Pick your breeder

Pick your breed

There is a lot of information available on the internet. Much of it is excellent and factual but some of it is opinions, misconceptions, half truths, suppositions, and just plain lies. 

There are a lot of websites showcasing this breed and the accomplishments of their breeder/owners. Here are some simple facts we feel are important to look for in a reputable, responsible breeder.

Good breeders don’t need to belittle other breeders or their dogs to make themselves look better. No dog is perfect, no breeder is infallible.  All dogs carry a given number of deleterious genes.  The best breeders are always learning about their breed, about dogs in general and about the science that goes into breeding.

Good breeders are not infallible. Either are bad breeders. The difference is how they handle the problems that arise in any breeding program, good and bad. Good breeders make it right. No exceptions. 

Good breeders do placement screening. This helps them protect their dogs from getting into an improper home and it allows them to choose the family who is right for the dog,

Good breeders do health checks proper for their breed. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals has a wonderful website that includes what disorders each breeder should screen for and what the results are for the dogs that have been screened. It is an invaluable resource.

Good breeders will only breed dogs with good temperaments. No exceptions. 

Lastly, good breeders do show their dogs. A dog show is more than a beauty contest, it is a forum designed to evaluate breeding stock. While a great producing dog might not be a champion for many reasons, a great producing breeder shows their dogs to be assured that they are breeding to the breed standard.

These are some simple facts about Akitas. There are certainly exceptions but as a whole, these are basic breed traits that sometimes cannot be determined until the dog is a mature adult. If you, as a novice breeder or future pet owner, just can’t deal with one of these traits, best to search for a different breed.

Akitas are dog aggressive.  Simply put, this means they will fight with another dog. 

Akitas are prey driven. Simply put, this means they will kill your neighbor’s cat if it runs through their yard looking like a bunny.  They kill bunnies too.

Akitas are strong minded. Simply put this means they may question your authority.

Akitas are highly intelligent. This means they reason, solve problems, make choices both right and wrong, are curious and inventive. This also means they are successful at obedience only if the trainer is smarter than the dog and the exercises are lots of fun.

Akitas shed huge twice a year. It is a big bunch of hair coming out almost all at once. A thorough grooming complete with bath and blow will take care of the worst of it.

Akitas are intuitive in ways that sometimes seem uncanny. They make excellent therapy dogs, self made service dogs, detection dogs and these abilities are usually innate, not the result of any sort of training.  

These are some of the traits of this breed that can make them difficult for some people to deal with. Not every individual dog exhibits all or even some of these traits but they would be the exception not the rule. These traits are a large part of what makes an Akita the sort of dog it is.