Dear Ree---Thank you so very much for the immediate response to the message I posted. I am glad to hear you are a grandmother as I too have just become one myself as of Mid-April and this is another concern of mine, the grandchild going to visit (or never visit) his Aunt's house.
Can you help me out here--all comments welcome
My daughter came over with Titan (3 mo. old) and told me that he is now starting to bite, looks like he wants her to play. He seems to be crazy about her though-- she is the one who found him close to a week ago lost on a public street and extremely tired, full of fleas, and so thin his ribs were showing. He has grown happier by the day, literrally in leaps and bounds, after we got rid of his fleas with Frontline, and gone to the vet and got his shots and worming. He's happy he has a home and master, I can see this. I really would like to see her keep him, but I can't help still be worried, after all, she's my child, although she is now 25 yrs old. She is also a petite little girl, less than 5'3 and about 105 lbs.---another reason I'm concerned!
#1. "HOW" do you establish Dominance/Alpha Role without hitting them?
#2. Can you hit them with a newspaper (not hard, just enough to scare them?)---what do you do if they are biting at you and their sharp little puppy teeth hurt? When our pit bull did it as a puppy we literrally "put a sock in it" anything to keep those sharp teeth distracted on chewing something else besides us.
I told her not to tell him "no" to every little thing or he will not understand the importance of this important command one day in the future. I use "a sound" that instantly catches our dogs attention, has always worked on all the animals I've owned, kinda sounds like a deep throated or croaking sound of Ahhh!---closest thing I can come to describing it--- but means something akin to a "hey!"(knock that off)---for less important misbehaviors.
#3. Can you use STOP and NO or just one or the other?
#4. How do you get the puppy to learn to leave the cat alone?
#5. Good idea/bad idea to leave the cats food out? I know dogs will eat any food you leave laying about, even cat food.
#6. My daughter and her fiance have just bought "new" furniture recently, what do you suggest???!!! Do those sprays that keep them away from furniture work? I've never used them, I always used the "loud Ahhh!" or newspaper crack across my hand to make a loud noise, (or them) along with a NO~
#7. Is it OK to tap them "slightly" on the muzzle when they nip playfully, then say NO!
I am not understanding of the difference of a crate and putting them in the bathroom or a small room. Is the crate a "den" or a punishment? I'm confused on this.
He's the cutest little thing, I can't see him growing up to be a monster when I look at him and how my daughter already just loves him---this is the first animal she has ever "found," and he was extremely neglected.
However, I felt deep sympathy when I read about the woman who wrote on this message board about what happened to her poor pomeranian. I can't say what I believe I woud "want" to do if that happened to my dear pet, even though she is pit bull, I worry when my husband walks her in the park across the street that they won't come across another loose Pit Bull or Rottwieler, or Akita, and I have seen all these at various times in our neighborhood, even with your more unusual breeds such as the neighbor down the streets Pharoeh Dog.
I know alot of times I have worries about our pit bull, although everyone marvels at how good she is, she is also very very possesive if anyone comes near "her people" which include the other tenants in the four-family apartment where we live and share a fenced, our family and friends---she will not let ANY dog near them without growling fiercely at them and putting herself between the person/people and it----and over food! She's even worse---she will keep the dog away from the picnic table, the barbque pit by growling, snapping and backing the other dog off. I have to put her up, my husband says she acts like a but head, but she can't help it, its her breeds nature and NOTHING you can do will break her of this behavior. She's food possive, and possesive over people---like an Akita, but she would not act funny if my step-daughters came in the house while we were gone, my son or daughter, who do have keys to our apartment. She would not automatically bite the neighbor, who I don't particularly care for, and who comes up to visit my husband occassionally.
Then too, she's so very strong my husband is a big husky strong man and she is solid muscle and can put up one heck of a fight (with muzzle on) at the vets office. And smart!---she knows how to get even with us if we stay out a little longer than normal. (were natural homebodies) and although she leaves the trash alone, even when we do go out, a few hours to long will bring us home to a mess of trash all over our bed! It's not the food that she's after alot of times as the contents is not so much what she's after--but making the mess to show her displeasure with us.
Rees, I love my pit bull but I'll tell ya, just like I told my husband---I would NEVER own this breed again! I can't help but see an Akita as being bigger and possibly more problems than this. It seems like it would rack ones nerves to always have to worry about how the dog is going to respond to a stranger who stops to talk to you while your out walking with the dog, if a child runs by or through the yard after a ball, worse yet, kids that like to "tease" dogs. Are these things an Akita owner has to "always" be aware of? This is my biggest question I would like to hear an honest answer to.
I am glad to hear they will do well in an apartment with a small bedroom and just enough room on both sides to lie down on, I once had a Borzoi and he did just what Kujo does, speaking of Kujo, that was my daughter's first choice when considering names for him.
So, it's possible that he will not get along with the "declawed" cat they already own? This is a very important question, they do need to know the answer to, your feedback on this please.
Oh, is it possible that puppies can have "nighmares" when sleeping. Most dogs run, sometimes bark slightly in there sleep, make noises, I have had heard mine make whinning noises sometimes. ---we are hoping he wasn't abused by whoever owned him.
I can't think of anything else.
Please keep in touch with me, WE can really use hearing all the personal experience and advice you (and others) can offer Rees
Thanks again,
Xenia

