(A)
History of Akitas: Mr. Hiroshi Kamisato
Introduction
Dogs
were probably the first domesticated animals. Archeological
findings suggest a close relationship, developed between man and
dog, has continued to this day. Research on breeding and coat
texture have raised many questions against the theory that dogs
are improved domesticated wolves.
In ancient
times, dogs were used as hunting dogs, guide dogs, and were even
sources for food and fur. It is not known when Akitas
(originally acknowledged as the regional dog) were domesticated.
The famous Kamikawa shell sound in Miyagi has yielded dog
skeletons with height of 59 cm (23.2 inches). Earthenwares of
this period show dogs with erect ears and curled tail. Some of
these dogs resemble Japanese dog of today. They are also seen on
carved surface of hanging bronze temple bells. Hunting scenes
depicted that period also show what say be Japanese dogs of that
era with erect ears, curled tail and occasional sickle tails.
White dogs are mentioned in Japanese literature such as the
Kojiki (A Chronicle of Medieval Japan of A.D. 712) and the Nihon
Shoki (The Chronicles of Japan). A dog named Okinamaro is
mentioned in Makuranososhi (The essay of Sei Shonagon) written
around A.D. 1016. A narrative of master and his lion dog is in
the Taiheiki (A chronicle of Medieval Japan) written in 1338.
The fighting dogs of Takatoki Hojo are mentioned in the Hojo
Kudaiki (A History of the Nine Generations of Hojo) of the
Kamakura period (1192-1332). The fifth Tokugawa shogun,
Tsunayoshi, during the Edo Period (1615-1867), was known as the
Dog Shogun Tsunayoshi because of his compassion for living
creatures.
Picture
scrolls of the Middle Age from the lat.! Heian Period (A.D.
898-1185) to the Kamakura Period (1192-1332) show dogs with
erect ears, curled tails, and some with sickle tails. Dogs are
colorfully illustrated with birds on scrolls drawn by a Buddhist
monk, Sojo Toba (1053-1114), of the 0sanji Temple of the late
Fujiwara Period (1086-1185). There are also illustrations of
dogs at the Kukaiji Temple, and a picture scroll of the Yada
Buddhist guardian deity of children showing boar hunting
techniques.
2. Illustrations From The Edo Period (1615-1867)
Two or
three paintings from the Kano School by Tsunenobu, during the
reign of the Dog Shogun Tunayoshi, also depicts dogs. Puppies on
cedar door paintings by Okyo Maruyama (1750-1795) are at the
Ueno Museum in Tokyo. Puppies also appear in a series of
illustrations by Gyokusho Kawabata, the teacher of Hyakusui.
''The Illustration of the Long-nosed Globins'' by Kazan Watanabe
also includes dogs. However, one cannot conclude from these
illustrations that these were ancestors of Akitas. Dogs
resembling Akitas are seen in the works of Shoju Kurata, a
student of Hyakusui. Although pintos appear most in these
illustrations, it is not known whether pintos were a common
sight at that time or were Illustrated for convenience and
coloring scheme. Photographs of the early 1900s clearly show
many black and white pintos, brindle and red pintos.
3. The History of the Akitas
As
previously stated, in the past, regional dog!. were used to hunt
bears and Japanese antelopes in the Kazuno area. These clogs
were used in Yasato section of Odate, as village guard dogs and
hunting dogs (especially in the Ani area). A lord of the Odate
Castle of a certain generations, who was devoted himself to dog
fighting, used them as fighting dogs. Thus, fighting dogs became
popular, and demand for these large powerful dogs increased
during the 1890s. The crossbreeding of Akitas with Tosa fighting
dogs by some of the breeders soon spread to the Kazuno and
Senboku areas. Mr. Shigeie lzumi, the mayor of Odate at that
tine, was against this trend of crossbreeding, and started a
movement to preserve the Akita. In 1900, two Akitas were
presented to Emperor Taisho when he was still a crown prince at
that time. Two Akitas were shown at the Taisho Exposition of
1914.
Around 1915,
public opinion strongly favored preservation of Akitas, and in
1919, under leadership of Dr. Shozaburo Watase, a legislation
for the preservation of species was passed. In 1920, Dr. Watase
came to the Odate area to survey Akitas. However, since there
were so many different types of Akitas, he was unable to
designate any as natural monuments. These finding on Akitas were
discussed in the paper, "The Origin of Japanese Dogs"
presented at the 1922 Zoological Society Meeting. Around 1926,
this subject was again discussed in “The History on
Preservation of Japanese Dogs” by Mr. Hiroshi (Hirokichi)
Saito.
The Akitalnu
Hozonkai (Akiho) was established in 1927. Owing to a growing
concern for the survival of Japanese dogs by the public, the
Nihonken Hozonkai (an organization for Akitas, Hokkaidos,
Shibas, Kais, Kishus and Shikokus) was also established in Tokyo
on June 1928. In the spring of 1931, a group led by Dr. Tokio
Kaburagi came to Odate for the second time to survey, and he
became convinced of the importance of preserving these dogs. On
this occasion of it's designation as a natural monument on July
1931, the "Akita" was so named for the first time as a
Japanese dog. The name was changed from the Odate dog to the
Akita. Designated Akitas were Kin-go (male), Matsukaze (female)
of Mr. Shigeichi lzumi, a female dog of Mr. Ichinoseki, a female
dog of Mr. Aoyagi, male and female dogs of Mr. Takahashi, and
sale and female dogs of Mr. Tayama. The Akita gained sudden fame
on October 4, 1932, when a news article on Hachiko entitled,
“A Moving Story of an Old Dog" appeared in the Asahi
Shinbun (Asahi Newspaper). This story was soon followed by many
claims to Hachiko's place of birth, creating some skepticism on
Hachiko's origin. Adequate proof was established once the litter
of appreciation and other papers on this origin were found.
