Our kennel name Aiko, means Little Loved One/Love Child in Japanese.  We are a small kennel aiming to raise healthy and happy quality Japanese Akita Inu dogs.  All of our dogs are pets first and show dogs second, they are not just like members of our family, but as we have no children, they ARE our family.  Most of our spare time and thoughts are spent with the dogs and in return they are helping us in gaining more understanding both about the breed and canine behaviour in general, but most importantly they have brought us more joy than we could have ever imagined or hoped for.  Yes, there are times when they would try the patience of a saint, but these instances are far outweighed by unconditional love, affection and fun they bring into our lives on a daily basis. We could never imagine a day without them.

The Japanese Akita Inu is regarded as a primitive breed and as such their instinct is not so far removed from that of a wolf, so understanding nature’s ways is a great benefit to those wishing to share their life with these dogs.  There is a great quote ‘You can take the dog out of the wolf pack, but you can’t take the wolf pack out of the dog’… In other words we could say that the Japanese Akita Inu is not for everybody, that it takes an experienced dog owner, but then you could say, get off your high horse, what’s so difficult about this breed?  Well, don’t be mistaken and taken in by the cuddly, fluffy teddy bear appearance of the breed. 
The Japanese Akita Inu is a dominant breed and will naturally take their place in the household as pack leaders with the unassuming owner, if given the opportunity.  They can easily outsmart humans, these dogs really do think and make choices for themselves.  Due to their intellect and single minded nature they require a lot of patience and most definitely consistency in our approach.

We believe dogs of all breeds deserve an owner who fully understands and respects its needs and will provide for them.  Anyone willing to learn about this magnificent breed, dog psychology and canine behaviour in general should be just fine to share their life with a Japanese Akita Inu. For us it has been, still is and always will be a privilege to own these regal and dignified dogs, so deserving of our utmost respect and love.

Whether you are seeking a promising Japanese Akita Inu for showing and breeding, a partner in agility or obedience or a highly prized and adored companion with which to share your life, it is our aim at AIKO to breed dogs not only true to their breed standard and their Japanese heritage, but dogs that are physically and mentally sound and in the best of health.

Our dogs are Naturally Reared to help each dog attain their genetic potential.  You may have heard the saying “You are what you eat” this is no different for our four legged friends.  They can never be 100% of what they are meant to be unless they are in perfect health. We feed our dogs a Raw, Prey Model style diet, or otherwise known as Species Appropriate Raw Food (SARF).

However, feeding the right diet alone is not enough.  Dogs need fresh, clean water at all times (and we mean CLEAN, not chemically treated tap water), adequate exercise, fresh air, and sunshine (Yes, sunshine, it is vitally important to the development of healthy puppies and dogs.). Avoiding or at worst minimising the administration of toxins in the form of Vaccinations, medications, topical applications, flea preventatives, together with the above forms the basis of what is called Natural Rearing. We believe that any deviation from this method is the cause of the chronic diseases we see all too often in dogs regardless of age, size and breed.

We use Classical  Homeopathy, the only true form of Homeopathy, to treat any illness that may crop up, but so far they have been problem free. We are also planning to use homeopathy on ALL of our dogs to remove the ill effects of both inherited vaccinosis and vaccine damage they might have suffered from puppy vaccines. Of course we do the routine health screening of hips and eyes and all of our dogs are/will be DNA profiled.

Aside from health, we need to address the relationship between ourselves and our canine companions.  We are firmly of the believe that a reward based training method is best for all concerned.  Recently, we have had the very good fortune to work with Sarah Fisher of Talking To Animals fame and Tina Constance at Tilley Farm  (TTouch UK Centre) and produce some amazing results with our dogs using TTouch (Tellington Touch).  This revolutionary natural method of training and caring for animals is simply fascinating and the results are almost unbelievable, unless you witness the transformation of behaviour for yourself.  We have become great believers in and are totally converted to this wonderful method.

When it comes to the human element of Aiko, Erika is very much the mother figure to our dogs and claims to give the best doggie cuddles!  With an interest in Homeopathy and natural nutrition Erika questions conventional attitudes towards animal husbandry and continually strives to ensure the healthy development and future of our dogs.  Keith maintains his interest in the history and pedigrees of the dogs and worked towards the recognition of the PURE Japanese Akita-Inu for more than 5 years prior to The Kennel Club granting recognition of the breed.  Phew, what a ride that was…  He is proud to be a member of AKIHO (Akita Inu Hozonkai), and we are both members of The Japanese Akita Club of America (JACA), The Finish Akita Shiba Club and The Japanese Akita Inu Club (JAIC) here in Great Britain, of which Keith is actively involved in.

Enjoy your visit and stop by again soon!