there was a dog adoption visit at a local pet store recently and there was a female akita dog who i fell in love with. she was incredibly friendly and let me pet her and hug her and they even let me take her on a short walk down the sidewalk. she was an amazing dog and i loved her immediately. other people even commented on how much of a connection there was between us!

i really like this dog a lot.. the only problem is there is another dog in the home. she is a smaller dog who isn't violent, but is a bit feisty and barks a lot. however, she used to hate this neighborhood cat and would jump on him sometimes but now they just sort of ignore each other.

there is a fenced in yard and there are no small children. i really, really, really like this dog, but i don't want my current dog to get hurt since i love her as well and i don't want this akita to get hurt either. the people say this akita is 1-2, though another person said she was around 4. do you think there is any way the two dogs could live in peace, or am i just being selfish? thank you for any answers.

What is your other dog? There certainly could be a problem especially since they are the same sex. Maybe you can take your other dog around it first to see how they respond to each other. Even if they respond well to each other they will determine the pecking order when they are home. It's hard to say since you don't know anything about this Akitas history and what kind of socialization she has had. My parents used to have Akitas {my fathers male was Akita world magazine centerfold quite a few years ago} and they are wonderful dogs but I think it takes a special kind of owner to handle them. You certainly should do some research.
Here is one link and I am sure you can find many more. Good Luck!

rec.pets.dogs: Akitas Breed-FAQ

[reeskujo]

I'm a former breeder of Akita's and have always had one for the past 20yr.s...

If you have never had any experience with the breed I would reconsider....First of all they can be dog aggressive and usually with dogs of the same sex....

They are a very dominant and strong willed breed and require a very firm owner...If they are not well socialized with people and other dogs at a young age they can have aggression issues....

Not to offend you but as a breeder I never sold one of my puppies to someone who was not very well educated on the breed....

I would also be very careful about placing an adult Akita in a home with another dog especially if it's the same sex as the Akita and not knowing the Akita's background....

I would certainly suggest you do an extensive amount of research on Akita's to be sure you can handle one.....This is definitely not a breed to get because of their beauty and their personalities are not always what they seem the first time you meet them.

all right. thank you so much for the advice! i am reading up more on akitas and though i really like the dog, i don't think it'd be a great idea for either of the dogs. =( but thanks for taking the time to help. i hope she goes to someone good.