The Akita Lab mix is a hybrid dog, combining the family friendly Labrador with the loyal and hard working Akita breed. They are usually fairly large dogs, with short coats and lighter markings around their muzzle and chest. Labrakita puppies benefit from lots of socialization and positive reinforcement training, bonding strongly to their families. They are strong, powerful pets that love spending time together, but need plenty of exercise and mental stimulation to stay happy and calm at home.
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A Labrakita is likely to have aspects of each parent dog, but which traits transfer to which puppies can feel more like gambling than science in first generation crosses. Although second generations onwards have a bit more practictability when it comes to looks and personality.
Akita and Labrador Origins
The ancient Akita breed calls Japan home and has for 10,000+ years. This hunting class dog works in packs and can bring down surprisingly large, fierce prey. Today, the Akita is a permanent part of Japanese history and culture.
The Labrador Retriever hails from Newfoundland, which today is a part of Canada. This breed arose from a lineage of water dogs and has a wonderful swimming ability and natural love for water.
Size, Height And Weight
This mixed breed tends to be fairly large in adulthood. They can range anywhere from 21 to 28 inches tall, and weigh from 55 to 130lbs.
Temperament And Behavior Of An Akita Lab Mix
The Labrakita temperament can range from super-exuberant and playful to headstrong and reserved. This is because of certain differences in the personality and temperament of the Akita versus the Labrador.
The Akita is a truly ancient dog breed that has evolved to hunt in packs of other equally large and intelligent dogs. They are intensely loyal to the point of being considered an excellent guard dog. In contrast, the Labrador is a dog that rarely meets a stranger – everyone is a friend!
These dogs are also incredibly smart and eager for socialization but can be slow to mature (especially if your Labrakita’s parent is an English Lab).
The Akita can be very independent and willful and so will need a positive, firm, steady, and consistent training regimen to integrate successfully into the social life of a family.
The Lab also needs early and ongoing positive yet firm training to do well as part of a family and community.
From this, you can already see that your Akita cross Lab puppy will need continuous socialization plus lots of positive reinforcement and training to do well as a pet dog.
Grooming And Care Of Your Akita Lab Mix
In the area of grooming and general skin/coat care, both parent dogs to an Akita Lab mix puppy share some important coat characteristics. This holds true whether you bring home a yellow Lab Akita mix, an Akita black Lab, or a chocolate Akita Lab mix dog.
Both the Akita dog and the Labrador Retriever have short, thick, double-layer, water-repellent coats. They will shed seasonally (an occurrence called “blowing the coat”).
The Akita has less doggy odor than the Lab, although both can benefit from an occasional bath.
So you can expect at least weekly brushing and monthly bathing duties for your Labrakita, as well as a certain level of ongoing shedding and a twice-annual big coat shed.
Health Issues Of Akita Dogs And Labrador Retrievers
When buying a puppy you’ll want the Akita and Lab parent to have hip and elbow dyplasia tests, and a regular eye screenings.
Despite being a mix, any reputable Akita Lab mix breeder will willingly volunteer results of all required and recommended breed-specific health tests.
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Are Akita Labradors Good Family Dogs?
An Akita Lab mix with good socialization, from friendly parents, and positively trained has the potential to make an excellent family pet. However, there are risks of guarding behaviors, and intolerance towards rough handling by small kids.
An Akita Lab mix can be a good family dog in a family with older children who can learn to handle the puppy appropriately. It is not a great dog choice if you have other vulnerable family pets. Both the Akita and the Lab have a strong prey drive from their shared background as hunting and working dogs.
How To Pick An Akita Lab Puppy
In general, your costs will range from $500 to $1,500+ for an Akita Lab mix puppy. But try to focus more on health and personality than price, if you can. Make sure that you meet both parents. Decide whether you think either one of them or a combination of the two would fit into your lifestyle.
Choose a breeder that is motivated by something more than money. This doesn’t mean the cheapest necessarily, but one that has a clear bond with their breeding stock beyond puppy production. Both parents should know their names, and be attached to their owner. They need to look bright, healthy, relaxed and well exercised.
Jeff Brown says
Hi! The information on this site has confirmed our long standing suspicions that our late Bella was a Yellow Lab-Akita mix. Many of the pics we have since found online look very much like her. We lost her last year after almost 15 years of having the “perfect dog”. And I’m not just saying that – she was near perfect in all aspects. We are now finally able to begin looking for another dog and would like to get a Labrakita. Can you (Pippa) or anyone who reads this help us/direct us to any breeders that might have this mix? We are willing to travel from our home in Florida. Thank you!
