Choosing an Akita Mix Breed: Which is Best for Your Home?

Dogs are man’s best friend. However, with the Akita, you get much more than just friendship. The Akita breed is also fiercely loyal and loving to its owner. Its origin traces back to Japan, where the dogs would guard nobles and royalties. They have a huge and sturdy body, which makes them excellent guard dogs and a good breed for crossbreeding.

To get an Akita mix breed, you have to mix an Akita with another breed. For instance, mixing an Akita with a Labrador will give you a Labrakita, an Akita with a Golden Retriever will give you a Golden Akita Retriever, and so on. This can be done for any dog breed you want. Expect the combination to give you a dog with qualities from both the Akita and your chosen breed.

Here is an interesting Akita fact; In 1937, Hellen Keller, while on a visit to Japan, was given an Akita as a gift. She took it with her to the USA, and since then, the Akita, along with Akita mix breeds, have become very popular in the US.

Choosing an Akita Mixed Breed

Here is a look at various Akita mix breeds highlighting their sizes, colors, life span, and the character traits they get from parent breeds.

Akita x American Bulldog Mix = Bullkita

The Bullkita is a mix between an Akita and American Bulldog, which makes it a large and robust bulldog. The Bullkita has genetic traits from both the Bulldog and Akita parents. A Bullkita is friendly as the Bulldog and as loyal as the Akita.

The combination makes it one of the best breeds to rear as a family pet. Most of them are short-haired, mostly brown, with white spots like Akitas with some other features resembling those of a bulldog. The Bullkita can live averagely for 9-11 years, growing to a height ranging between 18-22 inches and weighing 70 to 90 pounds.

Akita x Boxer Mix = Boxita

Boxita is a breed between an Akita and a Boxer mix and has characteristics from both breeds. An Akita is large with a powerful built while a boxer is energetic with an average athletic body. As a result, expect a Boxita that will be playful and enjoys work.

The Boxita has coat mostly brown and white, which is weather resistant. The breed is a wonderful choice for a pet due to its friendly and loyal nature. It is also brave making a good defender for your family.

Akita x Chow Chow Mix = Akita Chow

Akita Chow is a crossbreed between a Chinese Chow Chow and a Japanese Akita. Unlike a lot of breeds, the Akita Chow won’t jump on you or start licking away at your face.

Also known as Chakita, Akita Chow is a stubborn dog, and if you want it for a pet, you may have to offer it intensive training. It is a good listener, and therefore, using verbal training can go a long way in instilling good behavior.

Being an aggressive dog, it is a good guard dog for your family. You may also need to give it regular grooming to keep it clean and your house too. The dog’s fur coat is thick with long hair, which means you should expect it to shed heavily.

Akita x German Shepherd Mix = Akita Shepherd

Akita Shepherd is an energetic breed that takes after its equally strong parents, Akita and German Shepherd. Also known as Shepkita, an Akita Shepherd can live for 10-13 years and grow as tall as 25 inches and 85 pounds in weight. The Akita Shepherds are not a popular breed as the American Kennel Club has not recognized them as purebred dogs.

The end of the 19th century was when the Shepkita was bred to be a herding dog. Today, you can take the Akita Shepherd to be a companion as it can make a perfect family pet. You may need to groom it with a slicker brush regularly as it sheds a lot.

Akita x Golden Retriever Mix = Golden Akita Retriever

The Golden Akita Retriever is a combination of a Japanese Akita and a Golden Retriever. The parent breeds are both of the same strong built, and the Golden Akita Retriever takes after them. The mixed breed has a huge appetite and may need you to keep a good stock of food for it.

After giving the Golden Akita food, you may have to wait for an hour before exercising as it is prone to bloating. They can be a good running companion as they are energetic and also need to keep fit.

As a novice dog owner, the Golden Akita may not be ideal for you. It may require an experienced person to train it as it is sturdy and likes being the leader. Due to their heavy shedding, routine grooming is necessary for them.

