[kitten2469]

I am an owner of a 3 year old Male Akita named Samson. He's a very good dog, he was raised in a house with several roommates and a cat. He was raised around my 2 neices and is lovable around all kids and people in general.

He is stubborn as are all Akita's, however his dog aggression is practically none-existant. He plays well with other dogs and is even careful around puppies and smaller dogs. He loves to romp in the woods were we live, but thats the only place he's allowed to roam without his leash. He loves to ride in cars, even with the window wayyy down. Like most AKita's he doesn't bark unless he means it, but he does TALK all the time, especially when either my husband or I get home. We have 2 cats that he loves, even though one of them picks on him something horrible. I don't think he's the type to put up with alot of rough play from kids (pulling tails, ears, landing on him), but he is very good and tolerant of all other behavior. My husband and I can do anything to this dog. Pull his tail, his ears, mess in his mouth, take away his food and toys, mess with him while he's eating, lay on him. All the things that they say never to do. BUT we established our DOMINANCE over him when he was a puppy. He learned right away that we were the leaders of the pack, not him.

He does try to challenge his position every now and then, but he is always put back in his place. That usually requires him sitting in the cornor of the entry way, which he hates b/c he loves to be with us. But it lets him know that were the boss. He's pretty good on the lease, were working on it still, he just loves to be off it (but what dog doesn't). Overall we got very lucky when we got Samson, he defy's all the typical Akita standards.

With that said, he does have separation anxiety, he is an escape artist (we have to put 4 pad locks on his kennel door), and a huge Momma's boy (mostly my doing). But he's always friendly to stranger and to visitors to our house- but he knows when were not happy or if we don't like the people that are in the house. In that case he makes his presence know and will follow the person or follow their steps in the house once they leave.

This breed like all dogs breed's can be trained to be very effective watch dogs which just enhances their agression. Samson has been fixed since 6 months of age. That did wonders for his aggression level. Any unfixed dog, including Akita's can be aggressive. Samson has encountered at least one other Akita that wasn't fixed and was mean towards him, and all he did was try to get back into the house. YES my dog is a woose. But I have no reservations of what he would be capable of if I was ever in realy danger.

My husband and I don't have kids yet, and were hoping that Samson will make the transition nicely. We give him plenty of attention and loving. And we will be sure to educate Samson as well as the new baby once they are old enough to comprend.

For the owner that lost her Pom, I am sorry, that was an example of a BAD Akita owner. This breed is not for the first time dog owner. This is my first Akita I have ever owned but my husband has had one before. They present challenges like many other breeds, but their size can make them more defficult to deal with.

OVERALL- after its all said that done, I would not trade my dog for anything. I only regret not starting his training earlier in his life. We got him at 6 weeks, but there were 2 Akita's in the house (one was not mine) and it was hard to train just one. So that is the only thing I would change about him. Otherwise, he's the perfect companion. Friendly, quite, strong, protective & LOVING.

All breeds have a bad rap, don't let the negative be your only experience for the breed. Read up before you get one as a pet and make sure that you know what your up for. Life will never be boring. BUT always socialize with as many different people, ages, sex's animals as you can.

[akitax2]

Originally Posted by reeskujo

Hi I'm Ree and I have a two year old Akita Kujo that I rescued.He's the sweetest one I've ever owned,and I raised and bred them for 5yrs.While they are highly intelligent and lovable to their family they are not a dog for first time dog owners.They are very stubborn and can be aggressive if not properly trained and socialized and should always be watched around non-family members.They are however fantastic guard dogs,generally don't bark unless they feel a threat and in my opinion one of the most loyal breeds there are.However people need to know that the people that your Akita welcomes into your home when your there he most likely won't welcome when your not.My Akita is very non-aggressive when my husband is home but if he's not and you try to approach me he will let you know with a growl.However he will stop right away when his lead is tugged on and he's told "no".That's because I established the alpha role immediatly and he knows who's boss.I'm very educated on the breed so feel free to ask me any questions.

