Akita dog adoption 5 Things to Know Before

Things to Know Before Akita dog adoption

Akita’s serious and proud appearance combine to make him an imposing figure.

As his wayward look already betrays, this robust beauty is not afraid of anyone.

He faithfully defends his home and hearth, although the ancient hunting instinct sometimes takes over.

This bright hunk is ready for adventure, but can you keep up with him?

In this article, you can read all information about the akita best of breed cuervo.

In this article

• For almost 4000 years, this robust hunting and guard dog has been an integral part of Japanese culture.
• This breed has two layers of fur—a thick, soft layer of undercoat and a hard, straight outer coat.
• The Akita is not easily impressed and is an independent, very intelligent type dog.
• They can be stubborn about training and upbringing.
• Akita can walk or run on snow

Background of the Akita

The Akita is originally a Japanese breed. For almost 4000 years, this robust hunting and guard dog has been an integral part of Japanese culture. His bravery even earned him a place among the Samurai warriors!

Unfortunately, this authentic warrior hasn’t always had it easy. Throughout the 19th century, he suffered multiple setbacks. In-breed crosses for dog fighting, a rabies epidemic.

But social threats such as introducing a dog tax also caused the dog population to be strongly reduced. An association was formed to protect this breed, restoring the Akita to its former glory when World War II broke out.

During this period of poverty and hunger, the breed was used for a new, terrifying purpose: food and warmth. A well-to-do fancier hid against the rules in some of these dogs, narrowly surviving the breed.

At the same time, Akitas were crossed with German Shepherds and sold to America. This created two types, which still exist today.

These are the original Japanese Akita, also called “Akita Inu” or “Akita Ken,” and the hybrid version called “American Akita.”

Appearance Of Akita

According to the breed standard, the Akita is a large, robust dog with a dignified but unassuming appearance.

The head is round with a broad forehead and moderately long, broad muzzle. The eyes are small, almost triangular, and dark brown. The small, thick ears are also triangular and erect.

The neck is thick and muscular, flowing into a deep chest and straight, strong back. There is a stiff curled tail at the back of the animal, and the hindquarters are broad.

This breed has two layers of fur—a thick, soft layer of undercoat and a hard, straight outer coat. Hair is longer on the shoulders, rump, and tail than on the shoulders.

The coat comes in the following colors: reddish yellow, sesame (reddish yellow with black tips), brindle, and white. In addition, the dog must show the specific white coat pattern on the cheeks, muzzle, lower jaw, neck, chest, rump, and tail called the “Urajiro” pattern.

Generally speaking, a female withers are 58-64 cm high and weigh 35-50 kg.

Males are slightly larger, at 64 to 70 cm at the withers and 45 to 60 kilos.

Akitas live to be about 8 to 13 years old on average.

Characteristics of the Akita

Its turbulent history has shaped the Akita into an extremely loyal, well-balanced family dog. It is good to have them around small children and they have a very strong attachment to owners and families. As a result, they can be quite vigilant.

Yet history has left its mark. The Akita is not easily impressed and is an independent, very intelligent type. Combined with its ancient hunting instinct, the Akita is not a dog for everyone.

They are very brave and, therefore, easily confronted. This ensures that Akitas often do not get along well with other dogs, and small (domestic) animals can be chased a lot.

Care and health

The Akita is a clean pet dog and usually keeps itself clean. However, the thick coat needs grooming a few times a week, even daily, during the molt.

In addition, this breed has some health problems.

First, there is the chance of hip dysplasia, which is more often seen in larger dog breeds. This condition causes the joints to deform and develop poorly. As a result, wear and tear can take place at a rapid pace, which causes a lot of pain.

This condition is partly hereditary, but weight and stress on the joints through movement play a major role in its development.

Patella Luxation, or loss of kneecaps, also occurs. This causes the dog to limp because the kneecap has popped out of its socket. This can hurt a lot; the kneecap sometimes has to be put back in the right place.

The rare disease Sebaceous Adenitis also occurs in the Akita. In this case, the dog skin becomes red, flaking and coagulated.

This often causes strands of hair to fall out, leaving the skin unprotected and susceptible to infection. There is no cure; the treatment mainly focuses on keeping the skin intact and supporting it.

Raising the Akita

Due to its intelligence, stubbornness, and fierce interaction with other dogs and small animals, the Akita can safely be described as “snappy.”

As loyal and balanced as they are with their family and owner, they can be stubborn regarding training and upbringing.

That is why you must build a strong bond of trust with your Akita. Here you offer an assertive, consistent and clear attitude to your dog instead of physical punishment to control him.

Physical punishment will not work with the Akita; they are too intelligent and courageous. If this dog rebels against physical punishment, you will not win against him.

It is, therefore, extremely important that this robust warrior is well-socialized. Setting firm rules from the start and correct rewarding behavior will get you the most with this breed.

Due to its intelligence, the Akita also easily picks up less desirable behaviors.

He can look for it himself if this self-intelligence gets too little to crack his brains about. That is not always nice for the boss. So make sure your Akita has plenty to think about, both in training and play.

The Akita and movement

Due to its strong background, the Akita stands firmly on its feet and is ready to go on an adventure together. Walking around the same blocks daily, you will not make it with this hunter.

Endless walks are wonderful for the Akita and courses such as tracking as long as it offers action and variety!

When the Akita’s physical and mental health is considered, you have a wonderfully calm, well-behaved house dog. You can stay safe and cozy with this clever hunk watching over everything.