Akita (dog breed)

The only large breed of the six, from the snowy north of Honshu. Dogs around Ōdate in Akita Prefecture were once kept for guarding and fighting, and preservationists steered them back towards the older hunting type; in 1931 the breed became the first of the six declared a natural monument, and Hachikō made it famous. The Japanese type is foxier and lighter than its American cousin, in red, sesame, brindle or white with pale urajiro markings. Living with one means a dignified, territorial dog that is often intolerant of other dogs and needs a firm, calm owner. Ask breeders about autoimmune conditions such as sebaceous adenitis and VKH-like syndrome, along with hips and thyroid.