The Akita Inu: A Japanese Breed

The Akita dog breed is a rather old breed, that has been breed and crossbreed so many times, it was almost completely lost.

History

The Akita dog breed originated in Japan and was named for the Akita Prefecture, from which it is thought to have come from.

Early ancestors of the Akita were medium sized dogs called Akita Matagis or Matagis inu. Inu is Japanese for 'dog.' The Matagi (group hunters) used these dogs for hunting animals, including the bear. Many were used as guard dogs and to protect the emperor and his children.

Around 1630 the Satake Clan of Odate City, started encouraging dog fighting as a way for the samurai to keep their aggressive edge. Dog fighting became very popular in the Odate area and dog enthusiasts began breeding the Matagi inu with dogs native to the area.

At this time purity of the breed was ignored, as well as the pedigree and preservation. A strong fighting dog is what was sought after. These dogs were called Odate Inu.

In 1868 the Akita Matagis were bred with dogs from other regions such as the Tosas, Mastiffs, German Shepherds and Great Danes. Many of the spitz like characteristics of the Matagis breed were lost.

Dog fighting was banned in 1908 and during the Taisho Period, (July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926), people began moving towards preserving the Akita breed. However by this time, so much breeding with other dogs had taken place that the Akita has started to turn into a mixed breed.

In May of 1927 the mayor of Odate created the Akitainu Introduction Foundation. In 1931, nine Akita dogs were appointed as national monuments in Japan. Instant popularity came to the breed, due to an article in the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, which featured faithful Akita inu Hachiko.

In 1937, while visiting Akita Prefecture, Helen Keller mentioned how she would like to have an Akita dog. Within a month she received Kamikaze-go. Unfortunately Kamikaze-go came down with distemper and died. Soon after his death, Mrs. Keller received Kamikaze-go's older brother, Kenzan-go. These were the first Akitas to be brought to the United States.

A breed standards had been set for the Akita by 1938 and dog shows had been held. The war started in 1939 and such activities came to a stop.

During the war, fur from dogs was used to make war uniforms, due to its warmth. The capture of dogs was ordered, unless it was a German Shepherd, who were used for military purposes. The Akita breed began to disappear. The food supply was also in shortage during the war and anyone caught feeding a dog was branded a traitor. This added to the decline of the Akita.

When the war finally ended in 1945, there were fewer than 20 pure bred Akitas left. However after the war their popularity began to pick back up.

Helen Keller returned to Japan in 1948, to thank the people of Akita Prefecture for the dogs that she was given. News of this spread and soon other American's became interested in the breed. There popularity was so high that even the less attractive of Akita's sold for a high price.

Dog fanciers worked at restoring the original breed by crossbreeding the Matagi Akita's. The outcome is the breed that people know and see today.

Description

Akita's are large, muscular and powerful dogs. They have broad chests and a thick neck. There most notable feature is their large head, with its broad skull, short muzzle and intimidating yet sophisticated, small triangle shaped eyes and small erect ears.

They have webbed feet, making them fine swimmers and their tails are carried high and curled over their backs.

A male Akita can weight between 75 and 120 pounds and stand 26 to 28 inches at the withers. Females Akitas (also called bitches), weight between 75 and 110 pounds and stand 24 to 26 inches at the withers.

Coat

The coat of the Akita is short to moderate in length and consists of a very soft, warm undercoat and a slightly longer, courser outer coat. Coat colors are often pure white, red fawn, sesame, brindle and pinto.

Daily grooming may be required due to the thickness of the coat. When brushing, a firm bristle brush is best, and only bathe an Akita when necessary. The Akita breed sheds two times a year.

Temperament

Akitas are obedient, but can be impulsive. They are intelligent, courageous, fearless and highly loyal and devoted. They can be stubborn and require an experienced owner, who can be firm with commands but always loving.

Akita's are gentle with children that are part of their family. However they may not tolerate other children or other people, who are not part of the family, for that matter. They are very protective of their owners and their families.

They are a dog aggressive breed and should not be allowed to run loose when other dogs are around. They have also been known to be aggressive with other small animals. When raised and properly socialized with another animal, the Akita usually, not always, but usually accept them as a member of the family.

If left alone in a backyard or kennel, Akita's can develop personality problems and become destructive to the yard. Mostly this is due to boredom, however the Akita prefer to be right their with their family.

Living Conditions

The Akita makes a great house pet. They are clean, odorless and housebreaking is a breeze for them. They do need a large yard for exercise, so they stay in shape. They will do okay in apartments, as long as they are allowed plenty of exercise.

Health

Akita's have been prone to hip dysplasia, hypothyroid, autoimmune thyroiditis, canine herpesvirus, gastric dilatation volvulus, pemphigus, progressive retinal atrophy, sebaceous adenitis and uveo dermatological syndrome.

Litter Size and Life Expectancy

A littler size for an Akita is between 3 and 12 puppies with 7 or 8 puppies being the average. The life expectancy for this breed is around 10 to 12 years.

sources:

wikipedia online

dogbreedinfo.com

akitainuhistory.info