Akita in Brief
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.

Country of Origin	Japan, 5000 BC from China
AKC group	Working
Function	Hunting and companionship
Life span	10-12 years
Watchdog	yes, territorially suspicious
Protection	not suitable
Color	Any color with or without mask
Coat type	Double coated: thick, dense undercoat, harsh out, sheds or "blows" undercoat twice a year
Grooming	Regular brushing, ear cleaning, nail trimming
Height	24-28 inches
Weight	75-120 pounds
Activity level	High
Intelligence	High
Trainability	Stubborn, adverse response to harsh methods,sensitive to kindness, go slow, difficult to train.
Good with children	reasonable mature children over 5 years of age, will bite if threatened, no rough-housing
Good with other pets	Aggressive with other dogs, strong prey drive
Home environment	Fenced yard, daily attention, and exercise
Good with strangers	Reserved, "Don't force it."
Character	Alert, responsive, dignified, courageous, loyal, aloof, confident
Potential problems: Behavioral:	Obedience training recommended, tough dogs to train, will bite, unreasonable temperament, will exert dominance, aggressive
Potential problems: Physical	vision problems, night blindness, inward rolling lids, sensitivity to anesthsia, hip dipslasia
Best owner	a physically fit natural leader who is very experienced in Working Dogs.
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,