Top 10 interesting facts about the American Akita

Alert responsive, dignified and courageous the American Akita is a unique dog breed that resembles a bear to have an aloof and willful personality that makes for an excellent Watchdog and Powerful guard dog. If you’re looking for a protector and loyal best friend all wrapped into one big pup this might be the perfect breed for you. However there is a lot to know about this 20th century fighting dog brought back from Japan. So in this article today we’re going to take a closer look at the top 10 interesting facts about the one and only American Akita .

Facts about the American Akita

Their History

The Japanese and American Akitas were clashed as one breed until the end of the second world war and their development up until that time was almost identical Helen Keller is credited with bringing the Akita to America after being given to Akita is by the Japanese government in 1938 by 1939 a breed standard was established and dog shows began to be held but this development was interrupted by the second world war .

During this time U.S servicemen serving as part of the occupation force in Japan first came into contact with the Akita the breeds so impressed them that many service members chose to bring an Akita back home with them upon completion of their tour recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1955. The Akita was first placed in the miscellaneous class the AKC did not approve the Akita standard until 1972 and it was moved to the working group as such the Akita is a rather New Breed in the United States Foundation stock in America continued to be imported from Japan until 1974.

So as of 1974 Akita is born in Japan and registered with one of the Japanese registry systems were no longer eligible to be registered with the AKC this decision set the states for the Divergence and tied between the American Akita and Japanese Akita Inu that is present today elsewhere in the world one American Akita was first introduced to the UK in 1937. He was Canadian import owned by Mrs Jensen the descendants of Mrs Jensen will live on today breeding American Akitas the most widely known of these is Mr Joseph Felton an award-winning Akita breeder but the breed was not itself widely known until the early 1980s the breed was introduced in Australia in 1982 with an American Import and to New Zealand in 1986 with an import from the UK .

Their Physical Features

The American Akita is a big boned Hefty breed with an imposing and Powerful appearance male American Akitas reach a height of 26 to 28 inches at the withers whereas females reach up to 24 to 26 inches and when it comes to their weight meal’s weight can range from 100 to 145 pounds .Whereas females weigh around 80 to 120 pounds their head is massive but is in balance with their body and also free of wrinkle when at ease their skull is flat between ears and is Broad whereas Jaws are square and Powerful with minimal dewlap .

They have a well-defined stop that’s not to abrupt their nose is Broad and black their ears are strongly direct and small in relation to the rest of the head and the Riser dog brown small deep set and triangular in shape American Akitas are double coated. Their outer coat is straight harsh and stands somewhat off body whereas their undercoat is thick soft dense and shorter than outer coat .

American Akita vs Japanese Aikido

One of the best ways to tell the difference between American Akitas and Japanese ones is to look at their heads Akita Inus have more fox-like features and American Akitas look like Bears Japanese Akitas have more pointy features such as the snout and a slightly smaller head .Whereas American Akitas are boxier with a large head the Japanese Akita is accepted in four colors white red Fawn Sesame and brindle this smaller Japanese dog breed can sometimes appear a little orangey the American Akita.

On the other hand can also be these four colors plus black silver Pinto gray brindle and red they usually have a dark mask on their face which the Japanese Akita Inu doesn’t always have the Japanese Akita will usually .We have the iconic tightly curled tail that many of us associate with this dog breed it’s large fluffy and can curl onto the dog’s back the American Akita. However may have a less tightly curled tail both Akita varieties have triangular ears but the American akita’s ears may be a little more pointed and the Japanese akita’s ears can sit further forward .

Their Temperament

The Akita is a proud and confident breed and they can be challenging particularly for the first time owners owners often describe them as stubborn and willful but they are exceptionally loyal and form very close bonds with their people .These guys can be very suspicious of strangers making them great Watchdogs when properly socialized and trained from a young age American Akitas make great pets and Service Dogs Mac and Akitas are very independent and this makes them a little bit stubborn and challenging to train this is why they’re not recommended for inexperienced dog owners.

These guys are very intelligent and they’re generally clean and quiet to live with Akitas of a genetic predisposition for intolerance of other dogs specially those of the same sex and as a hunting breed they also have a strong prey drive.

