Testimonials

(Scroll to the bottom for the most current testimonials.)

***** Truly Extraordinary Akitas                                          Our Akita was born June 17, 2008, and he has grown into a truly amazing, healthy, intelligent and inquisitive puppy. He is strong and mighty weighing in at almost 50 lbs now at 5 months old. Rachelle takes great care with her Akitas and works diligently to find the best homes for the puppies she sells. You won't find a better breeder. Since purchasing the puppy, Rachelle has also regularly stayed in touch to make sure the puppy is doing well, answer any of our questions, and of course see cute puppy pictures. In summary, wonderful people and amazing Akitas. Don't buy anywhere else.   - Sean, Nov. 2, 2008

***** Kind and trustworthy breeder - great puppies!  I had never purchased a dog over the internet before, so I was a little hesitant. But Rachelle was great. She answered all my questions, was very communicative, and was easy to work with. Our puppy has a great temperment--she is smart, learns quickly, has a great disposition and is very friendly and affectionate. I highly recommend Little Bear Akitas. Thank you Rachelle for the wonderful addition to our family!   -Kim, Sept. 7, 2008

*****We recently puchased a male Akita puppy from Rachelle. She is an excellent breeder of healthy well tempered Akitas. She is very trust worthy and was helpful and answered all our questions. We purchased our puppy for our other Akita to have a friend, he has very good temperment and is great around other pets, he is also very intelligent, very easy to house train he is almost completely trained at 11 weeks old. He has proper Akita conformation. He is very sweet and loving and you could not ask for a better pet!   -Jesse and McKell, Sept. 1, 2008

*****Wonderful buying experience, wonderful pup!!    We bought our pup as first time internet buyers. Our experience couldn't have been more wonderful. Rachelle Yost is an excellent breeder who cares a great deal about her pups. She sent us many pictures of our baby while we waited for him to be old enough to ship. Crestone, who we renamed Koji, has been the sweetest addition to our family. He is very playful and loves the water. He is also extremely intelligent and has caught on to our verbal commands quickly. We would highly recommend Little Bear Akitas and would definitely purchase a pup from Rachelle in the future!!  -Colleen, Aug. 22, 2008 

*****Great dogs, Wonderful People                                       I was just browsing when I found my dog, Lia. It was love at first sight, but I was nervous about doing business over the internet and having a dog shipped from far away. I was concerned because I had heard so many scam stories. However, Rachelle and her husband proved to be honest and trustworthy and very helpful. It was a pleasure doing business with them. Any time I sent an email with a question, Rachelle always replied quickly. When it came time to get Lia to the airport, they left their home about 2 a.m. so that Lia could take an early flight so that I could pick her up in the afternoon. The other option was that they leave at  7:00 a.m., but Lia would get to the airport after dark and I also had 60 miles over snowy mountain roads to get home. I'm extremely pleased with Lia. She is a beautiful white Akita. She is a very intelligent dog and has a sweet personality. If I get another dog, I will definitely check with Little Bear Akitas FIRST!! Truly, you can't go wrong. -Marilyn, June 17, 2008

*****Wonderful breeder / Great Puppies!!                           I have a puppy from this pair's first litter. (Bear and Como) Yes, he's about  90 pounds or so and will be 8 months old on June 22. We've done Puppy Obedience and the Basic 1 class and are taking the Canine Good Citizen Test on his 8 month birthday. He is so smart and attentive. Rachelle was so helpful in answering any questions or helping solve and problems I had. We stay in touch, it is nice to find a breeder that still cares about the puppies even after they have their money. Any puppy from this litter will be not only a wonderful companion but great quality for conformation or obedience if you wish to show. I highly recommend Little Bear Akitas and will be using them again in a few years.  - Nicole, June 13, 2008

