akita

[Guest Anonymous]

I need as mutch info on the akita namely the japanees akita . I am thinking about buying one . the dog itself seems freandy it is i bitch she is 1 year old and her name is Bo. i have never had one before and i have herd bad reports on the behaveor of the akita beeing verry unprodictoble. arer the reports true and how can i help stop this from happening to this dog

[Guest Anonymous]

Mei Mei pretty much covered it! :lol:

****When we were kids we would play Wiffle Ball at my cousins house and we always remembered NEVER to hit the ball foul over the fence next door; reason being the neighbor had an Akita. They are very territorial it's not there fault thats the way there breed is. So if it see's you on the other side of the fence or enclosure it immediately will "stalk and run with you" in a way, on the other side of the fence etc.
This dog is NOT a family dog if you have small kids or toddlers. Pick up any book on AKC club or a Dog encyclopedia and they will say the same thing, which is be wary and obedience train as much as possible.
They are beautiful dogs and there stance is strong as well, One of the best pets to guard your house, no doubt.
I might get some flack for this but if it were me I would get this dog if I didn't have small kids or other dogs already. It's kind of like if you and your wife (or vice versa) don't have or don't want to have kids, it would be good as well.
I know that I love Big Dogs right? I do! :D Eventually when it's time to start a family I want to get a dog thats adaptable, a dog that will grow up with the kids etc. Some breeds of big dogs have to be watched a little more carefully around small kids so I would tend to stay away from them even though I like them. I hope I'm not confusing you but you'll see after you read up on the breeds.
Good Luck to you.

[Horsefeathers!]

I am certainly no Akita expert, but I will say that I've never met one that wasn't dog aggressive. An acquaintance of mine recently put down her 10 year old female (she still has a male) because of aggression. This dog had been exposed to every possible social situation, but she just became increasingly untrustworthy and too much of a liability. She was almost impossible to contain, so...

Anyway, the other Akitas I've been exposed to are also people aggressive. I know nothing about the breed, so I'm not stating that it is a breed trait. Just that I've seen it in too many of them. There aren't many around here, so it could be just bad breeding in the area (though I don't know of any breeders locally, so it leads me to believe they were imported from elsewhere). However, it's much too big a dog to go around with a chip on it's shoulder. One Akita in our rural area has actually been banished from the city limits because it attacked a cop (not the breed... just that dog). My thinking is that one should be an "Akita person" to fully appreciate one and rear it properly. I don't think it's a dog for just everyone. As much as I hate to sound discriminatory, based on my own personal observations of Akitas locally, I do not trust them. There are only two breeds of dogs I refuse to work with. Akitas are one of them. It's not to say I think they should be banned (I'm not into the whole breed banning thing), but I simply do not trust them. If you are planning to get one, at least become acquainted with someone who is educated in Akitas who is willing to work with you in "reading" them and training them. I am sure Akitas can be wonderful dogs for people who are skilled in handling them. Just not for the everyday common pet owner.

[Guest Anonymous]

hello - I have and love akita's - and all of what is said above is true - as it can be with ALL OTHER BREEDS AS WELL !!!!! Akita's have more personality than any other dog breed ! (in my opinion)
If you want to Email me for some proper advice off this message board please do so at [email][email protected][/email]
Cheers.

[Horsefeathers!]

Proper advice? So why can't we ALL see what proper advice is? Educate us ALL, why don't you? :o

Just because one loves a breed doesn't make it the right breed for everyone else. Any responsible breed lover would rather see their chosen breed placed in a home that was able to provide the proper care/guidance for their specific needs rather than, "gosh, they're great dogs and anyone can raise one."

It happens all the time that people get dogs they're not prepared to handle because someone told them what a great dog it would be (because THEY love the breed, so everone else should love it, too) and then the dog becomes unruly, or aggressive, due to lack of attention to the particular breed's special needs (whether it be intensive socialization and training, or whatever) and the dog often pays with its life. Let's be a little more objective than, "Akita's have more personality than any other dog breed! (in my opinion)."

[Guest Anonymous]

I have to say I would rather my children walk up to a strange pitt (please don't hurt me...) then a strange akita. I have had very little experience with them but what little I have is not good. I have only met one nice akita and then it was a total turn around... my children mauled her and she loved every min of it. I consider this dog rare. Again I am not an expert just my opinion.
Also consider the distructive side of these dogs... the parents of the nice akita were amazingly distructive, her dad ate a pickup... yes he tore the bumper off first and then took out the tires! They fed him 2x4s on a regular basis (untreated of course) and Mom, though not quite as bad did eat the occasional tire or two...
On the flip side I have always found the look of an akita quite stunning... you really can't pass up the beautiful patterns of these dogs, reminds me of a saint bernard only smaller.

