Akita

The Akita is Japan's largest native breed — a powerful spitz from the northern mountains, and a designated natural monument in its own country.

History

It comes from Akita prefecture in northern Honshu, where it hunted bear, boar and deer and later, unhappily, was used for dog fighting. The breed nearly vanished twice: once when fighting stock diluted it, and again during the Second World War, when dogs were culled for their pelts. Hachiko, who waited at Shibuya station for his dead owner for nine years, was an Akita, and the story did more for the breed's survival than any registry.

Temperament

The breed is known for being dignified, quiet and profoundly loyal to its own household, with little interest in strangers and famously little patience for other dogs of the same sex. It is not demonstrative; the attachment is deep and undemonstrative at once.

Care and training

It needs firm, calm handling from an owner it respects, thorough socialising from puppyhood, and secure boundaries. Exercise needs are moderate but daily. The thick double coat blows out twice a year in quantity that surprises first-time owners.

Health

Known tendencies include hip dysplasia, autoimmune conditions including a thyroid disorder, and progressive retinal atrophy. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.