*****Only Breeder We Will Buy From. In December 2006 my Akita - Mya was born. I fell in love with her picture and so I contacted Rachelle. I left a message but she called me back within 30 minutes. I had several questions to ask and she answered them all quickly. Mya is now 18 mo. old. She has a wonderful temperment, plays with all sizes/types of animals, loves kids and watches not only my house but our 2 next door neighbors and the house across the street. We are so impressed with Rachelle's dogs that when Como has this litter we are getting one of her males. Not only will we only buy Akitas, we will only buy from Rachelle, because the litters she has, they are WONDERFUL.  -Sarah, June 11, 2008

*****I told you all I'd be back in a few years to get another one... This experience with Rachelle has been just as wonderful as when we got our first pup from her. This time we got a female and Rachelle made sure we got one with the perfect temperament. I cannot praise her enough for all her hard work and the love she gives to all her dogs and puppies. If you want a great Akita this is the place to get it  (believe me, I've gone through a few disasters elsewhere). If it's not an Akita... it's just a dog. And if it's not from Little Bear Akitas you might as well not even bother. -Nicole Prewitt, June 8, 2010

*****Excellence-Both breeders and Pups! We were very hesitant to purchase an Akita puppy over the internet. We always knew we wanted an Akita and had looked at a few breeders in the mid-west. We called Rachelle and left a message. Within a few hours, she returned our call and the rest is history! Rachelle is wonderful...as a person...a breeder... and friend. I didn't know finding a puppy and a new member of our family would also lead to a friendship. Our Takeo is nearly 5 months old and is smart, teachable, fun, and full of love! We couldn't ask for a better family dog! Rachelle was very helpful with picking the right pup for our family and know if I needed anything she would be there to help. If we ever decide to adopt another Akita, we would not hesitate... we would call Rachelle first! Thank you Rachelle for helping us increase our family! -Dennis,Andrea, Theo & Bella -Kansas- Aug. 2, 2010

*****Dear Rachelle, I would like to take a moment to thank you for making this process as easy as you possibly could. We began speaking with you around July 2010 and, honestly, it seems like forever ago. I guess it was the anticipation of adding a new member to our family. And honestly, the little guy was worth the wait, he is handsome, but also intelligent and very inquisitive.  At first my wife and I were skeptical about a breeder that was located so far away, not having the luxury of being able to drive out and visit the puppies. But your consistent communication and advice were more than helpful. I appreciate the individual attention we received regarding our pup. Whenever we had a question, time never amassed before we had a response.                             It is not hard to see that you really do love your dogs, and put their care and comfort first. For that reason, I will not hesitate to contact you in the future when we are ready to purchase another Akita. When someone puts their heart into something it shows, and from the conversations you had with my wife; and the manner in which you care for your dogs, it is evident that this something that is very near and dear to your heart. It has been a pleasure to feel involved with your family and your dogs. I will strongly recommend Little Bear Akitas to any responsible dog owner who wishes to have one of these amazing animals.Thank you again for seeing us through this process, we will be in touch, and definitely be sending you pictures of our little guy. -Sincerely, The Whited family. Massachusetts.                                            

*****FREYJA THE AWESOME!!! It is so hard to know where to begin with the praise of Rachelle and Merlin and their Akitas! Our baby girl Freyja was born in April of 2010.  She was one of the great Bear's last litters with Charlie Girl. When we first saw pictures of the litter we were inclined towards one of the the Pinto girls. We arranged to go down to see the litter in person on Mother's day and make our final pick. Rachelle watched us  interact, talked to us extensively and then said "I think this little black and white is the puppy for you" . We took her advice and boy was she right. We now are the proud parents of an 80 pound goofball!

   We became empty nesters last summer when our youngest human child moved to Texas for college. Freyja has done her best to keep us from feeling childless. She rubs against our legs like a (very large) kitten, shares her toys and gives endless love. She has the sweetest temperament and loves everybody, human canine and feline. Her size and menacing black head always cause a little nervousness when we go to the dog park. But, as soon as she starts romping and cavorting with the other dogs everyone sees what a sweetheart she really is. She is a favorite at the vet and the groomers and never fails to entertain on our bi-monthly trips to PetSmart. She has even created a little tunnel under the back fence so she can share her toys with the golden's on the other side! Well, let's be honest. She steals underwear and socks from our laundry basket and trades them for toys..I am sometimes kind of embarrassed to talk to the neighbors!

