Akitas Growth Stopped

[SKG]

If he is healthy and happy, stop weighing him and enjoy him. Weighing and worrying about it won't change the end result

[persephone]

If he is healthy and happy, stop weighing him and enjoy him. Weighing and worrying about it won't change the end result

[OSoSwift]

They can sometimes reach their full adult height at 8 months - depending on lines. However they fill out, gain muscle and maturity.

My male Whippet Lewis was full height at 8 months, but at age 5 is a far more substantial dog than he was back then. He has gained muscle, depth and strength, weighs more and is fully mature.

Talk to your breeder.

Edited January 25, 2014 by OSoSwift

[dragonwoman]

Since I posted this he had still gained no weight. The vets telling me he won't grow anymore. Apparently dogs stop growing at 8 months?

Garbage

[dancinbcs]

What is the dog's height like? That is a better indicator of how big he is likely to be. Measure the front leg from elbow to ground in a vertical line. When that measurement is between 33 and 39 cm he will end up within normal height range for an Akita as the body will continue to grow, once the legs stop until the elbow is at approx half the height of the dog. To get a vague idea of how much growing he has left measure the leg and then measure the same height up from the elbow. His withers should reach at least that height when he is full grown. If his legs grow more, then double that measurement again later.

Dogs do not grow at a constant rate, rather in spurts that can last a few days or a few weeks. Often the puppy will be hungrier at those times and this is why appetite can vary a lot in some puppies. Some grow all in proportion height length and weight wise. Others grow up, then in length alternately until they reach adult height and in my breed that can be anywhere from 6 months to 18 months even among related dogs. There seems to a lull in development around the time they reach adult leg height were they go several months looking like a lanky teenager, all legs, no body and unable to gain any weight. Then as they mature the body finishes growing and lengthening any time from 6 months to 2 years before finally filling out into adult proportions and weight at up to 4 years.

Rotties are the same height range as Akita and their recommended average weight is 42kg. There is no recommended weight for Akita but 50kgs sounds a lot to me for a breed that should not top 71cm in height.

Edited January 25, 2014 by dancinbcs

[Crablord]

If he is healthy and happy, stop weighing him and enjoy him. Weighing and worrying about it won't change the end result

We bought him for shows. So it does matter if he's not the normal height/weight for an akita.

I have documented his weight his whole life. The last 6 weeks he has been between 38-40kg. Ultimately when you buy a large breed dog, you want it to grow large. As I said I love my dog, it's just disappointing having what looks like to be a miniature Akita.

I've tried contacting the breeder to no avail. When I bought him she told me the male was 50kg. I know that that doesn't mean the pup will, but it gives you an idea. He is pure bred, I have his papers and for the most part the breeder seemed credible.

I'm just frustrated. I've always wanted a big akita, it's why I paid so much money for him.

[SchnauzerMax]

If you want to know if he is going to get any taller, get your vet to x-ray his legs to see if the growth plates have closed.

If they have closed, he won't be any taller but he will get heavier (because of the testosterone).

Otherwise it's just wait and see.

[persephone]

Ok... if you have the pedigrees .. and bought him for showing you would have researched his family ..if they are great examples, they will have been shown/used as breeders ..and there should be some details of their sizes/shapes/weights available online. Did they do well at shows ? did pups they produced look terrific and did they weigh as heavy as you want yours to?

[Lhok]

I put up a photo of Treb my akita in the akita thread to give you an idea on what my guy looks like, at last weigh in (around 10months old) he was around the 44kg mark but the photo while not a good one shows just how lanky he is. He was also going through coat blowing at the time of the photo, I suspect Treb will get more chunky as time goes on.

--Lhok

[persephone]

I'm just frustrated. I've always wanted a big akita, it's why I paid so much money for him.

So.. you wanted a BIG akita

please tell us you didn't pay extra because these were 'bred to be bigger' ..or somesuch.....

you didn't see the sire? Do you have photos /data on him? Do you know the temperament of both parents/the lines ?

