Dog Breeds > A > Akita

Akita
The Akita or Akita Inu is a breed of large Japanese dog, which is named for Akita Prefecture, where it is thought to have originated. "Inu" means "dog" in Japanese.

Appearance
A fully grown male adult can be over three feet tall at the shoulders. On average a full grown male can reach 120 pounds (54 kg), a female around 90 to 100 pounds. Akitas come in many different colours and patterns including white, brindle, black, fawn, and many combinations of these. It is one of the few breeds that the American Kennel Club recognises in all its coat colour variations.

Temperament
Although the AKC has put the Akita in the Working Group, historically, the Akita was used as a hound to run large game, such as bears, in the mountainous areas of Japan. Anyone who has had hounds will recognise that group's very laid back, easygoing temperament in this breed.

Despite their enormous size, they are excellent house dogs. They require only a moderate amount of exercise. Akitas are known to be very quiet dogs, only barking "when there is something to bark about".

When raised indoors with children, they can be excellent companions. Left unattended in the backyard, they tend to develop "personality" problems and become very destructive to the yard. They are highly pack oriented, thus, isolating them from the pack (i.e., the owner) causes them great stress.

Miscellaneous
Recent DNA analysis confirms that this is one of the oldest breeds of dog.[1]
Perhaps the most famous Akita is Hachiko, a dog remembered in Japan for his loyalty. When his owner died, Hachiko returned to the train station every day for the rest of his life to wait for him. A life-size statue of Hachiko still stands at Shibuya Station.

The title character in the anime and manga series InuYasha—presumably along with his brother and father, who are also mentioned in the series—is said to be an akita yokai (a mythical Japanese creature that often—and, incidentally, in the case of the series do—take human form), though it should be noted that InuYasha himself is technically a hanyo—a mythical half-human, half-yokai.

Dog Training