An important part of understanding this breed is to learn their History, which includes the story of how the 2 breeds came about.

 

Some of the Best resources on learning about the Japanese Akita and their history is to refer to the suggested reading list on the previous page, however below is a summary of the history as we understand it:

 

The Ancestors of the Akita originate from the Akita Prefecture of Northern Japan.

 

In ancient times the Akita was referred to by many names depending on where exactly they came from or what they were used for, but most commonly they were known as ‘Matagi-Inu’ or ‘Hunting Dog’.

The Matagi's prey was the elk, antelope, boar, and the Yezo or Asian brown bear. This swift, agile, unswervingly tenacious dog tracked large game and held it at bay until the hunters arrived to make the kill.

 

The original Matagi-Inu were a medium sized dog who were stoic and fearless and so, as social conditions changed, wealthy farmers and influential families began using them as guard dogs for their homes. They bred them larger for a more imposing appearance and eventually this evolved into use for dog fighting where they were called ‘Kuwae-Inu’.

 

As dog fighting became more and more popular, the Kuwae-Inu were crossed with Larger, Mastiff, Great Dane and St Bernard type dogs in the quest for larger and more fierce fighting dogs.

 

Thankfully, the original type Matagi-Inu remained in the Mountains and small villages near Odate preserving the original Akita type and in 1931, the Akita was officially declared a Japanese National Monument.

 

The Mayor of Odate City in the Akita Prefecture organized the Akita Inu Hozankai (AKIHO) to preserve and improve the original Akita as a national treasure through careful breeding.

 

Just as the breed was stabilizing, World War II erupted and pushed the Akita to the brink of extinction.

 

Early in the war, the dogs suffered from lack of nutritious food. Many were killed to be eaten by the starving populace, and their pelts were used as clothing.

 

At one point, the government ordered all remaining dogs to be killed on sight to prevent the spread of disease. The only way concerned owners could save their beloved Akitas was to breed them to German Shepherds who were valued in the military, turn them loose in the most remote mountain areas or conceal them from authorities.

 

Thus, it is important to note that three types of dogs were generally included under the name "AKITA." These were :

• the Matagi-type Akita, which was the original hunting dog,

• the fighting Akita which was a mixture of Matagi with several other breeds

• And the so-called German Shepherd Akita

 

After the war a number of Akita of the Larger types were taken to the USA where they were bred to the conformation that the Americans knew and fancied: Larger dogs with stronger heads, more Bone, Black facial Masks and a huge range of different colours.
 

This American type of Akita still maintained the dignified, loyal and aloof temperament of the traditional Japanese Akita, but differed vastly in the physical conformation of the original Akita Inu.

 

In the Years that followed Japanese breeders worked to breed back to the original look of the Akita, and today the 2 breeds of Akita are recognized separately in most countries around the world