Great Dane vs Akita - Breed Comparison | MyDogBreeds

Known as the Deutsche Dogge or Apollo of dogs, the giant-breed Great Dane hails from Germany and not Denmark as many people believe.

The large Great Dane has been around for about 400 years already. They descend from mastiff-like dogs, being needed to protect country estates.

In the 18th century, apart from watching over estates, they were also popular with the upper class for sport.

Akita is a very old breed. The first information originates back in the 1600s. Akita was a royalty guard and a hunting dog. They were popular because of their bravery. Akita even attacked bears. Helen Keller brought the first Akita to America. She admired the breed because of the famous Hachiko, a dog that was known for his loyalty. Today, Akita is a popular dog in the whole world. They are lovely family pets, and if train properly they will be adorable part of any family.

The Great Dame is a tall, lean, athletic, muscular, elegant looking dog. He can stand anything between 76–86cm in height and weigh around 54–90kg. The large head is long and narrow, and the medium sized floppy ears can be left or they can be cropped.

The tail is long and held low. The coat is short and smooth and can be in several colors such as fawn, black or brindle.

Temperament:

Any kind of aggressiveness was bred out of the Great Dane and today he is a gentle giant of a dog, getting on well with other dogs, children and everyone in his human family.

Even though he is a gentle giant, he will still require training and socialization just because of his size. Then they become the devoted pet that they are so well known to be. You'll want to know that when he comes indoors, he will obey you when you tell him to lie-down, sit or come, otherwise his sheer size will see him knocking things accidentally off table-tops.

He is an intelligent dog and is eager to please so he'll learn easily. He craves human companionship, so make sure that your social Dane has plenty of interaction with you.

Akita’s average weight is 34-54kg, while their height is 58-66cm. Females are smaller than males. Lifespan variates from dog to dog but an average lifespan of Akita is 11-15 years. However, if you take care of your dog with a proper diet and regular vet checks they can live longer than average. Litter Size of Akita is 7-8 puppies, but again, litter size variates because of dog’s genetics. Other Names for Akita are Akita-Inu and Japanese Akita.

The Great Dane is a large breed, bred to hunt wild boar. The intelligence, bravery and fearless nature of the dog meant that he was sought after for this task.

Known as the Apollo of Dogs, you won’t find the Great Dane being used for hunting purposes anymore, being more suited as a companion dog.

While developed as a working breed, today he is a well balanced, intelligent, calm, loving, social, dependable dog that just wants to be loved by his human family and to provide love, loyalty and companionship back in return.

Akita is a very elegant breed. They are very strong and fast, so they had been excellent guards. They sometimes can be stubborn, but they are very loyal to the family. Akita has tendencies to be aggressive to other dogs. Because of their dominant character, they can be especially aggressive towards the same sex. They are the best for one-dog houses. With family, they are very loving and gentle. The best way to train Akita is by positive training with awards. The old-fashioned way like punishing is not recommendable. Constant and firm training is important, so if you are first time owner, it might be a big challenge. If you are first time owner, consider advising with a trainer who knows the breed.

Akita loves to be around family and to be included in family activities. They do not need a lot of activity, but daily routines of one-hour walks or jogging would be ideal for Akita. Visiting parks for dogs is not a good idea because of aggressive attitude towards other animals. If Akita does not have activities they can get bored, and you do not want bored Akita. When bored they start barking, digging, chewing, and sometimes even aggressive. Overall, they are very loving and gentle dogs who love to be around family and enjoy activities. But, they also need proper care and attention which require time and patience.

Typically of giant dogs, the Great Dane doesn't have a particularly long life-span and will live to be about 8 to 10 years of age. Also, giant-breed dogs like this are susceptible to what is known as bloat.

You'll notice it because there is swelling of the stomach with gas buildup and also twisting of the stomach. It's a life-threatening condition and you'll need to get your dog to the vet as soon as possible. You can combat it by feeding him smaller, more frequent meals and perhaps buying a slow-feeder dish, forcing your hungry pet to eat slower and not gulp his food down.

Also, large dogs like this can develop hip dysplasia and with a dog like the Great Dane, it takes a while for the bones and joints to grow and then become stable. That is why it is important not to make him do any vigorous exercise till he is at least 18 months of age, as these exercises can put a lot of stress on the joints and bones which can lead to hip dysplasia later on.

Akita is a very healthy breed in general. Nevertheless, almost as every breed, Akita can develop health issues. Hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, Progressive retinal atrophy are some of the issues Akita might have. Although, if you give your puppy Akita necessary vitamins, with a healthy diet and regular vet checks, it will a very happy and healthy dog. It is also important to know the genetics of your dog, so carefully choosing a puppy is very important.

Diet:

This is a large dog so you’ll notice that with commercially manufactured dog foods, there are those made specially for large- or giant breeds. It is important to choose the right dog food for his large size so that you can be sure he gets the right amount of nutrients in for him to grow strong and healthy.

If you aren't sure about what food would most benefit your Great Dane, ask your vet. While it is important to also feed him quality home-made food and raw meat, when buying kibble for him,check the label of the food you buy him and make sure that the concentration of protein isn’t more than 23 to 25%.

Remember to provide him with a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

Brush your Great Dane’s coat at least twice a week. He has a short, smooth coat so it will be easy, and the brushing will keep his coat soft and shiny. Use this time to also check for fleas and ticks or lumps. You will also need to check his nails and trim them if they don’t trim down on their own.

Exercise:

Your Great Dane will need to be exercised every day if you want him to maintain his lean, muscular shape. It keeps him happy too. He isn’t the kind of dog though that you want to turn into your running partner when you go jogging or cycling. He can go on a walk and play in the garden, but the exercising shouldn’t be for long periods of time.

His first checkup:

Every puppy needs to get to the vet for his first check-up when he is 6 weeks of age, and your Dane will also have to. As a puppy he will need to be de-wormed which will happen with this 6 week check up. He will also be vaccinated for distemper.

Feeding Akita

It is always important to adjust feeding to size, activity age and built. Dogs who are bigger and have more activity will need more food. For an average Akita 3-5 cups of dry high-quality food, divided into 2 meals will be enough. They also love to eat vegetables like carrots, broccoli, and fruits like apples, oranges, watermelon, etc.

Feeding Akita puppy

Akita puppy should have more meals per day plus additional calcium and vitamins. 3-5 meals per day would be an ideal for a puppy. It is a perfect way to develop your puppy into a healthy adult dog.

Grooming Akita

Grooming Akita is not the worst, but it will require some work. They have a double coat, but they are shedding a lot. Occasional vacuuming will be a new habit that every Akita owner needs. They shed 2-3 times per year, so it is not very bad. When it not shedding, everyday brushing would be a perfect way to groom your Akita.