Hi I have 2 female akitas and one mixed husky. They are all wonderful dogs. My one problem is my oldest akita Jezzibelle. She is so dog agressive. It has always been to strange dogs but she attacked our older husky when she growled at her. I have been in shock. We even took her to extensive training for 2 years. Is there anyway to curb this behavior. She is so submissive to people. Thanks for any advice.

[reeskujo]

Unfortunetly you have two Akita's of the same sex....Akita's for starters are very dog aggressive but worse so with a dog of the same sex....There is a rescue I will be going through for my next Akita and if you have a dog already they will not let you adopt an Akita of the same sex....When I was breeding, my females got along well with my males but I always had to keep the females seperated and if I did allow them to be together they had to be supervised at all times and it almost always ended in a fight..If you girl has had extensive training and is still dog aggressive then you simply have an Akita with a typical Akita trait....The best you can do is to keep them seperated and if that's not possible never leave them unsuprvised...Always correct her and have her get into a lay down position so she knows you dissapprove but chances are she's not going to change...In fact if you go to the AKC website or Akita club of America you will see that dog aggression in Akita's is not only typical but a standard in the temperment of the breed....Also you stated your Husky growled at her.....An Akita will NEVER back down from a fight or from another dog trying to be dominant.....They will not submit to another dog and if another dog shows them aggression you will indoubtebly have a fight on your hands...Akita's will fight to the death if need be....You also may want to work on your Husky and try and stop her from showing aggression to your Akita as it will be a fight every time....I wish I had a better solution for you but unfortunetly this is how they are and if training didn't work it's just her natural trait.....Female Akita's also have a tendency to be more aggressive then the males....If they're not spayed getting that done may help some and if they are the best you can do is again keep them seperated or supervised...Please keep me updated....Ree

[akitax2]

Thanks for the insight. Jezzibelle(3year old akita) has been really good since the incident. The husky(13 years old) growled at her again and I was right there to grab her and put her in the down position. (Jezzibelle )Her hair had started to raise and I was not taking any chances. They have both stayed away from each other, we live on 5 acres. I stay at home so I have been able to monitor the behavior 24/7. I also have Jezzibelle's sister who is 2 and they are both house dogs. They are still fine as Lexie is not dominant at all. I won't let my guard down in fact I have ordered 2 dvd's suggested to me by another akita owner(Leerburg) on dog agression so I will educate myself further. Thanks again...note: I also found out this week that Jezzibelle has severe hip dysplasia which we will be seeing a orthopedic specialist next Wednesday. When it rains it pours..... But I love them all.

[reeskujo]

Your quite welcome.....Two great sites to get info on Akita temperment are The Akita Club Of America and Midwest Akita Rescue.....They give you all kinds of truthful info on the temperment of the breed.....Keep me informed.

[reeskujo]

I'm sorry to hear about your babies hip....Unfortunetly that to is something our precious Akitas are prone to...We had a scare with that to but it turned out Kujo had just puulled a hip muscle.....Akita's are prone to many health problems....Please let me know how it goes with the surgeon...You and your fur baby will be in my prayers....May I also suggest since you have the sister as well,when and if you can afford it get her hips x-rayed to as it is a genetic problem...Please keep me updated and best of luck.

[causeyzoo]

I just found this website tonight, and I am so glad I did! I have a 14 month old female akita named Moosha, and she is the most wonderful dog I have ever met. She is goofy and loving and smart and....I could go on all night! Unfortunately, she also attacked my corgi the other night. They have lived together for a year now, and it suddenly happened last Thursday and then again yesterday when we tried them together under close supervision. She is our first akita, and we read everything we could find about the breed, as well as spending time with our friend's akita. She went to doggy school, and loves to play with other dogs in the neighborhood without the slightest bit of aggression. Our corgi is male, and they have both been altered of course. I was told today by a rescue group that the two will never be able to live together again....that she would always attack him unless I kept them completely seperate for the rest of their lives. My corgi is 4 and Moosha is just over 1. That is a LONG time to keep two dogs seperate in a family in which the dogs do everything with us! I really don't want to find her a new home, but the situation is not looking promising. Many of you have pretty extensive experience with the breed....can you give me any advice as to how to solve this dilema? Or is it true that they can not live together anymore and I should find her a home away from us?

