Exciting developments are happening with our kennel, including a total website redesign!Only the "About" and "The Breed" pages are live now. Please check back periodically as we update our website.
Our kennel welcomes and supports BIPOC and LGBTQ+.
About
We are Nao and Rio, two identical twin sisters who are passionate about Japanese Akitainu. We are located in Central Ohio.Futago Kennels was established officially in 2020, though we have been breed enthusiasts for longer. In 2016, we brought home our first Japanese Akitainu, Kubo, a brindle male. We realized that we wanted to do our part in order to protect the future of the breed. After showing and trialing at many UKC and AKC shows and attending AKIHO shows (in both the United States and Japan), we were inspired and committed to following our dream and began our preservation journey.We are fortunate to have amazingly patient and knowledgable mentors who have taught us about the breed, the Japanese culture surrounding the breed, and much more. Without them, we wouldn't be here today. And we continue to keep an open mind to learn and evolve.Nao is currently a producer in the Video Game industry, with experience as a character designer for studios like DreamWorks TV, Nickelodeon, Hasbro, and much more.Rio is a professional and traditional toy sculpture, with experience in producing sculptures for videos games and productions. Now, they focus on designing and sculpting their own designer toys.The Futago Kennels twins try their best to assist the Japanese Akitainu breed clubs in any way. From volunteering their time, helping in committees, and using their artwork to help raise money for dogs in need, they are always happy to give a helping hand when needed. They have a strong believe that it takes a village to ensure this important breed continues to prosper.
Story Behind the Kennel Name
Futago (双子) is Japanese for “twins”, which was the perfect name for our kennel and our joint effort in preserving this breed. In addition to being identical twin sisters, we are nerds at heart, and wanted to pay homage to the Japanese animated series that got us into the breed when we were younger. Futago Pass is a famous landmark in the “Ginga” series by Yoshihiro Takahashi. In 2020, we officially registered Futago as an AKIHO kennel.
Our Goals
Our kennel takes health and temperament very seriously, wanting to make sure that any puppy produced has the best possible chance at a happy and healthy life. We ensure all breeding pairs are OFA health tested and have stable temperaments. Titling our dogs in show and sports are also very important to us. Through these venues, we hope to spread awareness for this noble breed. Most importantly, our goal is to produce dogs that will honor Japan.Honesty, kindness, and collaboration is very imporant to us. We do our best to donate our time and resources to help clubs, dogs in need, and anything in between. Working with others is what keeps breeds alive and thriving, as well as educating and talking to newcomers who are curious about the Akitainu.We primarily breed with the AKIHO standard in mind. AKIHO was established in 1927 in Odate, Japan, in order to restore and preserve this breed for years to come. All of our dogs are AKIHO registered and we spend a lot of our free time and resources studying the standard, the Japanese language, and flying to Japan in order to absorb as much as we can about the breed. Although we are a new kennel, we hope to produce dogs that we can show back in the country of origin, Japan.We understand that even with all the research in the world, you may have questions about the breed after you take home your puppy. We are always here to answer any question, big or small. We consider any puppy owner a member of our extended family.Futago Kennels are also proud members of AKIHO and JACA.
History
The Japanese Akitainu is the largest of the Nihonken (native Japanese dog breeds) in Japan. In 1927, the Akitainu Hozonkai (AKIHO) was established in Odate City, Akita Prefecture in order to restore, preserve, protect and propgate the breed. The Japanese Akitainu Club of America (JACA) has an excellent deep dive into the history of our beloved breed. Please click HERE in order to read!
Life with a jAPANESE AKITAINU
While there are Japanese Akitainu with different types of temperaments and energy levels, typically, the Japanese Akitainu is a proud dog who cares deeply about their people. Energy level is relatively low, perfectly fine hanging out at home, but always ready for an adventure or training session. We find the breed to be eager to learn, as long as the handler keeps training fun and not too repetitive. They are not afraid to tell you that they aren't feeling it today orthey're bored with the session. They will not settle for kibble or low value treats for their "payment", so adding variety will ensure both of you have fun while keeping your dog interested.These dogs love their people and will often follow them at home, as well as give check ins. They are not clingy by nature but are still affectionate to the people they trust. They can be aloof to strangers but should not fearful or aggressive.The breed isn't noisy and will not bark without reason. While they can be excellent watch dogs, they are not suitable as guard dogs.This is not a breed for you if you want a dog that is social to other dogs for play dates and get togethers. Japanese Akitainu should exhibit neutrality around other dogs, but if a strange dog approaches too closely, same sex dog aggression/dog aggression is not an uncommon trait in the breed. If you are bringing a dog of this breed to a household where another dog already resides, in order to set up for success, it is recommended that the sex of the Japanese Akitainu is the opposite of your current house dog.Previously used as a hunting breed, these dogs can see small animals as prey. However, our Japanese Akitainu have been raised with a cat (currently 18 years old) and has never demonstrated any prey drive towards him. In addition, we are fostering an adult male cat and our dogs welcomed him with open arms. Puppies from our first litter are also living peacefully with their cat roommates.As a triple coated breed, expect to make good friends with your vacuum cleaner. Japanese Akitainu shed quite a lot and blow their coat once or twice a year, sometimes even more. That being said, these dogs are relatively clean and easy to house train.
Kubo (8 years old brindle Japanese Akitainu) and Lucas (18 years old cat supreme overlord)
If you want to learn more about the breed, there is a Dogumentary interview with Steven Takamatsu, president of AKIHO North America; you can watch the video HERE.
Two Breeds?
In 2020, the Japanese Akitainu and the (American) Akita was split in the American Kennel Club (AKC) when the Japanese Akitainu entered the Foundation Stock Service program. The breed moved up to Miscellaneous Class in 2023 and is expected to gain full recognition in the near future. This progress in the US has made it much easier to explain to the general public that these two breeds are different from one another.To briefly explain the physical differences in these two breeds, one should know that JA only come in three colors (red, brindle, and white) and have no black masks, while the AA can come in a larger variety of colors and black masks are acceptable. AA are larger in both size and weight compared to the JA.
Important Resources
AKIHO official website
Japanese Akitainu Club of America