[Horsefeathers!]

I have a friend who used to show and raise Akitas. As much as she loves the breed, even she believes that Akitas do not belong with "inexperienced" (for lack of a better word) dog owners, or anyone not really familiar with how to handle them.

[deepseasnake]

yeah I'll tell you to,
I lived with one, those dogs scare me like no other. I watched my friends akita [b]KILL[/b] other dogs (twice) walking by the house and she (the dog) was acting completely normal before and after. Those dogs are bred killers I've known 2 other akitas that have [b]KILLED[/b] dogs for what seems like no reason.

I dont mean to say this for shock value the "friends" I speak of wrote the victims owners BIG checks to keep there mouth shut about the attacks. those akitas are on borrowed time one of these days they will be caught and my buddies are gonna be ears deep in guano!

I am very wary of these dogs I [b]do [/b]completely agree with proper training and exp these dogs can be great pets. but all the owners I mentioned before thought they were able and ready to handle the dog and were proven wrong with the quickness!

and guys dont jump on me for this opinion I really do think they can be good dogs....I've just never seen one, and out side of here, never heard of one either

[Guest Anonymous]

[quote name='guest']hello - I have and love akita's - and all of what is said above is true - as it can be with ALL OTHER BREEDS AS WELL !!!!! Akita's have more personality than any other dog breed ! (in my opinion)
If you want to Email me for some proper advice off this message board please do so at [email][email protected][/email]
Cheers.[/quote]

I believe the dog aggression is even mentioned in the breed's standard - that ought to give you an idea of how innate it is to the breed.
One has to look at what a breed was developed for in its native land to understand the things you see in it. Sure we tend to change all the breeds here to be less sharp and easier going as we keep them for their pet qualities but even so breeds tend to run true to the original form in some percentage anyway. That is after all the whole point in purebred breeding - that the pups are like the ancestors. :wink:

[deepseasnake]

well said guest I agree with you comFREAKINpletely

[Guest Anonymous]

I have two Shibas that are basically a smaller version of an Akita. While my dogs have never been people aggressive, they are VERY same sex aggressive. And I totally agree, that Akitas are NOT for the average person. Shibas are not as well, but remember, mine are only 17 and 28 pounds!

My friend wanted an Akita really bad....and I was worried because of her two young children. Now, she wants one of AVA'S DOGS! :wink:

Akita were bred to hunt bear......

[Guest Anonymous]

You know, I find it hard to believe that the same forum that has so adamently stood up for the rights of the "misunderstood" pitbull could be using the same exact arguments that their opponents in the media and the uninformed are using. Nothing that has been stated about the Akita is any different than that which has been said about pits except that your not hearing about to many deaths caused by Akitas. What dog is more known for being dog aggressive than a Pit? Im not here to bash Pits so Im apologizing in advance to their owners but I just cant believe what Im reading. I do own an Akita and yes they are definitely not for everyone, they are a very strong dog both mentally and physically and if you are not up to putting an extensive amount of effort into training and socialization you are just asking for trouble. They are very good with children and small animals in their own "pack" and if properly socialized with children and animals from without. The list of positives have already been mentioned so Im not going to get into that. Their stong confident stance and the inability of people other than their owners to read their faces Im sure contributes to some extent to the fear or mistrust of these dogs. This is certainly not a first time owners dog, I personally have had six previous dogs of all different breeds and this is by far the best dog Ive ever had. I personally dont fear or mistrust Golden Retreivers but statistics show a markedly higher percentage of bites by them than Akitas, I just dont get it. And to borrow from somebodys tag line...Remember, there are no bad dogs, just bad owners...

[Guest Anonymous]

While I have had no personal experience with the breed, I know of some who have, and that's why I feared my friend with this breed. I can't see that she will have the...how do I put it?...I guess I'm not sure she's the right owner for the breed. Now, I can see her husband doing well, but I'm not sure how she would be...does that make sense? It's the same with me and my husband....

But then again, it all goes with proper breeding and more importantly IMHO, the training of the guardians..

[Horsefeathers!]

