Breed comparison

Chow Chow
vs Akita.

Both are ancient, dignified, strong-willed breeds known for aloofness with strangers and deep loyalty to family, and both require heavy early socialization to be stable, well-adjusted dogs. The Chow Chow is the more extreme of the two in independence, often ranked among the least conventionally trainable breeds; the Akita is a notch more trainable but still a serious, self-directed dog.

Neither breed is bred to please a handler the way a retriever is, and choosing between them mostly comes down to just how much independence you can live with.

Quick answer

Choose the Akita for a dignified guardian breed that is a shade more trainable and active. Choose the Chow Chow only if you are ready for one of the most independent, self-directed breeds there is, low energy but famously unmoved by the usual training playbook. Both need calm, patient, reward-based handling and heavy early socialization, and neither suits a first-time or casual owner.

Chow Chow

Trainability
4/10
Energy
Low
Training difficulty
70/100
Group
Non-Sporting

Akita

Trainability
6/10
Energy
Medium
Training difficulty
57/100
Group
Working

Scores from the TailorPup Dog Training Difficulty Index.

Key differences

Trainability

The Akita scores 6/10, meaningfully more workable than the Chow Chow 4/10, one of the lowest trainability ratings of any breed, not from lack of intelligence but from sheer self-direction. The Chow frequently weighs a request and simply declines; the Akita is also independent but more willing to engage with consistent, patient training.

Energy

The Chow Chow is low energy, a famously sedentary, cat-like breed content with modest exercise. The Akita is medium energy, needing more real activity and mental engagement to stay balanced, though neither is a high-drive athlete.

Temperament with strangers

Both are naturally reserved and can be guarding without heavy socialization, but the Chow is often described as the more overtly aloof and even standoffish of the two, sometimes resistant to unfamiliar people touching it. The Akita is watchful and dignified but often slightly more willing to accept strangers once properly introduced.

Sensitivity to handling

Both are sensitive to harsh corrections, which tend to provoke resistance rather than compliance in either breed. The Chow in particular needs a calm, patient approach; forceful handling reliably backfires and can create a suspicious, reactive dog.

Which is easier to train?

The Akita (6/10) is the more trainable of the two, though still a serious, independent working breed that needs consistent, patient, reward-based training rather than repetition-heavy drilling. The Chow Chow (4/10) is one of the least conventionally trainable breeds, it is not that the Chow cannot learn, it simply questions why it should. Heavy early socialization is non-negotiable for both, and realistic expectations matter more than technique: neither breed will ever be an eager-to-please golden retriever type.

Which one is right for you?

Choose the Chow Chow

Owners who want a strikingly independent, low-energy, dignified companion and are prepared for one of the least conventionally trainable breeds, with patient, low-pressure handling and heavy socialization.

Chow Chow training guide →

Choose the Akita

Owners who want a somewhat more workable, medium-energy guardian-type companion and can commit to consistent training, thorough socialization, and experienced handling.

Akita training guide →

The verdict

Choose the Akita for a dignified guardian breed that is a shade more trainable and active. Choose the Chow Chow only if you are ready for one of the most independent, self-directed breeds there is, low energy but famously unmoved by the usual training playbook. Both need calm, patient, reward-based handling and heavy early socialization, and neither suits a first-time or casual owner.

Frequently asked questions

Which is more trainable, a Chow Chow or an Akita?

The Akita, clearly (6/10 vs the Chow Chow 4/10, one of the lowest ratings of any breed). Both are independent, self-directed breeds, but the Chow is even more inclined to simply decline a request it does not see the point of.

Which is calmer?

The Chow Chow is lower energy and famously sedentary and cat-like. The Akita is medium energy and needs a bit more real activity and mental engagement, though neither is a high-drive breed.

Are they good with strangers?

Neither is naturally outgoing with strangers; both are reserved, dignified guardian-type breeds that need heavy early socialization. The Chow tends to be the more overtly aloof or standoffish of the two without that socialization.

Whichever you pick, train it right

TailorPup builds a personalized 12-week program around your dog's exact breed, age, and behavior, no generic one-size plan.

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More: all breed comparisons · training difficulty index · all 240 breed guides