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Akita looking for a new home - please help
by Chari
I have a beautiful 4 year old akita that I need to find a home for do to personal reasons. He is very friendly, loves to play. He doesn't like cats or other male dogs. I have contacted the Akita rescue in Wisconsin and was told that they are full and that I should take him to the Humane Society and hope for the best. I can not do that to him. If anyone has any other ideas I would appreciate it.
I have been put in the position that I have to find my Thor a new home. He is about 85lbs and mostly brindle, I have his AKC papers and he has been neutered. If you have any questions please feel free to email me or call me.
I just recently got a 2 yr old female akita from the humane society. I was told she was great with cats, but every time she sees my cats she starts barking and chases after them. I don't know if she wants to kill them or if she just wants to play with them. she is a very and i mean very hyper dog. so how can i tell if she wants to play or kill my cats? she gets along fine with my dog, but my cats are scared to death.i've only had her a week, and i don't want to have to take her back, i just don't know what to do any help you could give would be greatly appreciated
Muzzle the dog, then you can see what she will do without risking the lives of the cats. If she is not treating the cats with respect you will need to start a program of desensitization/counter-conditioning with the dog. The idea is this: now, the dog sees cats and thinks "cats=chase, bite, eat, whatever", you want to train her to think "cats=treats" first and then later "acting civilized with cats=treats". This chasing behavior is VERY self-reinforcing for a dog and you need to provide something to convince her it would be MORE fun to leave the cats alone. So confine the cats where they will be safe (crate) but the dog can see them easily, and begin training. Use of a clicker will help. The clicker is an event marker to show the dog this is the moment you were doing something right. It MUST be "charged" first, ie: click and treat 100 times so the dog knows click means a treat will be forth coming. If the dog knows ANY obedience at all, you can start using the clicker to mark the instant of sit, down, or whatever behavior. Anyway, when the clicker is charged then everytime the dog looks at the cats and then looks back at you, click praise and treat. Starting with this as the minimum requirement is good, although you can try to get the dog to do something obedient (sit or down) while this is going on to remind her that you are training and to keep her from trying to get at the cats. If she really wont stop attacking the cage, tie her up a few feet away, and she will eventually settle down and this is when you begin training. She will begin to look at you more often as she gets it that focusing on you when cats are around gets her treats. MAKE SURE TO USE VERY HIGH VALUE TREATS, SOMETHING THE DOG LOVES AND DOES NOT GET OFTEN, IN SMALL AMOUNTS SO YOU CAN DO IT A WHOLE LOT WITHOUT FILLING HER UP. From here you work up gradually to her being closer to the cats, to the cats being more active, to her being completely focused on you and staying away from them, and finally to the cats out of the cage (might want to put the muzzle back on for this step to be safe at first). This WILL take time, but then again you knew having a dog (especially a young one, especially a working breed, ESPECIALLY an akita) was a lot of work, right? If you do not have the time to do this, then you should not keep the dog, as she will prbably end up killing the cats without this kind of intervention and it is not fair to ask the cats to live in fear 24/7, even if you know she will not hurt the cats they do not know that. Make sure to keep the animals seperated until this training is complete when you are not working with them so the dog NEVER has a chance to practice this behavior while you are not there. Actually once you start to get the hang of it and as long as you are patient and NEVER push the dog beyond what she can do at any point in time, it is VERY rewarding and fun to see their mindss working as they puzzle out how to get the food. You don't want to use any commands here, first of all because she may have had some commands lose their meaning by not enough reinforcement and improper useage, so that stay does not mean stay anymore, but instead means get up and run away. Once you have the behavior working reliably, THEN add the command word(s) like "off" or "easy". Like learning another language, first you identify something (like seeing a picture of an orange, or the word), then you learn how to say it in the other language (by hearing or seeing "naranja", which means orange in Spanish. You don't learn what the word means without first knowing what it will be signifying.
