Akita breed information

Akita and akita pictures

The Akita is a very loyal and affectionate dog. Akitas tend to be very possessive and can be aggressive at times with other animals and pets. Akitas do better with children that they are raised around than strangers and should not be allowed to roam free. If you already have children, you are encouraged to be sure that a new Akita is not aggressive with them or possessive around them before leaving them alone. In addition, Akitas do not like to be teased and do best with older children who would be gentle with them. Obedience training with Akitas should occur from the start and they should be trained by their owners, not sent away to be trained. Akitas are very family oriented and do not like to be left alone.

Akita

Life expectancy: 10 to 12 years
Color: The most common colors, according to the American Kennel Club's breed standard, are white, brindle, and pinto.
Eyes: The Akita's distinctive eyes have a triangular shape, are Dark brown, small, deep-set, and have black rims.
Coat type: Double Coated, 1-2 inches long with dense undercoat
Size: 26-28 inches; female: 24-26 inches
Health issues: Akitas need professional obediance training. Because these dogs are so strong, they're not recommended for novice dog fanciers.

For the most part, the Akita possesses an easy going, laid back temperament that makes them a great family house pet. They are also commonly known to be quiet dogs that bark only when something necessitates them to bark. Many people commonly report that the Akita makes people feel relaxed and calm and is the ideal pet to own if you suffer from stress.
In addition to being easy going, quiet life enhancing pets, the Akita breed is also known for being easy to house break and very clean dogs. The Akita is known for being so clean that many people have described the Akita breed as "cat like" for their odorless and cleanly appearance. When training Akita dogs to be house broken, many successfully accomplish this task within a few weeks, however, if you have other dog breeds that learn at a slower pace this can affect the Akita's learning pace slowing it down as well.

The Akita breed is also a very patient, loyal and devoted breed that protects children. The Akita is gentle with children so much so that it is known that mothers in Japan have left their children alone in the care of an Akita. It is, of course, important to note that one should never leave a child alone with an unattended pet.
Since the Akita does have a possessive temperament as well as a prey instinct they do need to be socialized with other pets at an early age. Akitas raised with cats and other dogs will do very well as companion pets, but without socialization they may be aggressive and are not recommended for multi-pet families if they are older, non-socialized dogs.

The Akita or sometimes referred to as Akita Ken, is a large sized dog that has its origins from Japan. Its name comes from Akita Prefecture, which is located in the Tohoku Region in Japan, because it is believed that the Akita originated from this particular area.

The ancestors of the Akita were used for hunting by matagi, or a hunter from the Tohoko Region. During that time the Akita were typically called matagi inu (inu means dog in Japanese). These dogs possessed a smaller build than present day Akita dogs do. In addition, many of these ancestral Akita dogs were used for guarding and protecting people. Some were even used to hunt bears in particular.