I may be missing something here .. but it seems , in your eagerness to join the "size matters" game - perhaps you have been taken advantage of ...

[Rebanne]

If he is healthy and happy, stop weighing him and enjoy him. Weighing and worrying about it won't change the end result

We bought him for shows. So it does matter if he's not the normal height/weight for an akita.

So have you shown him? What has been the judges comments, other breeders?

[Alyosha]

Since I posted this he had still gained no weight. The vets telling me he won't grow anymore. Apparently dogs stop growing at 8 months?

Please tell me that a vet didn't say that?! What utter rubbish. Mine are babies at 8 months. They might have long legs but that's about it! They don't finish growing until they are three, sometimes older.

Does your boy still show signs he has growing to do? Is he in proportion, or are his legs/feet still a bit big for the rest of him? Does he have growth nodes halfway down his ribs? They will feel like little bumps on each rib.

I would be very surprised if a purebred Akita stopped growing at such a young age. Has he increased in height or any other measurement during the same period of time? Or are you going by weight only? Static weight doesn't mean a body isn't growing and changing...

[Salukifan]

It's not uncommon for many breeds of dogs to have reached very close to their maximum HEIGHT at around 8 months.

However larger breeds of dogs usually have some further height to gain and their growth plates often do not close for some time after that. As has already been recommended, x-raying the growth plates is the only sure fire way to know if a dog has reached its maximum height.

Dogs continue to mature after reaching their maximum height and what usually comes is more muscle development.

Given that the ANKC Akita Breed Standard does not specify the ideal weight for a mature Akita, I'm a bit perplexed as to why you're so concerned about your pup's (yes he is still a pup) weight. The standard doesn't suggest that within the specified height ranges, larger dogs are preferred.

How does he compare to other male Akitas of his age - are you actually showing him now? If he looks far smaller than other males of his age, perhaps you have cause for concern but have you actually benchmarked him against others in the ring yet?

Fat dogs weigh more than their lean counterparts - but I'd not consider the fatter dog superior. There's more to a quality show dog than how large it is. I know I'd rather have the best dog in the ring and not merely the biggest.

Edited January 25, 2014 by Haredown Whippets

[minxy]

Okay so I just found my old spreadsheet that I used to keep for our pets, just to give you a bit of an idea though unfortunately I only recorded his weight a couple of times.

At 6 months Kyojin weighed 29.4kg

At 11 months he was 47kg but his growth obviously started to really slow down from here on as the next weight I recorded for him was 47.3kg at 17 months. This was him at 11 months.

At 3.5 years old now he's finished filling out and now sits at around 55kg.

[minimax]

Is this the dog the breeder sold to you on limited register? If so, I'm assuming you never told them you intended to show therefore they did not give you a show prospect pup?

Has he been changed to mains now?

[Malakita]

We saw our first Akita at dog training. He was 7 months old and just about the size of a Great Dane. He looked incredibly tall for a puppy.

In the next few months, we saw a few more Akitas ( various ages) but none had that puppy's height.

Anyway, we joke around sometimes saying our boy is miniature as compared to that very first Akita, he seems smaller height wise. Our boy is very solidly built and fairly normal for his breed.

What I am trying to say is that Akitas are different depending on their lines. Some are solid, some are taller and slimmer. Don 't be too hard on your boy.

What has your breeder said? Was it hard choosing a kennel name for yourself?

Oh don 't forget to post a photo so we can see your boy.

Edited January 25, 2014 by Malakita

[Nekhbet]

He's in no way finished at 8 months of age. He's still growing and maturing, yes growth can plateau at times but he will still be growing for another year, just not as quickly or explosively as you have seen so far.

Here's the breed standard for an adult akita which he is in no way. If at t almost 3 he's not at show height then he's not as per breed standard. http://www.ankc.org.au/Breed_Details.aspx?bid=156

If you wanted a GIANT breed why didn't you buy a saint bernard? You love your dog for what he is, not what you want in your head.

