American Akita dog breed
- Last updated: February 7. 2022
- Categories: Dog breeds, Large dogs, Medium hair, Working dogs
- Post views: 910
The American Akita is a result of the Japanese Breed being crossed with German Shepherds, Saint Bernards, and Mastiffs. In the USA, the American and Japanese strains weren’t considered separate breeds until the year 2020. The American Akita is a large-sized breed with a dense medium-sized coat, as part of the Working group, the American Akitas are natural hunters and guard dogs. Their devotion and protectiveness of their families make them great family dogs, but as they are stubborn and independent, they can prove quite a challenge to train. Keep reading further down to learn more about the American Akita
M: 66 - 71 cm / 26 - 28 in
F: 60 - 66 cm / 24 - 26 in
M: 45 - 66 kg / 100 - 145 lbs
F: 36 - 54 kg / 80 - 120 lbs
Healthy dogs of this breed lives
average between 10 to 13 years
Working: Mainly large tough dogs bred for strength and endurance
American Akita general information
The Akita dog breed originates from the northern province Akita in Japan. They have a long rich history that dates back to the 1500s, originally bred to hunt boar, deer, and even bears. Up to the 1800s, they were also companions of the samurai warriors. As a result of being bred with Saint Bernards, Mastiffs, and German Shepherds, a new type of Akitas was formed in the early 1900s, the American Akita. This quite new breed is somewhat larger than the original Japanese Akita, with a bear-shaped head and more color variations and a typical black mask on their face. The Japanese Akitas have a fox-shaped head and are limited to only various shades of white and red. This was just a brief summary of the origin of the Akita breeds, if you want to dig deeper into the history of both strings, you can do so at this lengthy article at Wikipedia
American Akita Breed appearance
The American Akita is a large dog breed that can weigh up to 66 kg / 145 lbs and have a height of 71 cm / 28 inches from the ground and up to the shoulders. They have a bear-shaped head with small pointy triangular ears they carry erect. The American Akitas also have a black facemask and can come in basically all regular dog colors, while the Japanese Akita is limited to variations of red and white. They have leveled backs with a fluffy tail that is raised above the back, mostly curled up in the shape of a U-turn. Both the Japanese and American strains of the Akita have a medium-sized double coat that protects them from the elements, like heat, cold, rain, and wind. The length of their coat can be up to 5 centimeters / 2 inches long
American Akita breed temperament
The American Akita is a bold, stubborn, and independent dog breed that can be wary of strangers and even aggressive towards other dogs, mostly of the same sex. Towards their own family, they are utterly devoted and will stop at nothing to protect their family members. Properly trained, it will make a great family dog. As with all dog breeds, not just American Akitas, socialization with humans and other dogs should start early to teach the dog how to behave when encountering strangers and other dogs. Signing up for a puppy class is the first step along the way to get a companion that reacts to the world around it in a healthy well-behaved way. Due to their strong hunting instincts, Akitas of either string should not be left unsupervised with smaller animals
American Akita breed health
American Akitas are generally considered a healthy breed, as long as they come from reputable breeders and not puppy mills and backyard breeders. It is always important to do proper research on the breeders and bloodlines before getting a puppy. The most concerning health issues that American Akitas may suffer from are hip dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy. As with all dog breeds, they are also prone to developing certain common diseases. This can include eye problems, skin allergies, orthopedic problems, and ear infections. Regular wellness checkups at the vet should be done at least once a year to track the dog’s development and catch any potential health issues early on, which improves the chances of successful treatment
Breed shedding and grooming
American Akitas are known for their heavy shedding. They shed all year round, with spring and autumn being the worst periods. Expect to find dog hair everywhere from your Akita. Frequent brushing will help reduce the amount of hair floating around the home, also preventing the coat from getting tangles and mats. Keeping the dog on meat-rich dog foods also helps reduce the shedding amount and prevents dry skin. Meat is digested and absorbed quickly, promoting better overall health in your furry little buddy. If your furry buddy is subject to excessive shedding, contact your local veterinarian and ask for guidance and hear with them if the dog should come in for a checkup
American Akita barking level
American Akitas are not very vocal dogs, but as they were bred to be guard dogs, among other things, they will bark if strangers are lurking around their home, and they bark loud. Common reasons for dogs barking are protection, alerting, being bored, fear, seeking attention, separation anxiety, or just saying hello. You can read more about barking at this guide from WebMD Pets: Understanding why dogs bark. All breeds can be trained to reduce barking, including Akitas, another thing that should be focused on learning from an early age. There are plenty of online resources where you can learn how to reduce barking, like YouTube, online courses, and websites you can find by Googling. You might also want to shop for books that address this issue too
American Akita dog training
American Akitas are not the easiest to train due to their strong independence and stubbornness. It is a dominant breed that might not be the best choice for inexperienced owners, but in the right hands, the American Akita is an excellent companion for the whole family. As with all dog breeds, training should start at an early age and should be done in a distraction-free area after a walk when the dog has burned off energy. The first step on the long road is signing up for a puppy class, here you will learn the basics about dog care and training, most classes also have supervised playtime among the puppies for socialization. You can also watch dog training videos, attend online dog training courses, or maybe get yourself an old fashioned dog training book
Breed exercise requirements
The Japanese and American Akitas are highly energetic dogs that require lots of daily exercise, both physically and mentally. They should have at least two hours of total exercise every single day to remain healthy and happy. As they are also very playful breeds, playing fetch is a great way for them to burn off energy, while also getting to play at the same time. Due to their high energy levels, Akitas are not suitable dogs for couch potatoes. They should be with owners who are active outdoors, doing activities like hiking, biking, running, or generally like to go on long walks. Dogs that don’t get enough exercise can become depressed, bored, and destructive towards furniture. As long as they get their daily exercise, they can adapt to living in apartments just fine
Caring for dogs
Grooming is not the only maintenance your dog requires throughout its life. Complete examinations at the vet should be done at least once a year for adult dogs. Puppies should come in every 3 or 4 weeks until they are around four months old. Contact your vet and they will set you up with schedules.
Trimming the claws should be done whenever they touch the ground when the dog is standing up, or make it a frequent routine to keep them short
Brushing the teeth should be done on a daily basis to prevent gum diseases. Chew bones and toys will also help strengthen your dog’s teeth and gums
Cleaning the ears to prevent ear infections is also another important part of the dog’s routine maintenance. You can have your vet show you how to do it
Socializing dogs
No matter what kind of dog breed you have, socializing it from an early age is the most important thing you can do in order to get a well-behaving buddy that reacts to the world around it in a healthy way. Until your puppy is around 16 weeks old, it should encounter different kinds of people, situations, and locations, learning that the world is a wonderful place to live. Puppies have a short developmental window in which their experiences will form their future selves. Puppies should however not be forced into situations they might feel uncomfortable with, as bad experiences may imprint and stay with the dog for the rest of the life. You can watch free videos from professional dog trainers on how to socialize your new puppy and learn how to do so the correct way
American Akitas on Instagram
Here are some pictures of the American Akita dog on Instagram. See even more pics of this breed by exploring #AmericanAkita or using the Google Image Search
Video of the American Akita
Here is a video of the American Akita from YouTube. If you are bored of reading, you can learn more about this dog breed by watching this 10-minute long video
Frequently asked questions
References and resources
You can absorb more knowledge about this dog breed from the resources below. Websites, books, and social media sites where you can ask dog owners questions
