The Kennel Club (England)
Akita Breed Standard

General Appearance:Large, powerful, with much substance and heavy bone.

Characteristics: Large broad head, with relatively small eyes and erect ears carried forward in line with back of neck; large curled tail, in balance with head.

Head and Skull: Skull large and flat, forehead broad, with defined stop and clear furrow. Head forms blunt triangle when viewed from above, free from wrinkle. Cheeks well developed, bridge of nose straight. Nose large and black. Lips tight and black. In white dogs flesh colour is permissible. Muzzle broad and strong. Distance from nose to stop is to distance from stop to occiput as 2 - 3.
Eyes: Relatively small, almond-shaped, clean, moderately set apart and dark brown. Eye rims dark and tight.
Ears: Relatively small, thick, triangular, not low set, carried forward over eyes in line with back of neck and firmly erect. Moderately set apart and slightly rounded at tips.
Mouth: Jaws strong with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Neck: Thick and muscular, comparatively short, widening gradually towards shoulders. Pronounced crest blends with back of skull.

Forequarters: Shoulders strong and powerful, moderately laid back. Elbows very tight. Forelegs well-boned and straight when viewed from front. Pasterns slightly inclining forward.

Body: Longer than high, as 10 is to 9 in males, 1 I to 9 in bitches. Chest wide and deep, depth of chest is one-half height of dog at shoulder. Well developed forechest. Level back with firmly muscled loin and moderate tuck-up. Skin pliant but not loose.

Hindquarters: Strong and muscular with long, well developed thighs and moderate turn of stifle. Strong hocks with only moderate angulation, well let down, turning neither in nor out.
Feet: Thick, well knuckled and very tight turning neither in nor out. Pads hard. Nails hard. Dew claws on hind legs customarily removed.
Tail: Large and full, set high and carried over back in a three-quarter, full or double curl, always dipping to or below level of back. On a three-quarter curl, tip drops well down flank. Root large and strong. Tail bone almost reaches hock when let down. Hair coarse, straight and full with no appearance of a plume. Sickle or uncurled tail highly undesirable.

Gait / Movement: Resilient and vigorous with strides of moderate length. Back remains firm and level. Hindlegs move in line with front legs whilst gaiting will single track.

Coat: Outer coat coarse, straight and standing off body. Undercoat soft and dense. Coat at withers and rump is approximately two inches and is slightly longer than on rest of body, except on tail where it is more profuse. No indications of ruff or feathering.
Colour: Any colour including white, brindle or pinto. Colours are brilliant and clear. Markings are well defined with or without mask or blaze.

Size:Height at withers:
                               Dogs 66 - 71 cms. (26 - 28 ins.);
                               Bitches 61 - 66 cms. (24 - 26 ins.).
Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to the degree.

Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.



  
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