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Akita in Brief |
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These comments apply in general terms and are
not necessarily true of a specific dog. Each dog is an
individual based on its genetic heritage, training, and
environment. |
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Country of Origin |
Japan, 5000 BC from China |
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AKC group |
Working |
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Function |
Hunting and companionship |
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Life span |
10-12 years |
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Watchdog |
yes, territorially suspicious |
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Protection |
not suitable |
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Color |
Any color with or without mask |
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Coat type |
Double coated: thick, dense undercoat, harsh out, sheds or
"blows" undercoat twice a year |
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Grooming |
Regular brushing, ear cleaning, nail trimming |
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Height |
24-28 inches |
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Weight |
75-120 pounds |
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Activity level |
High |
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Intelligence |
High |
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Trainability |
Stubborn, adverse response to harsh methods,sensitive to
kindness, go slow, difficult to train. |
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Good with children |
reasonable mature children over 5 years of age, will bite
if threatened, no rough-housing |
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Good with other pets |
Aggressive with other dogs, strong prey drive |
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Home environment |
Fenced yard, daily attention, and exercise |
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Good with strangers |
Reserved, "Don't force it." |
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Character |
Alert, responsive, dignified, courageous, loyal, aloof,
confident |
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Potential
problems: Behavioral: |
Obedience training recommended, tough dogs to train, will
bite, unreasonable temperament, will exert dominance,
aggressive |
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Potential
problems: Physical |
vision problems, night blindness, inward rolling lids,
sensitivity to anesthsia, hip dipslasia |
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Best owner |
a physically fit natural leader who is very experienced in
Working Dogs. |
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Recommendations: |
Obedience training highly recommended. Neutering to prevent
aggression, and marking. No littermates. Cooler climate
preferred. No jogging. |
Notes from the Trainer
People fall in love with the look of the dog but they forget
to investigate and understand the character and temperament of the
breed. These are the cutest dogs, the most beautiful animals; they
look just like little bears. They were originally bred to fight and
hunt bears. They also guarded medieval castles in Japan. They look
beautiful , but their temperament is "like a bear".
A Short History
A native of the rugged northern mountains of Japan, the Akita is
considered a national monument by the Japanese people. It was
developed by an exiled nobleman who had an ardent interest in dogs.
The nobles of the northern most Akita Prefecture on the island of
Honshu wanted a hard, versatile hunting dog with strong working
attributes.
Ownership of one of these dogs was once
restricted to the Imperial family and the ruling aristocracy.
Detailed care and feeding rituals were developed as well as a
special vocabulary used to address the dog or when talking about
them. Specially decorated leashes were used denoting rank and
standing of the dog and its owner. Each dog was assigned a special
caretaker who dressed in ceremonial garb signifying his relationship
to the dog and its status in the realm.
The Akita thrives on
companionship. The dog is dignified, good-natured,
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