If you’re looking for a new dog for your home, you might want to consider a breed that’s not one of the most popular ones (because who doesn’t want a pup that’s a bit more unique?). One such breed you might look at is the Akita Pit, or Akita Pitbull. These are medium- to large-sized canines that are friendly, loyal, enthusiastic, and just a tad stubborn. They can make excellent pets for a variety of people, from families to active singles.

Do you want to learn more about this unique breed? Keep reading because we have everything that you need to know about these dogs!

Breed Overview

As you probably ascertained from the name of this breed, the Akita Pit is a mixed breed pup that came about by crossing the Akita and the Pitbull. As such, you can expect the Akita Pit to have inherited a nice variety of traits from their parent breeds, such as loyalty, independence, friendliness, enthusiasm, and stubbornness. The combination of traits makes for one fun, affectionate dog (though you will need to invest in serious training when this breed is a puppy).

Akita Pit Characteristics

Akita Pit Puppies

Since the Akita Pit is a designer breed made from the Akita and the Pitbull, chances are high that you’ll need to find one via a reputable breeder. Luckily, while purebred Akitas are fairly pricey, since the Akita Pit is a mix, their cost should be substantially lower. The Akita Pit will be a mix of two breeds, so you can expect these pups to take characteristics from both (though which parent they favor more physically will determine just which characteristics they inherit).

Since there are so many Pitbull mixes out there, you might be able to find an Akita Pit at a local shelter; however, these mixes are less common. You can also check out Akita or Pitbull rescue groups, such as Big East Akita Rescue (B.E.A.R.) or Save-a-Bull Rescue, to see if they might have an Akita Pit. Unfortunately, you probably won’t find any rescue groups specifically for Akita Pits.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Akita Pit

These dogs will inherit traits from both their parent breeds; it’s just a matter of which parent breed they take after more. However, all Akita Pits will share common traits. The Akita Pit will inherit stubbornness and independence from the Akita parent, so you can expect a strong-willed pup on your hands. From the Pitbull parent, the Akita Pit will inherit not only intelligence but also a desire to be dominant in any human and canine relationship.

This combination of stubbornness, independence, intelligence, and dominance means you must invest in plenty of obedience training with this breed. Aim for consistency while training, as well as a good mix of kindness and firmness. The fact this breed is eager to please their people will help when training. However, if training your Akita Pit becomes too challenging, seek a reputable dog trainer who can help, as this is one animal you can’t skip out on training.

Don’t let the thought of training and some stubbornness scare you off this dog, though! The Akita Pit is generally friendly and quick to form stable relationships with their family. These canines are also incredibly loyal; once the Akita Pit has been accepted into your family, they will remain forever loyal to it. Once the dog has been properly trained, they will be obedient, as well as quite protective.

Are These Dogs Good for Families?

Despite their stubborn streak and strong will, the Akita Pit makes an excellent family dog. Provided these pups are trained and socialized early on, you can expect them to be devoted to everyone in the family, down to the smallest human. In fact, the Akita Pit will likely be protective over any children in the family and always keep an eye on them during family activities.

However, without proper socialization, the Akita Pit will have a tendency to move from protective into overprotective, causing them to have major issues with people they don’t know.

When it comes to children and the Akita Pit, remember to also teach any kids in the home how to properly interact with a dog of the Akita Pit’s size. You’ll also want to keep an eye on the two when playing together, particularly if your children are on the younger side, as the Akita Pit could accidentally knock a tiny human over during enthusiastic play.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?

If you have other pets in your home, you absolutely must engage your Akita Pit in early socialization and obedience training. This will ensure that the Akita Pit gets along with other dogs and even cats. Akita Pits do have a prey drive when it comes to animals smaller than them, but this early socialization and training can deter bad habits.

Akita Pits are hardly ever aggressive toward animals if properly trained, but since they have a dominant personality, they will want to be the top dog in your home. If there are other dogs in the home with the same type of personality, you might run into a few issues until the situation is worked out.

Things to Know When Owning an Akita Pit

Of course, before adopting them, you should know more about a breed other than what their personality is. Taking care of a dog is a lot of work (though it’s well worth it!) because you have to feed, train, and groom them and ensure that they’re getting plenty of exercise and love.

