{"id":1301,"date":"2024-04-04T13:33:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T13:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hondenmania.nl\/?p=1301"},"modified":"2024-04-05T11:43:12","modified_gmt":"2024-04-05T11:43:12","slug":"akita","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hondenmania.nl\/en\/dog-breeds\/akita\/","title":{"rendered":"Akita"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Akita is known as an intelligent, bright but reserved and possessive dog by nature. However, they should never be timid nor aggressive, but an Akita should be dignified, courageous and affectionate. They will defend their families without a second thought, which in short means they are excellent guard dogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nowadays, the Akita is fast becoming a popular breed in Britain and elsewhere in the world, and for good reason, because when properly socialised, they make great companions and pets. The breed originated in Japan, where the breed has always been highly regarded, not only for its dignified, proud appearance, but also for its loyalty and devotion to its owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are actually two types of Akita and although they are very similar, there are slight differences in appearance, with the Japanese Akita being a lot lighter and smaller than the American Akita. They are part of the \"Spitz\" type and have been around for about 300 years in their native Japan, where they were bred as fighting dogs, but this changed and Akitas were used to hunt deer, wild boar and black bears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Akita is an impressive-looking and courageous dog, but it needs to be properly socialised and trained from an early age to be a truly versatile dog. As such, they are not the best choice for novice dog owners, but they do very well with people who know how to handle them.<\/p>\n\n\n

History of the Akita<\/span><\/summary>
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Akitas have a fascinating history, with early records showing that these proud dogs were once highly valued not only as hunting and fighting dogs, but also as 'good food' in their native Japan. Their fur was used to make warm clothing and Akitas were also used by Japanese fishermen to herd fish into their nets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, the actual history of the breed has been lost over time and has become a bit blurred over the centuries thanks to various translations from Japanese into other languages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is evidence that similar dogs with erect ears and tightly curled tails existed in 1150 AD and that dogs called Matagiinu were highly prized by the Japanese royal family for their hunting skills. At one point in history, only Japanese rulers could own an Akita and gave their dogs unique collars that showed the owner's rank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In subsequent centuries, the Akita's popularity went through various stages of highs and lows, but it was during the reign of Emperor Taisho in the early 20th century that their popularity rose again after the breed became appreciated in other countries of the world, including Britain Spain and France, where Akitas had become status symbols with both royalty and other people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today's Akita owes much of its ancestry and lineage to dogs that were bred in a mountainous area of Japan known as the Akita Prefecture, although these dogs were also bred and raised in many other parts of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Akita Inu Hozankai Society began recording a pedigree book in 1927, keeping track of all parents and litters produced in Japan. The studbook still exists today with the ultimate goal of keeping the breed as pure as possible in modern times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More about Odate Dogs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Akita was originally known as the Odate dog and they were first recognised as a national treasure in Japan in 1931, after being established as a \"pure\" breed by the mayor of a region called Odate, the capital of Akita Prefecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the northernmost province on the island of Honshu in Japan. It was the custom in Japan to name dogs after the region where they were bred and as such, the Odate became known as the Akita Inu, which translated means Akita dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were the largest of the seven other Akita-type dogs in existence in Japan in 1931. From then on, records of the Akita were carefully maintained with the ultimate goal of the breed's continued success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the beginning of World War II and after the end of the war, the Akita's numbers and popularity declined thanks to the fact that their fur and meat were in high demand, leading to the breed disappearing from the face of the earth almost forever. Fortunately, a few Akitas survived and in the late 1940s and early 1950s, breed numbers began to flourish again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was during this time that two bloodlines were established and from these bloodlines most Akitas in other countries of the world are descended. It is thought that returning soldiers brought Akitas with them to their home countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The breed diversified in the early 20th century with the introduction of the 'American Akita'. In 1937, Helen Keller, the famous deaf-blind linguist and activist, developed a fondness for the breed and got a dog named 'Kamikaze' who unfortunately died of distemper at a young age, but one of his littermates named 'Kenzan-go' was sent. to her to replace the dog she lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From this point on, the Japanese and American breeds were bred differently from each other, with Americans breeding dogs with heavier, larger physical features, while breeders in Japan concentrated on producing smaller dogs. Today, the Akita is a widely recognised breed around the world and here in the UK too, they have won a place in the hearts and homes of many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interesting facts about the breed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n