For more info see books by Karen Pryor, Jean Donaldson, Patricia McConnell on dogwise.com
PS I have three cats, one akita, one malamute, and one chow chow, all breeds that are supposed to be cat-killers. Although the akita and Mal lived with cats from puppyhood, the chow was 7 and very prey-driven when I adopted him, and the program I am describing worked for him. He was also very hyper, untrained, fear aggressive (so even if I had wanted to I couldn't use physical corrections because he would have been in fear for his life and tried to bite me). The cats still occasionally get softly mouthed by the dogs, but they will get off on command and no dog has ever hurt a cat even a little (in fact it is usually the other way around). Just so you know that I know what I am talking about.
my one year old male recently started growling at me for no reason. i walk near him to go into another room and his ears lower and he begins to growl. he usually never does that. the first time was about a month ago i got him a large sized cow bone. it seems that the "real" bone made him territorial towards me as if i was going to steal it from him. he never does it with the raw hide and i can take it from him while hes chewing it and he pays me no mind. so i took it away from him and that was the end of it. he recently started his shedding and i occassionally pull the loose hair that just hangs from him and he would sometimes give me the " hey i'm not in the mood" type growl. but now he just grows even when i pet his head. he isnt being aggressive because he lowers his head and ears and his back legs begin shaking. he even bit me for the first time when i touched him near his face to clean away eye mucous. i recently moved into a new house about 3 months ago and he loves to sit in front of the house and bark at the occasional dog walkers. could him sitting in front of the house bring out this? any suggestions other than never petting him again?
taken him to the vet to see if he is sick? Thyroid problems can cause aggression... Also if he is a year, he may be just testing you and you need you need to reinforce that you are the boss... I would take him to training classes that know Akitas or a pet behavioist ASAP... It will only get worse if nothing is done. Good Luck
Are you really scared of him? Some Akita's just TALK with there growling. I ALWAYS suggest do what my Akita's do, they establish a "pack" leader. (I make sure it is ME. I turn them on there backs, and bit there necks! I know, it sounds terrible, but they know who is the Alpha!
yeah he is having a bit of a dominance struggle but it just seems he gets cranky around his evening sleep. but i've turned him over a few times and held him down it works pretty well because he doesn't really growl anymore. but he does occasionally like to challenge me for the #1 spot. now i just have to get him to ignore other dogs during his walk. seems impossible.
Hello everyone, I'm emailing from Australia, I can't seem to find any forums to join over here. We have a beautiful male - he's nearly 10 months old!! He weighs 35kg (sorry don't know what that is in lbs!) - he is very tall already, and his body is really stocky, but his head seems quite small (LOL)- and also, his nose is quite long and pointed and after showing his pic to a couple of people this week - admittedly they haven't come across an akita before, well they asked me if he was a german shepherd! (he has a black mask). He has lots of fur around his chest and head, which is just loose, so question : will he fill it!!??
Also, for anyone out there considering an Akita, I just wanted to say I was incredibly hesitant (read DID NOT WANT ONE AT ALL!!) about getting one from the "dog-aggressive" side of things, and not good with strangers etc etc. Well (maybe I'm biased), but I reckon we've hit the jackpot. People - he loves everyone, young, old, small, tall, stranger, old relly, it doesn't seem to matter. Dogs - the more the better, he LOVES everyone he's met which is quite a few, because he is so big, his play can be a bit rough for them. But yeah, not one ounce of aggression has come out of him yet. And he loves our 2 cats - they are just about coming round to him! Overall, I really am so glad we got him!
I have a male akita ( 9 months) and he is 7 stone (44.4 Kg) he has lots of fur on his chest and head too and his head is starting to get bigger but its not like his dads yet he has a black mask and when his tail is down people have asked if hes a german shepard lol. but its just cos hes young, hes also very good with other dogs at the moment he just wants to play and hes very good with other people......pitty i cant put a pic of him on here
My Boyfriend and i are moving in to out first place, and would like to get an Akita Puppy together. We living in Agawam MA, and are trying to get information on the dog before we actually get a puppy. We are trying to find a good breeder in the aria, and not go through a pet store. Any information would be really helpful.
Read all of this, ignore the incorrect pseudoscientific info about Hiroshima/Nagasaki, and you'll have a pretty good idea of how to handle an Akita or even if one is for you. The lady running this site knows Akitas.
Thanks for the website. We have been doing a lot of research online about them. We decided on an Akita because we want a big dog, so we started looking at the different breads. AS soon as we saw the Akita's we just fell in love with them. From everything i have seen and read they are great dogs.
Right now we are just trying to find a good reliable breeder near us.
If an Akita is for you, there is nothing like them. I've had dogs since I was a baby and I'll never have anything but an Akita anymore. They are more than a dog if you are up to the job.