Food & Diet Requirements

An Akita Pit shouldn’t require a specialized diet unless they have a health condition that calls for one. So, any high-quality dog food made for canines their size should suffice to give them the nutrition they need. But do be careful when introducing foods, as this breed could inherit food allergies (chicken, soy, and wheat from the Akita parent or beef, chicken, and dairy from the Pitbull parent).

Talk with your veterinarian to determine how often and how much your Akita Pit should be fed. They can tell you best how much your pet needs to eat to stay healthy without becoming overweight.

Exercise

Both Akitas and Pitbulls are dogs that need and want physical activity, which gives the Akita Pit a slightly higher energy level than average. That doesn’t mean you’ll need to go for hour-long runs with these pups; just a 20–30-minute walk twice a day or a couple of good games of fetch in the backyard should suffice. These pups will also enjoy jogs, hikes, and other backyard games.

Since these dogs are fairly intelligent, you want to ensure your pet is getting plenty of mental stimulation. Buy a couple of good puzzle toys, play learning games, or engage in training games with them to keep them happy.

You don’t want to let your canine companion go too long without physical or mental activity; a bored dog is a destructive dog!

Training

Training an Akita Pit can be challenging. Although the breed is intelligent and eager to please their people, they do have that stubbornness and the need to dominate that counterbalances those other traits. Plus, these pups can be extremely empathetic, meaning they can pick up on your emotions. If you’re engaged in a training session but get frustrated, your Akita Pit could pick up on that and become frustrated and unhappy.

That means keeping a handle on your emotions while training is vital, as is being kind but firm. You want these dogs to understand that you’re the “alpha” in the family unit, so they will fall in line. So, be firm but stay positive, and don’t utilize negative reinforcement, as that will only make the Akita Pit less willing to be trained.

Grooming ✂️

Grooming an Akita Pit will be a fairly easy job, as the breed has short hair that is very sleek. Therefore, you’ll only need to engage in a weekly brushing session with your pet (which is a fabulous opportunity to bond with them!). Unfortunately, despite the short hair, these dogs still do shed, though it is a lighter shedding than many other breeds.

Bathing will simply be as needed; just be sure you don’t bathe your dog too often, as this could lead to issues with the coat and skin. Other than brushing and bathing, you’ll need to stay on top of other essential grooming, such as keeping their nails trimmed and teeth cleaned.

• You might want to check this out: Best Dog Wipes

Health and Conditions

Akita Pits are generally hardy but prone to certain health issues because of their parentage. Here are a few conditions you’ll want to watch out for. Staying on top of things with regular vet visits will go far in keeping your Akita Pit in good health!

Male vs. Female

There really won’t be any significant differences between a female and male Akita Pit. At most, males may be a few pounds heavier than their female counterparts, but even then, the difference won’t be too large. Whether a male or female is best for you and your family will come down to what you prefer.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Akita Pit

Here are a few little-known facts about the Akita and Pitbull that will give you more insight into the Akita Pit!

1. Helen Keller introduced the Akita to America.

Keller was given an Akita on a trip to Japan and brought it back to the States; thus, she is credited with having the first Akita in the country. However, the breed didn’t catch on in the U.S. until after World War II, when service members began bringing them home.

2. The Pitbull isn’t a breed unto themselves.

The term “Pitbull” refers to a collection of dog breeds that include American Bulldogs, Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and American Staffordshire Terriers.

3. The Akita Pit is not recognized by the American Kennel Club.

However, a good portion of kennel clubs do recognize this breed as a semi-official one.

Final Thoughts

Although they require a bit of work in the beginning to learn obedience and socialization, the Akita Pit can make a wonderful pet. Once trained, this breed will be a devoted, fun, loving family member that will adore everyone in the family unit (and can even learn to love other pets!). You might have a bit of a challenge finding one of these pups, at least outside a breeder, though. If you are lucky enough to get an Akita Pit as a pet, you’ll have a lifelong companion sure to delight!

See Also:

• Cane Corso Neapolitan Mastiff Mixed Dog Breed

Featured Image Credit: Left – Charlotte Rush, Unsplash | Right – CrystalHeadbandz, Pixabay