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Revered
as"Ichiban"(number one) in Japan,
memorialized
on a postage stamp, sculpted in bronze at a railway station and
declared a Natural Monument; what greater honor could a dog enjoy?
For one, the breed was once owned solely by royalty in Japan,
and lavishly adorned with colorful leashes. These leashes were
hooked to silver studded collars or harnesses and were borne
by two men who wrapped the long cords around their waists.The
Akita pulled the two handlers as he made his powerful entry into
the show ring. Historians trace the arctic type hunting strains
back to Eurasian tribes several millenniums B.C. The Akita as
we know today evolved from a hunting dog of the Matagi people
who hunt the Northern Honshu Island. During the17th Century,
a great war lord encouraged the cross of the hunting dogs with
a fighting strain to improve his strength. Some of the crosses
were to the Tosa, Mastiff-like in structure, to the Chow, and
to other native species. Because of its ancestral ties to aggressiveness
towards other dogs, combined with hunting instincts, the Akita
can be a troublesome dog to try to adopt into the domestic home
scene. |
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The
Akita is NOT the dog for the faint of heart or the gentle owner
who desires a totally placid lap side companion. While the good
qualities and beauty of the animal makes him an attractive consideration
to would be owners, he is a responsibility to own and enjoy as
a mature adult. Akitas should not be let free to run in a park
to play with other dogs. His instinct to "hunt" and
challenge, to attempt to be "pack leader" may result
in strong skirmishes that the owner is not prepared for. If not
present as a pup, these instincts quickly develop during puberty
or shortly thereafter. Used as a hunter, the Akita can find quick
prey in small animals, so that must be a consideration before
adopting this breed into an established household with other
animals. Dogs of the same sex will be inevitably in conflict
with the Akita, due to his ancestral urge to dominate. After
World War II, only a handful of Akitas survived, and a society
in Japan was formed for the preservation of the breed. Our U.S.
stock had its igins from these survivors. The line that came
to the U.S. were the heavy-boned, loose-skinned Kongo line, plus
the more refined Ichinoseki lineage. A blend of the two emerged
and is more the rule today. In modern day Japan, the Akita is
an upright, often small-chested, tight skinned animal with exceptional
beauty in points of color, oriental eye shape,earset and full
tail. Their "ornamentals" are exquisite. Angulation
and bone development for work function has to be improved. Only
red, white,and brindle are colors allowed in the show ring in
Japan. |
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