Akita Poodle Mix (Aki-Poo): Dog Breed Info & Pictures
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The Akita Poodle Mix, also known as the Aki-Poo, is a hybrid breed that combines the Akita Inu and the popular Standard Poodle. These two breeds are quite different, which means you could end up with a hybrid that is either cautious and protective like the Akita or loving and laidback like the Poodle.
The likelihood is that your hybrid will have traits of both parent breeds, but overall, you should expect an intelligent breed. To be on the safe side, you will need to provide them with socialization and training starting at a young age. This will ensure that your Aki-Poo will get along with people and other animals and that they can cope with new situations.
| Height: | 15–28 inches |
| Weight: | 40–120 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 12–15 years |
| Colors: | Black, fawn, red, brown, white |
| Suitable for: | Owners that want a protective and cautious guard dog |
| Temperament: | Loyal, brave, protective, affectionate, cautious |
The Aki-Poo usually inherits the coat of their Poodle parent, which is described as being hypoallergenic because it sheds very little and does not produce much dander. Regardless of which breed your hybrid takes after more, you will still need to provide them with regular maintenance, including brushing their teeth and trimming their nails, to ensure that your dog remains healthy.
Akita Poodle Mix (Aki-Poo) Characteristics
Akita Poodle Mix (Aki-Poo) Puppies
The hybrid breed is a combination of the Akita and Poodle, both of which can be expensive breeds. This is especially true of the Standard Poodle if they come from an award-winning line. Ensure that you use a reputable breeder so you know exactly what you are getting and can ensure a greater chance that your puppy is healthy and well-adjusted.
The Akita can be aggressive, and if the hybrid breed shows signs of this aggression, it is possible that the owner may put them up for adoption. As such, it is possible to find this breed in shelters, but you must take care when rehoming from a shelter. Ensure that you know as much as possible about the breed and the reasons for the dog being rehomed.
Temperament & Intelligence of the Akita Poodle Mix (Aki-Poo) 🧠
As a hybrid breed, the Akita Poodle mix could adopt the temperament of either parent breed. This means that they could be laidback like the Poodle or protective like the Akita. This particular pairing will create an especially intelligent dog with a high potential for trainability.
Are These Dogs Good for Families? 🏡
The Akita is intensely loyal as well as brave. They are affectionate with those they consider to be part of their inner circle but can be distrustful of others, especially of strangers. Their caution around strangers makes them a good choice as a guard dog. In contrast, the Poodle is much more laidback and relaxed. They will normally get along with anybody.
The Aki Poo usually gets along with most people, and will almost certainly get along with immediate family. They are generally considered good with children, though you should supervise time between your Aki-Poo and small children. It is also worth noting that the breed can be very protective of their family, so you will need to take care when children are playing. If your dog perceives friendly play as being a threat, it could lead to aggression.
Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets? 🐶😽
The Akita Poodle Mix can get along very well with other family pets, especially dogs, but if you want to ensure that this is the case, you should consider early socialization and training to be vital. This will ensure that they know how to behave around others and that they understand what you expect of them. It also teaches them that new situations, people, and animals are not to be feared.
Things to Know When Owning an Akita Poodle Mix (Aki-Poo)
The Akita Poodle mix can be a loyal and loving dog that gets along with and forms a strong bond with, all family members. They can also be aggressive, especially with strangers. They are not the perfect breed for all potential owners, and you should know the following information about this breed before you consider taking one into your home.
Food & Diet Requirements 🦴
As a large and active breed, the Aki-Poo requires a nutrient-rich diet, and you should expect to feed an adult Akita Poodle mix around 4 cups of food per day. The actual amount you feed will be determined by their age, size, and activity level. Active dogs require more food. Both breeds are prone to bloat, so you will need to accurately measure the amount of food, serve it over two to three meals per day, and avoid exercise for an hour after each meal.
