Inside Interview with Janet & John Lewis

Q: Of Type, Temperament, Soundness, and Movement, Which One Is The Most
Important To You When Evaluating An Akita?

Our first consideration when planning a breeding is temperament and soundness. The temperament of the Akita should be dignified, alert, responsive, and courageous. Potential puppy buyers must be told the pros and cons of owning an Akita and the new owner's temperament must also be evaluated! Then you need to evaluate the individual temperaments within the litter and match these to the new owners. Soundness is our next priority as hopefully all of our puppies become cherished family members first and show dogs second. So we want to produce the healthiest puppy possible.

Of course we breed only dogs with OFA good or excellent hips and not before 2 years of age. Their eyes must also be examined and certified (CERF). We also do a complete thyroid panel on both parent as well as routine blood work. An Akita must look like an Akita and not be mistaken for any other breed and from the side you should see a well balanced dog where all the body parts flow into on another and no part stands out on it's own. Movement is extremely important to us and we will not breed a dog that does not have correct movement as movement defines underlying structure and determines if the dog can perform the task it was bred for.

Q: What Fault Is Your Pet Peeve In The Breed?

We really have 2 areas that we would like to see improved at this time. We are losing the really good feet that are tight, cat feet, well knuckled up with thick pads. There seem to be longer toes now and we like to see a dog where you hardly see the feet. Also the angle at the pastern must be correct in order to support the full weight of the front end. The pastern should be 15 degrees forward from the vertical line of the leg. Secondly, ears are getting, very large which detracts from the overall appearance of the Akita. The ears are one of the most important features defining "type" in the Akita. They should be small and the tip should reach only to the eye when pulled down, and they should be erect, triangular, and carried forward in a line with the neck.

Q: What Advice Would You Give First Time Akita Owners
Or Someone Just Beginning To Show?

The most important thing you can do is to take classes and more classes with an instructor who is familiar with the temperament of the Akita. Socialization is extremely important through all phases of the dogs life and we would like to refer you to the articles by Sherry Wallis on temperament. Also having a breeder who is willing to work with you and answer questions is extremely important. Private lessons can help once in awhile especially if you are showing for the first time.

It can be helpful to take classes from different people as well as take different classes such as obedience, confirmation, and puppy agility. Puppy agility can be a fun class which really helps to build confidence in the dog which is extremely important in the Akita. Every dog is different and you need to learn how to adjust to each dog as they are handled differently. One of the hardest things to learn when you first start showing, is to be aware of everything going on in the ring as you tend to be very focused on your own dog and how you are handling. This just takes allot of repetition.

Q: Do You Have Advice Regarding Nutrition/Feeding/Supplements For Akitas?

The best advice is to feed the highest quality dog food you can find. Be sure that the food does not contain any soy products of BHA or BHT as preservatives. We do occasionally feed raw meat but it is not part of our daily routine. We personally feed a food that has kelp in it or you can supplement with kelp if you want. We feel that this is an important ingredient for Akitas. If coats get dry, which they do here in Colorado, we will use Omega 3 fatty acid supplements.

We have also used a product called "Missing Link" and a daily multiple vitamin. Vitamin C in moderate doses can be valuable in boosting the immune system. When we feed our dogs we elevate their food dishes so they must stand on tip-toe to eat. We do this mostly to strengthen feet but some say it also helps to prevent bloat. We always feed 2 times per day and if you are feeding a high quality dog food, you do not need to feed that much. For a 100# dog for example, they should need only about 4 cups per day.

Q: What Do You Do To Train and Condition Your Dogs/Puppies For The Show Ring?

We do not believe in formally conditioning puppies and we just let them run and play normally. However, we have allot of property to run so if you live in a residential area they do need regular exercise at least twice per day. If we have a dog we are seriously trying to finish then we will start some light "roadwork". However, never before the growth plates have closed which varies with each dog but is usually not before 2 years. Now if we are seriously Specialing a dog, then we start to push their physical conditioning. We us a treadmill on a daily basis with one day off per week.

As Physical Therapists, we have developed many programs for people however there is not much literature on how to monitor a dog on a treadmill. So we just developed our own program and monitor pulse rate and respirations as you would for people. Their response to exercise varies considerably from day to day so you must monitor temperature in the room, how much they have eaten that day, and if they are feeling well. If we are doing daily conditioning on the treadmill then we change their dog food to a higher "performance" food due to the extra calories they are using. This is also good for dogs who are truly working such as sled pulling, etc. Conditioning is imperative in the Group ring as the level of competition goes up a notch from the breed and you have to be competitive. These are our "Olympic" canines!

Q: What Has Been Your Most Embarrassing Moment In The Show Ring And Why?

That would be Panda of course. This was when we first started showing and we were in a large open bitch class of about 20 bitches. It was an outdoor show and the judge was coming down the line to make her cut and just as she came to us, Panda looked up at me and I swear she smiled. She then took one step out of line, turned over on her back, and took a glorious roll in the grass with her feet up in the air! I was mortified... Luckily the judge thought it was pretty funny and we went on to win the class.

Q: In What Way Have Akitas Enriched Your Lives?

Our dogs keep us in touch with what is really important in life. It is the ebb and flow of life and mother nature. They teach us to be reserved, humble, dignified, and courageous in the face of adversity. It is not the ribbons or the dog shows that matter but how we live our lives with our Akitas and how we respect life in general. We cannot imagine life without them!