It shouldn’t be a surprise that the Akita appears on so many “top ten” lists as a great dog in snow, including ones compiled by the Weather Channel, Distinctly Montana (which is distinctly cold in the winter), and Orvis, an outdoor outfitter.  The breed, after all, does originate from the snowy, mountainous Akita Prefecture on the Japanese island of Honshu where Akitas were known as “snow country dogs” before they became “Akitas.” Originally bred as a cold-weather hunting companion with a dense undercoat and harsh outer coat, Akitas are suited for snow because of a plush coat, webbed toes to help distribute their weight more evenly on snow, and a fluffy tail to curl over their nose and effectively warm up frigid air before it hits the delicate membranes of the lungs. Owners report an extra level of friskiness during a blizzard, and one person even told us with astonishment that his Akita took a nap in a snow bank.

Image: “Akita In Snow” by Lee Ann Shepard 
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