Akitas: The Largest Japanese Breed
Posted: Tuesday, July 07, 2009
by John Jackson
GreatDogSite.com
An Akita is also known by the names Akita Inu or Akita Ken, which is the largest dog breed that comes from Japan. All the dog breeds indigenous to Japan are considered to be of the Spitz family. The dogs all share the same conformations as a typical Akita, which are the boxy heads, bear-like facial features, deeply set almond-shaped eyes and a boxy body with a tightly curled tail.
Because all native breeds are classified in much the same way, the dogs are usually classified into sub-groups because of their size. The larger of the two breeds is the Akita Inu. Medium sized dogs are called Kai, Shikoku or Ainu. The smaller sub-group of the family is called the Shiba Inu, which translates to mean "brushwood."
The Kai dog stands a minimum of 22 inches in height at the withers, and weighs around 40-55 pounds. The Shiba Inu is the smallest of all native Japanese dog breeds and stands approximately 14-16 inches, weighing in around 20-23 pounds.
Though the first Akita descendants were much smaller than the modern breeds of today, the dogs were ultimately bred for their power. Akita's were primarily used for the hunting by the Matagi or other ancient Japanese hunters. Back then the breed was known as the Matagi Inu and according to historical accounts, the dog stood at 20 inches at the withers and weighed around 60 pounds when fully grown. The dog's basic physical stature consisted of a muscular front torso and a boxy shaped body, which was necessary for the task of bringing down large prey like boar, bears and deer.
Throughout the following years, the Akita became larger and more muscular through the process of selective breeding. The Akita became so revered in Japanese culture that as they evolved it was all meticulously documented. The Akita's strength is not fully tapped into and is tempered by their calm demeanor; they have an upstanding reputation for fierce loyalty as well.
At the conclusion of World War II, US soldiers returning to America brought back purebred Akita's. The dogs were imported for fighting purposes and were bred with German Shepherds, Rottweiler's and Bulls Mastiffs to further increase ferocity and body muscle mass. Within 20 years of interbreeding, the Akita took on an entirely different appearance than the traditional standard Akita Inu.
The American Akita is also known as the Great Japanese Dog, which is much larger than its Japanese ancestors. The evolution of the American Akita has resulted in a complete shift away from that of an Akita Inu. The Akita Inu is known in four standard colors; fawn red, sesame, white and brindle. The dog can also have patches of white on the face, chest, neck, tail and body. American Akita's in contrast, can have all colors and patterns on their coat, some even have a black face mask. The American version has lost the bear-like appearance of Japanese Akita's and now has more of a resemblance to a German Shepherd.
This article was written by John Jackson and has been contributed by http://www.greatdogsite.com. For more information on the Akita Inu, please visit our page http://www.greatdogsite.com/breeds/details/Akita_Inu/.
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