[Raymond]

Hello everyone! I'm so glad that I found this forum. I'm so excited because I might be able to get an Akita in September. I have two pet birds. A regular parakeet and a sun conure. Can you guys tell me about this breed. I'm new to the dog world. I want to learn all about them before I run out and get one. Nice to meet ya'll!

[reeskujo]

Hi Raymond and welcome to the forum...I have almost 20yrs of experience with Akita's..I've owned and raised them all of my adult life and bred them for many years..

Let me start by saying if you're going to be a first time dog owner I would honestly start out with another breed...Akita's are without a doubt not a dog for first time dog owners..

They need a very firm and experienced owner..They require intensive and consistent training and socialization starting at a very young age...They have a tendency to be dog aggressive generally to dogs of the same sex..They tend to not like small children or people they do not know..They have a high prey drive and do not do well in a household with other small animals or dogs...While they are very intelligent they are extremely stubborn which can make their training difficult..They have a tendency to do what they want when they feel like doing it and and if they don't want to obey a command you can have a power struggle on your hands..They will not tolerate physical punishment of any kind...They are extremely protective over their owners and are very territorial over their property and if they are not trained properly this can be a dangerous situation with an inexperienced owner..they are a very large and powerful breed and they have a natural guarding instinct and if they do not see their owner as the pack leader they will take it upon themselves to decide who's aloud in their house and who isn't!

Unless they are raised around other dogs from the time they were puppies some Akita's can only be in a home with no other dogs...

They are very clean dogs so potty training them is usually a breeze and they learn their basic commands very quickly however obeying them is a different story..If they have any indication they can get away with not doing what they were asked it can cause a real problem...

They are also known to be escape artists...If they are given the chance to get loose and run they will!!

Please don't take this in the wrong way but when I bred Akita's I would never sell one of my puppies to a first time dog owner or to someone who has never owned the breed...That is simply asking for disaster...They are simply to powerful of a breed that tends to have aggression issues and if not trained and socialized the right way they can be dangerous...

On the plus side when they have the right type of owner,training and socialization they are one of the most wonderful,loving and loyal breeds you could ever own...

I hope this has helped you some and I hope you might consider a different breed to start out with to get some experience with training and caring for a dog...

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

[Raymond]

Thank you SOOOOOOOO much for the advice. Detailed, helpful, right to the point. I'm planning on getting a larger sized breed. I really enjoy my time with my cousin's Golden Retriever. We could play for hours. So is a Golden Retriever ok? Or how about the Huskies? Huskies are so pretty and they look like wolves. I know that I can't get a wolfdog. Umm. Any more advice? lol

[Yogi]

As Ree noted regarding the Akita, the same holds very much true for the Huskies and Wolf cross breeds. These are breeds requiring seasoned dog handlers. The Husky also is a very intelligent breed but can be territorial in both
male and female. In addition, they also possess a high prey drive and small pets and animals around only create an environment that could be tragic.
The Goldens make great first time pets. High intelligent, easily trained and generally have a great temperament. Playful and full of energy and are great generally around other dogs and pets as well as strangers. Other choice would be a Lab. Same general temperament and behavior.

[reeskujo]

Yogi as usual we agree...Goldens and Labs are great dogs for a first time dog owner...huskies are great dogs to but they require an experienced owner as well..As Yogi said about their prey drive, my Husky Nina was always killing rabbits and birds..Plus they're hard to contain..We had a fenced yard and still had to put Nina on a tie out because she would jump the fence any chance she got..

Huskies are another breed that really require an experienced owner...Just as Yogi stated my Husky was very territorial and while she was great with people she was very dog aggressive she would go after a dog that was 5 lbs or 150 lbs it made no difference to her and she was socialized with other dogs at a very young age...

They also are a very energetic breed and when they don't get enough physical as well as mental excersize they get bored and trust me when I tell you they will find a way to keep themselves occupied and it's usually not in a way you want!

[Raymond]

What about their diet and grooming? What brand is good for a Golden Retriever?