They make Fantastic Working Dogs

It should come as no surprise that American Akitas make useful working dogs as that’s their classification to begin with while they have been used primarily for watching guarding hunting and fighting Akitas are also known to be excellent army dogs. Thanks to their fears and strong nature these guys also been used as sled dogs many times in the past Akitas can also be reliable rescue dogs as well as therapy dogs .It takes a while to train these guys to work these jobs but once they’re trained American Akitas will be one of the best workers you could ever come across .

The Train Ability

As you’d imagine independent breeds like the Akita are especially difficult to train but some people do enjoy this aspect of the breed I like to think of it as a fun challenge Akitas indeed have a reputation of being notorious for being problematic .When not trained properly the American Akita requires clear and consistent boundaries from day one these dogs require a strict disciplinarian owner because they are intelligent and stubborn by Nature this is what makes them .

So tricky to train for this reason new dog owners may want to think twice before adopting this breed obedience classes may also be beneficial for new owners and those who have the extra training help. It’s also a good idea to well socialize and exposure Akita to varying environments from puppyhood into adulthood .

Their Grooming

For such a big fluffy dog Akita is a pretty easy to grow this dog is similar to cats in that they like to groom and maintain their appearance but you will definitely find yourself grooming your house more than your dog because the breed sheds a lot yes the Akita does shed heavily. They have a thick hearty double coat that goes through several seasonal code blows every year the breed does shed year-round but the shedding will increase drastically during .

These periods of code change owners of an Akita should regularly brush out the coat as well as utilize a forced dryer to encourage coat regrowth and prevent the code from becoming impacted Akita should also regularly have their nails trimmed and filed down we suggest you groom your rokita a few times per week to help manage shedding and support proper oil distribution in their fur .It’s also a good idea to bait them a few times per month and trim their toenails once a month.

Their Exercise Needs

The American Akira needs loads of exercise so they are most suitable for outdoorsy and energetic owners at least one to two hours of walking daily is the minimum requirement for this breed to burn off their energy. They do well with long walks in cool weather hikes and play time in the yard ensure there’s plenty of space wherever you plan to have your play time because Akitas need a lot of room to run since .

They are larger and heavier dogs you may want to be wary of their surroundings before playtime because they may knock things over while playing we suggest you have your Akita play a game or learn tasks that require them to carry something in their mouth. They enjoy these games as they stimulate their minds and appeal to their innate hunting nature because these guys are classified as working dogs Akitas are accustomed to exercising while on the job .So if you’re someone who likes to hunt the Akita makes the perfect fighting and hunting companion.

Their Diet and Nutrition

The American Akita requires a prop upper diet of high quality dry Foods mixed with Fresh Foods their protein needs are essential to maintain the robust physical structure the best amount to go off is one gram of protein per pound of body weight how much you feed your Akita will vary depending on their physical activity level ask for regular weigh-ins at the vet to determine whether you need to give your pup more or less food since .

Akita puppies grow up to be large dogs you likely need to adjust your puppy’s feeding regime monthly to match their growth we recommend starting your puppy with a smaller amount split into more feedings throughout .The day by feeding your pup up to four times a day you’ll be able to support their metabolism energy levels and their overall development .

Their Health

The American Akita is a healthy breed with a lifespan of approximately 12 to 15 years this is relatively long specially for large dogs even though the Akita is a healthy breed .They have a small gene pool in the United States this means .They’re more prone to various genetic and other diseases including hip and elbow dysplasia Progressive retinal atrophy vulnerable Brands disease cataracts spacious adenitis gastric Torsen or bloat osteosarcoma patellar luxation and epilepsy autoimmune disease also appears within the breed but not all can be detected with a DNA test due to these risks a buyer should only purchase a puppy from a breeder .

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Whose breeding dogs have passed all verified Health tests but don’t be too alarmed after hearing all these health issues not all Akitas will get any or rather these diseases but remember no matter how healthy your dog may appear visit the vet frequently for regular health screening in order to detect and if possible avoid any health complications early on alright guys with that we’ve come to the end of our list of top 10 interesting facts about the American Akita .