A large native Japanese dog that was originally used for tracking and hunting large game animals like bear and antelope can sound like an exciting dog to own! But one of the most important things you can do before selecting the dog breed you would like to have for a longtime companion and friend is to really take a hard look at which breed is going to be best for your long term needs. It may or may not be the Akita Inu and that is what this article is going to help you determine.

The Akita Inu is a large dog with a storied history. DNA testing has confirmed that it is one of the oldest known breeds of dog known to man. Even so, it is still a dog that is meant for certain situations and personalities and there are a few things to consider before rushing out and finding one for your very own. Several of these are the dog’s size, temperament, and basic needs.

The Akita Inu size is the first thing you should consider. As mentioned previously The Akita was used to hunt large game animals and this required it to have a large and intimidating physical presence. A fluffy poodle wouldn’t do much good as a bear hunting dog now would it? So before even considering if the Inu dog would be a good pet choice you should make sure you want and can handle the size of such a large dog. The breed stands around 25 inches (63cm) at the shoulders and can weigh up to 100 pounds. This is not going to be a dog you would keep in a very small apartment.

After considering the size you should also be aware of the Akita temperament or the breed’s personality to put it another way. As a hunting dog from ancient Japan the breed can be somewhat destructive if not exercised and trained correctly. The breed has a very high intelligence level and as a result they can get bored and look for things to chew if you do not give them enough stimulation. With that said the Akita Inu is also a very loyal dog. If you can handle the responsibility that comes with the dog you will get back the most loyal companion you have ever met. The Akita Inu is the breed depicted in the true story of Hachiko in which the dog went day after day to meet his master coming home from the train station. After the Hachiko’s master passed away the dog would still go day after day looking for his master and never wavered in his loyalty.

Finally you will have to consider the whole package of the needs of this dog breed. The Akita Inu will need a large area to exercise and sleep. In addition you will need to provide a large amount of food for the dog and that can increase the financial responsibility.

As long as you consider these things and can meet the requirements you may find that an Akita will be the perfect companion for you. If so they can be a very loving and loyal breed and I wish you the best of luck in finding the perfect match for yourself.

The author has a passion for pets of all kinds but especially large dog breeds. To read more about the Akita Inu dog please visit the author’s Akita dogs site.

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