Appearance:
The Akita or Akita Inu stands about 64cm to 70cm to the shoulders or withers. As with many dog breeds, the females are slightly more diminutive in stature then the males weighing roughly 34-50kg while males weigh 34-54kg. The Akita Inu’s coat is found in five colours, all resembling their woody hues of their wolf cousins: red, fawn, sesame, brindle, and pure white. Excluding the white dog all other colours are accented by whitish hair on the sides of the muzzle, on the cheeks, the neck, chest, body and tail. If you were interested in showing these dogs then it is noted that black markings are not encouraged. As outdoor dogs the Akita is built to brave even the fiercest of weather conditions and for this reason possess a double coat with a dense straight undercoat to keep the warmth in and a thick outer coat to keep the rain off. Like having its very own raincoat this outer coat makes the Akita waterproof, so you’ll never have to worry about the rain with this breed. There is, of course, a catch to this remarkably hardy and intelligent coat and that is that due to its thickness Akita’s need to be groomed daily grooming. It’s also worth noting that in the warm summer month shedding is necessary to stop the Akita from overheating. Perspective owners should be prepared for this and willing to see to the dog’s grooming needs.
Temperament:
As any Akita owner will tell you, this breed is bold, intelligent and loving. They thrive on companionship and are very loyal to their families. They aren’t a particularly vocal breed so barking all night isn’t on the cards but they will react well as a guard dog. Akitas where originally hunting dogs and can therefore show aggressive tendencies toward small animals, although quite amenable to cats they should be kept separate from other dogs. As the Akira is so intelligent they are relatively easy to train as long as you are dedicated, confident and assertive. It’s recommended that you have dog training experience before you take an Akita home. Become easily bored so it is important to keep their minds sharp. As Akitas are hunting dogs they also have an inclination to protect especially true of their families, they are gentle with young children and babies.
One behavioral trait of the Akita to watch for is the love of carrying things in their mouth. As they were bred as hunters it is second nature to them and they may ‘mouth’ members of their family. This is a completely affectionate and non-aggressive action. They will often take your wrist to lead you someone they want to go and will love jobs like carrying the newspaper or playing frisbee.
Exercise:
Akitas need exercise. An preferably as much as you can give them. It’s advised that they have two daily walks. When walking an Akita, because of their aggression towards other dogs, it is recommended that you keep them on a lead. That said if you are an outdoorsy sort of person and frequently hike, camp or participate in a snow sport, your Akita can think of nothing better then to join in. They were built for the outdoors and simply love it. That said they are docile with their families and can live in an apartment is regularly and enthusiastically exercised. As a family and security is so important to an Akita it is recommended that they are not left outside as ‘yard’ dogs. They develop unpleasant behavioral tendencies and will be very unhappy. That’s not to say that a good romp around the garden with you is out of the question, so long as they’ve companionship and their family they are content.
Health:
Akitas in UK surveys had a median lifespan of about 10 years, which is similar to other breeds of their size. In a 2004 UK Kennel Club survey, the most common causes of death were cancer (32%), cardiac (14%), and gastrointestinal, including bloat/torsion (14%). Some of the health conditions known to affect this breed include:
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Canine herpesvirus, a strain of the Herpes virus that happens to affect canines
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Gastric Dilatation volvulus (GDV), a condition associated with bloat
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Pemiphigus, which causes the autoimmune system to attack the dog's skin (leading to pustules)
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Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), an adult-onset condition which gradual degeneration in the eye cells (i.e. rods & cones)
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UveoDermatological Syndrome (UDS)
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Sebaceous adenitis, an autoimmune condition which attacks and destroys the dog's sebaceous glands
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Canine hip dysplasia
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Hypothyroidism
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Hyperkalaemia As a breed, Akitas have abnormally high blood potassium concentrations compared to other breeds.
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Heart size as a breed, Akitas has an unusually small heart for their size. A number of Akitas have died while being operated on under the normal dose of general anesthetic for a canine of that size, a dose which ultimately proved excessive and fatal to the Akita. For that reason, to avoid anesthetic-induced death, only the bare minimum dose of general anesthetic sufficient to produce anesthesia should be used when an Akita requires general anesthesia.
Gastric Dilatation Volvulus
Akita owners should take special note of the high incidence of Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV) also known as Bloat or gastric torsion. GDV can block the stomach causing a buildup of gas which sadly can be fatal as it can lead to cardiovascular collapse. Signs of bloat are gastric distress (stomach pain), futile attempts at vomiting, and increased salivation. Bloat usually occurs when the dog is exercised too soon after eating, much like us swimming on a full stomach so keep an eye out and leave a gap between feeding and exercising.
Health Tests: Your potential Akita puppy’s parents should be tested for the following diseases before you consider purchasing your pup:
Hip Dysplasia testing isn’t a great worry but as the breed has been known to develop it, checking can’t hurt, but it is not required that your pup’s parents be tested. When you look into buying an Akita puppy make sure you ask your breeder to see these papers. A good breeder will be willing to show them to you at any times and without hesitation. By doing your bit and making sure that your potential puppy’s parents are checked will help you and your Akita having a longer and happier time together.