(assure me you will obedience train your pup and that s/he will live in the house.....)thanks.
Yes of corse it will be living in the house!!! I absolutly love animals, as a child we had many. This is my frist place one my own with my boyfriend, and we are very excited about adding a memeber to the household.
When looking for a good breeder to buy a puppy from, do you have any reccomendations what to look for to make sure we get a healty puppy.
Dont buy inbred Akitas. Yes, 'Linebreeding' IS Inbreeding.
Its hard to do, but search the pedigrees of the parents as far back as you can in order to get the most outcrossed animal possible. And, of course, dont buy if you can find any obvious health problems in that line.
And dont always believe anything bad that 1 breeder says about another. Akita breeders are notorious for badmouthing each other.(the owners of Akita World magazine made this same observation back in the 90's). I've had several lie outright to me while puppy hunting.
Good clues that you've got a good breeder:
1.the puppy contract is very detailed and onerous;
2.the breeder checks You out more than you check out her puppies;
3.a kennel You'd be happy living in;
4.parents that are in perfect health(you MUST see both parents)
5.happy, well adjusted human(breeder's) family.
6.breeder treats her animals at least as well as her children.
I've always started my search with breeders advertising in Akita World magazine, but there are pitfalls in this as those guys breed to show and that doesnt necessarily make the best puppy, longterm healthwise. Perhaps contact an Akita Rescue in your area and ask for opinions on local breeders(they WILL have strong opinions, tho you may have to visit in person to hear them. ALL Akita people have strong opinions). They'll try to sell you on Rescue, but they will also educate you on local notorious breeders.
Finally, contact your local Akita club(found thru AKC). Be wary here as most folks in this will have litters for sale and will steer you accordingly. Confirm all you hear here before believing about other breeders.
*Go to dogshows and see the Akitas!!! Talk to the owners AFTER they are done showing about their dogs.
Find a good vet now that has handled Akitas.
Then when you get a pup, take him/her to the vet 'for weighing' once a week for the first year. You'll get the weight, socializing, a puppy loving to go to vet, free treats often, and (big one here) free cursory vet exams as you bump into vet while 'just weighing your pup'.
It doesnt hurt to schmooze the vet too. Send Xmas cards, thank yous when something special is done for your Akita, and Xmas baskets(office staff love you for this). Sounds corny, but my wife does this and boy do we ever get special treatment at the vet's!
Stay past business hours or even come in on day off? No Problem! Then again, we've found a great vet anyway.
They certainly can. Actually my male loves to eat corn on the cob if I hold the ear of corn : ) As far as dog food goes you need to know that corn in not digestible, therefor they don't get any nutrition from it. It is used as a filler in alot of dog foods. I personally feed Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice. You just want to make sure it's not one of the first 3 ingredients. It won't hurt them, but it certainly won't give them any nutrients either. Hope this helps.
Michaela
Corn on the Cob is one of the things that my Akitas go nuts for. Both of them eat off the cob as I hold it for them and frantically try to get more than the other one can.
Nutritionally, corn is not AS digestable as most ingredients, but does provide value as a food. So its not like the corn is just an inert filler product. Food manufacturers use it because it bumps up the protein assay cheaply. The pups just cant get the full food potential out of corn.
(sorry, I read, but cant remember what %age of the corn that is usually digested)
Now I could be wrong....but I've always read they can't digest it. Hence the reason for larger stool volume if they are fed a diet high in corn. I did a search on it and every site I find says no also. I guess the thing that confuses me is....and this might be gross to some .......Ever notice what you see in the potty after you eat corn??? I dunno : ) just a thought.
Michaela
It is not AS digestable. Corn IS a food and all animals derive some nutrition from consuming it. More so if it is ground/chewed and stays in the digestive track longer.
What you see in the stool is predominately the outer husk and undigested organics protected by the husk. Feed cracked/ground soaked hominy and then tell me that you can still id the corn.
Im new to the board and new to akita's. However, i have several very good resources that i pull information from. One of those resources is my breeder. Another is several other breeders that have been in the akita world for over 30 yrs.
I recently talked to my breeder, and she has spent all summer doing research on different dog foods. We have recently switched dog food from Purina Pro Plan lamb and rice to Nature's Balance ultra premium (its a dark blue bag).
Purina pro plan DOES have corn in it......the Nature's Balance DOES NOT.