[reeskujo]

Well first of all is your Corgi a male all female....Also Akita's are very prey driven...They see everything smaller then them as prey....It's something you can't break them of....I'm truly suprised they got along for this long...Keep in mind the will not tolerate dogs of the same sex....At least typically anyway...Dog aggression that starts out of no where may also be a sign of a medical issue...Akita's are prone to many and one of them being thyroid problems which can cause aggression...Have her checked by a vet and if nothothing is medically wrong try consulting a behaviorist.....If none of this works you may be forced to give up the Corgi... Please let me know how it goes...Ree

[Crystal]

My daughter obtained a 3 month old puppy four days ago and we took him to the vet today, he is Akita/german sheppard mix.
The vet says that her and her fiance should have no problem with him in their apartment since they are low-active dogs--- any comments on this?
The vet also said that even though neither one has previously owned/raised their "own" dog, being novice dog owners, this would not be a problem, if given obedience training, proper socialization, and neutering.
I have been reading alot of material since she took this cute little puppy in and I hate to say it, but I am very concerned about this breed, even after reading many of the positive comments made by some of you on this message board.
The worry of what would happen if the owner or someone else; whether a person, a child, your loving cat, might accidentally "bother" them while they are eating, touch they're toys, look at them the wrong way, ect... what tragedy could happen.
What do you do when the gas man comes to your house? The electrician, the cable man, the preacher, a police officer, grandma? What if they feel they distrust this person, or sense that you don't like them?
Always being in fear of what would happen if they ever got loose, as in the case with the poor woman with the pomeranians. Or what if were out walking your neutered dog and you come across another non-nuetered "loose" akita? I know the chances of that seem highly unlikely, but then again, in a big city like where we live, maybe not. We do live near a park where alot of people walk their dogs.
I hate to say it, but they sound like they are more trouble than they are worth. I'm not trying to be fasictious, but I own a pit bull, and know the difficulties I've experienced with this breed for the past 9 years. Although she's very good with people, she's terrible around other animals, always growling or even snapping at them, even this puppy. And she is stubborn!!!! I love her dearly and she's very loving, but I would never own another one when there are so many other breeds that are less problematic.
We cannot take her alot of places just by the inherent nature of her breed. The Barkus Parade, where you walk your dog in a parade of other dogs dressed in costume, even going for an ice cream at Dairy Queen becomes a nightmare as she doesn't like anyone near the car. We can't take her into the pet store's that welcome customers to bring their dogs in. I know she'd think she was in doggie heaven if she could get a chance to see all the dog toys there, which makes me really sad for her, all the things we can't do with her.
I had a Great Pyrenees before her, very good guard dogs. Big like an Akita, and with many of the Akitas good qualities, minus their bad ones ---also good with children.
I just don't understand, I tell my daughter of all these other breeds, why this one---then I look at him, the dignified way he holds his head, his intelligent eyes, and his overall intelligence in general. My daughter and I gleefully looked through Akita photos in the Web sorting through full grown ones looking for those that resemble what he might look like in the near future when he is full grown, with his black mask and dark eyes. We were awed by their size, their history, their love and loyalty to their masters---yet I am still not sold on idea of her keeping something with a propensity to attack not only small dogs, but people, and children. What scares me even most, my mothers instict, the possibility that it could tur on her or her fiance if they cannot establish a firm alpha/lead role. And to be constantly challenged for it? It makes no sense---comments please
The vet told us these dogs are suitable for apartments, but didn't sy what size apartment. The only large room is the living room, and for a dog that will get 28" tall and weigh up to 120 lbs this will limit this space. The bedroom has only walking room around a kingsize bed, the bathroom a long rectangle, the kitchen and dining room are very small and they have access to the yard through the main entrance and kitchen. The yard is fairly nice sized with alot of shade and a picket style fence, however, it is shared by three other people. The two apartments directly above, and one directly in the rear of the yard, so how do you they consider these people?
A Boys Club is located directly across the street and the next door neighbors to their immediate right have two children.---any comments here?
Also, they a cat who is declawed and is terrified of the puppy, I am hoping he will not someday make the wrong move, by the dogs food dish.
There's seems too many: you can't do this, you can't do that, watch your step, watch his step---walking on egg shells, and then you can't leave them alone very long, at least, I'm getting the impression, not as some dogs are able to go when times in their masters lives get hectic, such as a medical emergency that requires one of the masters to be in the hospital and the other master at his side---then what?
And what if the couple has a baby, wouldn't the dog be jealous over lack of attention?---anyone have any comments on their experiences with how they react to new additions to the family unit?
When they are leary of strangers outside the family unit, does that include the couples parents, siblings, neices and nephews?
With so many dog cases in the news, just today I saw an article mentioning an 81-eyar old woman who was mauled to death and they got the owner for manslaughter. yes, we read alot of stories about pit bulls, rottweillers, presa canarios, attack trained sheppards, I just don't understand the need to have such a potentially vicious dog, all dogs can bite and do damage, but some can kill, there is the difference.
Help me out here---this is just what I've gathered so far in what I have read to date.