However, occasional claims to Hachiko's origin still make news.
Soon, the
Manchurian Incident proposed (proceeded) to the China incident
and on to the World War 11 in December, 1941. Because of food
shortage, this was a difficult period to raise large dogs such
as Akitas because of their enormous appetites.
Prior to
this period, in July 1937, Miss Helen Keller requested an Akita,
when she came to Akita. Therefore, in August of that year, Mr.
Ichiro Ogasawara (who later became vice-chairman of Akiho) of
Akita City sent Miss Keller Kamikaze-so (born at the home of Mr.
Takichi Takahashi of Odate). However, Kamikaze-go soon succumbed
to distemper. On July 1939, Mr. Ogasawara sent to Kiss Keller
another dog, Kenyan(an older brother of Kamikaze-go that was
born at the home of Mr. Eijiro Kanazawa of Odate). While
visiting Japan after the war in 1947, Miss Keller revisited
Akita to express her deep appreciation for the Akita's
contribution toward peace.
The great
food shortage during the war caused anyone seen feeding dogs to
be often branded as traitors. Therefore, many Akitas were
destroyed at that time since they were quite noticeable due to
their huge appetites. Thus, barely a dozen Akitas survived the
war, but much is owed to those whose great efforts have produced
Akitas of today. Some of well-known survivors were Goromaru's
sire, Tsubakigoma, Ichinosekitora, Futatsuigoma, Datenoryoku,
Datamitsu (Kongo's dam), Mr. Okuro's Kinpu, and Sakurame, Mr.
Yozaburo Ito's male: Taishu of the Dewa line, Arawashi (Akita
born ancestor of the Tamaguro line) of Tokyo. There was also
Peace-go of the Taihei line of Odate, which was later sent to
Southern Akita. Others were Tachibana, which appeared on a
postwar postage stamp Jungoro of the Ichinoseki line Shintora of
Mr. Yugoro lzumi, Mr. Kaga's Kisaragi or (Josetsu), and Hachiman
(or Yahata) of Mr. Tokutaro Yamamoto of Kazuno. During the
severe food and clothing shortages during the immediate postwar
period, some dogs became sources for bides and seat. However,
the news of Miss Helen Keller's and other American's interests
in Akitas led to a great popularity of Akitas, so that,
according to rumors, even the mongrel types of Akitas were sold
at high prices. The timing was also perfect for Kongo-go which
won BIS at the JKC dog show at this time. Also the same type of
dog, Kincho-go, won the Meiyosho Award at the Akiho show,
resulting in the rapid increase in that type of Akita from the
late 1940s to the mid 1950s. However, some fanciers became quite
alarmed at this trend and started a move to further improvement
of the breed. This has resulted in Akitas of today.
Many dogs of
that period were of postwar Kongo type. They were large, stout
and majestic in accordance with the standard. However, the face,
coat color and body were mostly of the German Shepherd type.
The Akitas
have undergone a transition to become: the magnificent Akitas of
today as a natural monument. However, this does not mean that
the image of Akitas has been completed. The Akitas are rarely
used today as hunting dogs, guard dogs or as working dogs. In
order to produce sound show dogs, one must set the high goal of
following standard and also considering the proper combination
of genes. I believe that these studies should be continuous.
4. Heredity.
Coat
Color. The
basic colors of Akitas are: red, white and brindle.
For example:
Brindle A Red
B White
C.
In general,
one think in terms of coat color.
In terms of eugenics (the science that deals with improvement of
hereditary in terms of a breed):
1. AA x BB AB,
AB, AB, AB.
F1 AB x AB =
F2 AA, AB, AB, BB. Brindle 3, Red 1
A similar
situation exists between brindle and white.
Brindle
3, white
1.
However, in
the case of brindle AB x brindle AC,
AA AB AC - - - brindle
BC
- - - - - - - - - red or white (according to the foregoing
factor, BC would be red)
Red B x
White C should theoretically produce no brindles, but brindles
do appear. This is not easily explainable, but a brief
discussion, for the sake of
improving Akitas, is in order.
Should a red
appear from brindle x brindle (AA or AS or AQ, one may assume
that BB or BC were involved. Reds from brindle parents (in this
case, both parents may be from the same litter) have never
produce brindles. Only reds or white are produced. However, if
both parents are brindles or if one parent is a brindle, red x
white will brindles).
Their offspring will probably be brindle, red and white. It has
been reported also that a brindle stud dog of over one thousand
offspring has never produced a red offspring. This may be due to
AA which may be very dominant. Thus, dominant to recessive
hereditary colors of Akitas are from brindle to red to white.
Whether this is applicable to other breeds is not known and is
being investigated.