Common Sense Safety Tips
1. When dogs are spayed or neutered, their aggressive tendencies are oftentimes reduced. In fact, the Humane Society of the United States reports that spayed and neutered dogs are three times less likely to bite.
2. Socialize your dog. This means introducing your dog to a variety of people, other dogs, and experiences. A well-socialized dog is much less likely to become nervous or frightened under normal circumstances.
3. Dog training is “a family affair” each family member should participate. You and your family can learn proper training techniques by attending a dog-training class. These classes will also help to socialize your dog.
4. Teach your dog appropriate behavior. Your dog should be submissive, not aggressive; a dog is being submissive when it rolls over and exposes its belly or relinquishes food without growling. These behaviors can be taught.
5. Don't teach aggression. A dog learns aggression when an owner plays games such as wrestling, tug-of-war, or sick-ing the dog on another person. Never play these games or encourage any type of aggressive behavior.
If your dog exhibits aggressive behavior, immediately consult a professional, such as a veterinarian, an animal behaviorist, or a reputable breeder.
6. Never leave infants or small children alone with any dog!
7. Provide regular veterinary care, a sick or hurting dog can become aggressive and bite or attack.
Never allow your dog to roam.
8. Often in our parks we see owners letting their dogs run free. This is not only against the law, it is also dangerous, for everyone, dogs included!
9. Spend time with your dog. Dogs who are left alone for long periods of time in a crate, outside, or tied up often become dangerous. Well-socialized and supervised dogs rarely bite.
10. Know your dog and try to understand its behavior. If you are uncertain how your dog will react to a new situation, be extremely cautious. If you think your dog will over react or panic in a certain situation, it's best to leave him at home.

No breed is guaranteed to be 100% bite-free or attack-free.

In 2000, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that 25 breeds of dogs were involved in 238 fatal dog bites from 1979-1998. More than 50% of the deaths for which the breed was known were caused by Pit Bull type dogs and Rottweilers.*

Due to the high cost of dog bite liability claims, some insurance companies have blacklisted certain breeds and are refusing to provide homeowners insurance to those who own these dog breeds. Blacklisted breeds may include: Akitas, Alaskan Malamutes, American Staffordshire Terriers, Boxers, Chow Chows, Great Danes, Siberian Huskies, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, Wolf Hybrids.---The Presa Canario breed came to the forefront when Diane Whipple was attacked and killed outside the door of her California apartment.

When it comes to the owner being responsible for damages; A showing that the dog owner "knew or should have known" of the canine’s dangerous propensities, is generally enough for the victim to obtain compensation in many states.

What if your dog has obtained a disease, is sick and you have not yet come to realize it yet? It may become aggressive, bite another person, or even you. Do you know what to do?

First, try to remain calm. If the dog attacks you, you may be able to reduce injury by placing something between yourself and the dog, such as a purse, a coat, or a brief case. If you are unable to place something between yourself and the dog, take whatever action is necessary to stop the dog from attacking you.

Most all states authorize you to defend yourself in any way possible.
Depending on the severity of the attack and resulting wounds, you may or may not need to go to a hospital emergency room.

