Kimiko

• 2024- Working Novice Pack Dog (Backpacking),
• 2023- Junior Courser,
• 2024 Coursing Ability,
• 2026 Sprintdog Novice
• 2025 Wildtails Canicross Race Finisher
  
  

Japanese Akitas are often misunderstood—judged by standards never meant for them. They are not performers; they are thinkers. Independent, discerning, and deeply intelligent, Akitas choose when to engage, and that choice is part of what makes them extraordinary.  

Too often, the breed is reduced to being “couch potatoes” or “café dogs,” living unfulfilled lives. Many owners are told (or have decided that) Akitas are untrainable or unreliable due to their willful nature. We believe this perception overlooks the breed’s true potential.  

My goal is to showcase the wide range of activities and sports that Japanese Akitas can thrive in when their instincts and intelligence are respected. We began with Lure Coursing in 2023—an ideal breed-fulfilment activity for prey-driven Akitas.

From there, we discovered a deep passion for backpacking, completing 64km hikes across multiple trails- with Kimi carrying a weighted pack. Backpacking mirrors the Akita’s natural affinity for wilderness, endurance, and mountainous terrain.  

Looking ahead, we aim to complete our SprintDog (SPRD.N) title in 2026 & her 'Working Pack Dog (WPD) title in Backpacking, explore Scent Work and Rally O in the coming years. We have also experimented with Weight Pull—though our Akita has made it clear that pulling a cart is beneath her dignity, she is perfectly willing to pull tyres instead. Regardless, the focus remains on fitness, enrichment, and mutual respect.  

Outside of trials, Kimi & I enjoy long trail walks with our close circle of dog friends.  Japanese Akitas were never bred to obey blindly. They were bred to assess, protect, and stand their ground when it mattered most. Their intelligence is subtle rather than flashy, their loyalty profound rather than loud. And when an Akita bonds, it bonds for life.