[chiclet]

I also have a fondness for the larger breeds, but I also have free flying birds and my husband insisted on a smaller breed. I ended up with a chihuahua cross from my local pound and couldn't be happier. He also needs lots of exercise and running. He can easily outrun any of us, but so far he has paid very little attention to the birds and it is fairly easy to redirect his attention when he notices them. I also figure it is easier for the birds to get away and up high with a smaller rather than larger dog. Definitely look for a low prey drive.

The pound I went to also had birds and I was able to walk dogs past them to see how they reacted. Before you commit to one, you may want to see what it does when birds are around.

[reeskujo]

Well just like any breed with a longer coat they require a good brushing a couple of times a week...As for diet that really depends on what your budget can afford..Generally speaking the cheaper the price of the food the cheaper the quality...The cheaper food tend to have by-product instead of real meat..By-product is what's left over lets say from the chicken after their done processing it and it's not fit for human consumption...They also have a lot of fillers like corn and wheat which dogs not only don't need but many like my last Akita are allergic to them..Also a lot of the higher quality food have oils such as fish oil in them for their coat and for the large breed dogs addd stuff for healthy joints...

Right now I feed Natures Recipe which has no corn.wheat or Beef and it's about $30 for a 17 lb bag...When I switch him to adult food in a few months I'll be changing him to something that has fish as it's better for an Akita's coat...I just haven't decided what brand yet.

[Raymond]

Well I knew that Goldies have longer coats and I really don't know. :/ I'm not really fond of labs. I'm leaning towards a Siberian Husky now. And they are prettier to me. But don't get me wrong, Goldies have their own type of pretty. What about a Husky's diet? Any difference? And grooming?

Originally Posted by chiclet

I also have a fondness for the larger breeds, but I also have free flying birds and my husband insisted on a smaller breed. I ended up with a chihuahua cross from my local pound and couldn't be happier. He also needs lots of exercise and running. He can easily outrun any of us, but so far he has paid very little attention to the birds and it is fairly easy to redirect his attention when he notices them. I also figure it is easier for the birds to get away and up high with a smaller rather than larger dog. Definitely look for a low prey drive.

The pound I went to also had birds and I was able to walk dogs past them to see how they reacted. Before you commit to one, you may want to see what it does when birds are around.

What birds do you have? I love birdies.

[chiclet]

I have budgies. You could go to an animal shelter and look and interact with some of the breeds you are interested in. You may find that the reality isn't quite what you are imagining.

[reeskujo]

Huskies require a lot of grooming...They have a very thick double coat that needs to brushed at least three times a week and they shed like crazy!

The only thing that they really need as far as diet is fish oil for their coats..I really suggest you do a lot of research on them first....Don't get one just because of their beauty..While yes they are very intelligent they to are very stubborn and difficult to train because of it...Something I've seen said on many sites about Sibes is that loyalty is not their best trait because they don't do anything just to please their owners but for the reward they may get for doing it...from my experience and from the experience of many of my students I see this as being true...If I asked my Husky to do something such as lay down if she didn't think she was going to get a treat or if she could tell by your mood she wasn't going to get lavished with praise she'd just decide she wasn't doing it and walk away...Since I won't allow that behavior we might be in a power struggle for 10 minute before she would finally lay down..

Nina also had severe seperation anxiety from my husband and from talking with other owners it seems to be a common thing for a lot of them...If we left the house we had to make sure there sure that the trash can was out of the kitchen and that there was not a shred of paper or any pens laying around because it would all be destroyed...

They are another breed that has to have a firm owner and constant and consistent training and socialization at a very young age as they to can be dog aggressive..

They also have a very high pray drive and will not hesitate to kill a small animal...Nina and a few other Huskies I've known have had dog aggression issues even though they were very well socialized at a young age..

They require a tremendous amount of excercise because they are so high energy and for most just getting to run around the yard for a couple of hours isn't enough..

They can not be trusted off leash as they are bred to run and will do so any chance they get they are great escape artists as well...They are not good apartment dogs because they are such high energy breeds and in fact a lot of apartments don't allow then..

This is just my opinion but I definitely think and I know Yogi will agree that if this is going to be your first dog you should go with a breed that doesn't have the potential for aggression or anxiety issues,that's not known for stubborness and will be easier your you to train..