Akita x Labrador Retriever Mix = Labrakita

Labrador Retriever and Akita Inu are the parents of Labrakita dogs. The Labrakita is an intelligent dog that makes it a quick learner and easy to train. It is best as a guard dog as it is protective and can get aggressive when it sees strangers.

You may have to train a Labrakita to be gentle on other animals and strangers. It can make a great family pet, but it is not friendly towards kids.

Akita x Neapolitan Mastiff Mix = Nekita

A Nekita is a crossbreed between the Neapolitan Mastiff and the Akita Inu. Being large breeds, they produce an equally gigantic Nekita that can weigh 160 pounds and as tall as 25-29 inches. The Nekita’s fur can be black, brown, silver, red, white, fawn, or brindle and is usually short and thick.

Nekitas love their owners, but you may need to be careful when they are around young kids. However, they can be trained to be gentle if you want them as kids’ pets. Their massive size and courage make them excellent guard dogs.

Akita x Pit Bull Terrier Mix = Akita Pit

The Akita Pit is a crossbreed of the Pit Bull Terrier mix and an Akita. Its fur coat tends to be more of a Pitbull with colors ranging from brindle, black, fawn, white, and blue. The size of the breeding parents determines the size of the Akita Pit. With 10-12 years, life span, the Akita Pit can grow to a medium size and can weigh 30-66 pounds and a height of 16-22 inches.

Akita Pit is a friendly dog that is lovely for kids and the whole family. Since both parents are intelligent and strong-willed, the Akita pit will be as well. You may have to be firm in your training for this breed to obey you and be friendly with pets and young kids.

It is a fast learner and will respond to commands such as sit, come, and take as well as stop bad habits.The use of negative reinforcement like punishing the Akita Pit may not go down well. For it to obey, you can go for positive reinforcement during training. Though initially a hunting dog, Akita Pit can be a good companion and watchdog.

Akita x Poodle Mix = Aki-Poo

The Aki-Poo is a product of the Standard Poodle and Akita breeds. The Aki-Poo’s ears can either be erect or floppy and a build that is strong and sturdy. Their average height is 15-28 inches and a weight of 45-120 pounds. Depending on which parent traits are stronger, the Aki-Poo’s fur coat can be of any color.

It is an active dog that may need frequent exercises such as walking or playing outdoors. If it follows its Akita parent, it may not be so friendly with kids and thus needs proper training before interacting with them. Since both parents are loyal, courageous, intelligent, and affectionate, the Aki-poo can be your favorite pet.

Akita x Siberian Husky Mix = Huskita

Huskitas are a mix of two ancient dog breeds: The Siberian Husky mix and Akita ancient breeds that produce Huskita dog breeds. They take after their parents, and you may notice them portraying qualities of playfulness like the Siberian or loyalty like Akita

Huskitas adapt well in cold regions and are a common breed in the northern countries. They may not find hot weather favorable due to their Husky origins. They are hyper and may need regular exercise, especially when they are young. They are outdoor animals, but they will not mind staying indoors cuddling near you.

Huskitas can weigh 50-75 pounds and be tall by 22-25 inches. Their fur coat can be of medium length or short with colors depending on which parent they take after. They can live close to 10-13 years and are popular in the US through the American Kennel Club does not recognize them.

Ways to Decide The Mix Best for You

When it comes to choosing the best mix breeds, you may have to consider the following factors.

Breed

You may have certain breeds that you love due to their character traits. Owning two of them may prove to be hard, and thus you may decide to have a mixed breed of the two.

If you love breeds with good temperaments, fewer health issues, and are low maintenance yiu can choose two with similar traits. Going for two breeds with different personalities or built can be hard if the result is one with the negative characteristics.

Maintenance

Different dog breeds require different maintenance needs. Every dog deserves proper grooming, but some require more than the basic routine. Some like Akitas shed heavily, and you may have to pair it with one that sheds less. Others like the Bloodhounds and Mastiffs tend to drool, and you may need to have a cloth near to keep wiping their drool from time to time.

Medical attention is another thing to consider, therefore go for dogs with less prone to congenital illnesses. Some dogs are heavy feeders, and that would mean digging deeper into your pocket to satisfy them with food supplies.

