The Akita is one of seven Japanese dog breeds designated as natural monuments, but it was not always recognized by this name. The Akita dog breed is thought to be descended from the now extinct and ancient Matagi Inu dogs used by the Matagi and other northern Japanese natives to hunt Sitka deer, wild boar, and Asian black bear.
A dog statue is a common sight in the many images of locals and tourists in Japan. An Akita, Hachiko, was given such an honor for showing loyalty to its owner over several years, waiting patiently for him at a familiar train station every day, even after his death. The sad story is a fitting tribute to the breed, one of the oldest in the country.
Many Akitas can still be seen wandering the streets of Japan with their masters. Learn more about these well-known Japanese dogs and their ancestors. Meanwhile, here are top internet casinos in Australia.
The Akita and the Matagi
For over 400 years, the Matagi civilization has been traditional hunters of deer and bear in Northern Japan’s forests. Hunting is a sacred ritual that begins with a prayer and is often performed in traditional garb for these men.
If a bear is killed (often with the same weapon that an ancestor used seven generations before), its remains are rendered with a traditional Matagi knife. Typically, an offering to the Yama-no-Kami (Deity of the Mountains) is left behind and becomes part of the bear. The Matagi hunt is a spiritual practice that an outsider was not permitted to document until 2017.
Before Japanese preservation societies saved native Japanese dog breeds such as the Shiba-Inu, Kai-Inu, Hokkaido-Inu, Ryukyu-Inu, Kisyu-Inu, and Shikoku-Inu, the Matagi bred the dogs for hunting, much like their forefathers.
Surprisingly, the Akita’s ancestor was the Matagi dog, and Matagi hunters employed it to locate larger prey. A sad old folk tale tells of a Matagi hunter named “Satoroku” who went hunting with his Akita named “Siro.”
Satoroku tracked an animal across the border by accident, but he eventually realized he’d forgotten his hunting license on his way back. When a border guard threatened to execute him if he did not present his license before dawn, Satoroku ordered his dog to hurry home and fetch the license.
Siro, who was exhausted, tried to run as quickly as possible, but it wasn’t quick enough to return to Satoroku in time. Siro alerted the village to the fact that his owner was executed.
The villagers erected a shrine called “Rouken-Zinzya” to honor this devoted dog. The shrine is in Odate city, and on April 17th, there is a feast to honor the Matagi dog – or Akita.
However, increased regulations, conflicts with environmentalists, high taxes, and special licenses given only after passing an exam have put the Matagi at risk of extinction, especially since its traditional lifestyle isn’t appealing to a younger generation. Matagi members are getting older. Moreover, here is the link to play casino online real money.
The Akita Inu
The Akita Inu is a Japanese breed of dog that stands out due to its strong, imposing, and powerful appearance. They are fearless, yet they maintain a quiet, calm, and dignified demeanor. Akitas are self-sufficient and reserved around strangers, but they are extremely loyal and docile to their family, though they rarely tolerate nonsense.
Akitas are large, spitz-like dogs bred to hunt bears but are now used as therapy dogs, pets, or military/police dogs. They have a strong temperament and a complex personality that is difficult to understand. The Akita is dominant and unaccepting of other animals, especially dogs of the same gender, and they demand consistent leaders capable of firm training.
Appearance
Akitas are big dogs with thick double coats similar to those of Siberian Huskies. Their coat is usually short but attributed to the prevalence of a recessive gene; some Akitas have long coats (known as Moku).
The coat colors of the Japanese and American Akitas differ, as the American Akita can come in any color. The Japanese Akita, on the other hand, may only have a few.
The Japanese Akita may be devoid of markings, whereas the American Akita has some markings, like a black mask. Akitas in Japan have fox-like heads and lighter features, whereas Akitas in America are heavier and have bear-like heads. Akitas have triangular, slightly angled ears.
A male Akita (American) is typically 66-71 cm (26-28 inches) tall and weighs 45-59 kg (100-130 lb). Females range in height from 61-66 cm (24-26 inches) and weight from 32-50 kg (70-110 lb). The Japanese Akita is slightly smaller and lighter than the American Akita.
Temperament and Character
Akitas are intelligent, handsome, and strong dogs known for their tenacity and bravery. They are also spontaneous, dominant, and self-sufficient in their behavior.
They are typically quiet and calm, and they tend to “think” first and then react as they assess situations before reacting to them. Because of this, they are unpredictable and difficult to read.
They are not animal friendly and reserved around strangers because they were not bred to survive in groups but instead work and live alone or in pairs. They can be aggressive to other pets and are especially intolerant of animals of the same gender.
The Akita’s careful and silent temperament prevents it from displaying aggression, and its attacks are unexpected, sudden, and quite ferocious. As a result, they should be kept as only pets.
The Akita Inu is a strong dog with a strong and complex personality, making it a difficult dog to own and raise. Akitas, however, make excellent pets when well-bred and trained, being extremely faithful and loyal to their family. It is a dog that an owner can rely on and trust, as they will go to any length to protect their family.
Akitas are very intense and possessive of their toys and food, and they don’t like being teased. People, especially children, should be instructed not to reach out to an Akita who is eating because they can become aggressive as a way of expressing, “this is my food, wait your turn!”
Despite their affection for children, they must not be left alone with kids who are not their own. Some countries consider Akitas to be dangerous dogs, and anyone thinking of getting one should consider the legal ramifications, such as insurance policies.
The general public negatively perceives Akita Inus, even though Akita owners find their dogs to be trustworthy and docile. They are also clean pets, with some characteristics similar to cats, like being delicate around the house, cleaning their faces after eating, and being quite difficult to please, becoming easily bored.
Akitas are used as therapy dogs, military or police dogs. They also make excellent athletes, competing in canine good citizen programs, conformation shows, agility, hunting, tracking, obedience, weight pulling, and personal protection dogs.