Not ALL dogs can tolerate the CORN, or the SOY.(soy is not good for akita's) Not ALL breed's are the same. you have to know your dog and what they can or can not tolerate.
I have noticed that my dog which is an akita, can not tolerate the purina pro plan, but i am seeing all kind's of good results from the nature's balance.
Every one has there opinion, and this is only mine. I hope it helps.
I have a 7 month old boy who I intend to show. He has been through 6 wks of confirmation classes and has done well except for the fact that he wants to be right up against me. He is shy around people, but friendly until he sees another dog. I have entered him in a couple fun matches and he did ok. What can I do to get him off me and to keep him quiet? In his classes he did terrible the first night, but got better after a while. Is this something he will grow out of? I can take my female out with him and he seems to have all the confidence in the world since she does.
O can't take her to stand beside him to show.Help!
I have a 5 month old male akita. He weighs over 55lbs, and is the first "American Akita" I have ever owned. My last 5 where Japense. I adore him, he is smart, soft, short haired, cute, and very obedient. Knows all the basics, sit, stay, heal, lies down. BUT, really his ears, nose, and tongue are GIANT! IS this how American Akitas start out?
My Japense Akita's always seemed to be more in porportion.
Any answers would be appreciated!
Hi there. I have 3 "american" akitas and one 1/2 japanese import.If you'd like to send me a pic I can give you a better idea of if he'll out grow it....but my guess is he will. Probably just one of those lanky "not an adult..not a puppy" looking growth stages. Hope to see his pic!!!! : )
Michaela
WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AMERICAN AND JAPANESE?
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HI IM NEW TO THIS SITE. I HAVE BEEN READING ALOT OF EVERYONES POSTINGS. I AM A PROUD OWNER OF A 8 YEAR OLD AKITA. I COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER DOG.MY FAMILY AND I ADOPTED HIM FROM A HUMANE SOCIETY ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.GREAT PERSONALITY.ALITTLE STUBBORN AT TIMES BUT OK.HIS NAME IS "NIKO".I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A AMERICAN AKITA AND A JAPANESE AKITA ? CAN YOU LOOK AT THE PIC OF MY AKITA AND TELL ME WHICH KIND OF AKITA IS MY AKITA? THANK YOU.
WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AMERICAN AND JAPANESE?
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HI IM NEW TO THIS SITE. I HAVE BEEN READING ALOT OF EVERYONES POSTINGS. I AM A PROUD OWNER OF A 8 YEAR OLD AKITA. I COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER DOG.MY FAMILY AND I ADOPTED HIM FROM A HUMANE SOCIETY ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.GREAT PERSONALITY.ALITTLE STUBBORN AT TIMES BUT OK.HIS NAME IS "NIKO".I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A AMERICAN AKITA AND A JAPANESE AKITA ? CAN YOU LOOK AT THE PIC OF MY AKITA AND TELL ME WHICH KIND OF AKITA IS MY AKITA? THANK YOU.
Probably a fair price for a pet puppy. Be sure to investigate his heritage for genetic problems as you would any other Akita puppy. (all of this assumes this is a reputable established breeder that you are getting your pup from....that IS correct,'eh?).
Remember the old oil filter commercial that went: "pay me now or pay me later"? Same holds with any Akita. FREE isnt a deal if the puppy develops health problems later.
30# at 3 months = circa 100# or more at maturity(generally speaking). You absolutely MUST obedience train him as a puppy if you get him or any other Akita.
Dont worry about the overbite or pink nose. I mean, Who Cares? about that? The AKC?---pffffft!
socialize, socialize, socialize. Then find a trainer in your area who also does conformation classes. Also, your local kennel club should do some confirmation classes. I have a boy from great lines that I intend to show and this is what I have done. Of course I have found that he is a big momma's boy. I obviously have not socialized enough. You can also check for fun matches and enter.
Hi all! I am sooooo proud to say I have just adopted the most loving and caring 8 year old American Akita. I couldnt ask for a better companion. She greets me at the door with a howl to welcome me home. Anyway, I could ramble on and on but I am sure you all know what I mean! Her previous owners have a two year old daughter that had allergy problems from Kuma so they had to put her up for adoption. They tried shaving Kuma to see if it would help with the child's allergies. My question to you long haired owners is what do I do with her coat? If some of you could share pictures of long hair Akita's I would appreciate it. I will forward her picture so you can tell me what you think. How long should you let it grow? It is so short now you can see her undercoat. Plus I live in the St. Louis area so do I leave it short for the summer months (very hot and humid)???? Some one please share some tips with me! Thank you..
