back to the United States at that time, there was only the rarest opportunity to breed an Akita to an Akita. A prominent American family later thought it worthwhile to import some dogs, albeit purchased at pet shops, from the Tokyo area. Some were probably pure-bred, some were relatively healthy, but some failed in both regards. A couple of those dogs became strong genetic influences during the early years in the US, and many breeders in America believe that may in part account for the lack of consistent type and for the serious inbred genetic defects found in the breed.
In 1955 the Akita moved into the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) Miscellaneous Class, a class similar to the Import Class in the UK, where new breeds can be exhibited. In 1956 what was eventually to become the American Akita Club was forming, and it came into formal existence in 1959. Americans had spent many years in the formation of various clubs, with individual owners struggling to become the dominant authority on Akitas. It has been said that most Akita people exhibit the same bold and dominant traits as their dogs! The splinter clubs and disagreements were resolved by the end of 1972, at which time the AKC approved the Akita Club of America’s breed standard.
Japanese imports could, however, still be registered as foundation stock until February 1974. The American gene pool, which established the type known worldwide as the “American Akita,” was indeed rather small in comparison to those of many other well-established breeds. Original foundation stock consisted of little more than 100 distinct pedigrees.
AN AKITA BY ANY OTHER NAME
The Akita may hold the record for the most breed names! They are known as Akitas, Akita-inus, Akita-kens, American Akitas, Japanese Akitas, Great Japanese Dogs, Tweenies and Blends.
It must be noted, however, that those original pedigrees were so questionable as to be considered mongrelized. Many of the original dogs brought back from Japan were not of pure parentage; therefore, a narrow gene pool was hardly the case. Dogs that had survived the worst of the war were in fact left to wander the streets by owners who loved them too much to destroy them. They could not risk being identified as owners of such large dogs, whose voracious appetites further reduced the scarce food supply, so they abandoned the dogs to the streets to fend for themselves.
Author B.J. Andrews with Ch. O’BJ Nikki No Takara, moving in the ring at the American National Specialty, where she won first in the American-bred Class over 20 bitches. Nikki is an inbred daughter of the great Sachmo, considered by most experts to be the best Akita ever bred.
A pinto Akita on the move. Coloration doesn’t matter–movement, temperament and soundness are all!
As indicated by numerous photos of the time, Nature took her course and the Akita interbred with mongrels and strays of other breeds. Indeed, Helen Keller’s Akita, with whom she was frequently photographed, would not today be regarded as purebred in either America or Japan. Nonetheless, those early imports had the intelligence and character that make the breed so remarkable and unique today.
Having arrived in America, the breed that would later be registered as the Akita was further out-crossed by random matings. In addition, there continued to be a few dogs imported from Japan. We must apply common sense rather than rhetoric in order to establish a factual genetic basis of the breed in America. Japan was busy reconstructing itself and any sort of cash income was most welcome; therefore, little attention was paid to the purity of dogs sold on the street or in pet shops. With the stud book so lacking in authenticity, the progeny of those matings subsequently, and as a matter of course, became AKC-registered.
Sire of over 100 American champions, this is the one and only Ch. Okii Yubi’s Sachmo of Makoto, owned by Bill and B.J. Andrews. He is the number-one sire of all Working breeds in the US.
There were, fortunately, a handful of dominant dogs that led to the development of several prominent lines. Issei Riki Oji Go was bred to Kuma’s Akai Kosho-Go, and that mating produced Ch. Mitsu Kuma’s O Kashihime-Go, Mitsu Kuma’s Splashdown (US top sire Sachmo’s granddam) and the breed’s first Group winner, Ch. Mitsu Kuma’s Tora Oji Go, owned by Terry Wright. The Mullens’ Mitsu Kuma kennels in New Jersey became well known for its contributions to the early development of the Akita in the States.
The Frerose Kennels of Fred Duane was founded on top show dog and producer, Am-Can-Berm. Ch. Kenjiko Royal Tenji, ROMXP. Jojo, as he was called, is the grandson of Japanese import Teddy Bear of Toyohashi Seiko.
A handsome import, Gyokushu of Tojo Kensha was the grandsire of Krug’s Sotto and Michiko of Kensha. Santo became a foundation sire for Bettye and Francis Krug of Maryland, and Michiko was a top producer for the Sakura kennels of Barbara Miller. Ch. Krug’s Ichiban Akemi-Go was the top-winning Akita bitch prior to AKC recognition.
Ch. O’BJ BigSon of Sachmo was the number-three sire of all time, photographed at the modest age of eleven. He sired 48 American champions, including tens of specialty winners and ROM get.
A small kennel was established by Bob Campbell, who shipped one of his foundation bitches, Namesu-Joo, back to the West Coast to be bred to the mighty Ashibaya Kuma, owned by Bea Hunt. That mating produced Yukan No Okii Yubi, ROMP, who sired Ch. Okii Yubi’s Dragon House Ko-Go, ROMXP, owned by Bill and Barbara Andrews. Ko-Go went on to become the number-two all-time top-producing dam. Bob Campbell is credited with having bred many top producers, including the number-one sire of all Working Group dogs in the US, Ch. Okii Yubi’s Sachmo of Makoto, ROMXP. Sachmo, as he was called, was also owned by Bill and Barbara (B.J.) Andrews. Sachmo’s grandsire was California’s top winner and producer, Ch. Fukumoto’s Ashibaya Kuma, a grandson of Jap. Gr. Ch. Kinsho-Go, the son of Mexican Ch. Triple K Hayai Taka.
The dominant brindle bitch, Jap. Gr. Ch. Haru Hime, produced very well for Barbara Confer when bred to Jap. Gr. Ch. Teddy Bear of Toyohashi Seiko. Ch. Sakusaku’s Tom Cat-Go, ROMP, is just one of the many top winners and Register of Merit progeny produced by Teddy Bear and Haru Hime.
Eng. Ch. Paper Doll O’BJ, sired by BigSon, was a lovely Akita, photographed at ten years of age. She was owned by C. and N. Callaway.
Walter Kam brought several Akitas from Japan to found Triple K kennels, in San Gabriel, California. They produced such great dogs as Mex. Ch. Triple K Hayai Taka and Ch. Triple K Shinya Ningyo, who produced Triple K Miko, the mother of the aforementioned Ashibaya Kuma. Shina Ningyo was herself a daughter of Jap. Gr. Ch. Kinsho-Go, a son of Jap. Gr. Ch. Kinsho-Go Abe.
The Akita Tani kennel of Liz Harrel was founded on two great dogs that traced directly to the Kams’ original import stock. Akita Tani’s Shoyo-Go was sired by Jap. Gr. Ch. Kinsho-Go, who was also the sire of Shinya Ningyo. Shoyo-Go was successfully bred to two of his half-sisters by Kinsho-Go, and also back to his dam, Kokoro. As he was already the product of a father-daughter breeding, the litter produced the very inbred dog Akita Tani’s Tatsumaki, ROM.
Barbara and Mac McDougle, of the kennel name Gin Gin, bred a dog destined to become one of first top winners when the breed was finally recognized—Can-Mex-CACIB Ch. Gin Gin Haiyaku-Go of Saku Saku. Chester, as he was known,
