The Akita Inu is a big, bold, beautiful dog with a distinctly powerful appearance.
He’s large with a noble and intimidating presence.
Yet, he’s intelligent, affectionate and quite loyal.
From royal guardian to a therapy dog, the Akita Inu does not back down from a challenge
and has both the brain and the brawn to face any that come his way.
Let’s get to know our confident, rugged friend.
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10.
The Akita Inu or Akita Ken originates in Japan where he is considered to be "tender in heart
and strong in strength" and a National Treasure.
He is the largest of the six distinct dog breeds native to the Land of the Rising Sun.
The others are the Shiba Inu, Shikoku Inu, Kishu Inu, Hokkaido, and Kai Ken.
The Akita Inu gets his name from the Prefecture of Akita, the mountainous northernmost section
of the island of Honshū in Japan.
As I mentioned in the Shiba Inu episode linked in the card, the word Inu means “dog”
in Japanese…
so that’s a thing.
The Akita was originally known as the Odate Inu and he was recognized as a national treasure
in Japan in 1931 having been established as a "pure" breed by the Mayor of a region called
Odate which is the capital of the Akita Prefecture.
The Akita Inu was also often called the Shishi Inu in the Akita Prefecture, which literally
means “large dog.”
To the point.
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9.
Like most other wolf-looking dogs, the Akita falls into the Spitz family, who typically
have fox-like features—a long snout, pointed ears, and a curled tail.
It is still unknown when exactly the Akita was domesticated, but experts believe that
the breed was developed from the Matagi Dog, considered the oldest of all Japanese native
dogs.
With his size, athletic ability and determination, the Akita Inu gained praise as a bold hunter
of deer, wild boar, Japanese antelopes and even bears.
The dogs were used in male-female pairs to hold prey until the hunter arrived.
Because of his soft mouth, the Akita was also used to retrieve waterfowl.
By the mid-1800s—as a response to a population boom in rural areas—his role expanded to
include the protection of family homes.
Prior to then, around the 17th century, the Akita was a status symbol.
Breed ownership was restricted to the Japanese nobility.
This pooch led a lavish lifestyle with elaborate feeding rituals and fancy collars.
And, a special leash denoted his owner’s rank and stature on the Japanese social ladder.
The pampered dog was used to hunt, alongside falcons, for boar, deer, and other large game.
Some owners even hired special caretakers, who were often tasked with the care of just
one dog.
By the 19th century, Emperor Taisho had changed the law so that any citizen could own an Akita.
Today, the Akita is mostly used as a companion.
However, many Akitas proved to be incredibly versatile working and sporting dogs.
Many Akitas are now used as therapy dogs, guardians, and watchdogs.
Well-trained Akita Inus are outstanding competitors in various dog sports, such as obedience and
agility trials, weight pulling, tracking, conformation, and Schutzhund.
8.
The Akita Inu represents a symbol of health and wellbeing in Japan.
For this reason, small Akita statues are often gifted to sick people and pregnant women instead
of flowers and similar gifts.
But, the Akita Inu was nearly wiped out during the second global conflict.
The details of which are a bit grizzly for this channel.
Needless to say, the early 1940s were dire times for the Japanese Akita Inu.
But, thanks to the post-war efforts of Morie Sawataishi and other devoted breeders, who
collected dogs from remote areas and started new litters, the breed was finally saved and
renewed.
7.
The Akita Prefecture is surrounded by mountains, resulting in cold, harsh winters and rainy
summers.
The rocky and cold environment is hard for most living things, but the Akita thrives
in it.
The Akita has webbed toes to help walk on snow by distributing his weight more effectively
and historically, keeps his front dew claws to help him climb out of icy water like ice
picks.
If there is snow on the ground, he will stay out all day until relegated to come inside.
It is safe to say he prefers colder weather, loves eating snow, and rolling in it.
He’s not going to get cold.
The Akita has a short double-coat similar to that of many other northern Spitz breeds
such as the Siberian Husky.
This double layer of insulation keeps him nice and cozy in the deepest of snow.
6.
The Japanese Akita is definitely not a good choice for novice owners.
This dog is extremely stubborn, independent, willful, and is one of the most challenging
breeds to raise and socialize.
As an independent thinker with a dominant attitude and strong temperament, he will literary
push you to the limits.
The Akita Inu demands a good amount of experience in working with dogs and a lot of patience,
understanding, and dedication.
If unchecked, the dog can become defiant.
In fact, he may become aggressive if he senses that he is being treated unfairly.
5.
One interesting observation about the Akita Inu is that he considers eye contact as aggression.
To this end, training is necessary while the dog is still young or else he may be difficult
to tame once he is fully grown.
The Akita Inu is fairly calm and obedient.
However, he is an alpha dog and naturally defensive and aggressive, and certain threats
easily instigate confrontations.
The Akita is especially threatened by the presence of other dogs, but strangers may
also become a problem when they cross certain boundaries.
4.
Despite all that, he’s a family dog.
Once used to his environment and his owners, the Akita integrates into the family quite
well and is very gentle and loving with his owners.
He especially likes to cuddle, and is very tolerant of even the most playful kids.
Additionally, he is a topnotch guard dog with the imposing size and the defensive nature
to keep the home safe from even the most determined intruders.
One additional caveat, however.
The Akita is known to be "dog-aggressive" and therefore should not be trusted around
other dogs even when they have grown up together.
Cats and other smaller animals are a definite no-no, thanks to his high prey drive.
3.The Akita Inu has always been used as a guard dog thanks to his commanding size.
Both males and females can grow as tall as 26 inches and weigh up to 100 pounds, making
both effective for tackling intruders.
Puppies, however, tend to be just as small as other breeds when young, but they grow
quickly.
To this end, many people not familiar with the breed get a shock once their once-tiny
puppy grows into a 25-inch tall dog.
2.
Despite his thick coat, the Akita does not require intense grooming, only regular brushing.
The only exception is when his coat "blows" out twice a year.
During these times increased brushing sessions are recommended, so as to help cut down on
excessive cleaning around the house or fur in your breakfast cereal.
Luckily, the Akita rarely gets dirty and hardly has that "dog smell" many other owners complain
about.
Just like the Shiba Inu, the Akita is clean to the point of being obsessive.
The dog self-grooms and has an almost cat-like enthusiasm for cleanliness.
1.
In 1924, Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor at the University of Tokyo, took Hachikō, a
golden brown Akita, as a pet.
Ueno would commute daily to work, and Hachikō would leave the house to greet him at the
end of each day at the nearby Shibuya Station.
The pair continued the daily routine until May 1925, when Ueno did not return.
The professor had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, while he was giving a lecture, and passed
without ever returning to the train station.
Each day, for the next nine years, nine months and fifteen days, Hachikō awaited Ueno's
return, appearing precisely when the train was due at the station.
Hachikō attracted the attention of other commuters.
Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachikō and Professor
Ueno together each day.
Initial reactions from people, especially from those working at the station, were not
necessarily friendly.
However, after the first appearance of an article about him on October 4, 1932, in Asahi
Shimbun, people started to bring Hachikō treats and food to nourish him during his
wait.
After his death, Hachikō's remains were cremated and his ashes were buried in Aoyama Cemetery,
Minato, Tokyo where they rest beside those of Hachikō's beloved master.
Hachikō's fur, which was preserved after his death, was stuffed and mounted and is
now on permanent display at the National Science Museum of Japan in Ueno, Tokyo.
Each year on March 8, Hachikō's devotion is honored with a solemn ceremony of remembrance
at Tokyo's Shibuya railroad station.
Hundreds of dog lovers often turn out to honor his memory and loyalty.
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