9
9
1- My Sakura
2- Opened
letter to the leaders of the Club...and other clubs
3- For
me, the ideal
4- An
advice to much people: abstain
5- A
Samourai with 4 legs
6- Servants
just for them
7- With
the other dogs
8- Anecdote
about slipper
10-In short
Some
History....
The
origin of this dog of legend is lost in the mists of time, and its history
is closely related to that of the "Land of the Rising Sun". We can
think that the wolf, (or "wolf-hound") its direct ancestor, arrived there
about 7000 years ago,with the "Jomon"people. Coming from the Caucasus,
or Siberia, this people is the ancestor of the
"Aïnou"people, whose descendants now live in Japan, in the North-East
of the island of "Honshu",
where city Akita is. Mummified dogs have be found there, as well as drawings,
about 2000 years old, dogs looking very like our present friends ... About
4000 years ago, the first Chinese immigrants arrived in Japan... with their
dogs. It is considered that Akita are the result of crossings between
large Northern dogs and Chinese Chow. Now, closer to our time, we have
a more precise idea of the history of Akita since the Edo era (from the
beginning of the 16th to the end of the 19th century), these dogs were
regarded as demi-gods. Only the imperial family, the nobles and Samourais
only could have them... They had their apartments, personal servants, and
one spoke to them in a language especially created for them, "the words
of the dog"... At that time, whoever wounded or killed an Akita was imprisoned
or even executed...! They were companions, watchdogs, and also gun dogs,
with big game 
(initially
with the bear, then with the stag, roe-deer, etc...). It is said that two
Akita could kill a bear, thanks to their extraordinary courage, their great
speed of execution and particularly their very sharf intelligence which
enabled them to take advantage of the least mistake.
Qualities which
they still have... At the end of the 19th century, the destiny of these
dogs was transformed: crossed with Tosa, Mastiffs, and other dogs, they
became heavier, and stronger, and one found them in the fighting rings...
Several decades passed, with wars and famines, and our friends lost their
identity and... their breed. About 1910-20, a group of enthousiasts
decided "to restart" and to reabilitate the breed, starting from pure dogs,
preserved in the Mataji mountains .
In
1931, the Japanese government named this breed : "natural national Monument"
of Japan. This added to the publication, through the country, of the history
of HACHIKO, saved the Akita ... Hachiko was only a young Akita 18 months
old when his owner died. He was accustomed to accompanying him to the station
every morning, and meeting him every evening, until the day when...
he waited in vain... Then, for ten years, Hachiko waited for his master
every evening, until he also died, in 1935... A statue of him was erected
in this station, in front of which, it is said, the lovers come to swear
fidelity to each other! The Second World War put a brake on this
beginning of revival... Hazardous crossings with German Shepherds gave
birth to a new line, so that at the end of the war, there were three differents
types : fighting-Akita, very "mixed", shepherd-Akita, and Mataji-Akita,
purest... Gradually, the first disappeared and the third was more and more
chosen to arrive at what is now the standard. As for the second, it gaves
rise to American Akita, now called "Great Japanese Dog". Today we find
2 very different breeds, sharing the same eventful history...
They
are very courageous, affectionate, 
proud
and independent dogs.They are also very calm, (a little lazy) but when
they "start", we should not let ourselves be taken by surprise because
they can be very impetuous and quick to act.Their very balanced intelligence
gives them an astonishing faculty for reasoning and judgement.They are
adorable and protective towards children. Akita are excellent guards, bark
very little, but are vigilant and... dissuasive...! We are charmed
by this "fluffy" one, but this is a dog which has too much character and
personality to easy managed by all potential owners, who will find everyday
life difficult if they are not up to the challenge...