[quote name='hamrhedd']and yes they are definitely not for everyone, they are a very strong dog both mentally and physically and if you are not up to putting an extensive amount of effort into training and socialization you are just asking for trouble.[/quote]


Ah... that was my ONLY point... that Akitas are NOT for everyone and can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Same thing you said. I've never said that Pit Bulls are good for just any ol' body, either. As far as statistics go? Well, they can be misleading. I don't believe there are nearly as many Akitas in pet homes as there are Pit Bulls. Also, in a town near me, there was ONE Akita that lived in that town... only ONE. That ONE Akita jumped a cop who was investigating a report of some disturbance (apparently went for this cop's throat and did wound him... the cop was wearing a bullet proof vest which kept the dog from doing more damage), so that ONE Akita was banished from the city limits. I honestly don't know how the dog did not get sentenced to euthanasia. Statistically, that would mean 100% of the Akitas living in that town are deadly. Don't let statistics fool you.

My only problem is with the way some people will tell others that their chosen breed would be fine with any ol' body. As long as people will agree that ANY dog is not ok for just ANYbody.

By the way, just to jump into the hot seat, I, too, would sooner get out of a car in a yard that had a Pit Bull in it than one that had an Akita. I've not met an Akita yet that was not aggressive. Maybe it's just a regional thing and all the good Akitas are elsewhere. They aren't here and I'm sure it was just some irresponsible owners who got dogs they were not equipped to handle. Probably would be fine dogs in the hands of a RESPONSIBLE and KNOWLEDGEABLE owner who knew something about them other than they are "cool" or "pretty." That goes right back to those of us who are saying to be sure to know what you're (anyone considering an Akita) getting into. So actually you and I are agreeing.

[deepseasnake]

hammer I'm not gonna freak out like I would if you were a guest, but as an Akita owner you NEED to know the inherited aggresiveness of your dog.

The way your post read it seemed like a golden retreiver was of comparable danger level as an Akita. Now you didn't out right say it but one could easily have walked away under that impression. Hammer, the golden retreiver is arguably the most popular dog in America that means, considering akitas are not even on the list, there is most likely over 5 times the goldens in this contry than Akitas. So of course there is more bites, its a regular probability case. besides your deceptive attempt at statistics you have only acheived a false impression by your last post. A false impression that does YOUR breed absolutly no good. I know dogs aren't BAD by nature and if thats how you interpreted it I'll try to clear it up.

Akitas are a very able attack/gaurd/war breed and are pros at what they do just like dobbies, pits and rotts. The only reason these dogs represented here aren't frothing man eaters are that their owners have succesfully overid that specific instinct, by training, affection, etc. I assume you have done the same for your dog. In the case of the Akita your right, a stranger [b]cant[/b] read the face like a short haired pitbull or dobie. And might not know that the dog is being aggitated. So a person possibly like Lee (our topic author) sees a cute husky looking pup and a picture of an adult with fluffy hair and a curled tail and thinks golden retreiver, husk.... must be an easy going good dog. Ok do you see my concern here? Maybe this person's only experience with dogs WAS a golden or a lab. The akita eventually grows up with OUT the proper training then the dog bites and you KNOW that Akitas bite if not properly trained. I'm not prejudice against this breed however it is my firm belief that an untrained Akita will look to instinct when in question (just like pits) and that dogs insticnt is, [b]attack now ask questions later[/b].

there is NO SUCH THING AS A BAD DOG just BAD OWNERS.

and I'm pretty sure EVERYONE here sticks to it.
especially in regaurds to the Akita

so for the record [b]no[/b] they are not bad dogs but if you dont do it right from begining to end, they will emerge killers and it would have just saved you time and trouble to kill the poor dog at the start and save him the lack of good life
okay

[gooeydog]

deepseasnake, Just wanted to clear something up :lol: Pit bulls have never really been used as attack/guard/war dogs... They were originally an all around farm dog, working with farmers in the stock pens (they would supposedly keep the bulls away from farmers as they worked. These "bite and hold" skills that they used were then put to test by bullbaiting and bearbaiting contests, and dogfighting started around that time as well. After bull/bearbaiting was outlawed, dogfighting was still legal, and was popular right up until it was made illegal (not that that really stopped it :( ). There were a few (very few) pit bull type dogs that were involved with various military groups but not so many that they can be considered a "war breed". Pit bulls have never been much good as guard dogs, either. Actually, they are one of the most commonly stolen breeds in the US. Until recent years, they were bred to be a strictly people friendly breed (even though many are animal/dog aggressive), and most human aggressive dogs were culled. This, in effect, has helped the breed to remain stable, friendly dogs (toward people), even though most breeders today aren't exactly breeding with good temperment in mind. That's not to say that there are no unstable pit bulls out there, but the majority are stable and friendly towards people. :lol:

