Akita Inu

History, origin & features

The Akita Inu is a very old breed. First described as a hunter, it later became a guard and fighting dog. There were two main bloodlines in Japan: Dewa and Ichinoseki, which gave rise to the “American Akita” and “Akita Inu” respectively, the latter being considered a “national treasure” in Japan. The breed became extremely popular worldwide following the incredible story of Hachiko, an Akita Inu who waited for his late human companion day after day on the platform of the train station where he was accustomed to meeting him after his day's work. The Akita Inu is a robust and rigorous dog. It's the largest of the Spitz family. Their coat is short, harsh, straight and full. Their coat can be fawn with sandy markings, brindle or white.