Akita

Although the Akita was originally believed to have been revered by the Japanese nobility, they were bred primarily as a hunting dog. Later they were used for herding cattle, guide dogs and police dogs.

No discussion of Akita history is complete without mentioning a Tokyo professor who was given an Akita named Hacki-Ko in 1924. Every day the professor caught a train from home to his office. Hachi-Ko walked to the station with him in the morning and returned to meet him in the evening.

This breed is renowned for unwavering loyalty to its owners; can be surprisingly affectionate with family members; a natural guardian of his family.