Bernard szuler says
Hi eny one help please we have a black Akita/ lab nearly 9 years old
Female She has a problem with her eyelids which are crusty It’s happened a couple of years ago and cleared up with zinc. Tablets but has returned
Could eny only help please
Rick says
I have a 3year old golden yellow akita lab mix had him since he was 2 months old best dog I have ever had being disabled he is my protector. He saved me about 6 months ago I was attacked and I yelled for him and he saved me .he took the person who was attacking me to the ground and did his job
Ron says
Just this evening had to put down my shiba inu lab mix had her for 12 years. Went with me everywhere the most loyal dogs I’ve ever had. In my opinion the be best breed I have ever seen. I will miss my friend very much.
Nathan Pinch says
I have a labrakita named Sherlock, he is 50 kilos black with a white chest long haired and looks like a Newfoundland. He loves kids loves strangers and is really sociable with other dogs. He is very very protective over the kids and would bite to protect.
mark says
we just lost are labrkita best dog we ever had,dose anyone knows were we could get another one
Tammy says
I have a 7 year old yellow Akita/lab mix. Have had her since she was two. She has never chewed or hurt anyone. Loves kids. Is an excellent house dog. Have taught her many tricks and other things for which she learned quickly. I walk her for one hour every morning on a leash. She is excellent and obeys and obeys very well. She also listens to my husband and I talking. I swear she understands. Other than the shedding I just adore her. She has changed our lives in a positive way.
Vicki Smith says
Our male Akita Lab mix was such an aggressive brat (not mean, but so demanding and possessive of food bowls, bedding and space) that
at 6 months his 1st family gave him up. He terrorized their 3 older dogs. My one older female shepherd just gave into all his bossiness. We had to hand feed her in another room for months. He loves people and other dogs. And at 9 yrs old still pulls when walking. Named him L.B. for little brat.
Mike says
I have a black lab & Akita mix. Best dog I have ever had obtained from a shelter at 1 1/2 now 5yrs. Loyal. Athletic,great w/ grandchildren,loves to fetch and jump also dock diving dog , and never leaves my sight.
Sara Zimmerman says
We have a 10 year-old black lab/Akita mix and although he was a rambunctious puppy he has become an amazing, kind, protective and lovable dog. We highly recommend the bread. He was good with children and cats as a puppy and has become calmer as he has aged. He is quite cuddly.
j anne says
I have a Akita cross lab girl 9months old in a few days. I haven’t had her since a baby. I got her when she was 6 months old she is now 9 months, when I got her she was under weight 7.6kg had fleas and worms, wasn’t chipped even to the people I got her off said she was. Anyway she is now happy healthy and very much loved. now weighing 29.5kg 4.half stone. we have been training her since we had her and she’s still pulling on the lead still not listening properly when on the lead, when she on the lead and see’s another dog she will just keep pulling me till she gets to the other dog to say hello and try and play even if I told her no and tried pulling back but she’s very strong.. can anyone help me with any tips.
HOWARD W GARROW says
Try a no pull harness with a ring in the very ftont of the harnes hook your leash there and every time she pulls tell her easy and it will get better with time when you tell her easy give a little pull on her leash as if to shift down a gear it works well
Madam Muffins says
We also adopted an akita/lab mix at about 4/5 months old. She was feral beforehand – no socialization beyond her litter-mates (2 brothers), mange, malnourished. Lots of vet trips and medicines got her healthy but she’s very timid and scared of people even now at nearly two years old.
We’ve bought an easy leader, the kind that wraps around their nose and clips at the back of their head, for walks. It’s efficient as she’s so complacent that my children can take her out for walks around the neighborhood at 8 and 9 years old unsupervised. We’ve also begun professional training, however I’m not sure her timidness will ever truly go away. The trainer told us that Akita’s tend to be a “one-person” kind of dog and that, probably due to her isolated past, our dog seems to have adapted that trait in spades. But we’re hoping the training will give her some confidence and will dampen the fear based reaction to strangers as she’s an absolute doll and genuinely would never hurt a fly.
For Pulling – we were told to walk her in a circle and to stand in front of her to get her attention and to go over her commands – sit, down, up, come. And reward after every completed command, of course.