Akita (dog breed)

The Akita is a powerful, dominant and loyal breed, commonly aloof with strangers, but affectionate and deeply loyal with its family. As a breed, Akitas are generally hardy. The two separate varieties of Akita are a pure Japanese strain, called Akita Inu or Akita-ken, and a larger mixed strain, commonly referred to as the "American Akita".^[1] However, it is subject to debate as to whether the Akita strains are distinct, or if they constitute one breed.^[2][3][4]

Breed name[edit]

Debate exists among fanciers whether these are two separate breeds of Akitas. As of 2020, the American Kennel Club,^[5] now considers American and Japanese Akitas to be two separate breeds, no longer allowing free breeding between the two. The United Kennel Club,^[6] the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI),^[7] The Kennel Club,^[8][9] the Australian National Kennel Council,^[10] the New Zealand Kennel Club,^[11][12] and the Japan Kennel Club^[13] consider Japanese and American Akitas as separate breeds.^[14] Some countries refer to the American Akita as simply the Akita and not the American Akita. The issue is especially controversial in Japan.^[15] For the FCI's 84 countries, the breed split formally occurred June 1999, when the FCI decided that the American type would be called the Great Japanese Dog,^[14] later renamed the American Akita in January 2006.^[14]

Temperament[edit]

The Akita is generally seen as territorial about its property, and can be reserved with strangers.


The breed has been defined in some countries' breed-specific legislation as a dangerous dog.^{[58][59][60][61]} The Akita is a large, strong, independent, and dominant dog. A well-trained Akita should be accepting of nonthreatening strangers, otherwise they treat all strangers in an aggressive manner.^[62]


A survey on canine behaviour in five 'ancient' breeds in Poland found the Akita to be the most aggressive towards other dogs with 59% of Akitas being reported to display aggression towards other dogs and animals. They were the second most likely to be aggressive towards humans with 13% of Akitas being reported to display aggression towards humans. Stereotypic behaviour was reported in 27% of Akitas, ranking it second out of the five breeds surveyed. Excessive vocalisation was only reported at 17% for the Akita, lower than the other breeds. Less than 10% of Akitas were reported to have separation anxiety, the lowest amount. 70% of all human directed aggression involved a visitor on the Akita's territory, highlighting the defensive nature of the breed.^[63]


A Japanese study found that the CAG repeat polymorphism in the AR gene in the Akita Inu was correlated with increased reports of aggression in male Akita dogs, but not females.^[64]