The Akita Inu

The Akita Inu gets it's name from where it hails - an island called Honshu in the Akita region of Japan. This dog breed, also called the Great Japanese Dog has remained unchanged for centuries. This breed is so ingrained in the country that he is designated as the national dog of Japan. The Akita Inu has been raised for many things such as fighting, for hunting deer and bear as well as sled dogs. The first Akita Inu was brought to the USA by Helen Keller in 1937 and became even more popular when American Servicemen returned home with them after World War II.

Pronounced Ahh-Keeta, this breed is the largest of the Japanese spitz breeds The Akita is characterized by a strong, muscular body and a flatish head with short but strong muzzle. This breed is stocky - longer for the height. His face is a variety of triangles with a triangular shape overall, small, dark triangular shaped eyes and small triangular ears that sit erect on the top of his head. Akita's have a dark nose, usually black but sometimes brown. He carries his tail high over the back and has webbed feet that make it an excellent swimmer. The double coat consists of a harsh waterproof outer coat and an thick insulated under coat.

Although the Akita Inu is a docile dog it can at time be quite impulsive as well as be very affectionate and careful with its family. It is important to train your Akita properly so that this fearless, intelligent and courageous dog knows that you are the boss. This breed loves companionship and is very loyal to his human master. It is important that this dog be kept on a lead when close to other dogs or animals as it can be very aggressive towards them.Akitas are quite smart which means that training requires patience as they can easily get bored with the routine.

The Akita Inu is prone to suffer from Hip Displaysia as well as Hypothyroid and Autoimmune Thyroiditis. It may also suffer from immune diseases like VKH and Pemphigus as well as skin problems such as SA or those associated with the eyes patella such as PRA, Micro and Entropion. In some cases Akita Inu’s are prone to problems associated with the knees.

Despite their big size and sturdy build, Akitas son't need a ton of exercise and can actually live well in an apartment provided that they get a walk every day. The Akita Inu has a coarse stiff short haired coat which needs lots of grooming and they shed heavily twice a year. They should be brushed with a firm bristle brush and only bathed when it is absolutely necessary (as bathing will cause the natural waterproofing of their coat to be removed).