The original Japanese dogs were small to medium sized and there were no large breeds. Since 1603, Akita dogs (medium-sized bearhounds) have been used as fighting dogs in the Akita region. Starting in 1868, the Akita was crossed with the Japanese fighting dog and Mastiff, which eventually increased in size but lost its fox dog characteristics. 1908 saw the banning of fighting dogs, but the breed was retained and improved into a large Japanese breed. Finally, in 1931, nine senior examples of the breed were designated as “natural monuments”.
In 1931, it was officially recognized as a national precious animal in Japan, so the dog became widely popular in Japan.
- Akita Morphological Characteristics
The Akita belongs to the pointer family, is strong and powerful, and is very athletic. The overall appearance is strong, well-proportioned, and well-tempered, with a very compact and well-proportioned body. For the Akita, the female body is longer than the male, and the male dog is about 26 to 28 inches tall at the shoulder. Females are about 24 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder.
The Akita’s head is thick but properly proportioned to the body, with few wrinkles and a blunt triangular head profile when viewed from above. The eyes are dark brown, small, deep and triangular in position, with black circles. The nose is wide and black. The ears are triangular in shape, slightly rounded at the tips and wide at the roots, which are positioned at a wide distance, and they are strongly erect and small. The lips are black and do not droop, the tongue is pink and the teeth are strong.
The neck is stout and muscular and short, the body length is slightly longer than the height, the ribs are well expanded and the pectoral muscles are well developed. The shoulders are strong and powerful, the hindquarters are broad and muscular and the amount of bone is not similar to that of the forelimbs, and generally the claws of the forelimbs are not removed; while the claws of the hindlimbs need to be removed. The tail is large and full, with the tail root positioned high and rolled over the back.
The coat of the Akita is double-coated, with the undercoat thick, soft, dense and slightly shorter than the coat. The coat is straight, coarse and stiff and stands up on the body. The coat is relatively easy to care for.
The Akita is a very athletic breed with a brisk and responsive pace, so breeders should be careful to take it out for exercise to keep it physically fit.
- Akita personality characteristics
The Akita is docile and affectionate to its owner, but aggressive to other animals. It is good at finding prey in the snow or water that has been knocked down by a hunter and retrieving it. Because it is a large dog breed, it is relatively strong, so it should be trained as a puppy to follow its master around and not run around, so that it will form a habit after a long time and can grow up without a leash.
The Akita is very faithful to its owner, and the movie “Faithful Dog” is a good interpretation of its good qualities, and it is through this movie that many people have become fond of the Akita, allowing it to occupy a place in the pet world.
- Akita Dog Care Knowledge
The Akita is calm and docile, strong, brave, and easy to train. Since the original hunting dog likes to run, there is a certain wildness in itself, so do not keep it inside for a long time. Take it out for walks, jumping, etc. It is also important to pay attention to environmental hygiene, as the Akita is prone to filariasis, and it is important to keep an eye on it when playing outside to prevent it from picking up food from the ground.
Although the Akita is docile to its owner, it is aggressive to other animals. Therefore, when he is young, it is best to bring him into contact with people and other animals, so that he can develop good habits of tolerance.
For the Akita its coat is still relatively easy to clean, you can comb it every few days, or use a warm towel to wipe it clean. Cleaning the coat will not only have the effect of removing stray hairs, but will also promote its blood circulation. So daily care is still very necessary.
- Akita dog breeding essentials
For any dog, the issue of feeding is very critical, feeding the right or wrong directly affects the health status of the pet. So what do you have to pay attention to in terms of feeding? A good environment for a pet has a great impact on itself. The dog’s kennel must be washed and dried regularly, because Akita’s skin resistance is not particularly good, allergic dermatitis, seborrhea, canine herpes virus disease are common diseases of the dog, so make sure that its living environment is clean.
Likewise, the pet’s dinner plate should be cleaned and disinfected from time to time. If it is not cleaned for a long time, it is easy to breed bacteria, especially in the summer when there is a high incidence of various parasitic diseases, so it is best to prepare your own disinfectant solution and disinfect the dinner plate and sleeping mat regularly.
The Akita is a relatively easy dog to train, as long as you remind it over and over again, it will remember over time. When training an Akita, you should not be too harsh, and your tone of voice should be calm, so as not to frighten him. If you train him properly, he will be a good family dog.
