The largest Japanese breed is the
An Akita is a breed of working dog that originated in the mountains of northern Japan. In 1931 the Japanese government designated the breed as a “natural monument.” It was employed as a hunting and fighting dog and is now trained for police and guard work.
Bigger or Smaller Than a Husky: Bigger
The Akita Inu is a large and powerful dog. Also known as the Japanese Akita, this breed originated from the mountainous regions of northern Japan. It's a strong and stubborn dog that's aloof with strangers.
The Shikoku and Shiba Inu are very similar in appearance - the main difference being size. While the maximum size for a Shiba Inu is about 25 pounds and 17" tall - the Shikoku can weight up to 55 pounds and have a height of 22".
The Tosa Inu (土佐, also called the Tosa-Ken and Japanese Mastiff) is a breed of dog of Japanese origin that is considered rare. It was originally bred in Tosa, Shikoku (present-day Kōchi), as a fighting dog and is the only breed still used (legally) in Japanese dog fighting.
The Akita (秋田, Akita, Japanese pronunciation: [akʲita]) is a Japanese dog breed of large size. Originating from the mountains of northern Japan, the Akita has a short double coat similar to that of many other northern spitz breeds. Historically, they were used by samurai for guarding, fighting and the hunting of bears.
Despite the recent uptick in the popularity of cute shiba-inus, the most famous Japanese dog is almost undoubtedly Hachikō, a white akita who was born in 1923. Hachikō grew up walking his master to Shibuya Station and picking him up there after work.
Shiba Inu. The Shiba Inu's fur and colors make them look just like foxes, according to the AKC. They love playing and spending time with their owners. Unfortunately, they tend to get separation anxiety, so they'd do well with someone who spends a lot of time at home.
Shiba Inu just means “little dog” or “brushwood dog.” The Akita is of a much bigger size than the Shiba. The Shiba was bred to hunt small game such as rabbits, while the Akita was bred to hunt brown bears and elk. Shiba Inus are also more popular than the Akita as a pet, though the Akita is Japan's national dog.
Shiba Inu, breed of dog that originated in Japan some 2,300 years ago for small game and ground bird hunting. A muscular dog, it stands 13.5 to 16.5 inches (34 to 42 cm) tall at the shoulders and weighs 17 to 23 pounds (7.5 to 10.5 kg). The Shiba Inu is known for its confidence, perkiness, and triangularly set eyes.
Shibu Inu. This breed's color and size make them appear almost exactly like a fox. They are an ancient breed of hunting dog and currently serve as the most popular companion dog in Japan.
The Alaskan Malamute is a heavy dog, with a more formidable nature and structure than the Siberian Husky, which is bred for speed. The Alaskan Malamute is bred for power and endurance, which is its original function and what the standard of the breed requires of Alaskan Malamute breeders.
The Australian Shepherd Husky is a mixed breed dog — a cross between the Australian Shepherd and Siberian Husky dog breeds. These active dogs are protective and loyal and inherited some of the best traits from both of their parents. The Australian Shepherd Husky is also called Aussie Siberian.
Hachiko was the most loyal dog. School children in Japan are taught the story of Hachiko for his loyalty. Movies and books are also there in his name.
Komainu (狛犬), often called lion-dogs in English, are statue pairs of lion-like creatures either guarding the entrance or the honden, or inner shrine of many Japanese Shinto shrines or kept inside the inner shrine itself, where they are not visible to the public.
Faithful to his death, Hachi-Ko is famous even today as the Akita samurai dog of Japan.
The Akita grows larger than the Siberian Husky, in both height and weight. Additionally, the Siberian Husky lives a slightly longer lifespan on average compared to the Akita. While both of these dogs work extremely hard, the Akita was originally bred for hunting, while the Siberian Husky was bred for sled pulling.
Shiba Inus, one of the oldest dog breeds, bear similarities to dingoes but are fully domesticated.
In the end, both the Akita and the Shiba Inu are independent thinkers. Both are generally affectionate in their own homes, but the Shiba Inu may be friendlier to newcomers. Like with human beings, personalities tend to differ from dog to dog.
The Shih Tzu shares more DNA with wolves than most other breeds. The only breed group with more shared wolf DNA is the Nordic spitz group (Huskies, Samoyeds, and Malamutes). The breed almost went extinct in the early 1900s after the death of Empress Tzu Hsi.
The Alaskan Malamute is the closest to a wolf in terms of appearance.
Short answer: no, they can't. They simply don't have compatible parts. (Of course, that doesn't mean they can't be friends: witness Juniper the Fox and Moose the Dog, above). The longer answer to why dog-fox hybrids can't exist has to do with the two species having vastly different numbers of chromosomes.
There are 6 Japanese dog breeds that are called "Nihon-ken" and are treated as Japan's national dog. The Nihon-ken include: Shiba Inu, Kishu Ken, Shikoku Ken, Hokkaido Ken, Kai Ken and Akita inu. (Akita Inu is the type of dog well-known as "Hachiko"!)
Six breeds of dog have been identified as true native breeds of Japan: Shiba Inu, Akita Ken, Hokkaidō Ken, Kai Ken, Kishū Ken and Shikoku Ken. Known as Nihon-ken (lit.
Inu, as dogs are known in Japanese, are most often represented in folklore as the defenders of people. Traditional belief has it that inu have a magical ability to resist evil spirits and demons.