   The thing with Akitas is the temperament is only in part how we the owners raise them. It is vey much part of the parents and breeder. Having met all of Rachelle and Merlin's dogs we can say with certainty that they all have the 'sweet' gene!  Because of this we are now preparing to get a little boy pup from Little Bear. Freyja is in need of a playmate and we just can't resist. Once again we will go down to meet the babies and once again we will heed Rachelle's recommendation. Thank you Little Bear Akitas for the joy Freyja has brought us. We look forward to seeing you soon to find her little brother!!!

-Larry and Alison .Colorado Springs, Co. January 2012.

*****Our experience with Little Bear Akitas can only be described in one way, excellent. LBA's communication, willingness to work with us for delivery, and follow-through was topnotch. As a previous Akita owners, we can truthfully say LBA provided our family with an Akita beyond our expectations. Our next puppy without a doubt will be coming from LBA! ~Adam. Denver, CO. January 2012.

*****When my husband & I first started talking about bringing a dog into our family, we did a lot of research on what breed of dog we wanted. We both wanted a large breed dog. My husband had an Akita before - for 10 years - and wanted another Akita. I was hesitant about it with all I read about the breed. But we did our research, and we looked at several Akita breeders before choosing Little Bear. What drew us to you was your desire to breed dogs with the best Akita traits as well as wonderful dispositions. I have to commend you - Euchre is, quite simply, the sweetest, gentlest, kindest dog most people come across. We take him camping, hiking, walking around town - pretty much everywhere. And, almost without exception, every time we take him anywhere someone comments on what a sweetheart he is & how he isn't like Akitas they have met in the past. He loves people of all ages & he is not dog aggressive at all. In fact, he loves the smallest dogs & will do whatever they tell him.
     Not only is he sweet, but he is super smart. We have enrolled & completed 2 levels of obedience training classes, and Euchre was the valedictorian in Level 2. He knows what we want him to do (him doing it may be a different story).
    As he is nearing his 2nd birthday, he really is coming into his own personality.  He loves us as much as we love him. He loves to make us laugh!  He also has a nice relationship with our 10 year old cat, who I have never seen use his claws on Euchre once!
    Bringing a puppy into my family was something that I wanted for a very long time. Euchre made that worth the wait. He is such a part of our family that we cannot even remember what life was like before he came into ours.  ~ Steve and Kerry. Denver, CO. October, 2012

***** Testimonial Update:
 Adding Odie! Shortly after our last posting we visited LBA to find a baby boy from the Dec 2011 litter by Yukon and Shavano. We brought Freyja along to approve the pick. Once again we played with the various pups and once again Rachelle helped guide us to Odie, a brown and white male. Freyja and Odie were quite taken with each other from the start. We brought him home just before Valentines day and what a sweet treat he is! Freyja immediately took on the big sister role bossing him around and cleaning him up. They are inseparable but she is, of course the boss, even though he is 3 inches taller and 40 pounds heavier (115 at almost 1 yr!!).
And what a lover. As a friends' 8 yr old daughter put it "He is REALLY licky!" This is a little girl who was previously terrified of dogs and who, as a result of Freyja and Odies' incredible sweetness and patience, overcame her fear and was petting them and allowing them to shower her with kisses. There is no greater testimonial to the outstanding nature of an LBA pups' temperament than this.  Our babies are from different sets of LBA parents but both are amazingly sweet, gentle and sensitive. That comes from outstanding breeding.
Rachelle and Merlin, thank you so much for the joy these two bring to our lives.
BTW, you can see their picture on the 'pups grown up' link bathing my sister in kisses.
 ~Alison and Larry Duff , Colorado  Dec 2012

