Representatives of the Akita Inu breed, which are also called Ulybaki dogs due to the unusual structure of the mouth, are one of the most faithful dogs. The legendary Hachiko, whose name has become a symbol of dog loyalty, belonged precisely to the Akita. And at home in Japan, they are considered the best nannies.
Only the Japanese aristocrats and noblemen were allowed to own an Akita. Hachiko is the most famous Akita in the world. Helen Keller is believed to have brought the first Akita to the United States. Akitas were first recognized by the American Kennel Club as a distinct breed in the year 1972. These pooches are extremely loyal and faithful to their owners. Akitas are known to be obsessed with cleaning themselves. These canines, just like cats, are always looking to clean any part of their body which might be dirty. Inspired by true events, a movie called “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” was released in the year 2009. Literally, the name of the breed is translated as a dog from Akita. These dogs have been living in Japan for more than eight thousand years, as evidenced by archaeological finds and conclusions of historians. The ancestors of this breed are the Japanese hunting dogs Matagi Inu. In the seventeenth century, there were many hunting dogs, but there were not enough guards, so Akita Inu received a new qualification in which they showed themselves more than successfully. For their merits, the dogs were at the imperial court, gradually the breed became elite and inaccessible to ordinary people. There is even confirmed that one of the Japanese rulers issued a decree on the death penalty or imprisonment of everyone who encroaches on Akita Inu’s life and health. The worship of the breed went so far that Akitu-Inu had a personal servant in the families of the emperor. And talking to the animal was possible only in a calm voice without the use of vernacular expressions.