Size

You may have to consider the size of the dog you want to keep as a pet. If you want a large one, you may pair two large dogs because they will produce after themselves. Medium size can come from mixing a small and a large dog.

With size comes different responsibilities, large ones may require a larger space to rest and play. On the other hand, small ones may need you to keep watch over them lest you step on them, and they need warmth as they are sensitive to cold.

Energy Levels

Some dog breeds have more energy levels than others. The more energy a breed has, the more exercise it needs, or else it will develop behavior problems. You may notice a dog continually barking, destroying thongs, digging the ground, or any other lousy way. It will be an indicator that they are restless due to the excess energy build-up.

Those with lower energy levels may not need too much exercise. If your schedule doesn’t allow for at least two walks in a day, you may have to go for breeds like Basset Hound with low energy.

Age

If you are adopting or buying a dog, you may need to consider its age and the requirements at that stage. Puppies may require more attention, care, and training sessions; therefore, you will need you most of the time you need to train a puppy more into what you need it to turn out as it may possess aggressive behavior from one of its parents as it grows older.

For most adult dogs, they have already undergone training and are therefore easy to be with. If you lack Job’s patience, then an adult dog is ideal as you do not have to spend much time on it.

You may also adopt an old dog to make it have the care it deserves in its last years of life, and you may have an easier time with them. A senior dog does not need many workouts and may also be less hostile. It, however, may need routine checkups with a vet, which may be costly.

Things that Akita Mixed Breeds Share

Akita mixed breeds may be different due to their different parentage. However, they may have the following characteristics from their Akita genes.

Appearance

The mixed breeds may have a big strong body with a big head. Their eyes may be small with a triangular shape and a rugged look.

Loyalty

The dog may be loyal, friendly, and an excellent protector for you and other family members. They rarely back off from a challenge and may get hurt defending you as its owner. You may need to train the breed yourself as they attach to the owner fast.

Strong-willed

If the mix breed takes after an Akita, it most likely will be stubborn with a strong will. For this reason, training them may require you to be gentle and patient as opposed to being harsh.

Introverts

An Akita is the human version of introverts. They are not welcoming to visitors, and if you take it home for the first time, it may take time before you two bond. They, however, become best friends when they get used to you.

Rarely Barks

You most likely will not have a problem with an Akita mix breed as it rarely barks. Even when hunting, it does so stealthily without a bark.

Some Things to Be Cautious About

When breeding any other breed with an Akita, you can get the good side or the downside. Some characteristics you may expect from Akitas that are not favorable include:

Aggressiveness

An Akita is an aggressive dog that is not friendly towards strangers and other animals. You may have to be cautious before introducing a new Akita mix breed, for it may scare away others.

Food Obsession

An Akita loves food and can try to have it is way when it sees someone eating. You may have to be careful when it is around kids and especially during meal times.

A Strong Will

If you are not confident, an Akita can exert its strong will on you. You will need to be firm and have an even stronger will for it to know who is in charge. This is why this breed may not be ideal for you if you have no time to train it to be gentle.

Patience is a virtue that you are definitely going to need if you want to own an Akita mix because they are not very obedient.

Sheds Heavily

An Akita has a lot of furs, which is long and sheds quickly. You may have to groom it regularly close to 3-4 times a week to keep the shedding at a minimum. It may give you extra work to clean around the house due to the excessive shedding. Vacuuming will be a necessary chore in your home to-do list, which may not be optional but a must. If you are not a fan of cleaning dogs or the house regularly, you may opt for another breed that does not shed as much.

Mixed Breeding Dangers

Mix breeding can produce different character traits. This is why crossbreeding has become so widespread, and it often leads to the production of much stronger breeds. However, it also has a few dangers that you need to be aware of as a prospective mixed breed owner:

Difficult to Know What the Adult Size Will be

Breeding between two dog breeds with the same sizes may not be hard to predict the final results. However, a large dog and a small-sized dog may not always produce the ideal size. You may want a small scale and end up with a large or wish for large, and it grows to be small or medium-sized. For instance, a chihuahua or Toy poodle may mix with a Labrador, but you cannot be sure what the final size will be when the dog becomes an adult.

