Akita Lab Mix: Everything You Need To Know About This Marvellous Mix

You may have seen a Labrador dog and an Akita dog separately, but have you seen a mix of the two?

Well, you will be surprised to know that such a mix does exist and is known as the Labrakita! This dog breed is an amalgamation of the features that we love about Labradors and Akitas!

A Lab Akita Mix is a rather stocky dog that has come into being rather recently and has been gaining popularity through its adorable features. This dog can take after either of the parent breeds' characteristics and have a double coat that you can't help but pet!

We have the most amazing facts about Akita Lab Mix dogs and some tips for taking care of them. Make sure to keep reading!

If you enjoy reading this article, why not also check out Akita Pitbull Mix and Maltese Shih Tzu Mix here at Kidadl!

How big will an Akita Lab Mix get?

An Akita lab mix hybrid dog, or a Labrakita as some people call it, is one of the rather large and big-boned dogs. The parent breeds, that is, Labrador retriever and Akita, are both big, hunting dogs. Hence, the big-bodied stature of these pooches is a given.

This guard dog can reach quite a large height, which would typically be in the range of around 22-28 in (55.8-71.1 cm). Such a height is preferable for people who are looking for a dog breed that is able to guard its family and protect them from any intruders.

Their stocky build and strong-looking body are some of the many features that make an Akita Lab Mix an ideal pet for many families.

The average weight of an Akita Lab Mix dog should ideally remain in the range of 60-120 lb (27.2-54.4 kg). Anyone that has been a pet parent before is likely to know that this weight is a lot for dogs.

However, the healthy range of weight of these dogs largely depends on their build, their range of activity, and on whether or not the parent dogs had a tendency to quickly put on weight.

At the same time, it is worth noting that since a Labrador Retriever has the innate tendency to gain weight quickly due to its affinity towards eating a lot, even an Akita Lab Mix is likely to pick up on such parental metabolic tendencies.

It would thus be best to keep a close look at this mixed dog breed to ensure that your pet does not end up being overweight.

Being overweight can greatly affect the health of your puppy since stocky dogs are prone to many health problems and skeletal issues, such as hip dysplasia and gastric dilation.

Where did the Akita Lab Mix come from?

The Akita is a breed of dog typically found in Japan.

These dogs were usually the ones that the people of Japan cherished as guard dogs and family dogs since their temperament was best suited to either. The ancestors of the Akita breed were hunting dogs, and this breed came into existence in the 17th century in a place called Honshu.

It is obvious that the people of Japan would cherish such a dog breed which has been a prominent member of the list of dog breeds that have been a part of Japan's history for such a long time.

Since the ancestors of this breed were hunting dogs, puppies and adult dogs of this breed usually have a lot of energy and a protective nature.

This intelligent breed would also not have any second thoughts when it comes to chasing any animals that somehow come into your yard.

The population of Akita dogs reduced in Japan due to certain reformatory rules in the 20s; however, their population, fortunately, saw a rapid increase after the Second World War, as people started returning home from different parts of the world and brought their loved, loyal pets along. An Akita should look a lot like a Shiba Inu.

These dogs typically have a brown coat.

The Labrador Retriever, on the other hand, has roots in Newfoundland, in Canada. It took generations of crossing in order to form the stocky dog that the Labrador is now. The 'retriever' part of the name is an addition caused due to the fact that the ancestors of these dogs were used to retrieve waterfowl.

The Akita Lab Mix, or Labrakita, was created when Labrador retrievers began to be bred with Akitas. This happened both intentionally and unintentionally.

Whether or not this was done on purpose does not change the fact that Labrakitas are adorable dogs and have all the nice features of their parent breeds.

There is no particular geographical location that can be pointed at and recognized as the place where these designer dogs started to come into being; however, they have only started making their appearance in large numbers rather recently.

Talking about the looks of these dogs, an Akita Lab Mix could have different characteristic features depending upon the parent which it most closely resembles.

A brown Akita and a black Lab could merge their characteristics to create a brown or black Akita Lab Mix, which may or may not have the coat distinctions that an Akita typically has. A cream or white-colored Labrador Retriever, on the other hand, would definitely breed with an Akita to raise brown-colored children.

Hence, the characteristics of the parents and the strength of their genes play a huge role when it comes to how your Akita Lab Mix or Labrakita turns out.

How long will an Akita Lab Mix live?

The average lifespan of this dog, Akita Lab Mix, is estimated to be of around 10-23 years. The life expectancy of such hybrid or designer dogs is usually greatly affected by the health issues that are caused due to genetic differences between the parent breeds.

Being a stocky dog, it is not uncommon for the health of these dogs to also deteriorate due to issues within the skeletal figure.

Large hunting dogs tend to also suffer from an array of issues that may stem from issues that are ignored when the animal is just a puppy.