[oakway]

Maybe you should read the standard.

Akita (Japanese)

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Last Updated: 16 May 2012

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Akita (Japanese)

Adopted in Australia October 2012

FCI Standard No. 255 dated 02/04/2001

Group: Group 6 (Utility)

History:

ORIGIN : Japan.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 13.03.2001.

UTILIZATION : Companion dog.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 5: Spitz and primitive type.

Section 5: Asian Spitz and related breeds. Without working trial.

Originally Japanese dogs were small to medium in size and no large breeds existed. Since 1603 in the Akita region, Akita Matagis (medium-sized bear-hunting dogs) were used as fighting dogs. From 1868 Akita Matagis were crossed with Tosas and Mastiffs. Consequently, the size of this breed increased but characteristics associated with Spitz type were lost.

In 1908 dog fighting was prohibited, but this breed was nevertheless preserved and improved as a large Japanese breed. As a result, nine superior examples of this breed were designated as « Natural Monuments » in 1931.

During World War II (1939-1945), it was common to use dogs as a source of fur for military garments. The police ordered the capture and confiscation of all dogs other than German Shepherd Dogs used for military purposes. Some fanciers tried to circumvent the order by crossbreeding their dogs with German Shepherd Dogs.

When World War II ended, Akitas had been drastically reduced in number and existed as three distinct types; 1) Matagi Akitas, 2) fighting Akitas, and 3) Shepherd Akitas. This created a very confusing situation in the breed.

During the restoration process of the pure breed after the war., Kongo-go, a dog of the Dewa line, which exhibited characteristics of the Mastiff and German Shepherd.

However, sensible learned fanciers did not approve of this type as a proper Japanese breed, so they made efforts to eliminate the strain old foreign breeds by crossbreeding with Matagi Akitas for the purpose of restoring the original pure breed. They succeeded in stabilizing the pure strain of large sized breed as known today.

General Appearance:

Large-sized dog, sturdily built, well balanced and with much substance ; secondary sex characteristics strongly marked, with high nobility and dignity in modesty ; constitution tough.

Important Proportions:

The ratio of height at withers to length of body ( from the point of the shoulders to the point of the buttock) is 10 : 11, but the body is slightly longer in bitches than in dogs.

Characteristics:

Not detailed.

Temperament:

The temperament is composed, faithful, docile and receptive.

Head And Skull:

Cranial Region:

Skull : The size is in proportion to the body. The forehead is broad, with distinct furrow. No wrinkle.

Stop : Defined.

Facial Region:

Nose : Large and black. Slight and diffuse lack of pigment accepted in white dogs only, but black is always preferred.

Muzzle : Moderately long and strong with broad base, tapering but not pointed. Nasal bridge straight.

Lips : Tight.

Cheeks : Moderately developed.

Eyes:

Relatively small, almost triangular in shape due to the rising of the outer eye corner, set moderately apart, dark brown : the darker, the better.

Ears:

Relatively small, thick, triangular, slightly rounded at tips, set moderately apart, pricked and inclining forward.

Mouth:

Jaws/Teeth : Teeth strong with scissor bite.

Neck:

Thick and muscular, without dewlap, in balance with head.

Forequarters:

Shoulders : Moderately sloping and developed.

Elbows : Tight.

Forearms : Straight and heavy-boned.

Body:

Back : Straight and strong.

Loin : Broad and muscular.

Chest : Deep, forechest well developed, ribs moderately well sprung.

Belly : Well drawn up.

Hindquarters:

Well developed, strong and moderately angulated.

Feet:

Thick, round, arched and tight.

Tail:

Set on high, thick, carried vigorously curled over back ; the tip nearly reaching hocks when let down.

Gait/Movement:

Resilient and powerful movement.

Coat:

Hair: Outer coat harsh and straight, undercoat soft and dense ; the withers and the rump are covered with slightly longer hair ; the hair on tail is longer than on the rest of the body.

