Whispering Pines Akitas

Japanese Akitas vs. American Akitas: One breed or two?
Just what is this "split" thing anyway?

Here at Whispering Pine's we are 100% Pro-Split. The ACA (Akita Club of America) failed to lead in this issue during the recent voting. As a consequence of their lack of action, other countries around the world have acted for them. In FCI Countries our beloved dogs have already been declared to be a separate breed from that of the Japanese Akita, unfortunately instead of naming the new breed, "American Akita" they chose to call our dog the "Great Japanese Dog." If the ACA had the leadership (and didn't let greed and personal interests blind them), to take the lead in this area, this would not have happened.

I truly believe that our dogs no longer look like or are like the Japanese Akitas. To see what I mean, all you have to do is to compare their breed standard against the AKC breed standard. Or look at photos of their dogs vs. photos of American Akita bloodline dogs. Many of the characteristics that define American Akitas, such as a black mask, are complete and total disqualifiers in Japan. Many of the coat colors of the American Akitas are not allowed in Japan, etc. We are breeding for a "bear like" head and they are breeding for a "fox" head. I'm very disappointed that if I were to take my dogs outside of the United States, that they would no longer be Akitas but the ridiculous term "Great Japanese Dog." To read more about this issue, see the links below. These are Pro-Split links only. To read the other side of this issue ("one Akita") you'll have to search on other Akita sites.

Some breeders here in the U.S. are even breeding the two types of dogs together and coming up with a third breed that is now refered to as "tweenies." The word come from the fact that they are breeding dogs that are "between" the two Akita standards. The style and "type" of our beloved American Akitas, that reputable caring breeders here in the U.S. have been breeding for, for decades, are now being lost by some "short" time newcomers (defined as 10 years or less in the breed), who know nothing about the history of the breed, could care less, and are only out to make money and a name for themselves. They don't care about that they are doing to the dogs or the future of the Akita in the United States. Tweenie has become such a derogatory term here in the U.S. that many breeders are now using the term "blend" to describe their Tweenies or refering to their dogs as 25% Import, etc.

There are many arguments for and against spliting the Akita breed here in the United States. Several of the more ridiculous reasons against spliting that I have heard recently include:

1.) We need the Japanese dogs in our gene pool for "diversity." The truth is, If anything, the Japanese Akita gene pool is even more narrow than that of the American Akitas. And they are breeding for a different body style and head type than we are. Why would you want to combine genes for a "fox" head with genes for a "bear" head? You end up with a dog that is neither. Makes no sense to me. Plus the Japanese Akitas suffer from just as much genetic disease as the American dogs. Breeding to their gene pools will NOT help the health of the American dogs.

2.) Spliting the breed here in the United States and calling our dogs "American Akitas" is racism!! This quite frankly is the stupidest and most ignorant comment I've heard yet regarding the split! The breed has already been split in Japan and in all FCI Countries. It is only here (United States), Canada, Australia, and the UK that both breeds are known as one. The Japanese have already declared that our dogs are not Akitas!

	ACA Members for Two Distict Breeds
	The Split by Katie Asling
	American Akita Preservation League
	The Case for Two Separate Akita Breeds
	The Akita Dilemma – One Breed or Two? : a historical perspective By Sophia Kaluzniacki, DVM

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