Descending from regional hunting dogs, the Japanese Akitainu was initially restored and preserved by dedicated breeders in the Akitainu Hozonkai (Akita Dog Preservation Society; AKIHO). The breed is known for its striking appearance and its physical and mental agility.
Japanese Akitainu
dignified / alert / aloof
Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.
Height
25-27.5 inches (male)
22.5-25 inches (female)
Weight
65-75 pounds (male)
55-65 pounds (female)
Life Expectancy
10-12 years
Breed Traits & Characteristics
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Affectionate With Family
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Openness To Strangers
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!
Playfulness Level
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.
Watchdog/Protective Nature
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.
Adaptability Level
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.
Trainability Level
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!
Energy Level
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.
Barking Level
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.
Mental Stimulation Needs
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.
About the Breed
What To Expect When Caring For a Japanese Akitainu
Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.
Health
This breed is susceptible to autoimmune diseases such as sebaceous adenitis, uveodermatalogic syndrome, pemphigus, discoid lupus, dietary and environmental allergies, etc. for which there is currently no genetic testing. Amelogenesis imperfecta cases have been documented; these cases can be checked for. The national breed club mandates hip and eye examinations and strongly advises patella, thyroid, and amelogenesis imperfecta/enamel hypoplasia screenings.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
- Patella Evaluation
- Thyroid Evaluation
- Teeth
Grooming
A slicker brush may be used during grooming sessions during normal times. However, the Japanese Akitainu blows its undercoat twice a year. Profusely. So expect tufts of hair everywhere during that time. A bath, followed by cold forced air dryer and a comb out will help expedite the natural process of blowing coat. Nails should be kept trimmed using clippers or a nail grinder. Regular teeth brushing and maintaining ear cleanliness are essential not just for appearance but for health. To maintain healthy and luxurious coats, gentle brushing every few days is recommended (depending on activities); for long coats, more frequent brushing will help to avoid matting.
Exercise
Because of the breed's high prey drive and potential for dog aggression, it is advised to keep the Japanese Akitainu on a leash when in public places, around other animals, and when meeting new people. For the breed, frequent strolls and mental exercise are strongly advised. They also make good trekking and camping companions with the appropriate training and safety measures.
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Training
Positive reinforcement and training techniques that make use of the Japanese Akitainu's inherent intellect yield the best results. Short, varied sessions are more productive since they don't get bored as easily with repetition. This breed needs daily mental stimulation and enrichment to stay interested. Japanese Akitainu typically appreciates using their innate instincts in nose work, barn hunting, and lure coursing because of their hunting heritage.
Nutrition
The diet of the Japanese Akitainu depends on the individual dog¿s activity level, health needs, and owner preferences. This breed is prone to allergies so finding the right food ingredients/sources is important as well as ensuring the food is of high quality. Feeding three times a day for puppies and twice a day for adults is suggested.
History
The history of the Japanese Akitainu is similar to that of the other five original Japanese breeds still in existence, having gone from being on the verge of extinction to becoming a source of pride for the country. Five main eras of the breed’s history across centuries may be distinguished, some of which overlap:
Hunting: Traditional village hunters known as Matagi created the Matagiinu (Matagi dog), a slightly larger-than-medium-sized dog to hunt huge animals in the hilly terrain of the Thoku region, where Akita Prefecture is located. The Matagiinu is regarded as the present Akitainu’s ancestors.
Due to the local turmoil, noblemen started using their hunting dogs to secure their residences as well. Fighting: From Edo through Meiji and Taisho, some Akitainu were mixed with Mastiffs and other larger western breeds to produce successful fighters in dog battle rings.
Restoration: By the Meiji era, the Japanese agricultural administration had determined that the breed was impure and in need of restoration. The world’s first and most significant Akitainu registry and organization, Akitainu Hozonkai (AKIHO), was founded in the city of date in 1927, launching a determined attempt to recover and conserve the traits of the original native Akita canines. In 1931, the Akitainu was formally recognized as a Tennen Kinen Butsu (Natural Monument) of Japan; unfortunately, WWII halted further restoration attempts. By the end of the war, just 16 Akitainu were thought to still be alive. Some were rumored to have been bred with military German Shepherd Dogs, while a small number of pure specimens were kept in a distant village in Thoku. Japanese Akitainu breeders again began to restore the breed away from the transitional mixed Akita dogs to their native origin.