High-risk Pregnancy and Deliveries

When a bitch is of a large breed, and the mate is smaller risks are less. However, getting pregnant for a large breed can be difficult for a small breed. The delivery can also be twice as hard, forcing your vet to conduct a caesarian section to get the pups out. If you are not near during the time of its delivery, you may lose both the mother and the mixed-breed puppies.

Risk of Suffering from Congenital Diseases

Hip dysplasia, kidney disease, epilepsy, and eye problems are some congenital health issues you may have to deal with in mixed breeds. If the parent breeds both have any of the chances of the diseases are high, the mixed breed will inherit them. If one parent is a carrier of the genetic problems, there is no telling of the offspring will inherit or not.

Possible Extinction

Some mixed breeds are becoming more popular than their parent breeds. The trend may go on and lead to parents being extinct as the crossbreeds keep mixing with others.

For instance, the Toy Trawler Spaniel is now extinct thanks to crossbreeding it to produce Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The Cavalier became more popular than the Toy, and when its breeding stopped, it became extinct.

Mixed Breeds are More Expensive

Compared to purebred dogs, mixed breeds are often more expensive, unless the pure breed is a rare breed. Popular dogs breeds are quite affordable. That being said, it is possible to get designer dogs that are made to order, but these may not be recognized by the United Kennel Club or the American Kennel Club.

Hard to Tell What Personality It Will Have

Dog temperaments vary, and you can hardly predict which temperament the mixed breed will have. You can mix an Akita and a Poodle hoping your Aki-poo will be a friendly pet towards your dog only for it to take after the Akita and be aggressive towards kids.

A Labrador and a Poodle mix may not always produce a pup taking after the calm nature of its Labrador parent. It may end up having to have high energy levels like the Poodle.

Other Boxer Mixes

The Boxer is a popular breed in the US due to its charming and lovely nature. Their personality makes them an ideal breed to mix and get a similar and stronger breed. As seen, the Boxita is a mix between an Akita and the Boxer; the following are other Boxer mixes.

Boxweiller

A Boxweiller, also referred to as Boxer Rotty, is both a playful and energetic breed that is a combination between the Rottweiler mix and Boxer. It has a loving and friendly nature though it is wary of strangers and can be aggressive towards them if not adequately trained on how to socialize. You may have to take the time to teach it before introducing it to your family members.

Boxweiler does not like to be alone for long, and it would respond well in the company of other dogs. It can weigh between 70-100 pounds and needs a dedicated owner to feed it well and exercise it.

Boxachi

The Boxer and Chihuahua mix produce a Boxachi. It is friendly and intelligent and is fun with kids making it a favorite pet. It can of small or medium size with a sturdily built body and short legs. They take after the Chihuahua on facial appearances and Boxer on their body form.

Boxollie

A Boxollie is a combination of a Boxer and a Border Collie. Depending on which parent genes are stronger, a Boxollie can either be large or medium in size. Its fur coat also varies in colors and can be of short or medium length.

Being that Boxollie’s parents are both working dogs, it will undoubtedly take after them and will require a lot of exercises. They are both affectionate, happy, and intelligent, meaning when you have a Boxollie, and you have the best of both worlds.

Bullboxer Pit

Also known as Pixoter or American Bullboxer, the Bullboxer Pit is an energetic, intelligent, and a loyal dog. It is a crossbreed of the American Pit Bull Terrier and a Boxer.

You can own a Bullboxer as a pet, worker, or watchdog. It can weigh 50-80 pounds and have a fur coat with various colors. Being lively dogs, you will need to take them for a walk regularly or play with them.

Boxador

A mix between Labrador and Boxer will give a Boxador, which is a gentle dog. It is fun to be with kids due to their playful and calm nature. They are full of energy and require vigorous exercise to keep them occupied. If you do not like grooming or looking after dogs regularly, a Boxador can be a perfect breed as it is low maintenance.

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