What's the story on this breed. I just saw a couple in a shelter (specializing in that breed). Beautiful dogs (and BIG)!
Peter.

Very Dominant and agressive toward other dogs big time.
I personaly dont care for Akitas or Chows, though as usual it is the irresponsible owner that is the idiot .


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"Akitas are generally protective of what they consider "theirs" - which will include their owners, their children, homes, cars, yards, the street in front of the house, areas surrounding the house and any other pets in the home. Most start showing this protective instinct between 12-24 months.

The Akitas you see at the shows have been socialized and taught not to jump at or on other dogs. However, if you look closely - you will see that the owners are not letting the dogs get close to each other and are not letting them make eye contact with other dogs. Akitas are dominant and will try to dominate other dogs when given the chance. Most "show people" know this and take steps to prevent it.

Males will get along with females and vice versa. Do not put 2 males or 2 females together. They normally will not get along."

"Akitas bite more people in proportion with their population than many other, more popular breeds. Although dogs such as German Shepards, Chows, and Dobermans kill more people when they attack, Akitas represent the third most likely dog to bite or attack unprovoked. In fact, even in their home country of Japan, Akitas are considered the second most likely breed to attack people."

Peter if they are in a shelter they are in there for a reason. I'd stay away from them myself. If you want an Akita get a pup and socialise them well. Also get it into basic obedience lessons as soon as you can.

My wife gets them in the grooming shop and she puts muzzles on them right away. The muzzle is to keep the groomers safe and other dogs as well. She tells me that 90% of the time it's not needed but there has been issues with akitas and chows in the past. Shepherds and pit bulls are big babies in the shop and one big male akita that comes in regularly is more than friendly and likes to get randy with her leg. She says the dogs that bite the most are schnauzers and some of the small terriers.
Aggression in the "attack/guard " dogs has a lot to do with the owners if you are aware of the tendency and train and socialize them properly you shouldn't have any trouble with them.

People across the street had one when I was a kid. It got into our back yard one time and attacked my dads very old dog, ended up having a pretty pricey vet bill after my mom was able to pry the dog off of tippy. After several more attacks to other peoples dogs it disappeared.

A few weeks ago I had my mutt at the dog park. A few ladies were walking their dogs and one had a huge akita on one of those extendable leashes. For some reason he wanted at my dog at that particular moment. He hit the end of his leash, the lady went tumbling but somehow held onto the leash. Just as he hit the end of the leash he was able to take two pencil eraser size chunks out of my dogs side.

Those are the only two I have ever actually had experience with. THAT is what I think about akitas.

A guy I know was feeding his Akita when the dog went nuts and attacked him without provocation.
They bought him as a pup. I wouldn't have one as a gift.

Stepchild

quote:

Originally posted by Bakes:
Peter if they are in a shelter they are in there for a reason. I'd stay away from them myself. If you want an Akita get a pup and socialise them well. Also get it into basic obedience lessons as soon as you can.

That "reason" could also just as easily, if not more so, be in the shelter because the one of the owner's died or could no longer afford to keep them. Ask the shelter, they would probably know. I wouldn't take one of those shelter dogs home to a houseful of smaller dogs or one with small children but otherwise, I'd try them out if I wanted one. I'd also carry a pistol until I was sure of the dog. No use in being stupid about something either.

I just saw a very small, elegantly dressed, Japanese lady walking her Akita in a very grungy, poorly lit, truck stop/gas station parking lot late at nigh. She didn't look worried at all.........

We had a couple of German Shepards guard dogs for around the property and once a fellow down the road had one of those Akita's that he just let roam loose. One day our gate was left open and not locked, I was in the barn working on a project and the hired hand was on the tractor bushhoging a field. One of the Shephards was with me (female) and the male was on the back porch. I was going out the door to the house when this strange dog see's our male walking toward me. This Akita made a bee line for him and attacked my dog from the rearend.

