British Utility Breeds Association

British Utility Breeds Association

21 March 2026

Japanese Akita Inu

Judge: Angela Johns

My sincere thanks to the committee of the British Utility Breeds Association for inviting me to judge. I would also like to thank all the exhibitors for their sporting acceptance of my decisions and for the considerable pleasure of examining their dogs. The entry was of excellent quality throughout all the classes, and I greatly appreciated the care and presentation of the exhibits.

Puppy Entries: 3; Absentees: 2

1st — Rayner’s Arashikensha Rei No Senshi A very promising male puppy displaying pleasing breed type and a well-balanced, sturdy outline without any suggestion of coarseness. Attractive head developing well, rounded when viewed from the front due to his well-developed cheeks and forming the desired blunt triangle when viewed from above. Broad, flat skull with a defined stop and distinct forehead furrow. Strong, broad-based muzzle, tapering without becoming pointed, with a straight nasal bridge and tight, well-pigmented lips. Dark, obliquely set, almost triangular eyes gave the correct dignified expression. Thick, triangular, slightly hooded ears, inclined forward and following the line of the neck in profile, completed a characteristic head. Clear, correctly placed whitish urajiro markings blended gradually with the main coat colour. Good length of neck, firm topline and well-proportioned body for his age. High-set, well-carried curled tail and tight feet. Moved steadily and rhythmically. Still immature, as expected, but possessing many of the essentials required for the breed. BP

Junior Entries: 2; Absentees: 1

1st — Gioffre’s Fujin Go Daruma Kensha A quality junior male of excellent breed type, presenting a strong, balanced outline while remaining very slightly longer than high. Broad, masculine head, rounded from the front by well-developing cheeks and forming a blunt triangle when viewed from above. Flat, wrinkle-free skull with a clearly defined stop and distinct furrow. Strong muzzle with a broad base and correct taper, tight lips and excellent pigmentation. Relatively small, dark brown, almost triangular eyes, obliquely set with rising outer corners, produced the desired bold yet composed expression. Thick, triangular, slightly hooded ears with rounded tips were carried pricked and inclined correctly forward. Clear and correctly distributed urajiro markings enhanced his head and body and blended gradually into the main coat colour. Muscular, crested neck, well-developed forechest and firm, level back. Strong hindquarters with moderate angulation and a high-set, tightly curled tail. Moved with power and resilience while maintaining a controlled, efficient and rhythmic stride. Alert, composed and presented in excellent condition. Fidgety but settled eventually.

Post Graduate Entries: 2

1st — Pike & Carter’s Tsoyu Wakahiko Go Breezelyn A particularly well-balanced and sturdily constructed male with excellent substance and clear breed character. A lot to like about this boy. His strong, masculine head was rounded when viewed from the front and formed the desired blunt triangle when viewed from above. Broad, flat skull, free from wrinkle, with a defined stop and distinct central furrow. Skull and muzzle were well proportioned, with the muzzle strong and broad at its base, tapering cleanly without appearing pointed. Dark, obliquely set, almost triangular eyes and tight eye rims produced a calm and dignified expression. Thick, relatively small, slightly hooded ears were correctly inclined forward and closely followed the line of the neck in profile. Excellent pigmentation throughout. His clean, well-defined urajiro markings appeared in the correct areas on the muzzle, cheeks, chest and underparts, blending gradually into his rich main coat colour. Thick, muscular neck flowed into moderately laid shoulders, straight, well-boned forelegs and a deep chest. Firm, level topline, broad loin and strong, moderately angulated hindquarters. High-set, full tail carried tightly over the back. Moved with a powerful, efficient and rhythmic action, showing good coordination and maintaining balance throughout but made his handler work hard. RBOB

2nd — Buckley’s Matsukita Satomi to Tsoyu A quality, feminine exhibit of pleasing type and proportions, with a sturdy yet balanced outline. Attractive head, rounded when viewed from the front due to her well-developed cheeks, with a broad, flat skull, defined stop and visible forehead furrow. Strong muzzle of good width and depth, tapering correctly and finished with tight, darkly pigmented lips. Relatively small, dark and obliquely set eyes gave the desired dignified, feminine expression. Thick triangular ears, slightly hooded and inclined forward, were well placed and in proportion to her head. Clear, correctly placed urajiro markings on the sides of the muzzle, cheeks, chest and underparts blended gradually with the main coat colour. Good depth of chest, firm back and strong loin, with moderate and well-coordinated angulation. Round, tight feet and a well-set curled tail completed the outline. Moved soundly and purposefully with a moderate stride. A worthy second; I preferred the winner’s overall finish, balance through the body and more settled rhythm on the move today.

Open Entries: 3; Absentees: 1

1st — Thompson & Chapman’s Tsoyu Tamashino Go A mature and impressive brindle bitch combining substance, balance and unmistakable breed type. Presented a powerful yet dignified outline, very slightly longer than high, with no exaggeration. Excellent feminine head of correct shape and proportion, rounded from the front by well-developed cheeks and forming a blunt triangle when viewed from above. Broad, flat skull, free from wrinkle, with a defined stop and distinct furrow. Strong muzzle with a broad base, correct taper and straight nasal bridge. Small, dark brown, almost triangular eyes were placed moderately apart and set obliquely, conveying the desired composed and somewhat aloof expression. Thick, slightly hooded triangular ears with rounded tips were pricked, correctly inclined forward and closely followed the line of her neck. Her brindle striping was clearly defined and evenly distributed, complemented by correct greyish urajiro markings which blended gradually into the main coat colour. Muscular, crested neck and a well-developed forechest. Firm, level back, broad loin and strong hindquarters with moderate angulation. The high-set, full tail was carried tightly over the back. Moved with a powerful, resilient and rhythmic action, retaining balance and a firm outline throughout. An exhibit of excellent quality who fully deserved the class and BOB

2nd — Bennett’s Ir Ch Seijitsu No Bishoujo CW’25 A high-quality, mature bitch of excellent breed character, shown in good condition. Pleasing feminine head, rounded when viewed from the front, with well-developed cheeks and the desired blunt-triangle shape when viewed from above. Broad, flat skull with a defined stop and distinct furrow. Strong, well-proportioned muzzle with good width at the base, tapering cleanly without becoming pointed. Relatively small, dark brown, almost triangular eyes were set obliquely and finished with tight, dark rims, producing a dignified expression. Thick, triangular, slightly hooded ears were correctly inclined forward and followed the line of her neck in profile. Excellent pigmentation and clear whitish urajiro markings, correctly positioned on the muzzle, cheeks, chest and underparts and blending gradually into her main coat colour. Muscular, crested neck and a sturdy, balanced body with good depth of chest. Firm topline, broad thighs and strong, well-let-down hocks. Well-carried, high-set curled tail and a correct stand-off coat completed an attractive outline. A close and deserving second; the winner had the advantage in overall balance and maintained a slightly more rhythmic and composed action on the day.