Exercise 🐕
When it comes to exercise, you have two energetic parent dogs that require a decent amount of exercise every day. For your Aki-Poo, provide around 90 minutes of walking per day, and add in as much additional play as possible. Also, bear in mind that this breed is highly intelligent, and you will need to provide mental stimulation, as well as physical. If your Akita Poodle mix gets bored, they are likely to act out by creating their own games.
This is one breed that can excel at dog agility and other canine sports, and these represent a really effective way of providing physical and mental stimulation.
Training 🦮
Their intelligence and close bond to their human owners means that the Aki-Poo is highly trainable. The Poodle is used as a service dog, police dog, and in a host of other service roles around the world. They can pick up new commands quickly, master hundreds of commands over the course of a lifetime, and learn complex tasks.
Early training of the mixed breed is a good idea. It can help ensure that your Akita mix is not aggressive or too cautious around strangers, and it can help with socialization.
Grooming ✂️
The Akita Poodle is often described as being hypoallergenic because they do not shed much. Regardless of whether they adopt the Akita or the Poodle coat, they will still need regular brushing, so expect to brush your Aki-Poo at least every week, potentially more if they do shed.
You will also need to provide other grooming for your Akita Poodle Mix. This means that you will have to brush their teeth three times a week and trim their nails when you notice that they are long.
- Related Read: Best Dog Shampoos
Health and Conditions ❤️
- Cataracts
- Pemphigus
- Entropion
- Von Willebrand’s disease
- Hip dysplasia
- Bloat
Male vs. Female
There is no known difference between the male and female Aki-Poo. The idiosyncrasies of your Aki-Poo will be derived more from their parents than from their sex.
3 Little-Known Facts About the Akita Poodle Mix (Aki-Poo)
1. Akitas Have Webbed Toes
The Akita is one of only a handful of dog breeds to have webbed toes. However, while breeds like the Weimaraner have webbed toes to help them swim, the Akita’s webbing is meant to help them distribute their weight more effectively on snow. This is just one way in which the breed flourishes in cold conditions. The Akita’s energy levels and intelligence seem to spike when the temperature plummets. The breed does not tend to do well in hot climates, though this can be tempered somewhat by combining them with the Standard Poodle.
2. Poodles Are Extremely Intelligent
The Akita is no slouch when it comes to mental acuity, but they have nothing on the Standard Poodle, which is known to be one of, if not the most intelligent breeds. They are able to learn a long list of commands and can usually learn a new trick within a handful of repetitions. In fact, they will create games to relieve boredom if they are not given enough mental stimulation. They can learn up to 400 words, compared to the average canine vocabulary of around 150 human words. They are also known to be exceptional problem solvers, even if you don’t recognize that there is a problem to be solved.
3. The Aki-Poo Is Said to Have Hypoallergenic Hair
The Aki-Poo is said to have hypoallergenic hair, which means that they can even make a suitable pet for those who suffer from dog allergies. In truth, there is no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic breed. People with dog allergies are allergic to a particular enzyme secreted by dogs, and it is commonly found in the dander of their coats. All dogs produce dander, but in varying degrees, and breeds like the Standard Poodle, which does not shed much hair, are said to be hypoallergenic because their low shedding means that they do not give off a lot of the enzyme that causes allergic reactions.
Final Thoughts
The Aki-Poo hybrid breed crosses the intelligent but laidback Poodle with the more cautious Akita. The resulting Akita Poodle Mix is energetic and lively and forms a close bond with their humans. They will usually get along with dogs and cats as long as they are exposed from a young age, but they will benefit from early and ongoing socialization to help ensure that they get along with everybody.
The Aki-Poo is considered generally healthy, but they do require regular exercise, and you must ensure that you feed them a strict diet to avoid bloat and prevent your dog from becoming overweight.
The intelligence of the Poodle means that you can expect to teach your new dog plenty of commands, but remember that if you don’t also teach them the right behavior, they will make it up as they go along.
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Featured Image Credit: Mary Swift, Shutterstock
