Dogs have descended from the gray wolf thousands of years ago. They were among the first animals to be domesticated by humans. Dogs were found quite useful in hunting activities and served as human companions. In current times, dogs are greatly used by police and military personnel, owing to their strong smell senses. Two of the common dog species are Akita and Akita Inu.
Summary
Akita vs Akita Inu
The main difference between Akita and Akita Inu is that Akita has a broad and triangular head and its eyes are deep-set in the sockets. The eyes of Akita resemble that of a bear. On the other hand, the Akita Inu has a facial structure resembling that of a fox and its eyes resemble almonds. Facial structure is the main parameter of distinction between the two dog species.
Akita is also known as the American Akita. Although this breed is Japanese, it has been named differently for better differentiation from Akita Inu. Akita dogs are revered as national treasures in Japan. However, the United States of America and Canada consider both species to be the same. But many people consider them to be different.
Akita Inu is also known as the Japanese Akita. They are also revered like Akita in Japanese culture. The gifting of Akita Inu on celebratory occasions signifies the blessings of health and prosperity. The dog has a fox-like appearance and white or light cream undersides which help in their easy differentiation.
Comparison Table Between Akita and Akita Inu (With Table)
| Parameters Of Comparison | Akita | Akita Inu |
| Facial structure | The facial structure of Akita resembles a bear and has deep-set eyes. | The facial structure of Akita Inu resembles a fox and has eyes in the shape of almonds. |
| Body height | The average height of male and female Akita dogs is 26 to 28 inches and 24 to 26 inches respectively. | The average height of male and female Akita Inus is 24 to 26 inches and 22 to 24 inches respectively. |
| Coat color | Akita dogs are available in black, brown, fawn, red, and white. | Akita Inu dogs are available in brindle, white and red. |
| Body Appearance | These dogs have a muscular body appearance. | These dogs are also muscular but they look slimmer. |
| Bodyweight | The average weight of male and female Akita is 100 to 130 pounds and 70 to 100 pounds respectively. | The average weight of male and female Akita Inus is 70 lbs to 110 pounds and 65 to 95 pounds respectively. |
What is Akita?
Akita is a dog species of Japanese origin, although it is more popularly known as the American Akita. The facial structure of these dogs is characterized by a bear-like appearance. They have broad heads and their ears are erect.
Akita dogs are available in black, brown, fawn, red, and white. These dogs also have masks or marks on their face of black and white. These dogs also have an undercoat but its color is different from that of the rest of the body. Generally, the color of the undercoats of these dogs is either red or white.
Akitas also have a muscular body which gives them a stocky look. In comparison to Akita Inus, these dogs are taller and weigh more than them.
What is Akita Inu?
Akita Inus are also dog species of Japanese origin and are better known as the Japanese Akita. Akita Inus have their face characterized by a fox-like look. They have big eyes resembling almonds and their ears are in a forward-slanting position.
Akita Inu dogs are available in brindle, white and red. They also have undersides of either light cream or white color. These undersides start from their chin and are present all over the tail. They also have their inner legs and cheeks in the colors of the undersides.
Similar to Akitas, Akita Inus also have a muscular body. However, their body is also characterized by a visible tuck up in the abdominal area of their body. This gives these dogs a slimmer look. In comparison to the American Akitas, Akita Inus are smaller and lighter.
Main Differences Between Akita and Akita Inu
- The face of Akita is broader and triangular resembling a bear. It has small and deep eyes and its ears are erect. On the other hand, Akita Inu has Fox like facial structure and big eyes like almonds. The eyes of Akita Inu are in a forward slant.
- The average height of male Akita dogs is 26 to 28 inches and that of female dogs is 24 to 26 inches. On the contrary, male Akita Inu dogs have an average height of 24 to 26 inches while females are 22 to 24 inches tall.
- Akita dogs are available in black, brown, fawn, red, and white. They also have an undercoat either in red or black. In contrast, Akita Inus are only available in brindle, red, and white. In addition to that, they have light cream or white undersides.
- Both Akita and Akita Inus have muscular bodies. However, Akita Inu possesses a tuck in its abdominal area which gives it a slimmer look as compared to American Akita dogs.
- The average weight of male and female Akita is 100 to 130 pounds and 70 to 100 pounds respectively. On the other hand, the average weight of male and female Akita Inus is 70 lbs to 110 pounds and 65 to 95 pounds respectively.
Conclusion
Both Akitas and Akita Inus are species of dog with their origins in Japan. They are also known as American Akitas and Japanese Akitas respectively. Akita has a broad head with deep-set eyes and erect ears. They also have muscular bodies and are taller than Akita Inus.
In contrast to this, Akita Inu has a fox-like facial structure and large eyes like almonds. They are also muscular and strong but they have a tuck in their abdominal area which makes them look slimmer.