If you want a profoundly loyal, striking looking, large and powerful dog as a companion, the Akita may be the perfect breed for you. These brave and courageous dogs were originally bred as guard dogs for Japanese royalty. They were also used as tracking dogs by hunters of black bears and wild boar.
Looking for Akita puppies for sale nearby? Before you pick up the phone and call a breeder, here’s some important information about this breed you should know.
The Akita is a large muscular dog that stands 24-28 inches tall on average and weighs an impressive 70-130 pounds. So, this is definitely not the breed for everyone. It takes a special kind of person to be able to handle such as large dog. The Akita has a life expectancy of around 10-14 years.
Akitas are reasonably affectionate with family members but not to the point of being lovey-dovey. If you are a family with young children, you can consider the Akita, but keep this dog’s size in mind. You’ll have to closely supervise any interaction between young kids and this large animal. It is generally not recommended that you have other dogs along with an Akita in your family as they are innately less likely to get along with other dogs.
Given that they were bred to be watchdogs, Akitas have a highly protective nature and make great guard dogs. They are moderately playful with family members but tend to be reserved with strangers. Your Akita dog will adapt to some extent to changes in noise, weather, schedule, etc.
Akitas can be trained but they are not overly eager to please so it does take some patience and firm guidance. They have moderately high energy levels and mental stimulation needs. Most of the time, an Akita will only bark to alert you of something unusual going on.
In terms of grooming care, the Akita’s medium length double coat sheds moderately and needs to be brushed 2-3 times a week. These dogs do not drool much, however.
All in all, Akitas are imposing, muscular dogs of Japanese lineage with a thick double coat, large broad head, erect ears, and shining alert eyes. They are quiet and brave but do have an affectionate side that they show only to family members and friends.
If you’re looking for the best Akita breeders, you’ve come to the right place. Puppy Hero pre-screens all breeders listed on our site to ensure you can bring home a happy, healthy Akita puppy with complete peace of mind.
