Amber Eisfeld
1. My name is Amber Eisfeld and I have been showing, training, and breeding dogs for the past 15 years and have been breeding and showing JAI since 2016. I have six Japanese Akitainu that represent all three colors. Hokkyokusei Kennels Japanese Akitainu is based in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, and is named in reference to the North Star. I really enjoy showing in Conformation, but I also actively train and show in Scent Work, Fast CAT, Agility, Obedience, and Rally. I am a Board Member of the Japanese Akitainu Club of America (JACA), and also a member of Akitainu Hozonkai (AKIHO) North America.
2. In terms of health, overall, the breed is in decent condition but suffers from a few autoimmune-related issues such as sebaceous adenitis and uveodermatologic syndrome, which we unfortunately do not have genetic testing for. Amelogenesis imperfecta (familial enamel hypoplasia) is a condition that affects teeth, which has been coming up but there is a DNA test for it that breeders can take advantage of. As for conformation, weak rears comes up in discussion as something to work on for breeders, in addition to low ear sets and undesirable brindle patterns and color.
3. I feel that in this sport, every breeder has a different eye for what they are looking for in their breed… in many cases, so do the judges. Staying true to what the Breed Standard should be and not breeding for what might be winning in the ring is important.
Good judging can be challenging in newer breeds as the judges learn the Breed Standard. My experience has been across the board when it comes to judges being knowledgeable about the Breed Standard. Some judges enter the ring excited and enthusiastic about the dogs in the Miscellaneous Class and have clearly taken the time to read the Breed Standard presented by the parent club and will often reference the Standard while we are in the ring. On the flip side, I have had judges show up without any knowledge of the breed, barely put hands on the dogs, and point to a dog that lacks everything the Standard indicates. The Japanese Akitainu Club of America (JACA), the parent club of AKC, has put together great judges’ educational guides informed by the country of origin’s original breed club, AKIHO, to help judges have a better understanding of the Standard.
4. JACA was formed in 1997 and was not allowed to apply for AKC recognition until 2020. There were a lot of significant challenges along the way that our predecessors endured in order to split the Akita breeds in the AKC. We have a dedicated group of breeder-members in JACA who work well together and really support each other as Preservation Breeders, and many of us are also members of AKIHO North America as well. The biggest challenge as an exhibitor came when we were still in FSS. There was a lack of Open Shows in the Midwest, specifically Minnesota. Since entering the Miscellaneous Class, we have had the opportunity to show much more. I do not have as much competition in my area, so traveling and building enough points to make shows worthwhile becomes a very strategic process. Adding in the expenses of show, travel, and lodging can make things difficult and limits the amount of shows several of us in the region can attend.
5. In general, it opens the field to a new audience and allows for education to a broader audience. Developing relationships with knowledgeable persons/mentors has probably been furthered through social media, for me, and it allows for new participants to have connections to people they may not otherwise have relationships with. For our breed club, social media is a great way for us to keep connected across the US and Canada. Luckily, we have AKC and CKC judges, a lot of enthusiastic exhibitors, responsible pet owners, and passionate rescue members in JACA who share valuable knowledge and experience with one another.
On the other hand, miscommunication also hits a broader audience. Mistakes are easily perpetuated. Tone can be tough to interpret via social media. In the social media world, you can learn things about people who hide behind their keyboard and it can be tiring and disheartening before you ever set foot in a ring.
Whatever people may see online, I would say, come meet exhibitors in person and see for yourself rather than relying solely on someone’s social media account.
6. I see participation by younger people as a big challenge, and part of that is due to people not being welcoming to the sport or to a specific breed. If we don’t encourage young people, help mentor, and give chances, we cannot expect to continue to do better and we risk cutting off the next generation of enthusiasts and preservation breeders. Another challenge, which ties back to a previous question, is seeing how newcomers may be manipulated by social media.
7. A positive change is seeing show dogs be able to do more than present themselves in the Conformation ring. It is much more common to see all breeds of dogs showing the versatility of their breed by participating in performance sports. When breed clubs embrace a variety of the dog sport enthusiasts in their membership, it encourages more participation overall. It can’t just be about Conformation anymore for clubs and communities to thrive.
