January 2004
III-1.1 GROUP III WORKING DOGS
Head
(a) Skull
Massive but in balance with body, tending to be flat on top with the
rest of the head forming a blunt triangle when viewed from top. Free
from wrinkles when at ease. Median fissure clearly visible and stop
well defined. Cheeks moderately developed.
(b) Muzzle - Broad, full. Distance from nose to stop is the distance
from stop to occiput as two is to three.
(c) Nose - Broad and black. Liver nose permitted on white Akitas only,
but black preferred.
(d) Mouth - Clean, powerful jaws. Tongue pink. Teeth strong with
scissors bite - but level bite acceptable. No black spots on tongue.
Lips black and heavy, but not pendulous.
(e) Eyes - Dark brown: Small, deep set and triangular in shape. Eye
rims black and tight.
(f) Ears - of the Akita are characteristic of the breed. They are strongly
erect and small in relation to the size of the head. 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.
Neck
The neck is thick and muscular; comparatively short, widening gradually
towards shoulders. A pronounced crest blends in with base of skull.
Forequarters
(a) Shoulders - Strong and powerful with moderate layback.
(b) Upper Arm - Heavy-boned and straight as viewed from front.
Elbows turning neither in nor out.
(c) Lower Arm - Heavy-boned and straight as viewed from front.
Dewclaws optional.
(d) Pasterns - Angle of pastern 15 degrees from vertical.
(e) Feet -Thick, round and very tight with arched toes (cat feet) straight
ahead, pads thick.
Body
(a) Topline - Level back.
(b) Chest - Is wide and deep. Depth of chest is one-half height of dog
at shoulder. Ribs well-sprung, brisket will-developed.
(c) Loin - Firmly muscled and moderate tuck up.
(d) Abdomen - Is drawn up and tucked up.
(e) Croup - Is slightly rounded.
AKITA
Hindquarters
(a) Hip bone - Width, muscular development and bone comparable to
front.
(b) Upper thigh - Well developed and powerful, stifle moderately
angled.
(c) Lower thigh Should be comparable to forequarters, dewclaws
optional.
(d) Hocks - Strong hocks, less angular than many breeds (145-160
degrees) turning neither in nor out.
(e) Feet - Same as front.
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 thick and strong.
Tail reaches hock when let down. Hair coarse, straight and full, with no
appearance of a plume.
Gait
Brisk and powerful. Vigorous. Back remains firm and level. Rear legs
move in line with front legs.
Faults
1. Over-refinement in males;
2. coarseness in bitches;
3. lack of chest;
4. elbows in or out;
5. light bone, rangy body;
6. straight hocks;
7. excessive dewlap;
8. indication of ruff or feathering;
9. round or light eye.
The foregoing description is that of the ideal Akita. Any deviation from the
above-described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation,
keeping in mind the original purpose of the breed.
Note
A male animal MUST have two apparently normal testicles full descended
into the scrotum.
Canadian Kennel Club Official Breed Standards
AKITA GROUP III WORKING DOGS III-1.2
January 2004
III-1.3 GROUP III WORKING DOGS
Disqualifications
1. Monorchids or cryptorchids;
2. Viciousness, instability;
3. Excessively over/undershot;
4. Uncurled or sickle tail;
5. Albinos:
6. Butterfly nose;
7. Drop or broken ears;
8. Entropion or ectropion;
9. Long coats;
10. Males under twenty-five (25) inches (64 cm); bitches under
twenty-three (23) inches (58 cm);
11. Altering of coat or general appearance by scissoring or clipping.