***** In 2010, I decided to get a puppy to help break up the cancer talk that had been consuming my life. My husband was suffering from cancer for over a year, and the prognosis was less than favorable. When we got Mr. Brick, he saved my life, and I am sure he prolonged the life of my husband. Mr. Brick was an angel gifted to me when I most needed something to hold and hug. Brick would run around the dealership, where my husband worked, and greet everyone. Brick kept my husband company when I wasn't able to. My husband passed away when Brick was only 5 months old. After his death, Brick became the rock I needed to keep going. Brick is trained as a Therapy and a Service dog. He has not missed one day of work with me. Brick greets every client with lots of kisses, and all my clients look forward to seeing him. Brick loves to hike and go camping. He is an excellent camper. After giving it a great deal of thought, I believe Brick needs a sister. He will be 3 yrs old on August 21, 2013. This addition to our family will complete what has already been a vital and wonderful experience with Mr. Brick.
~Sharon- North Carolina- Dec. 2012

*****So, what words could possibly describe how much we love this dog? Let's just say he is the most gentle, loving, attentive dog we have ever had. We were missing our Akita after losing him to a very old age and "Odin" has given us back our smiles. He is exactly 6 months as of Monday May 13th. He is huge! The last weigh in was 1 month ago and he was 70lbs. I believe he is about 82 now. But his size does not stop him from climbing into our laps at night to snuggle. Really, Rachelle, this dog is amazing. Yes he is well disciplined and yes we make sure he knows who is boss which does allow us to enjoy him, but his temperament is all his own and is wonderful. It takes very little to get him to mind us. He wants to please please please. So we thank Little Bear Akitas for helping us find love again with "Odin".
    ~The Swanson family- Montana- April 2013

*****As a previous Akita owner I knew it was the breed of puppy I wanted. Since I found no breeder in Kansas I expanded my search and found Little Bear Akita’s online. I have never purchased a puppy from a website before, but after numerous conversations with Rachelle and her extensive interview process for me as a potential owner, I knew she cared about her dogs. We received Maggie via United Airlines (another new experience for me) and I was so pleased by how healthy and happy she was. We have had her for two months now and she is turning into a beautiful and sweet girl. I take her to work with me daily and she is so good with all our customers. I have talked to Rachelle on several occasions just to touch base, so it’s nice to know that if I have questions she is there to help. I would recommend Little Bear Akita’s to anyone interested in quality, well bred Akitas. Thank so much. We love Maggie.  ~Jean -Kansas- September 2013

*****After endless searching for an akita breeder, we knew Rachelle and Merlin were the breeders for us!

We had both had dogs in the past, but neither of us had ever owned an akita. After extensive research regarding the breed, we soon decided that an akita was the right dog for us, but then came the task of finding a trustworthy breeder. We searched and searched for akita breeders, and then finally found Little Bear Akitas! The website looked promising, so we quickly emailed Rachelle. Right away, from her first email, we knew this was the breeder for us. Not only was Rachelle thrilled that we were interested in her dogs, she answered all of our preliminary questions, but she then shot back with a few of her own. Rachelle wanted to make sure that with this being our first akita that we were sure that we were ready for the commitment of training him correctly and that we really understood the level of independence that these dogs exhibit. She also asked about the environment in which the dog would be living in, would he have a yard to play in, would the yard be adequately fenced in. By Rachelle asking these questions we knew that these puppies meant a great deal to her, and that she wants to ensure that they end up in a fit, loving home. Poor Rachelle probably got a little tired of answering all of our questions, as we had a lot, but she was great, she not only answered all of our questions, but she helped us to feel comfortable in our decision. She proved that she had nothing to hide about her dogs, which she really doesn’t, they are really as amazing as all the pictures show and testimonials say!