If you decide against seeking emergency medical care, immediately wash any wounds thoroughly with soap and water. Then consult your physician for additional care and advice. Keep records of medical visits and bills so that you can be reimbursed for your expenses.
Get the names and phone numbers of the dog's owner or keeper, as well as the names and phone numbers of any witnesses.
If the dog isn't wearing tags, contact the animal control authorities to try to find the dog's owner.

Report the bite to your local animal care and control agency. If the dog does not have a current rabies vaccination, it may need to be quarantined. This is particularly important if the dog is a stray.

If the injury is due to someone else's dog injuring you (or your pet, as the woman with the Poms) you may wish to set up a consultation with an attorney who will obtain his fee when he settles your case. Your case may involve claims for mental anguish and emotional distress, pain and agony, besides medical/vet bills and lost wages.

[reeskujo]

OK..Where do I start.The pupppy biting.That's when you grab his muzzle and very firly tell him "NO Bite"I don't advice using a newspaper or anything else for that matter to swat an Akita with.You can guaranteee they won't take to it nicely.As for crate training.The crate is a safe comfortable spot for them.When their that little it's best to keep them in a crate when your not home.In fact their eventualy go init themselves.As for gainiing the Alpha role,it doesn't matter what size you are.I'm not much bigger then your daughter and Kujo doesn't give me a bit of a problem.You just have to start with training,rules and boundries right away and be consistent.Then they'll learn who's the boss.I've had to use what is called an Alpha role and literelly take Kujo to the floor when I first got him.Never had to do it again.As for the cat,I don't see that working out to well.I had a cat when I got Kujo,needlesss to say she ran away and truthfully he just wanted to play with her.Your a bit luckier then you think being the pup is so young.They have a chance to train him properly.Akita's can be great dogs,I wouldn't have anything but,however you have to train them right and be consistent and firm.I have a routine with Kujo.He'll let you in my house if I tell him it's ok.If I don't he'll go straight after you.Most especialy if my husband isn't here and I'm home alone.I would also get him neutered as soon as possible.To cut down on the aggression.You'll also find that he will become very protective over the baby.If my grandson cries,Kujo's right there wanting to know why and making sure someone tends to him,but I will also tell you that it is a golden rule with Akita's to never leave them alone with a child under 12.They'll be tolerant of their own but not always others.The training has to start now and be kept up with throughout the dogs life.They're alot of work especially once the shedding starts but their very loyal and loving to their family.My daughter,Son-In-Law and grandson could walk right through my front door if I wasn't home and Kujo would be thrilled.Anybody else and they'd never make it through the door.Socialization is a key factor for these dogs.In fact it's an absolute must.If they don't get use to different people they will learn to regard everyone as a threat and then you'll have a real problem.It wouldn't hurt to get him used to other dogs while he's a puppy either.Make sure they stay consistent with his training and don't back slide and never,ever hit them.You shouldn't do it with any dog but with an Akita your taking the chance of getting bit.They don't tolerate that.All I ever have to say to Kujo is a firm "NO"and he listens.Also remember as he gets older they may find on walks that he's trying to chase birds or smaller animals.I finally broke Kujo of it although he'll still try it once and again.This is a natural instinct for them.I give Kujo a tug on the leash,tell him NO and redirect him to another part of the yard.If we're getting ready to go outside and there's a bird sitting there I do the same thing and he won't pay it any mind.Also be aware that they will jump a fence less then 6 feet and will also dig under a fence to get out.That's probably the worst thing about them.They love to dig and they love to run away.Luckily Kujo never got to far.So just make sure they stay on top of him.He's going to be alot of work but if they do what they need to he can be a great dog.Let me know if you have anymore questions.

[reeskujo]

Hi,I was just wondering how things were going with your daughters puppy and if there was anything else I could help you with?Feel free to pm if you need to...Ree

I am a Akita lover as well!!!! I had a female Akita that was rescued many years ago. My step mom rescued her while I was still living at home. Poor girl was so skinny and timid. I had the pleasure of owning her about a year after I moved out as my parents started having children and could not care for her the way she needed to be. She adjusted very well and lived to be 13. I still miss her so much.