Then the fight was on and when it was all said and done, the Akita's head was being smacked against the pavement like a ragdoll from side to side. I then called off our male Shepard and used a cattle prod to escourt the dog off the property. This same dog came back 2 days later and did the same thing, only this time he jumped over the front fence in order to get to our male. Once again the Shepard gave him all he wanted and more. This dog kept coming back two more times until I told the owner it will get shot the next time. The Akita bit the man's 11 year old son and he ended up shooting the dog instead. Akita's, Chow's, and Pit-Bulls I do not like as a breed of dog. I would not trust any of these type dogs, around children or other animals.

I have to agree with the other poster, that most shelter dogs are in there for either behavioral problems or health problems. Most hunting breeds are in there because they have become Gun-Shy

One person dog and only, you better be the boss as well stern.
Very smart, alert and excellent watch and guard dog. Short life-span though, 10 to 13 year's.

From the believe it or not files:

Boston, mid-80s, Kenmore Square Green Line subway platform (underground), one stop before the fabled Fenway Park station (above ground).

I'm pretty banged up, and hoping hard that I hadn't missed the last outbound trolley, 'cause it's 3 hours until the next one and a good half hour stagger back to the pad. I am totally alone in this tunnel, with only the sounds of escalators and electric humming for company. Think horror movie scenario. After a butt and a debate on whether or not to start the stomp home, I was about to head upstairs and out onto Comm. Ave when I heard something in the tunnel. Something big. Not. A. Rat.

As sure as God is my judge, an apparition emerged from the inky black shadows that was the westbound tunnel of the Green Line. Amidst the devilish red of the control light, before my eyes, a large, four-legged beast, in seeming predation mode, hunched and taking deliberate strides, came dead at me.

I grabbed for my knife as I started backpedaling, only 50 feet or so from whatever was coming out of that hole, breathing hard...

A freaking Akita, jet black, came walking out of that tunnel (later I learned that the dog was essentially creamy whitish; the black was oil and soot). It was clearly scared, and lost, but lo, it had a freaking collar. Having worked at an animal hospital/shelter for a few years, knew a thing or two about handling dogs. Anyway, longer story short, after a little one on one time, was able to approach and gain some trust.

The dog's collar had a brass plate with a name and number on it. Dog's name? Bruce. Bruce seemed happy enough for a few minutes for some stranger to be leading him around with a hand on his collar, but as we headed upstairs toward the surface I began getting mighty concerned, as he was beginning to snarl and resist (plenty noisy up top, even at 2:30 am, with traffic and city, which may have made him nervous) At what I judged at 100 lbs. +, he was definitely an intimidating sight.

Getting to the end here: called telephone number on pay phone, got some snooty guy on phone (I assume now it was butler or some other flavor of help/staff). After a couple words talkin' 'bout "what is your business, sir? Have you no idea of the time?" I said basically, "hey look dickhead, are you missing a farking dog named Bruce?" "Yeah, well, you want him still?"

45 minutes later a Rolls-Royce pulled up, and a guy in a silk maroon PJs, slippers and smoking jacket with fur collar and whatnot piles out. "BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCEY!" Freaking akita had disappeared from the estate a month prior, located some 30 miles due west of the Bean, apparently. Without even looking at me the farking guy told the driver to give me $500 for "saving Bruce", and before he even heard me respond, piled back into the RR with Bruce. I picked a 20 out of his driver's hand and said, "I'm good with cab fare; I'm pretty shitfaced and missed the last train. Cool?" "He looks at me and says, "TAKE it!", with a wink. I say, "nah, you keep it. Later."

True story.

That is hilarious, and well told!
Peter.

I have 21 years experience with Akitas, and would own no other breed of dog. I have never once met an akita that is agressive towards people, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. The culprits, I would guess, are the results of some backyard breeder who doesn't breed for quality and good tempermant. Akitas can be agressive towards other dogs, but only those of the same sex. Remember, these dogs were bred for hunting bears, and boars, so they have a high prey drive. They may take smaller animals for prey, and go after them. In all, these dogs are not for everyone, and thank you for doing research on the breed before getting one. The owners of the sheltered dogs probably didn't take these precautions and now the dogs suffer for it. In the right hands, Akitas are a great pet.

