Akita
Temperament
Dignified, Courageous, Profoundly loyal
[4]A dog that hunted in northern Japan
This entry follows the AKC’s Akita category. Its breed history traces these dogs to Akita Prefecture and describes hunting boar and bear in snowy northern mountains. It also explains how dogs taken to the United States after World War II developed along a different path from the Japanese lines.
[1]A powerful body with a curled tail
It is a large, powerful, heavy-boned dog with a broad head that forms a blunt triangle from above. Small erect ears and a large curled tail are key features of the AKC standard.
[2]A thick double coat and varied colours
The AKC standard describes a double coat with soft, dense undercoat and harsh, straight outer hair. It allows white, brindle, pinto and other colours, but merle patterns and liver colour are disqualifications. White dogs have no mask, and the undercoat may differ in colour from the outer coat.
[2]Different proportions and size ranges for males and females
AKC gives body-length-to-height ratios of 10:9 for males and 11:9 for females. Heights are 26–28 inches for males (about 66–71 cm) and 24–26 for females (about 61–66 cm). Pinto is defined as a white background with large patches covering the head and more than one-third of the body. These are AKC criteria and should not be transferred to the Japanese Akitainu standard.
[2]UKC classification and registry-specific criteria
UKC distinguishes the United States-developed Akita from the Japanese Akitainu preserved in Japan. Its 2009 standard lists broad colours, while the 2022 AKC standard excludes merle patterns and liver colour; colour criteria remain registry-specific.
[3]