to provide them with special care and attention to make their life easy and comfortable and solve their above-mentioned problems, then he/she would be extremely happy and lucky to have this majestic breed in their lives.
Akitas are divided into two types based on minor differences between their sizes and colors. These two types are:
Akitas are also found in many different colors. Some of the colors are listed below:
|
Adaptability |
*** |
Sensitivity Level |
***** |
|
Affection Level |
**** |
Potential for mouthiness |
*** |
|
Apartment-Friendly |
*** |
Drooling Potential |
***** |
|
Barking Tendencies |
* |
Energy Level |
**** |
|
Friendly towards dogs |
*** |
Health Issues |
*** |
|
Friendly towards other animals |
*** |
Intelligence |
**** |
|
Child Friendly |
*** |
Playfulness |
**** |
|
Exercise Needs |
**** |
Shedding Level |
**** |
|
Grooming Needs |
**** |
Social Needs |
*** |
|
Good for novice owners |
** |
Stranger Friendly |
** |
|
Trainability |
*** |
Watchdog Ability |
***** |
|
Tolerates Heat |
** |
Tolerates Cold |
***** |
Akita is a large breed and thus require a substantial amount of food with proper nutrients to maintain their health. Food should be given as per the advice of a skilled vet and can be home cooked or commercially produced. Feeding an older Akita should be done carefully keeping the calorie consumption on a lower side to prevent any kidney related issue.
Akitas being a bit bulky in appearance and have a decent weight must be given moderate to good amount of exercise to keep them in shape. They are fairly playful in nature, hence giving them a good amount of outside playing time can keep their weight in check and also keep them entertained. A brisk walk on a regular basis can also prove to be effective for the Akita’s health in the longer run.
Akitas are very faithful and loyal, but they also are fairly intelligent and thus thinks independently and can be a bit stubborn under an inexperienced trainer. They require a passionate and devoted trainer who train them from an early age and consistently works to enhance their skills and abilities. They should also be trained to resist and control themselves especially in front of strangers and other dogs as they tend to become a little aggressive in front of other canines of the same gender.
They require daily brushing of their coat with a soft bristled brush. Bathing, cutting of nails and brushing of teeth should be done as deemed necessary by the owner or the groomer. Akitas shed in little quantity all around the year but shed more profusely on a seasonal basis at least once or twice a year.
As with most other large breeds, Akitas are also prone to Bloat which can be a life-threatening condition and is quite a common health issue for them. Other health-related problems found in Akitas are:
Veterinarian visits are quite rare for Akitas and are only needed if there is some prolonging health-related issue.
Akita’s history is not very clear and known to many, but they are believed to be the descendants of the Spitz family. They originated in Japan and were developed in a colder and snowy region. They were bred in the island Honshu which was in the Akita prefecture, and this was the inspiration behind their name.
They are deemed to be the national dog of Japan. It is also believed that when someone in Japan was suffering from any health-related problem, they were given a small sculpture of Akita which was believed to bring luck and prosperity to them. This tradition is still followed by many people in some parts of Japan.
Akitas are so popular and admired in Japan that they have a monument built in their name because of their profound loyalty and devotion to their owners. After they came into existence, they were heavily used as guard and security dogs in Japan because of their courageous personality and their awesome watchdog ability.
