rant of inaccurate depictions of both Akitas on the internet

jellyfish

okay... don't ask why I was on martha stewarts website. I hate the woman. (I think I was looking up calm dog breeds because of our "top 5 dog to own" thread, and this is where my search led me.)

http://www.marthastewart.com/264780/akc-meet-the-breeds-akita

I'm pretty sure that is a "tweeny". Good looking dog, but now that we live in a country where there is a split of Japanese and American akitas, it frustrates me to see this advertised as one akita. I've seen this before on other websites too.

Also, dogbreedinfo.com is very frustrating as well when it comes to akitas. They acknowledge the split, but the description are annoying because they make both akitas out to be dominance-hungry, uncontrollable and difficult beasts, and the photos people have submitted are wrong too. Half aren't actually japanese akitas.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/a/akitainu.htm

Okay end rant.

PoetikDragon

Half? Try none!

MapleTwinkie

I was at the local Indigo book store today, just looking for stuff on how to raise and train puppies, etc. and went through some of the books on dog breeds. All the books featured American Akitas or Tweenies in the phoots (yet all called them "Japanese Akitas"), and described demeanours that are more akin to AA's than JA's.

I suspect that it will be a long while before these two breeds are correctly disassociated.

shibamistress

We do live in a country where the breed was split? In the US? AKC? Did I miss something?

But yeah, the Martha Stewart thing was annoying, but not as annoying as the description of the Akitas on the dogbreed info! A lot of people still believe that crap, though!

The dog on te Martha Stewart page was handsome, but looked like an AA.

jellyfish

@shibamistress the UKC now recognizes the split, thanks to *jackburton* and a bunch of other people. This happened this past march-ish. There still are not any shows set up, or not at least to my knowledge. I've registered Toki with the UKC.

http://www.ukcdogs.com/Web.nsf/Breeds/NorthernBreed/JapaneseAkita


The most frustrating thing I have ever seen in regards to the split was when I was at an AKC dog show watching the Akitas. All were american EXCEPT there was a tweeny! It was kind of like a red sesame American Akita but with japanese akita urajiro and a weirdly shaped head and weird stocky body. I mean, as a dog, it was good looking. But why the hell would you put it in a show.

shibamistress

Oh, ok. I know about that! I just don't consider that a full split myself. I would if the AKC recognized them as a different breed though...Not at all to discount all the work everyone with the UKC, esp. Sean.

I saw a really beautiful sesame tweenie at a show once too. She was lovely, though probably in general poorly bred, not just a mix of the two. She looked a bit like a big Shikoku. It was at an Akita speciality show, and she the only dog shown in the owner/handler novice class. What I did like was all the other Akita people who were quite experience, and must have known she had no chance to win, were super nice and helpful to the young man showing, giving him handling tips, etc. And she was a beautiful dog, just surprising to see in an AKC show.

*JackBurton*

AKC would the final step to a true split. It is important to note that the control that AKC once had on th entire US dog world has shrunk considerabily in the last decade or so. The number of registrants are down and people are turning to other places.

The general public in the US is just starting to learn about the JA. It's amazing when people email me regarding a puppy and ask is the dog has Akiho registration and is not a blend/tweenie etc. We can thank the Internet, Richard Gere, and social media for that.

PoetikDragon

Richard Gere and his tweenie and shiba co-stars!

*JackBurton*

Deep down inside I always knew Jason Alexander was a blend.

jellyfish

he does have a nub tail.