I now have a male Malamute/Akita cross who is nearly 7. His is a mommas boy and I love him to pieces. I will post pics! The first will be my girlie, RIP, then my boy!

i just had to say that i cant believe some of the utter garbage spewed in this thread. petshop girl, i sure hope you dont actually work with animals.


my family has owned, raised, shown, and bred akitas for over 35 years now. i'm only 21. to say the dogs were delighted when i came around is an understatement. i have photos that would seriously change people's minds on this breed.

this is a breed of dog that has raised me, that has protected me with their lives, that has guarded me, that has played with me (being an only child isnt so hard with 3 akita brothers), etc. the 'rap' theyre getting is disgusting.

Why? all because of irresponsible breeders and owners. there is nothing on this planet that i love more than an akita puppy. but i wish to god they werent so cute and bear-like.

doltish fools buy them. people with no back-bones and no idea what an "alpha" is. people who buy them because they just want a cute and cuddly bear cub. people who buy them from the cheapest puppy mill or BYB'er they can find first.

how do you think that dog was bred? how do you think that dog will be raised? if it doesnt end up in our vast, over-flowing rescue system, then it will end up dead, or killing someones dog or child unfortunately.

not on any fault of its own. but through the fault of it's greed-driven "breeder" (or peddler) and the 'buyer' who wanted a cute real-life bear cub that they werent even remotely prepared to handle.



i can agree with the first poster about rescues. despite all of my and my family's obvious breed history, despite having breeder references, etc. i was also turned down by rescue. why? i have a same sex household. same sex houses can and do work. i dont recommend it, and i dont think anyone should do it.

but we have done it our entire akita life-time with 12 dogs total.


with this breed, i think the most important thing to do is to say "never say never". when you do, you are seriously selling the smartest, most loyal, most loving breed short of all of its potential.

I've never had an Akita. My uncle used to have 2 of them. He's not a very good dog trainer though, so they were both pretty poorly behaved. They chewed everything! Other than that, though, I liked them. They were really nice dogs. They weren't mean or rough or anything & I was a very young child when he had them. I think I was only about 7 when they died. That, & the fact that my uncle lives in a different state so they didn't see me very often & weren't really used to young children & they were still really good around me, I think that says a lot.

Akita became popular, because of a lot of many touching publications and fiction. However, the breed has a long history of mixing authentic Japanese Akita with fierce fighting dogs imported from Europe for pitfights. Besides, in the past, Akita was a dog of samurais who were not particularly careful with plain folks and so were their dogs. Akitas were not well selected for compatibility with life in the society of people, because they were dogs of the previleged class people. There are still many Akitas, which are hardly compatible with children or other dogs. There are Akitas with genetic healthy problems. If you want a good Akita puppy, look among breeders with only a few dogs. Prefer an older parents with proven good balanced temperament and health. The older the parents, the better. Many dog breeders do not breed their dogs, if they are over 5-6 years old. Many bad hereditary health problems show up in older dogs. Selecting older, but active, intelligent and free from illnesses parents allows to reduce chances of buying a puppy with genetic faults.

[reeskujo]

Sevendogs....Very good advice.I just wanted to add that although it's true most Akita's don't do well with children it should be known that the Japaneses used to leave their children in the care of their Akita's when they would leave the home.While Akita's are not very tolerant of strange children they usually do quite well with the children in their home.My Akita loves my grandbabies and is very protective over them.My grandson is 3 and will often Pull on Kujo's tail and such and Kujo doesn't show any response to it although my grandson has now been taught that he is not aloud to do that,and yes same sex households can work.When I was breeding I had three females and two males and never had a problem,they were however raised together since pups.I do not however recomend it especially those not familiar with the breed.As was said in an earlier post they are one of the most intelligent,loyal,loving breeds you can ask for and if you establish Alpha right away and consistently reinforce their training and your alpha status they are great dogs.I do not recommend them for first time owners as their temperment and disposition requires alot of work,training and consistency and it must be ongoing and alot of people are not ready to handle such a challenge.I can tell you I've had great success with mine and will never own another breed.Unfortunetly the Akita is as misunderstood as the PitBull.It's all about the owners and the breed and how well their socialized and trained!

[reeskujo]

I want to correct something that I have read many times on forums describing Akita's alot of them same they are not good apt.dogs.This is absolutely not true!My Akita is 100+lbs and we live in an apt.As long as he gets frequent exercize,play time and mental stimulation he does wonderfully.Akita's have a moderate excersize need and have a tendency to be a bit lazy.Akita's are very good apt.dogs!

