Choosing an Akita

I want a dog

Before choosing an Akita you first need to make sure you really want a dog. Whether you can integrate a dog in your life, take care of it, feed it properly, take the time for training and - very important - just time doing nothing except 'be together'. A dog is a very social animal and he won't grow up to be a happy pet when he's alone too much.

Choosing a horse or a dog?
Photo credit

At first I actually wanted a horse but keeping a horse in my backyard is not such a good plan. But I did want a friendly animal with which I could get a close bond; that I could actually train - like I did horses. And so I though… well, what about a dog? And what kind of dog breed will be my match?

There are so many dog breeds, but I really wanted a dog with a natural appearance. Much like a wolf, with normal ears, normal height, normal nose etc.

I read dog books, went to dog shows, went to dog schools, talked to dog breeders and everytime the Akita breed just got my attention. But Akita's are not for first time dog owners (I grew up with dogs, but never owned a dog of my own) and Akita's are dominant and Akita's are difficult to handle and Akita's will chase small animals and Akita's are very heavy shedders etc etc.

And so I started my research again, only to keep ending up with the Akita. Akita's are known for their loyalty, they look very proud too, bark only when necessary, don't have that typical dog smell, are intelligent, and the list goes on - which I'm sure you can complete if you are an Akita owner yourself.

Choosing an Akita breeder

As a first time dog owner I really wanted to start with an Akita puppy instead of adopting an adult Akita. I wanted to know his background and make sure he's a clean sheet. And so the journey to find a reputable Akita breeder started.

As I still wasn't 100% sure the Akita was the right breed for me I went on an Akita breeder trail through the Netherlands (this is where I live by the way). I met several very nice people and they all took the time to tell me about their passion. They spend hours and hours telling me about this breed, not trying to sell me and I visited them when there were no puppies. This is the best time, I think, to visit any dog breeder as you protect yourself from impulsive decisions.

When I was visiting an Akita Club Day I noticed a very charismatic Akita from Italy, by the name of Esashigun Go Kajitsu No. I already had contact with the breeders who brought this dog to the Netherlands to mate with their bitch.

Sashi and Kashira - the Akita parents

As I was put on a waiting list to be the first to hear when the mating succeeded, I can already tell you that my Akita's father is not Esashigun (and his mother is not Kashira). I'll explain later as it has nothing to do with the story here.

Do you want a male hound or a bitch?

Esashigun ('sashi') at 7 months

Akita's can be very dominant dogs and as I had been reading a lot I was presuming that a bitch would be "easier". I discussed this with the breeder and - knowing this would be my first Akita - she advised me to choose a male. She said "sure, they can be more dominant but then again, they are also more predictive so you can always be one step ahead" plus "males like to cuddle more".

I took her advice.

Choosing an Akita puppy

I'm skipping a few months here - more than a year in fact - to go to the moment where I had to choose one of the puppies in the nest.

There were 4 male Akita puppies born and I had to choose one. Of course they all are cute so how do you go about choosing an Akita?

I handled all four of them one at a time. See how they respond when I uplift them; see whether they keep calm and trustful. There was only one that was struggling with me a bit.

I observed their behavior as they played and walked from room to room. One clearly stood out as being the smartest of the pack. And when this particular puppy took the initiative to come to me and sit next to my feet I knew for sure… this is the one.

This is the one!

I never have regretted any of the choices I made. I chose a dog, I chose an Akita, I chose a breeder, I chose a male, I chose a puppy and I chose Kensho. My Akita that I love deeply.

I hope you liked my personal story about choosing an Akita and introducing Kensho as a puppy of 7 weeks. I'll continue sharing information and stories with you. Below you'll find a form to share your story.