Akita vs. German Shepherd: Who Would Win a Fight?

The Akita Inu is one of those dogs you have to be completely sure about before bringing one home. This breed has a 3/5 score for family affection and fondness with kids and 1/5 for friendliness with other dogs. The German Shepherd is a friendlier family dog, scoring 5/5 for the first two aspects and 3/5 for the last. But in an Akita vs. German Shepherd fight, who would win?

The Akita dominates in both size and bite force and will easily overpower the German Shepherd. Although the largest male German Shepherd could stand a winning chance over the smallest female Akita, other factors like a weaker bite force and less aggressive personality work against the win.

Although the Akita has the upper hand in a hypothetical fight with the German Shepherd, the latter will not give his opponent the win on a silver platter. Find out how a German Shepherd can wage a strong defense against the Akita in the rest of the article. 

Akita vs. German Shepherd Who Would Win?

Here’s a quick preview of the factors that determine the answer to the question, Akita vs. German Shepherd, who would win in a fight?

With these snippets in mind, let’s find out how each of these aspects could make the Akita win a fight over the German Shepherd.

Bite Force

Any time you read an article about which dog would win in a fight, the primary determining factor is always the bite force. That’s because dogs are a bit like kids, and their first weapon of defense during a fight is the bite.

So, a fight between dogs is a biting fight, and in an Akita vs. German Shepherd battle, the first has the upper hand. With a 400psi bite force, the Akita is likely to hold down the GSD or cause him severe injuries with multiple bites. 

In fact, the Akita has one of the most damaging dog bites, even though it has a lower biting risk than the German Shepherd. The latter could be because Akita’s are not as popular as GSDs.

Nonetheless, the German Shepherd has barely more than half the bite force of an Akita, 238psi. And although he might get an advantage of biting the opponent, other factors like body size could work against him in favor of an Akita win.

Size and Sex

A bite from any dog is painful, but the pressure of the bite defines the damage. The main factor in dog bite force is the size and shape of the jaw muscles. 

Enforcing the bite is also a dog’s overall body size. Studies have confirmed that dog bite pressure increases with its body size. Besides, body size also determines which dog will overpower the other by pushing him down or which one will free himself from the other’s hold.

Generally, the German Shepherd has a size disadvantage over the Akita in weight and height. But, as you can see on the Akita vs. German Shepherd size table below, a male German Shepherd can have a weight advantage over a female Akita.

You should also remember that the assigned bite force shows the highest a dog from that breed has scored. And the figure can go down slightly depending on the dog’s age and size. 

If that were to happen and a smaller female Akita with a bite force lower than 400psi fought with a larger male German Shepherd, the latter could triumph with a stroke of luck.

But, all factors considered, Akitas have a weight and height advantage over German Shepherds, giving them an upper hand in a fight. 

Breeding Purpose

From its original breeding, the Akita had a chance to become a spoilt royal dog. But his creators ensured the aggression of a hunting dog came before royalty.

Although the Akita is mainly kept as a family dog today, it was originally bred to hunt large game like the boar and the Yezo bear. In fact, I’ve watched videos like the one below where bears seem afraid of the Akita, and the dog confidently chases them away.

The Akita’s broad and massive head forms a triangular shape into the deep muzzle. Together, they create the space for the strong jaw muscles that deliver the Akita’s 400psi powerful bite.

The German Shepherd was bred to herd, and his breeders gave the same importance to the dog’s muscular build and noble character, making him a friendlier family dog. They should have known that balance could work against the dog in a fight. 

So, even though the GSD has a strong head and muzzle, its jaw strength does not equal that of the Akita. 

Hunting dogs like the Akita have a strong bite for holding onto prey, which could be a tactic the Akita uses to gain power over the GSD in a fight. 

Hound dogs also tend to be more aggressive. And that, together with other aspects of personality, could help the Akita overpower a GSD. 

Personality: Aggression and Alertness

At first glance, the Akita Inu appears to be a quiet dog that could make anyone think the dog is harmless. But don’t let the innocent-looking and almost smiling face of the Akita convince you he will give up easily in a fight.

To overpower a large game like the bear, the Akita had to combine the strength of his muscular, fur-covered body with the force of a deep muzzle and a hunter temperament. 

The AKC describes the Akita as prone to aggression towards other dogs, especially if they are of the same sex. In fact, it is not rare to see the Akita listed among the most aggressive dogs. 

So, although the Akitas may appear quiet, they are naturally fastidious and will easily pick a fight if the friendly German Shepherd wants to start a game against their will.

In a fight, the Akita’s dark, tiny, and shiny eyes will pray their role of alertness to ensure the other dog does not attack unawares.

Luckily or unluckily, the German Shepherd is more friendly towards other dogs. However, he can be aggressive when stimulated and is naturally alert. But these qualities may not deliver the winning prize against a dog with an almost double bite force and a larger body size. 

Concluding Thoughts

We hope it never happens that my favorite dog breed, the German Shepherd, gets into a fight with an Akita. Because if it does happen, the German Shepherd has the odds of losing to the powerful bite force and bigger size of the Akita.

So, I’d rather the two never fought. Who wants the dog they are betting for to lose anyway? Not me!

FAQs

Which is Bigger, Akita or German Shepherd?

Overall, the Akita is a bigger dog than the German Shepherd, but a large male German Shepherd can be bigger than the smallest female Akita. The Akita grows to 70-130lb while the German Shepherd weighs 50-90lb. Also, the Akita male is taller than most German Shepherds, but the female Akita could be the same height as a male German Shepherd.

How Powerful is the Akita?

The Akita is a powerful dog with a strong bite force of 400psi and a heavy body weight. The largest Akitas can grow up to 130lb (59kg). The power of the Akita can also be described in its hunting prowess, considering it was bred to kill dangerous game like the bear and the boar.