I live in FL, and shaved my Akita last year. It really is not necessary, be they long hair or short. They look terrible when shaved, and it offered No advantage. I take my Akitas to the dog park and bring them neck scarves. When they look TO HOT, I rinse the scarfs in cold water, and put thek back on.
Enjoy your new baby
My friend has two female Akitas that he and his wife have had for 2 and a half years,although they are agressive to each ther and visitors they have never had a problem unil recently when the oldest female"Tia" has started being very agressive to his wife growling and trying to attack her,the other dog is fine and Tia only really is agressive towards his wife although she has by accident bitten him once or twice!
they have recently moved to a new house and he is concerned that he will have to have her put down
does anyone have any advice? we live in the UK and dont really have any Akita "concellors " or dog behaviourisit in our area
Thankyou for your attention in this matter
Louise
I would recommend getting her checked out at the vet. There are health problems that can cause sudden aggression. One of them, very common in akitas, is thyroid problems. It's also possible that the akita is at the age where she is testing her boundries and trying to establish herself above the human gal. That SHOULD NOT, under any cicumstances, be allowed. She needs to be very careful as it sounds like it's already going too far with her biting already. Good luck.
Michaela
Sounds like your dog is testing the boundries. Has "Mom" always been in the picture? People laugh at me, but I have owned 6 Akitas, so her is my word of advice. Turn the dog on his back, and have Mom, bite him under the neck. Hold him down until he stops trying to get up. These dogs respect there pack leader, and this will prove to him that she is the leader. I have done this with my 6, my son has done this with his first, and it works.
Good luck!
I have a six-month old Akita female puppyand she is only 40 lbs. I researched the breed heavily before getting her and also had two growing up. She met all of the breed standards I could see at 8 weeks and was similar in size to all of the other puppies I had ever seen. But now I fear she is going to stay extremely small for the breed. How much should they weigh at this age? Do they have growth spurts? I just can't imagine her doubling in size. If anyone has any thoughts I would appreciate it.
Hi there. I think she could easily double her weight. I have 4 akitas ,1 female and 3 males. My female is 82 pounds, my oldest male is 85 pounds. My youngest two are rescues. I got my brindle boy as a stray puppy. He's very tall and thin LOOKING.... but weighs 92 pounds and is still growing and he's 16 months old. My newest addition is an adult male, about a year and a half, but he's a peanut...only 56 pounds, very petite...but cute as a button!!! : ) What I have found with these guys is they seem to do the growing in shifts. I find that they grow height wise the first year and they fill out during their second year. She's probably right on track. If she does end up being smaller...that's ok too unless you plan to show her and she falls under the standard in weight. Hope this helps!!
Michaela
The hair will grow out some but she probably won't have a nice full coat again until she sheds out whats left of the short hair and gets her new coat in. Probably with spring coming she should get a good coat back by summer. Hope this helps. : )
Kodiak is my 6yr old akita...he gets along great with children puppies and even kittens...I am thinking about getting him a friend but am a little confused about what sort of breed I should get. I have had such great luck with Kodi (he's the first akita I've ever owned). He's had no training what so ever other than the sit shake talk routine. Should I look into getting another akita or should I look outside the breed...Newfoundland, Mastiff, or Lab. If anyone has any advice...that would be great. Kodi is like my giant pillow...he'such a smoosh.
I had an Akita for 12 yrs until she passed. She grew up with a Norweigan Elkhound and her last years we got another Elkhound.First make sure the dog is the opposite sex of yours. A dog that is less dominant would also be easier on you and your home. I would also get another puppy and not an older dog.
just adopted a purebred akita from the city animal shelter, had a few questions for the more experienced akita owners.
1) the first day i brought him home, a friend tried to pet him on the head while he was lying down in the dark, he bit her hard in the hand (requiring stitches), and then went for her face. I have since took him to the groomers and vet, on numerous walks, and he has met quite a few people at my home, and shows no signs of aggression. the vet and groomers both said i was "so lucky" to have found such a well-mannered dog. can i chalk up the biting incident to him being afraid/on-edge the first day in a new environment?
