BRIEF
HISTORICAL SUMMARY:
In the beginning, the history of the Great Japanese Dog (formerly
American Akita) is identical with the development of the Japanese Akita.
Since 1603 in the Akita region, Akita Matagis (medium sized hunting
dogs) were used as fighting dogs. From 1868, the breed was crossbred
with Tosa (a mixture of Shikoku with German Pointing Dogs, St. Bernard
Dogs or Great Danes) and Mastiffs. The size of this breed increased, but
characteristics such as erect ears or curled tail, which are associated
with the Akita (Spitz type) were lost. As in 1908 dog fighting was
prohibited, the breed were nevertheless preserved as a large Japanese
breed and in 1931 was designated as Natural Monument.
During World War II (1939-1945), it was common to use dogs as a source
of fur for military garments. The police ordered the capture and
confiscation of all dogs other than German Shepherd Dogs used for
military purposes. Some fanciers tried to circumvent the order by
crossbreeding their dogs with German Shepherd Dogs
When World War II ended, Akitas had been drastically reduced in number
and existed as three distinct types: 1) Matagi Akitas 2) Fighting Akitas
and 3) Shepherd Akitas. This created a very confusing situation in the
breed.
During the restoration process of the pure breed after the war, Kongo-go
of the Dewa line enjoyed a temporary, but tremendous popularity. Many
Akitas of the Dewa line, which exhibited characteristics of the Mastiff
and German Shepherd influence, were brought back to the United States by
members of the military forces. The Akitas from the Dewa line,
intelligent and capable of adapting to different environments,
fascinated breeders in the United States and the line was developed with
increasing number of breeders and a great rise in popularity.
The Akita Club of America was established in 1956 and the American
Kennel Club (AKC) accepted the breed (inscription into the stud book and
regular show status) in October 1972. However, at this time, the AKC and
the JKC (Japan Kennel Club) did not have reciprocal agreements for
recognizing each other’s pedigrees and therefore the door was closed
for the introduction of the new bloodlines from Japan. Consequently,
Akitas in the United States became considerably different from those in
Japan, the country of origin. They developed as a type unique in the
United States, with characteristics and type unchanged since 1955. This
is in sharp contrast with the Japanese type that was crossbred with
Matagi Akitas for the purpose of restoring the original pure breed.
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
Large-sized dog, sturdily built, well balanced, with much substance and
heavy bone. The broad head, forming a blunt triangle, with deep muzzle,
relatively small eyes and erect ears carried forward almost in line with
back of neck, is characteristic of the breed.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS:
The ratio of height at withers to length of body is 9 to 10 in males and
9 to 11 in bitches.
The depth of the chest measures one-half of the height of the dog at
withers.
The distance from tip of nose to stop corresponds to the distance from
stop to occiput as 2 does to 3.
BEHAVIOR/TEMPERMENT:
Friendly, alert, responsive, dignified, docile, and courageous.
HEAD:
Massive, but in balance with the body, free of wrinkles when at ease..
Head forms a blunt triangle when viewed from above.
CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Flat and broad between ears. A shallow furrow extends well up on
forehead.
Stop: Well defined, but not too abrupt.
FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Broad and black. Flesh colour permitted on white dogs only, but
black always preferred.
Muzzle: Broad, deep and full.
Lips: Black and not pendulous; tongue pink. Flesh coloured lips
permitted in white dogs only.
Jaws/teeth: Jaws not rounded, but blunt, strong and powerful. Teeth
strong with regular and full dentition; scissor bite preferred, but
level bite acceptable.
Eyes: Dark brown, relatively small, not pronounced, almost triangular in
shape. Eye rims black and tight; flesh-coloured eye rims permitted in
white dogs only.
Ears: Strongly erect and small in relation to the rest of the head. If
the ear is folded forward for measuring length, tip will touch upper eye
rim. Ears are triangular, slightly rounded at tip, wide at base, not set
too low. Viewed from the side, the ears are angled forward over the eyes
following the line of the neck.
NECK: Thick and muscular with minimal dewlap, comparatively short,
widening gradually toward the shoulders. A pronounced crest blends
harmoniously into the base of the skull.
BODY:
Longer than high. Skin not too thin, neither too tight nor too loose.
Back: Level
Loin: Firmly muscled
Chest: Wide and deep. Ribs well sprung with well developed brisket.
Underline and Belly: Moderate tuck-up.
TAIL:
Large and well furnished with hair, set high and carried over back or
against flank in a three-quarter, full, or double curl, always dipping
to or below level of back. On a three-quarter curl, tip drops well down
on flank. Root large and strong. The terminal bone of tail reaches hock
when let or pulled down. Hair coarse, straight and dense, with no
appearance of a plume.
LIMBS:
Forequarters: Forelegs heavy-boned and straight as viewed from front.
Shoulders: Strong and powerful with moderate layback
Pasterns: Slightly sloping forward in an angle of approximately 15
degrees to the vertical.
Hindquarters: Strongly muscled, width and bone comparable to
forequarters.
Dewclaws on hind legs customarily removed.
Upper thigh: Strong, well developed, parallel when viewed from behind.
Stifles: Moderately bent
Hocks: Well let down, turning neither in nor out.
Feet: Straight, cat feet, well knuckled up with thick pads.
GAIT/MOVEMENT:
Powerful, covering ground with moderate reach and drive. Movement
parallel when viewed from front and behind, back remaining strong, firm,
and level.
COAT:
Hair: Double-coat. Undercoat thick, soft, dense and shorter than outer
coat. Outer coat straight, harsh/stiff and standing somewhat off body.
Hair on head, lower legs and ears short. Length of hair at withers and
rump approximately 5 cm, which is slightly longer than on rest of body,
except tail, where coat is longest and most profuse.
COLOUR:
Any colour like red, fawn, white, etc; or even pinto and brindle.
Colours are brilliant and clear, and marking are well balanced, with or
without mask or blaze. White dogs (solid in colour) have no mask. Pinto
have a white ground colour with large, evenly placed patches covering
head and more than one-third body. Undercoat may have a different colour
from the outer coat.
SIZE:
Height at withers: For males: 66-71 cm (26-28 inches)
For bitches: 61-66 cm (24-26 inches)
FAULTS:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and
the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in
exact proportion to its degree.
Feminine dogs, masculine bitches
Narrow or snipey head
Any missing tooth (except 2 of the PM1 and/or M3)
Spotted tongue
Light eyes
Short tail
In or out at elbows
Any indication of ruff or feathering
Shyness or viciousness
SERIOUS FAULTS
Light in substance
Light bone
ELIMINATING FAULTS:
Butterfly nose or total lack of pigmentation on nose on dogs other than
white.
Drop, hanging, or folded ears
Under or overshot bite
Sickle or uncurled tail
Dogs under 63.5 cm (25 inches), bitches under 58.5 cm (23 inches)
N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully
descended into the scrotum.