In July 2013 our dream finally came true… we came face to face with our akita baby boy, whom we named Makoto. We have only had him for about a year and a half now, but boy has he made quite an impact in such a short time! He is just bursting with personality and always knows how to make us laugh. Not only has he made an impression on us, and has swayed us to be akita lovers for life, but he has been quite impressionable on others as well. Everyone in the neighborhood now knows us as Makoto’s parents, and only seem to wave at us or recognize us when Makoto is around. He LOVES attention, I mean, he craves it, and he makes sure that he gets plenty of it while out on his two walks of the day or strolling around Home Depot. At the pet store or at the vet, everyone drops what they are doing to see Makoto. It is all about Makoto, and he knows it, but we wouldn’t have it any other way!

I guess what we are trying to say, in so many words, is that Merlin and Rachelle have blessed us with such an incredible gift. We will never be quite able to say exactly how thankful we are that they gave us such an amazing dog and companion, but we can say with 100% certainty that we will undoubtedly purchase another dog from them again (except not in the near future as Makoto loves being the only dog ☺).     – Kevin and Natalie 1/17/2015

*****Rocko is beautiful, healthy and very tolerant of our 1 and 3 year old children. Rachelle is an honest, Christian woman who stands behind her Akitas. We searched for a long time to find a good breeder. We highly recommend Little Bear Akitas. - Matthew and Dawn 6/22/2015

*****Exceptional Breeder and Dogs: 
    We bought our first Akita from Little
Bear. This has been my dream dog for years, and we jokingly say we did
so much research and preparation it was more like an international
adoption! We looked into and even visited several other places but
Rachelle and her dogs left us with such a positive experience that we
made the decision to go with Little Bear; a decision we haven’t
regretted. The dogs are excellent quality and the facility isn’t just
another breeding place, but a family home. Rachelle’s dogs are
socialized on a farm with her children and other pets and animals. From
the minute the new litters are born, they are handled and welcomed
into a loving family. The difference this makes in their temperament
can’t be overstated. Each dog of hers is friendly and social as well as
absolutely beautiful with excellent bloodlines. Our Yoshi was recently
referred to by our veterinarian who has been in practice for 35 years as,
“The friendliest Akita I’ve ever met. Yoshi has the Akita beauty and the
personality of a Lab.” She came home to a house that includes 3
chihuahuas and an 8 year old grandchild. Yoshi has fit right into the
home. My dream of owning this dog became a reality that has proven to
be even better than expected. We cannot say enough good things about
Little Bear Akitas! - Joan McGuire 7/24/2017

*****Finding the right breeder who loves not only their dogs but every puppy that is transitioned to a new family is critical, I only wanted a puppy from a top notch loving breeder who put the puppies first and not the all mighty dollar. Ms. Yost and her lovely family is just that type of breeder. She puts in a lot of time in picking her males and females to produce very well tempered puppies. When you first drive up you could be quit intimidated by these wonderful dogs she has on her property, but once you get out and meet them they will love you to death. Truly if I had my way I would have taken every one of the adults dogs and puppies home. Now you have to ask yourself how far is one willing to travel and to what extent is one willing to go through to just find the perfect family member? I can honestly say that no distance is too far and no obstacle is too big, when it comes to finding the perfect new family member. Ms. Yost, as busy as she is, with her lovely children and her extended family of dogs, truly loves them both. She will take the time to listen to what you are looking for in a dog/puppy (new family member) and is willing to match you up. After numerous hours of research and validation, I was extremely motivated to get just the right puppy from Little Bear Akitas. Ms. Yost clearly provided me with all the proper details of each puppy and lined me up with the right one. Was our new puppy the flashiest of puppies in color, NO, but a puppy's coat is not always indicative to her adult coat and flash is not a key factor in a quality puppy. However, her confirmation in physical body size, the beauty of her head size, the small forward ears and most in importantly her personality stood out clearly from all the other female puppies. Ms. Yost new exactly what we were looking for and drew this to our attention. I am now the proud Papa of a Little Bear akita,  Ms. Miska winter storm.. her name fits her so well as she blew away our hearts as strong as blistery winter days snow storm and provides the calmness of a wonder winters day as you look out upon the beautifully new fallen snow. And yes as we drove down to look at the puppies for the very  first time we drove through freshly falling snow and through the Colorado's majestic mountains with the beautiful mountain snow caps. On the day we picked her up we were faced with hail and rain coming back home. So as you can see her name fits her well. Love and care of these puppies is the true characteristic point of this family. Thank you Ms. Yost and Family.           - Mikel and Pam Shanks 6/20/2019

