Dear Fellow Akita Club of America Member:

Our national club has sent a ballot asking, “Should the ACA consider splitting the Akita into two breeds?”  As protectors of the breed, we may be casting our single most important vote and making a historic decision regarding the future of our beloved breed. 

This site presents information about the viability of a split and the reasons why we believe that such an action is not in the best interests of the Akita.  You may be tired of the seemingly endless debate, but please read and consider this material with an open mind.  Then, you can make an informed choice based on your own sound reasoning rather than on others’ rumors and fears. 

We believe a dog’s conformation is more important than his pedigree or birthplace.  Within the type described in any breed standard is some room for diversity, and Akitas are no exception. 

The Akita photos on these pages include dogs of various colors, markings, ages, and origins.  Some are from our past, others are being shown and bred now or are just starting out.  They are all quality dogs with good breed type.  We think these examples will reinforce that the Akita is one breed and should remain so. 

We are a cross-section of Akita owners from all over the world.  In our diverse ranks are breeders; show, obedience, and performance exhibitors; breed rescuers; and owners of companion Akitas.  Many owners of imports are included here.  Some of us have only American Akitas; others, Akitas that are blends.  Our experience stretches from foundation-stock breeders to those with their first Akita puppy.  Many of us are ACA members.

In 1992, several pivotal events affected Akitas world-wide:  The AKC entered into an exclusive reciprocal registration agreement with the Japan Kennel Club (JKC), AKC registered the first imports from Japan, and the Federation Cynologie Internationale (FCI) adopted the JKC standard for Akitas. 

Because of AKC registration policies, breeders in the US could not register Akitas imported from Japan from the early 70s until 1992, but interested breeders in other countries had been importing Akitas all along from both America and Japan.  Many of them bred lines based on American imports and showed in countries that are members of the FCI.  The rules of this international show-giving organization require that it adopt each of its breed standards from the country of origin.  Previously, FCI had used the Akita standard from AKIHO, one of the Japanese Akita Clubs, and the same standard from which much of ours is derived. 

 JKC decisions have a more profound affect on Akitas in other FCI countries than on those in Japan itself, since AKIHO is by far the larger registry (JKC registered only 477 Akitas in 1998) and show-giving club despite its lack of a voice abroad.  In the FCI countries, the differences in the new standard effectively excluded dogs from American import stock by restricting colors and markings.  After 1992, the only acceptable colors in the FCI standard were red, sesame, brindle and white.  "Urajiro" (whitish coat on the sides of the muzzle, on the cheeks, on the underside of the jaw and the neck, on the chest, stomach, the underside of the tail, and on the inside of the legs) should be present except on whites.  Other white markings were not preferred, and black masks were regarded as a serious fault.  Further changes are likely in the near future.

The owners of these excluded Akitas began pressuring the FCI for some concession that would allow them to continue to show and breed their dogs.  Finally, FCI voted this June to split the Akita into two breeds:  the “Akita” and the “Great Japanese Dog (formerly known as the American Akita)”. 

Those favoring a split here have been saying that since the breed is split in FCI countries, the ACA should follow suit, an argument that ignores the fact that we have more Akitas in the US, Canada, and the UK than all the rest of the world combined. These countries are not FCI members, nor do they have standards that disenfranchise a large group of dogs that previously were acceptable. 

Further, because FCI-affiliates have different registration procedures, Akitas can still be exported from America to FCI countries.  They will be placed in the appropriate FCI breed based on pedigree and appearance.  Akitas coming into the US from either of the FCI breeds will be registered here as just Akitas. 

For the FCI countries, splitting the breed was an essential solution to a problem created by the FCI’s own rules.  We don’t need to adopt their solution to a problem we don’t have.