rant of inaccurate depictions of both Akitas on the internet
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.
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.
Comments
I suspect that it will be a long while before these two breeds are correctly disassociated.
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.
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.
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.
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.