The Akita dog or Akita Inu is a breed of large Japanese dog. I've trained Akita dog how to swim. I observed they were very fast learner in swimming. This breed is intelligent, courageous and fearless. It was difficult for me to train the akita puppies because it easily got bored. You find ways and means to make akita puppies behave well. Is she cute?

[reeskujo]

She's an absolute beauty.I at one time had a solid white named Jazz and she to was stunning and your right about how bored they get...LOL

Hi all
very new here......actually first post. I have been reading this thread and first want to say how sorry I am for the lost of the loved Pom.

I would like to introduce myself. I am a proud mum of a Long Coat Akita boy, who has been with us now for 10 weeks, and has been nothing but a delight!!

I have a 6 year old daughter who he loves dearly. Kato comes with me to pick daughter up from school at least 3 times a week and waits for the bombardment of kids, and greets them all with absolute dignity and grace and sheer excitement.

He has been very trainable and we have not ever needed to use an exessively heavy hand on him.

He is well mannered around all other domestic household pets, in our home and in our friends homes, and out on the street. Even when our dominant boy cat took to him with a complete dislike Kato still attempts every day to catch his intrest and gently invites him to play (still with no luck mind you, the cat is completely disgusted with him!)

We have found that he has responded briliantly to puppy school (which we have never been to with previous dogs) but we made the call to do so with Kato to provide him with as much dog socialization and stranger contact in hope that we will never have to witness from him, the bad behaviour that has been exhibited by other Akitas.

The decision on bringing an Akita into our home was not made lightly, unlike some people we have met already (including one of the puppy school trainers). We made sure that we were aware of the known "bad" traits and created action plans for every scenario we could think of to try and counteract this. our final decision however was made because in our research there were soooooo many good things too that could be found with this breed. These behaviours were revealed to us in meeting several well mannered and trained Akitas from the breeder that we chose to buy from.

Unfortunately, there are some bad reports about the breed going around, none of which i dispute, but so many cases may very well have been bad or no training, and impulse buying of a "cute little fluff ball" and buyers not prepared for the long haul of training and proper socialisation ahead.

So far we have discovered the incredible intilligence of the breed, and the need for companionship as much as is possible. i would suggest that an Akita left in a back yard for long periods of time alone, would become tempramental and destructive out of sheer boredom and if not put in the position where it is made clear to the dog of his pecking order in the home that he will asume "top dog" very quickly, and then the door left open for problems to arise.

Patience and smart trining we have found to be the answer. a friend of mine slapped Kato on the nose not that long ago for nipping at her hand, and the response to this was not desired, a more "doggy mummy" like approach we have found to be more successfull, watch a mother dog and do what she would do to get her pups into line, I, not so long ago even had to bite Kato on the ear, not so hard that it caused complete pain, but enough discomfort to put him back into his place.

Now that we are part of the "humans owned by Akita" breed, I will never go back, from now on we will have an Akita in our home, they are still not going to be the dog for everyone. Carfull planning for training, socialization and behavioural control are vital for you and your families safetey and happiness.

In saying all of this I am not going to assume that having an Akita in our home is going to be a simple breeze, Kato has already attempted to challenge my daughter for the dominant role, easy for him to do as she is the smallest and easiest target.......solution, to give her the tools to still be able to exert dominance over the dog regardless of size comparison and to never allow unsupervised contact between the two, and to always....ALWAYS ask somone for ideas, or help. If not a vet or trainer talk to many on forums like this as somone can quite often provide a good solution. Some of the ideas that people might have, you may not like, but you just dont know untill you ask.

[reeskujo]

nattiej1976,Thank you for such a great post!If more people put the thought,effort plans and researchas you did into owning an Akita the breed would be so much better off for it and people would realize that their so called"bad traits"can be managed with proper training and socialization.Kudo's to you for doing such a great job.If I was still breeding them you would be exactly the type of person I would want to home one of my pups with.I'm very impressed with the care you took in learning about the breed and implimenting the proper stradegies to have him peacefully co-exist in your home and the care and concern your taken on his socialization and knowing how critical it is.Great Job!!!