If you want one you had better be a damn good dog handler. I've never had a good experience with an Akita, but in every case that was because the owners were clueless in the concept of dog handling. But that, IMO is true for most dog owners (I'll give the benefit of doubt to AR members ).

I once had a large male Akita, that was previously okay with me, rear up at me and while I grabbed his forelegs start to push me back while snapping and growling at me, ears flat against his head. Luckily his owner had a pinch collar on the dog and instantly intervened getting the dog under control. I was ready to grab a stick off of the nearby lumber pile and straighten the dog out if it came to that.

Visiting my sister years ago, we went over to meet a friend who had an Akita. To me the owner did not have a handle on the possesive/aggressive nature of the dog. I would not have wanted to be in one room of the house with the dog, with the owner in another room. To me it was obvious they had not spent enough time with this dog, working with it. A few weeks after our visit, the dog got out and killed several smaller dogs and cats in one afternoon before being caught and was put down.

From personal experience having one of my dogs attacked by an Akita, unprovoked............shoot until empty and reload asap, and keep shooting until out of ammo! I do really love all dogs. EXCEPT Akitas.

Hmmm, I've been around dozens of akitas all together, and with other dogs all around at dog shows. Never once seen one bare its teeth or growl.

The main problems I see are how people handle their dogs. One of the first things learned at an obedience or dog-handling class is to never let your dog make eye contact with another dog, or let dogs meet face-to-face. I am constantly monitoring my dog whenever we are out of the house, and he is never off leash.

I never did get the Akita, but I have learned a lot from this thread. I suspect that the Akita is not for your average dog owner!
Peter.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
I never did get the Akita, but I have learned a lot from this thread. I suspect that the Akita is not for your average dog owner!
Peter.

you've shown some wisdom that I wish more people had. So many people get dogs that they are ill prepared to deal with and the dog always ends up with the short end of the stick. I do some work with a Chesapeake bay retriever rescue and most of the dogs that we rescue come from people who think that chessies are just labs with curly hair and find out the hard way that they are quite different. the same goes for Akitas, Pit bulls ect.. People need to do some research before they make the commitment to get a dog. A dogs worst enemy is sometimes it's owner who can't , won't , doesn't know how to properly train their dog or get professional help. In the end it's the dog who looses.

I used to work for a guard agency that had 32 Shepards, three Dobies, and a Dane. That was many years ago and I learned quickly that training is everything.

Some of those dogs were attack trained and would only work with one or two handlers.

One of my closest friends was the head dog trainer for the Miami PD. They used imported Belgian Shepards exclusively. His dog would tear your arm off if he commanded it to, but it was otherwise a real sweetheart and very playful with his friends. I wanted to get one, but already had a Dob. The two of them got along famously because they were well trained.

My ex, who is a good friend, had an Akita and three terriers and an Irish Setter. The Akita was well trained, bothered nobody and was a valued member of the family for about nine years. She was very protective of my ex's young daughter, but there were never any problems.

Anyone who owns a dog has the responsibility to train it, work with it, and supervise it.
The world is full of horror stories about many different breeds who suffered benign neglect and abuse from owners resulting in behavioral problems such as unprovoked attacks on other animals and people.

If you have a dog, it should at least be obedience trained. That takes time that many are not willing to invest. The sins of many a dog can be traced directly to an irresponsible owner.

wetdog, add me to the "Chessies are just curly haired labs" list. My Laddie died two years ago but I remember when we first got him I posted here about the problems we were having. I received some excellent advice which we followed and he was an amazing dog, but you have to know what you are getting into. He was "dead grass" and even as I write this tears are in my eyes.
Peter.

Back to Akitas! I just saw a movie on DVD (checked it out from the local library) called "Hachi". It is about an Akita, based on a true story. Good movie.
Peter.