1a) Another friend told me that once a dog tastes human blood, they are from then on "biter dogs", and that another biting incident is imminent. He said I MUST put him to sleep.
2) he has stained teeth as well as bad breath (until i feed him a breath-eze breathe mint, which only lasts for a little bit). The vet says it is not a problem, but he loves licking me, and will not stop even when i try to pull away (because it really smells). any advice?
3) he won't chew anything unless it is edible/destroyable. i fed him a turkey bone to let him chew on something natural and to try to clean some of the tarter build-up in his mouth, and he cracked the bone open, and started eating it up! i thought that might be bad on his digestive track, so i took it away from him, but he still got about half the bone down. he threw up the next day. any advice on something he can chew on/play with? he just sits/lies until i come to play with him, and he looks really bored when i'm not playing with him, and develops a LOT of tear stains, esp. when i'm not at home. my vet says he is an extremely happy dog however. this is conflict i cannot figure out an answer for.
....any advice on these topics would be greatly appreciated. thanks!
im not so experienced myself but i bought a male akita 2 month ago he is now 4 months old , i think when dogs r sleeping if they r suppprised and made jump they might bite , like if u was in bed and someone jumped on you you wouldent like it
i think that about tasting blood is a load of rubbish.
i have no idea about no2 lol
and i dont give mine bones either i heard that splinters off it can do damage inside them and the tear thing..... het him some tissues :P
Ok I'll give you my best advice.
1) The reason I think he bit was because #1 it was dark #2 he didn't know this person and #3 If he was asleep he was probably startled. It isn't acceptable for them to behave that way, however since you haven't had him since he was little it will be something you'll have to work on. I would however be VERY carfeul with people other than yourself approaching while he is sleeping.Akitas are known to be aggressive and as you've seen their bite can be damaging. Be especially careful with children until you are POSITIVELY SURE you can trust him. I have 2 that adore kids and one that hates any kids other than my own.
2) The part about the blood, no it isn't true. However I have heard that once they do bite it can become an issue if they feel they "got away with it" I would make sure you do not play any games etc that involve human flesh in his mouth at any time. Sometimes that type of rough play can encourage biting behavior. If he does try to "mouth" you at all you need to make it quite clear to him that it will not be tolerated. Usually a loud yelp from you gets the point across to them along with giving him something acceptable to have in his mouth such as a toy.
3) I work for a vet and can't beleive your vet said the teeth and breath aren't a problem. He needs to have a dental cleaning done under anesthesia. The staining and odor is caused by plaque and bacteria. If it isn't taken care of it can contribute to all kinds of problems such as heart and liver disease. It's a simple procedure and works wonders.
4)Never ever feed your dog a poultry bone of any kind!! Poultry bones splinter when chewed and can cause fatal cuts in the digestive tract. Pork bones also splinter. Check your local petstore for sterilized beef bones . They are way less likely to cause a problem and much better at cleaning the teeth. There's also alot of chewable options such as Nylabones made from a hard nylon material.
5) The tear stains I can't say for sure. I have 3 akitas and none of mine have an issue with that, and I've never heard of it being a common thing in akitas like it can be in cocker spaniels etc. I would almost wonder if maybe he has an allergy or something medically wrong that is causing that. Your best bet there would be your vet.
Hopefully I've answered some of your questions. Best of luck with your new buddy!! : )
I think the dog was nervous, and after owning 6 Akitas, I beleive that it's an "old wifes tale" that once they have tasted blood etc. Watch him, praise him, give him the love he lacked. It's hard to adopt, I admire you. One thing I have found with Akitas, they are pack animals. This may sound cruel, but try to turn him on his back, and bite under his neck. when he stops squirming, you are the leader of "his pack". They are wonderful, loyal animals, but always remember, they are animals. If you grab his leash tightly, he will go into defense stance, relax the lead, he will relax.
Good luck, you habe the truest friend in the world!
The thing I am most worried about is that the Akita came from an animal shelter. Some great dogs come from the shelters, but there are also alot of abused dogs that are there. Since your dog has bitten, be very careful. I would never leave the dog around young children. Young chidren tend to pester dogs sometime and this dog may not be receptive to that. Have spent alot of time training your akita or had any formal training with your akita. I hope you enjoy your akita as much as I did. Thanks
LONG HAIRED akitas and what ya'll know about them ????
