Preservation Movement Begins
A push towards preservation of the native Japanese
dogs grew out of the increasing sense of Japanese nationalism that ushered
in the twentieth century. As Japanese interest began to focus on their
own history and culture, they began paying attention to the dogs that had
been in Japan throughout time.
Fortunately, the isolation of the rural north from
the agricultural, heavily urbanized areas of the plains ensured that rural
hunting had remained an important source of food. When attention
turned to the native dogs, the matagi inu (hunting dogs) could still
be located to serve as foundation stock.
Of prime importance in this movement was Professor
Shozaburo Watase who published an article about Japanese dogs in the Japanese
magazine Inu (Dog) in 1915. He also began lecturing on them and
chaired a historical preservation committee for the Ministry of Home Affairs.
He and others wanted to preserve the native
Japanese dogs and further knowledge about and interest in them.
Professor Watase’s efforts came to fruition when, in
July of 1931, the government of Japan declared the large dog of Japan a
Natural Monument. It was named for the Akita Prefecture where it
originated. Over the next six years, other breeds followed.
In the medium-size category are: Kai (Kai-Ken), the Kishu, the Shikoku,
and the Hokkaido. The Shiba is the small dog. The committee gained
support from people all over Japan.
Although a club for Akita fanciers, the Akita Inu Hozonkai
(AKIHO), had already been formed in 1927, the push for government support
came primarily from Nipponken Hozonkai or NIPPO. This club was formed
in June of 1928 by Mr. Hirokichi Saito from Tokyo and several other interested
men. NIPPO began registering Japanese dogs, publishing a newsletter,
and holding shows.
Interest in Akitas received quite a boost from publicity
about the breed. First came the tale of Hachi-Ko,
which made the front page of the Tokyo papers in 1932. Then came Helen
Keller’s well-publicized visit to Japan. These stories, especially
Hachi-Ko’s, focused national attention on the value of the native dogs.
Fortunately, this attention coincided with the rising spirit of nationalism;
otherwise, the native dogs of Japan might have disappeared altogether.
Very few could be found in urban areas. (Kuga, "JD,"
5758) To help determine whether a dog truly represented the native type,
NIPPO developed a written standard, first published in September, 1934.
To generate it, committee members used writings about the dogs from previously
published articles, outside opinions, judging at their early shows, studies
of historical documents, observations of regional dogs, standards from
Northern dogs in general as well as their own opinions. Among the outside
sources is Siebold’s Fauna Japonica, a treatise on archeological remains.
(Kuga, "JD," 72)
Efforts began with the remnants of the large dog found
in Akita Province, but the committee clearly had problems determining what
the dog should be. For two centuries, the original hunting dog had been
corrupted by cross-breeding to improve its prowess in the dog-fighting
ring making the committee’s task of determining just what the "real” Akita
dog should be much more difficult.
All sorts of dogs had been crossed into the native
dogs, including many European giant breeds, and Great Danes. Their
influence undoubtedly was responsible for the renowned size of dogs from Odate, the main city of Akita Province. If the Akita area dogs were thought
of as “large” the Odate dogs were referred to as "huge," and Odate was
not the only area with "huge" dog. (Okada, 49-50).
Fortunately, the matagi dogs of the rural mountains provided
a reservoir of stock used to begin restoration. (Hiraizumi)
World War II
Obviously, all these breeding efforts came to a halt
with the advent of WWII. Whatever direction the Japanese dogs might
have taken without its intervention is conjecture. Keeping large dogs alive
in a country on a war-time footing proved almost impossible. Not
only was food restricted, but dog fur was used to line military clothing.
Because they were a drain on a fragile economy, police
in Akita Prefecture received orders that all dog in the towns and villages
except the German Shepherds used by the military and police were to be
taken and clubbed to death. Dogs that survived were either working with
the police or hidden by their owners, an easier task in the more rural
areas.
The toll on all the dogs was enormous. By the end of
the war, the Akita was close to extinction. (Linderman, 17-18). Dedicated
efforts managed to keep the breed viable, and by 1948, a third Akita organization,
Akitainu Kyokai, (AKIKYO) had been formed. Each club, NIPPO, AKIHO, and
AKIKYO maintains its own registry, has its own breed standard, and holds
its own shows. Many dog were registered and shown in more than one of these
organizations.
The Akita in America
The breed caught the eye and heart of many American
servicemen after the war, and a cottage industry quickly arose to supply
the demand for Akita pets. Many of the dogs admired and nurtured
by the occupation forces were from these puppy mills and were probably
not of the best quality. Many of the dogs that were more worthy were
declared Natural Monuments by the government which prevented their export
to the US regardless of ownership.
Others, however, accompanied their owners to these shores. Some
of the dogs were kept as pets, some were given away or sold to others,
and some were bred.
Spurred by their common interest in the breed. various
breed clubs formed. AKC accepted the new breed into Miscellaneous
in 1956, but wrangling between groups of owners delayed full registration.
In 1955 Mr. M.K. Spelmeyer founded the Akita Dog Association of America.
Reacting to its closed membership, in 1956 eleven people who owned about
30 Akitas between them founded the Akita Kennel Club. They changed
the name to the Akita Club of America and incorporated in California in
1960.
The Akita Breeders Association formed later, adding
another club to the rolls. When they were enjoined from using that name
by the first club, who laid claim to it, the newly formed group asked the
first club to take them in, to which Mr. Spelmeyer agreed. To add
to the confusion, Charles Rubenstein formed yet another club in 1963, the
American Akita Breeders, supported by some of the time's well-known kennels.
AKC Recognition
Recognition required a single breed club but the two
main clubs refused to merge despite an arbitration in 1969. Finally,
the following term’s new slate of officers made the difference, and the
Akita Club of America became the single national breed club.
The last remaining step towards AKC recognition was
upgrading the stud book. With over 3,000 registrations, this was
no mean task. On April 4, 1973, the Akita was admitted to regular breed
status with the AKC. In the interim, the national club managed to come
up with a standard and maintained the registration of Akitas already in
their stud book and their offspring (Linderman, 34-39). After registrations
stabilized, imports from Japan were no longer accepted for registration
because the AKC did not have reciprocal privileges with any Japanese dog
club. The ACA became a member club of the AKC in 1995.
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09/18/08
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