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Aoyama Japanese Akitas
( Page 2) << Back
Japanese Akita Photographs
1910-1940
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Originally, Akitas had
been owned by Japanese Royalty and primarily used for hunting before dog fighting
had become popular. Breeders in Japan began breeding the original characteristics
and purposes of the Akita back into their stock after prohibition of dog fighting
in 1908 and the emphasis was put back into breeding hunting dogs. For a great
while, Akitas were not allowed to be exported from Japan.. After World War
II, many United States military men returned home with Akitas. Communication
between Japanese and American dog breeders was nonexistent. Standards
were ignored or misinterpreted. As a result, the Akitas, who looked
very similar in the early to mid 1900s, began to look dramatically different.
For example, the black mask was virtually eliminated in Japan but they were
very popular in the USA The American Kennel Club (AKC) made the situation
worse by closing the stud book to Japanese imports in 1974, prohibiting future
imports into the AKC stud books and the American Akita's genetic pool was
dangerously limited to 139 dogs in the AKC Registry. Many of the Akitas in
the AKC stud book were never bred and most were closely related so an accurate
number for the gene pool is difficult to know. Then, in 1992, the AKC reopened
their Registry to Japanese imports, but only through a reciprocal agreement
with the Japanese Kennel Club (JKC). The JKC then decided to split the breed
into two breeds shortly after this agreement was made.
HIMIKO-GO
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Traditional Akita Collars
displayed at the Akita-Inu Museum in Odate, Japan
Japanese Grand Champions
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Only one Japanese Akita is selected annually by Akiho on May 3rd at a Grand National in Odate City, Akita Prefecture, Japan for this title. Japanese Akitas are Red, Brindle or White in Color and have no black mask. Quality Akitas are mostly registered with Akiho in Japan. Similar to the Shiba Inu problem, most reputable breeders do not register their Akitas in Japan with the Japan Kennel Club (JKC), the "reciprocal" club with the AKC, because the breeding standard and show criteria are not the same. Also, there has been continual problems with the JKC for many years in reliability of registration accuracy and proper ownership protection. The result of this is many Akitas now imported from Japan are not of the superior quality bred by avid Japanese Akiho breeders as they do not wish to register their dogs with the JKC. Learn more about Akiho by clicking this link.... The Akita Preservation Society (Japan) The official site for AKIHO
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Himiko
at 11months old
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Youkihi
at 11 months
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Ancestor
from the 1970's
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Tochi
No Arashi Go, Great Grand Sire |
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Japanese Akitas have a very good nature with people and children..... |
And
make superb guard dogs
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