*****My family has had the pleasure of adding to our family three Little Bear Akitas over the years. Their Akitas are without question the best Akitas I've ever seen or have had the pleasure of owning, their conformation and coloring are magnificent! But more importantly their disposition is what sets them apart! They are gentle giants. Highly intelligent, inquisitive, and fiercely loyal to their family unit. Rachelle takes great care in her breeding and genetics and it shows! If you're considering adding an Akita to your family then look no furthur you simply cannot find a better breeder than Little Bear Akitas. -Richard Martillaro  10/9/2020

*****I have spent the last 9 years with a Little Bear Akita. I got him as a puppy, but now he is gray in the face. A strong, healthy, dignified old gentleman who is very dear to my heart. When it was time to get another dog I knew it had to be a Little Bear Akita. It took some time, but finally I received a female puppy from Robin and Simba. And she is just the best puppy, smart affectionate and so cute and funny. I have laughed more since I got her than I have in years and that is priceless. I heartily recommend Rachelle and Little Bear Akitas for the sweetest, smartest Akitas. -Susan Moller  1/11/21

*****Rachelle Yost, such a compassionate, responsible, and loving breeder of the Akita.

     I have been privileged  to own  3 Akitas in my lifetime, Tsukuba is my 4th. I lost my beloved Makota in May of 2022, he had a thymoma a rare cancer that was difficult to diagnose. My heart was completely broken, when I said goodbye to him I felt lost and never thought my heart would mend. I researched breeders and was given Rachelle's name, she blessed me with my earth angel Tsukuba.

     I chose him purely by his pictures and Rachelle's description of him as the largest and most dominant. I was so drawn to him and the moment I met him at the airport in Colorado, I was totally in love!! He was so sweet, cuddly, beautiful and I could easily tell well bred, but mostly so loved!

     Our journey together so far has been amazing! He has surpassed my  expectations! He has successfully completed 3 obedience/puppy socialization classes and we are on our way to our Good Citizenship Award. He is goofy, loving, kind, sweet, extremely intelligent and beautiful. He has 1 brother and 2 corgi sisters, Sadie Mae is his best friend and they are constantly playing together. "Kuba" is so kind and well behaved around my husband's grandkids as well!  I have 3 miniature horses and Kuba loves to socialize with, he is very sweet around them.

     I can't thank Rachelle enough for blessing me with such a beautiful Akita puppy that has healed my heart and gives me unconditional love everyday. He always is smiling and his tail never stops wagging. He means the world to me and now I'm trying to convince my husband we need another beautiful Akita from Rachelle!! -Mary Jo Kapust February 14, 2023

*****Answer to prayers! I had gone through a traumatic three years preparing for the passing of my previous Akita.  Rachelle was so kind and helpful when the time came.  She arranged for me to meet her litter and let a puppy choose me.  She worked with me on preparing him for his trip home with me a few weeks later.  It is now over a year later and Musashi (or Mooshi as I call him) is such a blessing.  He is 90.lbs and perfect (he was the smallest male in his liter)! Full of energy and personality, he has a tendency to want to flirt with all the girls he meets, but he does well in training, he has progressed through his obedience training, received his STAR puppy certification, cadet scout status, and is working on his AKC canine good citizenship training. His only eccentric character is that he talks a lot for an Akita! LOL, he has spoken more in six months than my last two did combined in their lifetimes! He is a dream and a life saver! If the time comes for another, I am going to come back to Little Bear Akitas! Derek Hirohata  9/10/2023




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