Colour:

Red fawn, sesame (red fawn hairs with black tips), brindle and white.

All the above mentioned colours except white must have « urajiro ».

(Urajiro = whitish coat on the sides of the muzzle, on the cheeks, on the underside of jaw, neck, chest, body and tail and on the inside of the legs).

Sizes:

Height at the withers:

Dogs : 67 cm,

Bitches : 61 cm.

There is a tolerance of 3 cm more or less.

Faults:

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

• Bitchy dogs / doggy bitches.

• Undershot or overshot mouth.

• Missing teeth.

• Blue or black spotted tongue.

• Iris light in colour.

• Short tail.

• Shyness.

ELIMINATING FAULTS:

• Aggresive or overly shy.

• Ears not pricked.

• Hanging tail.

• Long hair (shaggy).

• Black mask.

• Markings on white ground.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

Notes:

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Last Updated: 16 May

[Diva]

Maybe you should read the standard.

Akita (Japanese)

I suspect you have posted the wrong standard? The OP is much more likely to have an Akita than an Akita (Japanese), unless you have more specific knowledge of their situation.

[OSoSwift]

Akita Standard

Group 6 (Utility)

General Appearance: Large, powerful alert, with much substance and heavy bone.

Characteristics: Large, broad head, with relatively small eyes and erect ears carried forward in line with back of neck; large, curled tail, in balance with head.

Temperament: Dignified, courageous, aloof, tends to show dominance over other dogs, though the trait is not encouraged.

Head And Skull:Large, in balance with body, skull flat, forehead broad, defined stop and clear furrow. Head forms blunt triangle when viewed from above, free from wrinkle. Muzzle broad and strong, cheeks well developed. Nose large and black, bridge straight. Lips tight and black. In white dogs flesh coloured pigmentation is permissible on nose and lips. Length from nose to stop is to length from stop to occiput as 2 is to 3.

Eyes:Relatively small, almond shaped, clean, moderately set apart and dark brown. Eye rims dark and tight.

Ears:Strongly erect, relatively small, thick, triangular, not low set, carried forward over eyes in line with back of neck when viewed in profile. Moderately set apart; slightly rounded at tips.

Mouth:Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck: Thick and muscular, comparatively short, widening gradually toward shoulders. Pronounced crest blends with back of skull.

Forequarters:Shoulders strong and powerful, moderately laid back. Elbows very tight. Forelegs well boned and straight when viewed from front. Pasterns inclining at approximately 15 degrees.

Body:Longer than high, as 10 is to 9 in males, 11 to 9 in bitches. Chest wide and deep, depth of brisket is one half height of dog at shoulder. Well developed forechest. Level back, firmly muscled loin, moderate tuck up. Skin pliant but not loose.

Hindquarters:Strong and muscular. With only moderate angulation and stifle. Well-developed thighs, strong hocks. Well let down, turning neither in nor out.

Feet:Thick, well knuckled, very tight, turning neither in nor out. Pads hard. Nails hard.

Tail:Large and full, set high, carried over back, full or double curl, always dipping to or below level of back. On a three-quarter curl tail, tip dips down flank. Root large and strong. Hair coarse, straight and full with no appearance of plume. Sickle or uncurled tail highly undesirable.

Gait/Movement:Vigorous, powerful and fluent with strides of moderate length. Back remains firm and level. Hindlegs move in line with front legs, whilst gaiting may single track.

Coat:Outer coat coarse, straight, and standing off body. Undercoat soft and dense. Coat at withers and rump is approximately 5 cms (2 ins), slightly longer than on rest of body, more profuse on tail. No indication of ruff or feathering.

Colour:Any colour including white brindle or pinto. Colours are brilliant and clear. Markings are well defined with or without mask or blaze.

Sizes:

Height at withers:

Dogs 66-71 cms (26-28 ins).

Bitches 61-66 cms (24-26 ins).

Faults:Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Last Updated: 30 Jan 2013

Edited January 25, 2014 by OSoSwift