AKITA BREED STANDARD
General Appearance
Large, powerful, alert,
with much substance and heavy bone. The broad head, forming a blunt triangle, with deep muzzle, small eyes and erect ears
carried forward in line with back of neck, is characteristic of the breed. The large, curled tail, balancing the broad head,
is also characteristic of the breed.
Head
Massive but in balance
with body; free of wrinkle when at ease. Skull flat between ears and broad; jaws broad and powerful with minimal dewlap. Head
forms a blunt triangle when viewed from above. Fault--Narrow or snipey head. Muzzle--Broad and full. Distance
from nose to stop is to distance from stop to occiput as 2 is to 3. Stop--Well defined, but not too abrupt. A shallow
furrow extends well up forehead. Nose--Broad and black. Black noses on white Akitas preferred, but a lighter colored
nose with or without shading of black or gray tone is acceptable. Disqualification-- partial or total lack of pigmentation
on the nose surface. Ears--The ears of the Akita are characteristic of the breed. They are strongly
erect and small in relation to rest of head. If ear is folded forward for measuring length, tip will touch upper eye rim.
Ears are triangular, slightly rounded at tip, wide at base, set wide on head but not too low, and carried slightly forward
over eyes in line with back of neck. Disqualification--Drop or broken ears. Eyes--Dark brown, small,
deep-set and triangular in shape. Eye rims black and tight. Lips and Tongue--Lips black and not pendulous; tongue
pink. Teeth--Strong with scissors bite preferred, but level bite acceptable. Disqualification--undershot
or overshot.
NeckandBody
Neck--Thick
and muscular; comparatively short, widening gradually toward shoulders. A pronounced crest blends in with base of skull.
Body--Longer
than high, as to 10 is to 9 in males; 11 to 9 in bitches. Measurement from the point of the sternum to the point of buttocks.
Chest wide and deep; reaching down to the elbow, the depth of the body at the elbow equals half the height of the dog at the
withers. Ribs well sprung, brisket well developed. Level back with firmly-muscled loin and moderate tuck-up. Skin pliant but
not loose. Serious Faults--Light bone, rangy body.
Tail
Large and full, set high and carried
over back or against flank in a three-quarter, full, or double curl, always dipping to or below level of back. On a three-quarter
curl, tip drops well down flank. Root large and strong. Tail bone reaches hock when let down. Hair coarse, straight and full,
with no appearance of a plume. Disqualification--Sickle or uncurled tail.
Forequarters and Hindquarters
Forequarters--Shoulders
strong and powerful with moderate layback. Forelegs heavy-boned and straight as viewed from front. Angle of pastern 15 degrees
forward from vertical. Faults--Elbows in or out, loose shoulders. Hindquarters--Width, muscular development
and bone comparable to forequarters. Upper thighs well developed. Stifle moderately bent and hocks well let down, turning
neither in nor out. Dewclaws--On front legs generally not removed; dewclaws on hind legs generally removed. Feet--Cat
feet, well knuckled up with thick pads. Feet straight ahead.
Coat
Double-coated. Undercoat thick, soft,
dense and shorter than outer coat. Outer coat straight, harsh and standing somewhat off body. Hair on head, legs and ears
short. Length of hair at withers and rump approximately two inches, which is slightly longer than on rest of body, except
tail, where coat is longest and most profuse. Fault--Any indication of ruff or feathering.
Color
Any color including white;
brindle; or pinto. Colors are rich, brilliant and clear. Markings are well balanced, with or without mask or blaze. White
Akitas have no mask. Pinto has a white background with large, evenly placed patches covering head and more than one-third
of body. Undercoat may be a different color from outer coat.
Gait
Brisk and powerful with
strides of moderate length. Back remains strong, firm and level. Rear legs move in line with front legs.
Size
Males 26 to 28 inches
at the withers; bitches 24 to 26 inches. Disqualification--dogs under 25 inches; bitches under 23 inches.
Temperament
Alert and responsive,
dignified and courageous. Akitas may be intolerant of other dogs, particularly of the same sex.
Disqualifications
Partial or
total lack of pigmentation on nose.
Drop or broken ears.
Undershot or overshot.
Sickle or uncurled
tail.
Dogs under 25 inches;
bitches under 23 inches.
Approved May 12,
2009
Effective July 1, 2009