The life expectancy of a family dog that is an Akita Lab Mix can increase considerably if it is taken care of as a pup.

It is also important that you only get such a puppy from breeders who are absolutely sure of the breeding process. It is only when a healthy pure breed Akita breeds with a pure breed Labrador that a healthy Akita Lab Mix or Labrakita is found.

A puppy should thus be bought or adopted from recognized breeders who are willing to provide you with legal and legitimate paperwork when it comes to the health of the pet when it was born.

There are a few tests that the breeder should take care of before giving you the pet because that is the only way to ensure that there are no major genetic wellbeing-related road-bumps later on!

Grooming Your Lab Akita Cross

A Lab Akita Mix dog or Labrakita is likely to be a heavy shedder. Since this breed of dog has a heavy, double coat of fur, it is likely that your pet will be leaving its hair at each and every corner of your house.

While shedding is not something that can be controlled or even reduced in any way, regular grooming can help you in maintaining the house and having the least amount of dog hair around it.

While a Lab Akita Mix is more than capable of taking care of its own cleaning like a cat, it is important that you brush its hair several times a week.

Not only will that help you in creating a precious bond with your pet, but it will also ensure that ticks and fleas are noticed immediately. In addition to brushing their coat, you may also have to consider getting these dogs a haircut if the weather in your city starts to get too warm or humid.

This will help in making sure that the animal is not uncomfortable in its own coat.

Grooming will also include clipping the dog's nails once every few weeks. Long nails can become a nuisance since an Akita Lab Mix or Labrakita is just like any other dog breed when it comes to not understanding when to stop scratching their owners.

Brushing your pet's teeth two to three times a day is also essential in making sure that there are no cavities. Since both the parent breeds, from Newfoundland and Japan, are hunting dogs and hardly stop eating when food is near, there always remains the risk that your family pet may start to have painful dental issues.

Akita Lab Cross Exercise Requirements

A Lab Akita Mix dog is likely to require a large house to move around in.

These dogs tend to gain weight rather quickly if they are not given the correct amount of exercise and training.

Hence, to satisfy the combination of habits that these animals have from their parent breeds, it can be important to let your pet run around in the yard for a while every single day.

A few pounds may not be a huge issue for humans, but for dogs such as the Lab Akita Mix which is already stocky, it is likely that the extra pounds will create a lot of health issues.

The key here is to ensure that pet parents take care of the activity levels of their loyal buddies.

If you have children at home, it can be a good idea not to consider a Lab Akita Mix for your household. While these dogs make a great a family pet and typically won't try to hurt any children, they do have some bad habits such as getting a little aggressive while playing.

Pet parents should always be able to supervise playtime adequately to ensure that no one is hurt when mishaps take place.

Akita Labrador Mix Food Requirements

A Labrakita is a rather possessive dog when it comes to two things. While training them for basic command and protection of the house may be easy, training a Labrakita to not get aggressive when food or its family members are in question can be quite a tough task.

Pet parents should ensure that their Labrakita is given ample amounts of proteins while also training the animal to be loyal and not become as aggressive as the parent breeds.

Specialists have tried all through these years to use food as a training tool, and there can be no doubt that it does work. In fact, for your Labrakita, food might be one of the major motivations that make them ace all training sessions.

Since a Labrakita is typically known to become aggressive when other people or animals are near them while eating, it is best to leave your pet alone while it is eating. Such behavior can be reduced and the temperament of your pet can be made subdued if you train the animal well.

However, it should also be kept in mind that this mixed breed is a combination of the habits that people of the past would train their guard dogs and hunting dogs to do.

As a guard dog, some amounts of aggression should be expected from your pets. At the same time, you should train them to understand that your puppy will have all its food to itself.

A puppy is likely to understand this fact and learn good habits if you train the animal well and lay the foundation stones for a healthy relationship.

Food requirements also include vitamins and minerals which will help your pet in being active. A treat or two will not only make puppies love you, but also give them the extra assurance of love and security.

Although, neither puppies nor adult dogs of such hybrid breeds should be given an excessive amount of food. This would lead to weight gain and health troubles.

Labrador and Akita Combination Health Problems

Just like a cream or black Lab is sure to give you a Labrakita with a beautiful combination of the parents' breeds' features, the animal is also sure to have an amalgamation of the health issues that have been plaguing either of the pure breeds.

The Labrador Retriever is well known as a stocky dog, and such dogs are typically known for their weight issues. Puppies and adults of both Akita and Labrador breeds are mostly very greedy when it comes to food and put on weight as a result.

This leads to issues such as dysplasia, which is a bone-related issue. Frequent exercise can help you and your pet avoid such issues.

These intelligent puppies can also suffer greatly if their energy is not used up. This leads to indigestion and gastric dilation-volvulus, which can be painful or even fatal!

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 'Akita lab mix' then why not take a look at 'Maltese and Yorkie mix', or 'Akita facts'.