The Akita, which is also called Akita inu and Akita ken is a breed of dog originating from Japan. The Akita is actually the result of a crossbreeding with the Tosa and the Mastiff, which increased its size. This breed of dog dates back about 300 years and was originally bred to hunt bear, deer and wild boar.

It is said that an American writer named Helen Keller brought the first Akita to North America in the 1930s after she was given a dog during a visit to Japan.

The Akita is a large dog with a robust and well-proportioned build. It is now mainly used as a guard or police dog in Japan. An adult dog can reach between 58 and 70 cm at the shoulder and its weight is between 59 and 70 lbs for the female and between 70 and 90 lbs for the male. Its fur is fawn red, sesame, white or brindle.

This unique dog is gifted with great intelligence and a surprising capacity for reasoning. He is also very close to his family and turns out to be a gentle, friendly and affectionate animal while on the contrary, he can show no interest in strangers and even be extremely reserved. This is also what makes him a very good guard dog. The Akita is a very calm dog that enjoys daily walks but is not known for being a big eater, which sometimes worries owners a lot at first. To properly raise your Akita, you must be able to combine firmness and gentleness at the same time (an iron fist in a velvet glove) because they are dogs with a strong character. It is also a very dominant breed with its peers of the same breed, which makes cohabitation very difficult or even impossible. Even though the Akita does not have a runaway temperament, it remains that it is very independent and that a bad recall command can lead it to live its life and wander alone. It is therefore essential to teach it the recall command from a young age and, as this command is one of the hardest to assimilate for this breed, it should never be taken for granted.

Hachiko is the most famous Akita. A statue in his honor stands in front of Shibuya Station in Tokyo. This now famous dog accompanied his master to the station every day and waited for him in front of it until his return. Even after his master died, he continued to wait for him for 9 years, until his own death - he was fed by the locals. A Japanese film, loosely based on this story, was also made in 1987 and was remade in 2009 under the name "Hatchi" by the United States.

Source: Wikipedia