I suppose I have become relatively passionate about it all. Ive seen people cross to the other side of the street when we are walking because they are afraid of what might happen.
I am a strong believer that so many of the attacks by dogs could have been prevented if the owner\ handler has been more responsible.
so much of it seems to come down to stupid things like (this is example only)
Young fella wants a "tough dog" to put the studded collar on and look cool. He gets a rottie as it fits the physical criteria he wants met. Dog starts biting and it is instantly written of as "its in his breed" but if the same fella had a labrador and it bit he would be thinking what on earth is wrong with my dog, what can i do to stop this.
It seems that too many people accept undesirable behaviour from certain breeds as they beleive that there is no other way for that breed to behave,
the story earlier in this thread about the lady who lost her pom and was left with the impresion that the owner of the Akita thought that it was Ok for this sort of bahaviour. he was soooooo wrong.........ALL dogs of ANY breed can and SHOULD be well mannered and social, they may just need to be trained a little diffrently, just like us humans, we all learn diffrent ways.
IMO there is no such thing as a bad dog, just a bad owner. A dog will only behave the way they have been taught to, or how they think they are expected to behave.

[reeskujo]

I couldn't agree more,thats why I started teaching dog obedience.Half the time when these attacks occur they never tell you the owner trained the dog that way,he/she was abused or a child was teasing it.I have two Pits upstairs from me and their some of the sweetest dogs I've met.Your 100% right.It's not the breed,it's the owner.Keep up with the great posts....Ree

I'm a newbie, but when I found the Akita thread I decided to try to connect with other Akita lovers to see how their dogs responded to electronic "invisible" fences with radio collar on dog.

Kuma is my second Akita. After Tashika died at 13, I tried to force myself to get an "easier" dog. But everytime I saw the alert face and vibrating, curled tail of an Akita online, I just couldn't settle for a Lab.

So Kuma came home with me from the shelter. It took about 2 weeks to teach the undisciplined 1-year-old that it was NOT okay to jump, nip, chew shoes and hump anything in sight. Now he's 5 years old and the joy of this widow's life. Kuma plays like a pup as he gallops around the house, hitting the entry rug fast enough to skate across the floor on it. He has an irrestible sense of humor and knows just what to do to push my buttons. If I'm slow getting out of bed for his morning walk, he grabs a shoe and shakes it until I yell "Dropit." Then he runs back for another shoe. This goes on until I either get up or shut the bedroom door.

Then he just lies there on the other side of the door (I've peeked) with his ears pricked until I finally get up and out we go to check his route for new smells. After an hour of this he flops down for his morning nap, which often blends into an afternoon nap unless I'm outside gardening. Then he naps while catching a few rays.

Kuma is totally mellow with any human while at home or on walks. But if he barks at night, I know someone or something that shouldn't be there really is outside. For some reason nothing ever tries to come in.

But, here's where the need for fence comes in, Kuma cannot be trained not to attack other dogs except for a few special canine friends (all submissive girls even though he is neutered.) The obedience trainer says that even if I spend $1,500 for board and training, he can't guarantee Kuma will ever be safe with other dogs. He's gotten even more dominant as he matured, so I need to fence my 2 acres to make sure that when gets out to chase a coyote he never hurts anyone's dog. (He's too slow for the clever coyotes.)

Has anyone used an "invisible" electronic fence to reliably confine an Akita? I'm afraid Kuma is smart enough to figure out that the electric jolt is short-lived and then he's outta there. On lead he is perfectly well-behaved and comes when called, sits, lies down, etc. But off-lead he saunters over in his own good time. No amount of firm correction has changed that. Would a shock collar work instead of or in conjunction with the fence?

Confining Kuma just became an issue last week because he got out and for the first time ventured down to a neighbor's dog run. His dog thought it was fun having Kuma run along outside the fence, but I know he wasn't playing. Now I'm scared to death he will attack a dog and have to be put down.

I don't need advice on socialization or training--we've spent years and many dollars on those and the fact is that Kuma is a wonderful but stubborn, dominant dog. I can't afford chain link and would really like to hear that the electronic fence would work before I spend the money.
Thanks for anything you can share.

to be honest with you I have never had to use any of the electronic devices. I would suggest to you to create a membership with the akita question and answer forum, I would suspect there might be somone there that may give you some more advise on this matter
Im sorry I cant help you any further than this, good luck in finding your answers

this will take you straight to it, like I said in the other post im afraid this is all the info I can offer you but I would be certain that someone here could
Akita Question & Answer Forum