General Information

Dog NameAkita
Other NamesAkita Inu
Scientific NameCanis lupus familiaris
Breed TypeSpitz
GroupWorking
ExtinctYes
Country of OriginJapan

Physical And Size

Min Life Span10
Max Life Span13
Min Ideal Weight for male45
Max Ideal Weight for male45
Min Ideal Weight for female31
Max Ideal Weight for male45

Ranking

Intelligent Rank
Trainability
Playfulness
Affection Level
Social Needs
Barking
Watchdog Ability
Territorial
Mouthiness
Adaptability

Characterisitics

TemperamentLoya, Courageous, Loyal
Prey DriveYes
Fighting DogNo

Friendliness

Stranger FriendlyLow
Child FriendlyMedium
Cat FriendlyLow
Apartment FriendlyLow
Senior Citizens FriendlyLow
Service DogLow
Search and Rescue DogLow
Biting PotentialHigh
Country of OriginJapan
Nicknames and Other NamesAkita Inu, Great Japenese Dog, Japanese
Akita
Scientific NameCanis lupus familiaris
Breed TypeSpitz
GroupWorking
Bred ForHunting bears, elk, and boar
SizeMedium-sized
Recognized ByANKC, UKC, CKC, AKC, KC (UK), FCI, NZKC
Life Span10-13 years
Ideal Weight for
Full Grown Akita
100-130 pounds (male)
70-100 pounds (female)
Ideal Height26-28 inches (male)
24-26 inches (female)
Fur TypeShort, Dense and Plush, Double-coated
Common ColorsBlack, White, Red, Fawn, Brown Brindle,
Red Black Overlay, Brown Black Overlay,
Fawn Black Overlay
MarkingsBlack Mask, White Markings, Pinto,
Black & White Mask, White Mask, White Markings
AvailabilityYes
AchievementsHas played in the movie “Hachiko”
Suitable for ApartmentsYes
Used in World WarYes
Most Similar ToSiberian Husky

Akita dog breed is a wonderful combination of dignity with good nature, alert, courage, and docility. They are known for many other names such as Akita Inu, Akita Chen, and Japanese Akita dog.

Akita dog breed is also divided into two breeds, one is known as American Akita and the other one known as Japanese Akita. The Japanese Akita is known as Akita Inu and the American Akita is only known as Akita.

Sometimes its quite hard to find out which is American and which Japanese Akita. But in this both types of Akita’s there is something that is different such as their shape, size, personality, and their coat color.

Origin Of Akita Dog Breed

Akitas are Japanese bear dog and one of Seven Breeds designated as a National Monument of Japan. They were bred as a versatile hunting dog in the rugged mountains of Northern Japan.

In early times Akita was referred to simply as “Snow Country Dogs”, as they were originated from the snowy mountain region of Japan. And they were bred to hunt boar, elk, and the small Yezo bear. Presently there is a museum in Odate devoting Akita dog breed.

Is Akita good for kids?

Like other dogs, Akita also needs to be trained to behave gently with children. They are independent breed, but if they are well trained and socialized properly, they can have empathy toward your children and will love to play with them.

It is strongly recommended that your child should always be supervised when interacting with Akita, to keep both the child and dog safe.

Behavior, Temperament and Personality Of Akita

BehaviorWillful, Loyal, Energetic,
Territorial, Aggressive
TemperamentPlayful, Suspicious of Strangers
PersonalityIntelligent, Courageous, Alert,
Agile
Child-FriendlyOnly if Well Trained

Akita is a breed who are very powerful and independent, they are fearless and do not back down when it comes to a challenge. This breed are very loyal towards their family and about its loyalty, you must have heard the story of Hachiko dog, who was an Akita dog breed.

Aggressive Dogs
A Picture of Akita Dog Standing.
Image Via Wikipedia

This dog breed is not so friendly with strangers, but yes they are not extremely aggressive towards them. This breed likes to spend most of their time with family but as they independent dogs, so they can stay alone at home for some time.

Talking about their temperament, Akita’s are very much territorial dogs and they don’t like strangers coming to their territory. They might get aggressive sometimes but a great dog to keep as a pet at home.

Trainability

Akita dog breed is not recommended for first-time dog owners because they are very dominant. So, it will be good for them when they are 7-9 weeks old then their training should be started so that when they will grow old they will learn to obey your things. And from the same time teach them to socialize, because Akita Dog breeds are very intolerant towards other dogs.

One of the easiest aspects of training an Akita is usually housebreaking the dog. Akita’s are very good dogs about alerting their owners to their need when it comes to having to go to the bathroom.

As long as the owner is responsive and attentive to their Akita’s needs, the housebreaking process should be a relatively simple undertaking. Learn the best techniques and the specialized knowledge on how to train your Akita properly and as a result, they will be the best pet for you.

Facts About Akita

  • The American Akita is larger and heavier than Japanese Akita.
  • The fully grown adult male Akita weighs around 100-130 pound and female are 70-100 pound.
  • The fully grown adult male Akita is 26-28 inches tall and female is 24-26 inches tall.
  • When the weather starts to turn cold then the dogs seem to have a ‘turbo” button that switches on.
  • Akita is designated as a national monument of Japan.
  • An Akita will groom itself like a cat and housebreaking is usually not a problem.
  • They are members of the AKC (American Kennel Club ) working group.

Health Issues of Akita

General HealthHealthy
Common Health IssuesHip Dysplasia, Von Willebrand disease,
Acquired Myasthenia Gravis,
Skin Infection
HypoallergenicNo
Vaccination RequiredRabies, Canine Distemper,
Canine Parvovirus, Leptospirosis,
Canine Parainfluenza, Kennel Cough,
Canine Coronavirus
SheddingSheds 2-4 weeks a Year
DroolingDoesn’t Drool Unless Sick or Hurt
GroomingEasy
Weight Gain PotentialToo Much
Separation AnxietyLess Chance
AllergiesAtopy
Diets and Supplements18% Crude Protein and 5% Crude Fat
for Adult
Akita
22% Protein and 8% Healthy Fat
for Akita Puppy

In Akita the mostly seen health problems are –

  • Hip dysplasia: an eye disease called progressive retinal atrophy that causes blindness
  • Von Willebrand disease: a bleeding disorder
  • Immune system disorder: a disease that affects the skin
  • An immune disorder called acquired myasthenia gravis.

Akita Coat Colors

Akita is found in multiple colors, which are –

  • White
  • Silver
  • Brindle
  • Fawn
  • Red fawn
  • Red Pinto
  • Sesame

Puppies

An Akita Puppy is a pure mix of cuteness and joy. If you are willing to have its puppy then try looking at breeders who have a good reputation in your locality.

A good breeder will provide you information about purebred Akita puppies and even pleasure to show you around where they breed their dogs. Akita Puppies can range in price between $750 – $2000. 

Which Dogs Are They Similar Too?

The dogs that are similar to Akita are:

Visit Doglime For More Dog Breed Information.

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