American Akita dogs are powerful, heavy, and muscular, and they can look intimidating from afar. When they are well-trained by their owners, they are confident, intelligent, and loyal; that it’s impossible not to fall in love with them. Read more about them on this site here.
Even though they are widespread in America, these breeds were originally from Japan, and they were given the work of guarding the nobility. They hunt for bears and wild boars, and they deter burglars from entering a property.
Physical Characteristics to Know About
The American Akita is a muscular and strongly built Spitz-type dog, and they have a responsive and more alert look. Their features are discussed more below:
Muzzle: Broad and short muzzles are some of their distinctive looks.
Face: They look like a bear, and you may see them as having a triangular feature when you look from above.
Ears: The ears are triangular, erect, and short and they have rounded tips.
Nose: Noses are often described as broad and having a black color. For the white Akitas, their noses may be a lighter shade of gray or black.
Tails: They are known to have long, curly, and thick tails.
Size: Their weight can be up to 130 pounds, and the height can be from 25 to 28 inches.
Lifespans: These breeds can live up to a decade, and others are known to reach 12 years of age.
Temperament
These guard dogs are not frightened easily, and they are exceptional in what they do. They were born to guard and instinctively protect their masters, so they can be pretty aggressive and stubborn when they are not familiar with someone. The American Akita dog breed never backs down to a challenge, but they are very affectionate towards their family.
It’s important to socialize the puppies while they are still young. Encourage them to interact with small children, other puppies, and pets in the house. If they were not trained at an early age, you could expect them to be aggressive and won’t back down to fights.
Other characteristics that make them lovable include being fearless, loyal, quiet, brave, and affectionate. It’s best if you don’t have two Akita males in the house, or it can cause an uproar.
Cuddling with this Breed
You may be asking if Akitas love to cuddle. If your home is full of other pets and toddlers, then this is not the recommended canine for you. As with any other pets, you can find them affectionate, but they can be rough when playing. They should be trained well at a young age, and they should know their master’s children to prevent any unwanted aggression.
They are very protective and can be described as calm when you want to play with them. They are very patient, quiet, and seldom get annoyed with a toddler’s naughtiness. However, there’s biting when the playing gets to an extent, so it’s best if you are present during playtime.
Children should have proper guidance on how to play with this pet. You should never leave them alone with an Akita. They already have an instinctive aggressiveness, and this is something that you should watch out for.
Firm training is needed, and they thrive best if you are frequently at home to accompany them. They want to be part of the family, and you may even hear them “murmuring” about the laundry and tasks needed to be done inside the house.
When they feel that they are not part of the family, they may become destructive, especially in the backyard. You need to understand that they want to take things in their mouth, whether it’s your slipper, newspaper, and more. Taking your wrist and guiding it to the outside because they want to walk with you can be described as normal behavior.
If you’re not a dominant leader or owner, they will take advantage of this and treat themselves as in charge of everything. This can be quickly done by training them and ensuring that they are busy with safer activities like fetching you the newspaper or doing other chores.
Care They Require
The American Akita needs premium dog food that has fewer calories. The calorie count is important so they will not get overweight. Proteins are necessary for their diets, and they should contain about 18% of their food ingredients. Read more tips about diet in this link: https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/diet-nutrition.
Another thing to know is that the balance of carbohydrates and fats should be just right. This is because they need energy throughout the day and a digestive fiber that will hasten their metabolism. Know that these breeds may be prone to skin-related issues, so their diet should be well-tailored to protect them from different kinds of medical conditions.
Exercise
The Akita is not a very hyper breed. Still, they require a few hours of daily exercise as they would want to run on fenced grounds or play in the backyard. You can walk them with a leash, or they can jog back and forth whenever they want. It’s recommended that you not let them exercise when it’s hot outside during the summer months because they are more acquainted with colder climates. This way, you’ll reduce them from overheating.
Grooming
They can shed moderately throughout the year, but there are times that you should watch out for them getting lots of hair a couple of times a year. You can help them by frequently brushing their coats and bathing them.