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Hi I'm Tiffany i live in Colorado Springs ... 2 years ago my family ( parents & little bro) bought our firstakita. shes white with pinto markings beautiful. i remember picking her from her litter. shes straight haired. well all of our immediate family and friends had a fitover her because not too many of them have heard of the akits breed. so after 2 years my parents decided to buy a male akita because we thought we might wantt o have a litter for family and close friends. we found an akc breeder close and went to look at the litter. and we fell in love with the runt , which seemed to be "fluffier" than the rest. but the lady told us that he only had 3 toes on one of his paws and we didnt really care. so we bought him . and 2 weeks after i went on a long 3 month vacation to NC and when i came back was this looking full grown long haired akita hes beautiful but i could not find any info on long haired akitas through the internet , except for this site. so if any one ahs any helpful info on them im pretty curious. ive been told that they are not alowwed to be used for show dogs and i dont understand. but thanks every one ...
A long haired Akita occasionally occurs in a litter but they are not considered "special" as far as showing and breeding goes. The AKC considers long hair on an akita a disqualification. He should not be bred especially if he has a paw with only 3 toes. Two definate signs there's a genetic issue here. Please don't breed a litter "for family and friends". The only reason to breed is to improve the breed itself. Best left to experienced breeders.
Micheala....
Thank you for the response , advice and concern. But i have to say that not all registered full bred animals are supposed to be show dogs. Because most (normal) people dont have the time , the money , or even the interest in dog shows. Personally i watch them on tv .. and think there neat. But my dogs are pets , plain and simple , they may not be show dogs but , they are allowed on the furniture they sleep with us and they are spoiled rotton. So to me to choose to breed for the soul purpose of providing wonderful dogs (pets) to people i love and care about , i think is fine. And when you think about it.. most people who have registered dogs , keep them as pets not show dogs. And on a personal note , both will be fixed once the first litter is born. I'm 22 years old and im getting married soon .. and i want an akita , as a pet a companion for my fiance and myself , and i would rather know that the puppy is coming from a good home from dogs that ive known since the day we brought them home. Instead of buying from a pet store and not knowing what i might get. So all in all , i respect your opinion , because i do know there are alot of puppy mills out there and alot of people breeding for finacial purposes. But in turn i hope that you could at least respect my point of view. Thank you for your time. - Tiffany
Ok apparently I didn't make the point clear that I was trying to make. I'm not dealing anyone a " low blow" as you said...just telling you the facts. First and foremost I have 3 akitas....2 from reputable breeders, 1 a rescue. They range in age from 1 year to 10 years. ALL of mine are pets, spoiled rotten, allowed on the furniture as well. I am not a breeder nor do I show dogs, I am however very knowledgeable on the breed. The point I was making about not breeding this dog is that because he is carrying two defective genes, made evident by the long coat and the paw with 3 toes, it is very possible that the offspring produced by him could suffer even worse genetic defects. Akitas are prone to sooo many diseases and conditions that without careful screening before breeding the results could be disasterous. I'm not saying you need or want show quality dogs, I'm saying what you should want is a healthy dog. I work for a veterinarian, and every day I see the result of careless breeding......malformed pups, extremely ill pups,even the loss of the dog giving birth. Also do you have anywhere from say 8 -12 people willing and able to take these pups when they are born? And you say that you will have them "fixed" after the litter is born....but do you know if all the Pups will be spayed or neutered also? I can't and won't tell you what to do.....but I know if it were me making that decision I would want as much information as possible before hand. Ask your question on some of the akita breeders websites and see what they say. I beleive they would agree with me. I guess the one question I do have is if you want an akita ...Why not find a reputable breeder and just purchase one?I'm sorry if the facts offended you but you DID ask for help after all.
We have a 2 yr. old long haired akita that is so incredibly beautiful that everyone that sees it wants to know where they can get one. He also has the most adorable personality of any dog I have ever had. My husband tells people he is a teddy bear dog and people actually believe him. We take him almost everywhere we go and it is like we have a celebrity with us. He is so fluffy and beautiful and well behaved that everyone who sees him has to stop us to pet him and get a closer look at him. We have numerous friends who have searched for a long haired akita and can't find one anywhere. If anyone knows where we can get one of these so-called defective dogs, we would love to know. He is our second long haired akita. The first one we had for 14 years and loved him just as much.
