I strongly believe that every mating that breeder decided to do, need to cover some goals in their breeding program. For some it’s a temperament, health, flashy look of the dogs, the mating is made to continue the line, that breeder decided to develop.
So first of all, you, as a new puppy owner, need to clear up the goals that your chosen breeder have in their mind. It’s shouldn’t be just a mating to make more puppies for the world, it’s need to be argued decision, why exactly this two dogs are putted together.
Considering Akita breed situation, in present, breeding is more moving to preservation way, it’s really not that much space in a breed gene pool that we can believe it is possible to improve the breed.
Akitas has pretty narrow diversity and if breeding will go the improvement way, it’s a big chance to lose it more. So, it’s really important, that breeder has a background of knowledge to pull out from the litter puppies that have a potential to continue the breed existence.
Main points, of every breed, that makes dogs from this breed unique is a appearance and temperament. According to the standard of Akita, dogs of this breed are strong in mind and in body. They are calm and self confident, brave, with unique expression that shows exactly who they are. It’s a dog that catch the eye and stay in memory. And it’s the primary factors that needed to be preserved.
Unfortunately this great dogs may have unpleasant health condition as a Sebaceous Adenitis, Uveo-Dermatological Syndrome, Amelogenesis imperfecta, hip dysplasia, skin condition like itching, eyes diseases.
As well as temperament problems, like nervousness, fear, aggression.
If you are in puppy searching process please ask you chosen breeder closely about the breed problems, that I mentioned before. Breeder needs to be informed about them and need to have a knowledge about presenting of them in their line. Breeder needs to be open, to discussion and it’s a deal breaker if a breeder doesn’t know about problems that present in a breed, or his position in that situation is unclear.
- Health testing includes hips/elbow dysplasia, eye tests, test for ameloginesis inperfecta. The more dogs in puppy pedigree is tested, the better! But parents is a must!
- Genetic diversity testing includes test that help a breeder to determinate how is things going in the dogs that he is chosen to mate. Pedigree analysis is not properly method to that. The more variety, the better, it’s helping to minimize risks of autoimmune disease as Sebaceous Adenitis, Uveo-Dermatological Syndrome, allergy.
- Temperament testing, puppy evaluation testing, puppy raising programs. Temperament tests help breeder to define possible behavior problems in adult dogs, it’s not always possible to see something specific in daily routine. Puppy evaluation testing is a great tool that gives to the breeder opportunity foresee future character development of the puppy. It’s help a lot when we are matching puppy and the owner. Puppy raising programs made by professional behaviorists, experienced breeders and scientists helping rise a puppy in the better way, for stable and strong temperament in the future.
We can’t improve the breed, but we can improve the breeding.
Enso Kensha 