Aki-Poo Dog: Akita Poodle Mix
| 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 Akita Poodle Mix, known as the Aki-Poo, is a hybrid breed that combines the Akita Inu and the popular Standard Poodle mix. These two breeds are quite different, which means that you could end up with a hybrid that is either cautious and protective like the Akita or loving and laid-back like the Standard Poodle.
- Poodle Temperament Problems and Behavior
- Senior Poodle Care | Standard, Miniature and Toy
- How Long Do Toy Poodles Live?
- How Long Do Standard Poodles Live?
- Miniature Poodle Life Expectancy
- Phantom Poodle Colors
- Teddy Bear Cut for Poodles Black
- Best Brushes For Poodles Mixes
- Best Shampoo For Poodles With Sensitive Skin
- Poolky: Poodle & Silky Terrier Mix
- Poovanese: Havanese & Poodle Mix
- Pudelpointer: German Water Poodle & British Pointer Mix
- Schipper-Poo: Poodle and Schipperke Mix
The likelihood is that your hybrid will combine traits of both parent breeds, but you should expect an intelligent breed. To be on the safe side, you will need to provide socialization and training from a young age. This will ensure that your Aki Poo will get along with all people and other animals and that they can cope with new situations.
The Aki Poo does usually inherit the coat of his Poodle parent, which is described as being hypoallergenic because it sheds very little and does not produce much dander. Regardless of which breed he takes after, you will still need to provide regular maintenance, including brushing teeth and trimming nails, to ensure that your dog remains healthy.
What is a Aki-Poo?
The Aki-Poo is a wonderful, protective family dog who brings together the intelligent and eager-to-please personality of the Poodle with the guarding instincts of the Akita for a pooch that does well with older children and other animals when properly socialized. His innate instinct to guard makes him a great potential watchdog.
The Aki-Poo brings together the eager-to-please the Poodle and the protective the Akita.
Origin
Because he is considered a Designer Dog, it’s likely the Aki-Poo originated in the 1980s when demand for smaller, hypo-allergenic or gentler variations of some of the more popular breeds saw breeders mixing bloodlines.
Pedigree
Because he is not a purebred dog, the Aki-Poo does not qualify to join the American Kennel Club (AKC) however both parent breeds are members in good standing; the Akita joined their “working” group in 1972 while the Poodle became a member of the “non-sporting” group almost a century earlier – in 1887.
Diet and Nutrition
- The Aki-Poo is a larger, active dog who will require a top-quality nutrient-rich kibble specifically designed for his size, age and activity levels. Because this dog comes from two breeds that are prone to bloat, care should be taken to not allow this dog to overeat. Exercise should also be scheduled for at least 1 hour after eating (or prior to feeding). Joint issues are also a problem with this dog’s parent breeds so controlled feeding to avoid weight gain and obesity are important. Meals served 2 to 3 times a day are ideal.
- The highly intelligent Aki-Poo is a great family dog.
How easy are Aki-Poo to train?
With the intelligence and eager-to-please disposition of the Poodle, the Aki-Poo picks up commands quickly and easily. His Akita DNA delivers a dog with strong hunting and herding instincts so obedience training could include interactive games such as fetch where he can be rewarded for doing what comes naturally. Because the Aki-Poo is known to be a protective breed, early socialization is important to ensure he gets along with other animals and children. As with most dogs, a rewards-based approach with lots of verbal praise and treats will go a long way in getting the results you are seeking.
Weight
Your Aki-Poo can range in weight between 45 and 120 pounds.
How would you describe the temperament of Aki-Poo?
The highly intelligent Aki-Poo is a great family dog however possesses the DNA of a very protective breed which means he needs early socialization to ensure he fits in well with children and other pets. Devoted to his human pack, he is known to be playful, affectionate, loyal and willing to bark as he sees fit – so a great potential watch dog.
How healthy are Aki-Poo?
As the Aki-Poo is such a new cross-breed with very small breed numbers, it is incredibly important to monitor for disease within the population to prevent a high incidence of health issues. In particular, breeders are encouraged to be aware of the following conditions, which they are though to suffer most commonly from:
Hip Dysplasia
- Dogs that are affected with hip dysplasia may start to show symptoms in their first year of life and owners will notice that they start to walk with a strange gait and may be refusing to play as much as they used to.
- X-rays can confirm the disease and are also able to provide a ‘Hip Score’, i.e. an objective measurement of how badly the hips are affected. It is widely accepted that any dog with hip dysplasia should be removed from the breeding pool to prevent it from being passed on to future generations.
Bloat
Bloat is a condition whereby the stomach of the dog fills up with so much gas and fluid that the abdomen appears visibly bloated when viewed from the outside. As these dogs are so uncomfortable, they will let their owner know that something is seriously wrong by whining, retching and pacing around the home. Without exception, these dogs need immediate veterinary intervention to deal with the bloat. The sooner they are seen, the better their prognosis.
Entropion
Some dogs are born with eyelids that curl inwards and can cause discomfort and scratch the surface of the eye. This is known as ‘entropion’ and can be fixed with a relatively straightforward surgery if necessary.
How long will Aki-Poo live?
The Aki-Poo will typically live for between 12 and 15 years.
How active are Aki-Poo?
- When it comes to exercise, you have two energetic dogs that require a decent amount of exercise every day. Provide around 90 minutes of walk 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, he is likely to act out by creating his 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.
Recognized Clubs
The Aki-Poo is known by many other names including Akipoo, Akita-Poodle, Akita-Poo, Akidoodle, Akitadoodle and Pookita and is a member of the Dog Registry of American, Inc. (DRA).
Coat
Whether your Aki-Poo’s coat is curly like the Poodle or straight like the Akita, you can bet it’s going to be thick and dense. That said, this dog is considered only a moderate shedder and regular brushing 2 to 3 times a week should keep the hair in check. Grooming will be required including trimming his coat to ensure it always looks its best. If this dog has inherited the floppy ears of the poodle, inspection and cleaning should become part of his brushing ritual to ensure they stay clean and not prone to infections.
Puppies
The Aki-Poo puppy is going to grow into a large dog so best to begin his obedience and socialization early on. Because he can be prone to bloat later in life, his feeding schedule should be established while he is still young and include 2 to 3 meals daily versus free feeding. Joint issues he may one day inherit from his parent breeds mean that care should be taken when teaching this pup to walk. Over-exertion of tiny limbs can result in problems later in life.
Related Questions
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, new people, and new animals are not to be feared.
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 distrusting of others, and especially of strangers. Their caution around strangers makes them a good choice as a guard dog. In contrast, the Poodle is much more laid back 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, although 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.
What’s the Price of 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 it comes from an award-winning line. The hybrid breed can cost around $800 per puppy, and you should ensure that you use a reputable breeder so that you know exactly what you are getting and to 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. Adopting will usually cost around $250 to $300, which is less than the cost of buying.
Final Thoughts
The Aki-Poo hybrid breed crosses the intelligent but laid-back Poodle with the more cautious Akita. The resulting Akita Poodle Mix is energetic, lively, and forms a close bond with his humans. He will usually get along with dogs and cats, as long as he is exposed from a young age, but he will benefit from early and ongoing socialization to help ensure that he gets along with everybody.
The Aki Poo is considered generally healthy, but they do require regular exercise, and you do have to ensure that you feed a strict diet to avoid bloat and to prevent your dog from becoming overweight.
The intelligence of the Poodle means that you can expect to train your new dog plenty of commands, but remember that if you don’t teach him the right behavior, he will make it up as he goes along.