3 years later, I know of a longhaired akita named Akito, that was rescued from good intentioned
rescue in calif. that needs to find that perfect home befoe it is too late.
She is very well behaved and loved by all that take care of her. I am an akita owner, but already have rescued 4 already. If any interest please respond to this web site.
Mary Bookout
3 years later, I know of a longhaired akita named Akito, that was rescued from good intentioned
rescue in calif. that needs to find that perfect home befoe it is too late.
She is very well behaved and loved by all that take care of her. I am an akita owner, but already have rescued 4 already. If any interest please respond to this web site.
Mary Bookout
I recently got my first akita and I think that I agree with Michaela's email to you. Long-haired akitas are not representative of the breed and you really shouldn't try to propagate such a defect if you do decide to have a litter. Both me and my boyfriend got an akita each from the same litter and his turned out to be long-haired... now he loves the dog but we both know that it will never look like the "standard" for the akita.
Now all that means for him is that he can't show the dog... but since you are really looking for a pet showing the pups are not a deciding factor for you. However if you do love the breed then my suggestion is to try to play your part in keeping the breed to its AKC standard.
But even besides that you should also consider the nature of the akita when you are thinking about breeding. Now Michaela raised a very valid point of having 8-12 people to give the pups to... most people cannot deal with the strength, size, stubborness (otherwise called "independent nature"), or dog-aggressive nature of the breed. Before you give people pups you should make sure that they are aware of the dog they are getting... most people buy pups because they are sooooo cute... but as a responsible person who loves the akita you should do your part to ensure that the pups go to homes that are aware and capable of managing such a powerful and precious dog.
Hi,
I have a long-haired akita who I love to bits and I was quite suprised when I found out that due to the long hair being a "defect" breeders are effectively trying to breed them out.
This to me seems like such a shame as there are no other health issues related to the long haired dogs, it is just the fact that someone along the line has declared that the "breed standard" doesn't include long haired dogs.
Since I have had my Akita I have encountered nothing but suprise from people when I tell them that the reason I can't breed from my dog is because she has long hair.
While I personally wouldn't breed from my dog (best left to people who know what they are doing) do other people not agree that it is a shame to breed out such a lovely trait?
I'm not trying to start an argument or anything I'm just curious as to what other Akita owners think as I've never come across any to ask before.
Jo
Re: LONG HAIRED akitas and what ya'll know about them ????
by Words Of Wisdom
Longcoated Akitas are NOT a disqualification in the showring, rather a "fault".
That being said breeding a litter of pups because you "want a pup that you know where it came from" is NO reason to breed.
Go visit your local animal shelters and Akita Rescues and look into the eyes of the hundreds upon hundreds of Akita that were once "cute bundles of fur" and outgrew their cuteness only to be dumped, abandoned and surrendered when they were no longer wanted or too unruley to control because the owners didn't want to invest their precious time in obedience.
Are you aware of the health problems in Akitas? Will you have ALL health clearances done on the sire and dam?
Will you do OFA, CERF, Thyroid tests...just to name a few?
Will you guarantee the health of the pups and if FOR ANY REASON at ANY TIME in the pups lives take that Akita back if the owners decide the dog doesn't fit into their lifestyle any longer?
If you answer NO to any of these questions, you SHOULD NOT be breeding dogs of any breed.
LONG HAIRED akitas and what ya'll know about them ????
by
Hi I'm Tiffany i live in Colorado Springs ... 2 years ago my family ( parents & little bro) bought our firstakita. shes white with pinto markings beautiful. i remember picking her from her litter. shes straight haired. well all of our immediate family and friends had a fitover her because not too many of them have heard of the akits breed. so after 2 years my parents decided to buy a male akita because we thought we might wantt o have a litter for family and close friends. we found an akc breeder close and went to look at the litter. and we fell in love with the runt , which seemed to be "fluffier" than the rest. but the lady told us that he only had 3 toes on one of his paws and we didnt really care. so we bought him . and 2 weeks after i went on a long 3 month vacation to NC and when i came back was this looking full grown long haired akita hes beautiful but i could not find any info on long haired akitas through the internet , except for this site. so if any one ahs any helpful info on them im pretty curious. ive been told that they are not alowwed to be used for show dogs and i dont understand. but thanks every one ...