[reeskujo]

The vet is right...Akita's are very good in apt's.I also live in an apt. and he does very well.They are low to moderate energy dogs.I also have a small bedroom with a king size bed and not much room.He has his own blanket on each side of the bed and sleeps on them without a problem.In the am when my husband goes to work he climbs in bed with me.I also have a2yr.old grandson who he adores and is very protective of.Being your daughters puppy is so young they shouldn't have a problem obtaining the Alpha role.If they start socializing him now around children,other people and members of the family he should do just fine.As for strangers such as utility people etc. I always put Kujo in my room and close the door especially if my husband isn't home.As for smaller family pets if the puppy is socialized around other dogs he may do ok.Some Akita's only have issues with dogs of the same sex.As for smaller animals it really depends on the Akita and how well socialized around them they are but it is most likely they won't take to them.They are very stubborn and as they get older will challenge your authority on occassion,but if the Alpha role is obtained early they are usually pretty easy to get back in line.Kujo will challenge me for authority every once in awhile but I never have a problem getting him in line...he also obeys me better then he does my husband as I'm home with him all day and my husband isn't.In fact he behaves and obeys me very well when I walk him but sometimes will give my husband a hard time.As for children it is best to socialize them young with children of all ages so they get used to them.Kujo does very well with toddlers,in fact my grandson actually bit him on the head once and Kujo only gave him a warning bark.My grandson is constantly messing with him and even when Kujo is getting agitated with it still just stays there and tolerates it.He has a problem mostly with children who are pre-teen or teenagers.As for taking them places like Petco and such,I wouldn't advice it.I take Kujo to the park sometimes and he doesn't do to bad.I just make sure to keep him on a leash incase someone or an animal approaches him.Also being the puppy is mixed he may not have the same temperment as a purebred but it is best to be cautious.They really are a great breed if trained and socialized well.If your daughter doesn't know how to train them it is best to get them into an obedience class at a young age.Also be aware that they should never be trained to attack or be guard dogs as guarding the home and family is a very natural instinct for them and they will learn and do it on their own.I rescued Kujo at 10 months old and he is very obedient and loving.They do have their issues but every breed does.It's also best to neuter males as young as possible as it cuts down on their aggression issues.I hope this info helps and if you have any more questions feel free to ask....Ree