possibly improve the overall quality of the breed. We would also have a much wider gene pool than other countries that could become very restricted if they cannot mix the two types. Both types have a lot to offer; both also have their faults. With careful selective breeding, combining the two together, I feel that we in the UK would have the advantage over the other countries. I have to say I would heartily support keeping our standard open, as it is now.”
Many Americans consider it ironic that Japan’s breeders succeeded so well in re-establishing what they consider to be the native type whereas Americans have dissolved ten generations of dedicated work by their predecessors through engaging in the cross-breeding of the late 1990s. Because the progeny of such matings is neither American nor Japanese, they are commonly called “Tweenies,” meaning betwixt and between. Those Americans who went to considerable trouble and expense to import top-quality and top-winning Japanese dogs are as disappointed to see the many generations of pure Japanese breeding destroyed as are the Japanese breeders themselves. Tweenie breeders have begun a movement to change the term to “Blends,” as it is considered more acceptable, but most Americans are firmly of the opinion that a mongrel is a mongrel, no matter how beautiful both parents were! That conviction led to the formation of the Japanese Akita Club of America, a club recognized by Japan and one that advocates only the breeding of pure Japanese stock with no American Akita influence.
Adding fuel to the growing controversy of the 1990s, in 1999 at a meeting at the World Dog Show, the General Assembly approved the division of the breed, and the new FCI breed standards were accepted. Henceforth, in all FCI countries the Akita breed has been split to become known as the Japanese Akita and the Great Japanese Dog, formerly the American Akita.
To further complicate life for those who consider the Akita as a spitz-type working-guarding dog, the General Assembly assigned the Great Japanese Dog to Group Two in all FCI countries. That group contains breeds such as the Pinschers, Schnauzers, Molossians and the Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs. The Japanese Akita remains in Group Five, rightly so, with the Spitz and Primitive Dogs.
Americans were not at all happy with the designation and, in fact, the breed is still known as before as the Japanese Akita and the American Akita. In fact, in an unconscious attempt to maintain sanity, the defining terms “Japanese” and “American” are in even more common usage. To the confusion of all, the Akita is in the unique position of having more than four different “official” breed standards throughout the world!
Physical appearance and behavioral characteristics of the two pure strains remain quite different. The American Akita largely predominates in the Western world and is exemplified by large bone, greater overall size and a spectacular array of colors and markings. The Japanese sought to re-establish the type native to their country and strongly seek a dog with decisively Oriental features and very limited colors. This has resulted in a wide gap between the best of the lighter boned, smaller, lushly coated, exquisitely beautiful Japanese dogs and the substantially larger, stronger, heavier proportioned and shorter coated American Akitas.
The American Akita authority, Mr. Rayne with his wife, presenting the trophy to a winner in the UK.
Having entered the new millennium, the world-wide Akita fancy seems unhappily divided into three factions: those who would keep the American and Japanese types separate, those who feel that each type could benefit from blending certain virtues of the other and those who wish the foreign dogs would all go away! As it was diversity of color, size and idealism that were the basis for attraction to this marvelous breed in America, some devotees merely smile as they realize that nothing has changed.
THE AKITA IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the Akita firmly established itself in the US, becoming widely popular, with several taking top awards on the show scene. Mrs. Andrews sent a pair of youngsters to Australia via the Overhill quarantine kennels of Mrs. Meg Purnell-Carpenter in the UK. In the course of so doing, Mrs. Purnell-Carpenter, a very prominent breeder of working German Shepherds, fell in love with the Akita during what was then a full year’s quarantine at her kennel near Bristol.
Knowing dogs so well, Mrs. Purnell-Carpenter began to look at the breed, some of which had already arrived in the UK. The first to arrive had been a fawn and white bitch from Canada, imported in 1980 by Marion Sergeant. She was Davos Wata Kyshi Tomo-Dachi of Tegwani, affectionately known as Tania. Marion did much winning with her in the early days of the Akita in the UK.
The first male to arrive in the UK was Kosho Ki’s Kai of Lindrick and Tegwani. His dam was an American and Canadian champion, and he was imported in partnership by Mike and Joyce Window with Kath and Gerald Mitchell. Another import to arrive about this time was the bitch Yikihime Go, imported by Mrs. Beryl Mason from Japan. These original imports were followed very swiftly by several others, all from America with but one exception.
Mrs. Purnell-Carpenter decided it was time to go full out and bring in a top bloodline from America. Having become acquainted with Mrs. Andrews through caring for the two pups in quarantine, she inquired for an O’BJ dog. The result was a magnificent white bitch sired by the then top-winning male in America, the Andrews’ Ch. Kakwa’s Orca. O’BJ White Hope at Overhill charmed all who met her and was soon followed by the first American champion to come into the UK.
Ch. Sachette No Okii Yubi was sent to England by Mrs. Andrews, who maintained that she and the Sachmo daughter had a “thing” going whereby Sachette laid awake at night thinking of ways to thwart her owner’s plans! Had it not been for Mrs. Andrews’ laughing annoyance with Sachette, a bitch of such spectacular quality might never have been allowed to leave America.
Sachette was the dam of the first litter to be born in the UK. She whelped a lovely litter sired by O’BJ Aces High on October 23, 1983. Aces was a dog completing his residency in quarantine before traveling on to Australia, where he became a successful sire as well. Very quickly there were several other litters born in the UK, including a Japanese-bred litter. These first puppies helped to firmly establish the breed in England.
In those early days, the Akita in the UK had to compete in the Any Variety Not Separately Classified (AVNSC) Classes, being one of the last breeds to come into the country without having to go onto the import register. The AVNSC competitors in other breeds quickly became aware that the Akita was here to stay, constantly beating them in hot competition to take top honors under not only the English judges but also others experienced in the breed from abroad who appreciated their presence and qualities.
Ten-time Best-in-Show winner, Ch. The Widow-Maker O’BJ is the number-two sire of all time, having 78 American champion get to his fame. This great dog had thousands of fans on both sides of the pond.
In a very short time, it became noticeable that the AVNSC Class looked like “the Akita Class,” with 90% being filled with that breed. Competitors in other AVNSC breeds were relieved when Akitas were given their own classification.
At the 1985 Crufts Dog Show, Mrs. Andrews handled Overhill’s Lizzys Girl to Best of Breed AVNSC, the first Akita and the first American to win this top honor. It was especially exciting for these co-authors, as Lizzys Girl was from the first litter born in the UK, out of the first imported American champion, the bitch sent to the UK by Mrs. Andrews! Lizzy and her sisters, Overhill’s Marlows Miracle and Overhill’s Kita Mori, were out of extremely successful show dogs and producers.
As in the US, at the beginning there was a great division over the establishment
