History of the breed
The American Akita often called simply Akita is a dog breed from Japan. It is a separate breed from the Akita Inu (Japanese Akita). The Akita character is the result of centuries of breeding in Japan. Centuries ago the breed was owned only by the Shogun, the military leaders of the country. Bred to hunt, guard, and herd, this tenacious dog tracked large game and held it at bay until the royal hunters arrived to make the kill. The Akita's quarry included elk, antelope, boar, and the 120 stone Yezo bear.
Appearance of the breed
The breed stands 64 to 70 cm at the shoulders. Females weigh anywhere from 34-50kg. Males are 34-54kg. The Akita Inu come in only five colours: Red, Fawn, Sesame, Brindle, and Pure White. All except white must have whitish hair on the sides of the muzzle, on the cheeks, the neck, chest, body and tail. Akitas possess a double coat, with a dense straight undercoat, and a thick outer coat. This coat makes the dog waterproof, as well as being well-equipped for the fierce winters in northern Japan. Due to the thickness of their coat, the breed requires daily grooming, and also an awareness of the dog's heavy shedding, especially during warm weather.
Characterisitcs of the breed
As a guard dog, the Akita was unsurpassed in its keen senses of smell, sight, and hearing. By nature a quiet dog that barked only when threatened, the breed needed no training in its guard duties. The Akita is a unique combination of dignity, courage, alertness, and devotion to its family. It is extraordinarily affectionate and loyal with family and friends, territorial about its property, and aloof with strangers. It is feline in its actions; it is not unusual for an Akita to clean its face after eating, to preen its kennel mate, and to be fastidious in the house.
Because it is a large dog, the Akita is certainly not a breed for everyone. Its personality is that of a survivor. Even though centuries have passed since the Shogun warrior owned Akitas, the breed still exhibits keen hunting prowess, extraordinary strength and endurance, and the ability to survive on its own. Akita owners must channel these attributes into early obedience training so that their dogs become good canine citizens rather than neighborhood bullies.
The Akita learns quickly and can become bored easily. Those who don't understand the breed often describe it as stubborn, when in fact, the dog is exhibiting improper training. The Akita thrives on the love and respect of its master and, with constant reinforcement training and a little creativity, can be a very good worker.
The Akita was never bred to live or work in groups like many hound and sporting breeds. Instead, they lived and worked singly or in pairs, a preference reflected today. The individual Akita is happy being an only dog or one of two dogs in a household, particularly strange dogs. A properly trained Akita will learn to tolerate other animals and not go looking for trouble, but the owner must never forget his dog's inherent drive to be top dog at almost any cost.
There are many pluses to owning an Akita. They are affectionate to their owners and are excellent watchdogs, although they do not bark unless something is amiss. They require only moderate exercise, adjust well to apartment living as long as they receive daily walks, do not eat large quantities of food, and are long-lived. Negatives to ownership include a twice-a-year shedding of the thick, downy undercoat, and the size and strength of the breed make socialization and training vital, research and a good understanding of the breed is a must.
Health Concerns of the breed
Some of the health conditions known to affect this breed include:
>Canine herpesvirus, a strain of the Herpes virus that happens to affect canines
>Gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV), a condition associated with bloat
>Pemphigus, which causes the autoimmune system to attack the dog's skin (leading to pustules)
>Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), an adult-onset condition which gradual degeneration in the eye cells (i.e. rods & cones)
>UveoDermatological Syndrome (UDS)
>Sebaceous adenitis, an autoimmune condition which attacks and destroys the dog's sebaceous glands
>Canine Hip Dysplasia
>Hypothyroidism
>Hyperkalaemia As a breed, Akitas have abnormally high blood potassium concentrations compared to other breeds.
>Heart size As a breed, Akitas have an unusually small heart for their size. A number of Akitas have died while being operated, due to the use of a normal dose of general anaesthetic for a canine of that size, a dose which ultimately proved excessive and fatal to the Akita. For that reason, to avoid anaesthetic-induced death, only the bare minimum dose of general anaesthetic sufficient to produce anaesthesia should be used when an Akita requires general anaesthesia.
Lifespan of about 10 years