Having breeds like the Akita or Husky as your first dog is probably not going to be as happy an experience for you as a breed like the Golden would because they have the potential for behavioral issues if not trained and handled properly.

Don't get me wrong my Husky was an absolute joy despite her issues but we put a lot of work into her and her training and it was a constant on going thing...She was a very difficult dog to handle . I started out fostering her at 4 mths old and by the time she was 8 mths I decided to keep her because she had so many issues I knew someone with little or no training experience wouldn't be able to handle her..She was one of the sweetest dogs I've had but she was a constant work in progress..I had to put her through a training ritual at least twice a week because if I slacked off so did she with being obedient..

They're really great dogs and they're just as smart as they can be but like I said they're not a good choice for a first time dog owner.

[Raymond]

Can you guys give me some info on the siberian huskies? Like diet, grooming, tempermant? Thanks!

[reeskujo]

I covered a lot of that for you in my last post.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by reeskujo

I covered a lot of that for you in my last post.

Sorry! I didn't see that. I'm not really sure how to use the post button. Thats probably why i didn't see your post. Sorry!

[reeskujo]

No problem! A lot of people have a bit of a hard time figuring stuff out when they first join..You'll get the hang of it..

[Raymond]

Thanks for understanding! This is what I have in mind:

Kishu
Shikoku
Alaskan Husky
German Shepherd

For some strange reason, I'm really fond of japanese inus (sp?).

[reeskujo]

The two Japanese brreds you are talking about are extremely rare outside of Japan and if they can be found here in the states you're going to pay a whole lot..They are realated to the Akita so while they're a smaller dog they are very similar in temperment and not a good choice for first time dog owners in fact the one few breeders I found in the states will not sell to people with no experience with the breed..I wouldn't get your hopes up a Japanese breed..For the most part they're all related to the Akita and are similar in temperment...Not to mention they are very hard to find...

The Akita puppy I have now I bought from the only reputable breeder in the state of Missouri where I live and I paid a hefty price for him although he's very much worth it...

German Shepards are great dogs,fast learners and generally a great family dog...They to however are a very powerful breed that need a firm owner..

I honestly think you should consider breeds that are easy train and that don't have as much of a potential for the issues liken the ones your interested in...I know they'rer all very beautiful breeds but the most important thing to look for in a dog you want besides their health is their temperment...some breeds like the Akita are more prone to aggression problems and are much more difficult to train because of their stubborness and independence then dogs like a Golden or a Lab...

You want to make sure that as your first dog it's going to be one you will enjoy and not get frustrated with because their temperment is not what you want in a dog..

I would put a lot of thought into making your choice and not just pick a certain brred because it's pretty.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by reeskujo

The two Japanese brreds you are talking about are extremely rare outside of Japan and if they can be found here in the states you're going to pay a whole lot..They are realated to the Akita so while they're a smaller dog they are very similar in temperment and not a good choice for first time dog owners in fact the one few breeders I found in the states will not sell to people with no experience with the breed..I wouldn't get your hopes up a Japanese breed..For the most part they're all related to the Akita and are similar in temperment...Not to mention they are very hard to find...

The Akita puppy I have now I bought from the only reputable breeder in the state of Missouri where I live and I paid a hefty price for him although he's very much worth it...

German Shepards are great dogs,fast learners and generally a great family dog...They to however are a very powerful breed that need a firm owner..

I honestly think you should consider breeds that are easy train and that don't have as much of a potential for the issues liken the ones your interested in...I know they'rer all very beautiful breeds but the most important thing to look for in a dog you want besides their health is their temperment...some breeds like the Akita are more prone to aggression problems and are much more difficult to train because of their stubborness and independence then dogs like a Golden or a Lab...

You want to make sure that as your first dog it's going to be one you will enjoy and not get frustrated with because their temperment is not what you want in a dog..

I would put a lot of thought into making your choice and not just pick a certain brred because it's pretty.

No german shepards? Yes?

[Raymond]

Bump since reeskujo forgot this thread. lol

[reeskujo]

Sorry,I didn't forget your thread, it's just been a crazy few days..I think a German Shepard is a better pick providing you get your puppy from a reputable breeder and start puppy classes as soon is he/she is old enough.