[deepseasnake]

well okay your right but I consider the breed ability to take down a bear or bull pretty close to what I was talking about and I think my point is still valid. That left to its own devices that its instincts are to bite. I'll buy that the overly agressive ones were culled, by responsible breeders, but I know of people just down the street that were breeding aggressive pit bulls. Me and my girlfriend watched these guys kick the crap out of pups that were still breast feeding just to get the dogs to bite back. So I'm really not buying the whole, most of these dogs are bred to be family pets, because most the guys around here with pit bulls are only thinking about how MEAN they are. I might even go so far as to say these "type" of owners are the majority, thats why we all have such a hard time convincing the masses that pit bulls aren't bad, that its the owners. so yes a lagit breeder will make a family dog but most the breeders (at least around here) aren't legit so we get abused, mean dogs.

[Guest Anonymous]

[quote name='deepseasnake'] Me and my girlfriend watched these guys kick the crap out of pups that were still breast feeding just to get the dogs to bite back. [/quote]

Oh my. What did you do?????? I would freak out.

[gooeydog]

It's not so much the instinct to bite, it's the instinct of [i]what[/i] to bite. Most pit bulls (even those of poor breeding), if let to their own devices, will not develop human aggression. There are thousands of pit bulls in shelters/rescues that have been neglected (some for months, or even years), but they have still not become human aggressive. What you said about the owner kicking the pups proves my point. Even with the "breeder" purposely trying to get "mean" dogs, he still has to beat them into fear biting in order for them to bite. Doesn't sound to me like those pups are particularly "mean". Any dog will bite if you beat it enough. It's how they survive.
There was a dog like that around here. His owners tied him in their backyard, the only attention he got was when they came out to "train" him, ie: kick him around the yard until he finally would yelp and nip at them. I called AC several times, and they said that unless the dog was harrassing someone or I could prove the abuse, they couldn't do anything. I even offered to buy the dog from the people, but they insisted that they were going to turn him into a fighter/guard dog. He would run away if someone approached by a person, but once he figured out they weren't going to hurt him, he would crawl up and lay beside them, practically begging to be petted. He ended up dying during the winter, I guess his fur was too short and he didn't have enough body fat to keep warm.

[Smooshie]

that is so sad :( . and it makes me furious that AC couldn't have at LEAST checked up on the dog to see what his living conditions were :evil: :evil: :evil:

[gooeydog]

They had the "minimal requirements"... a bucket of water (not that it was always full), they fed him (he was boney though, so I guess he didn't get much, or he had internal parasites), and there was a wooden box out there that they managed to pass off as shelter.

[deepseasnake]

ok goo I'll buy into it for now, but I still think they they have a genetic code for fighting, the pups I was talking about didn't even have their eyes open yet! you probably couldnt get a tazmanian devil to bite back that young, except out of fear. I'll tell you my real concern goo, these guys are screwing up these dogs and continued abuse like this, will lead to human agression, from birth. Than we wont even be able to have this conversation because there will be no debate!

just for the record I dont consider pit bulls a bad breed, I think they might be the most abused breed on this planet, but they are not bad.


gig,
do you remember a thread awhile back about how we all wanted to kill people who fought their dogs? and remember there was that guest that kept calling us hypocritic barbarians? well in that thread I talked about twice I got to act on my promise to never let dog fights go on with my knowledge. I told you about a kid that I took his dog from and said that there was another time, the kicked pups were "the other time" it would not be appropriate to tell you what exactly I [b]did[/b] :evil:. But the police agreed with it and I did not get into any legal trouble, and I never saw or heard of a dog there again. they moved a month later and I REALLY dont think they ever abused an animal again :wink:

[Smooshie]

<sigh> Apparently they need to RAISE their "minimal requirements" :x

well at least YOU tried,Gooey.... :-?

[Guest Anonymous]

Gooey, I wonder if AC would take a video recording of it happening? Hmmm...does anyone know?

Deep, the whole thing about human aggression....I'm sure I posted this before, but children that live around/with dog fights think it's OK and normal. Imagine them as adults! It's just NOT right. Not only are the poor, poor animals getting raised to fight and kill each other, but the children, possibly the ones taking care of us when we are all in nursing homes, are being raised that this is OK. Chills just ran down my spine and I'm covered in goosebumps.

Well GOOD FOR YOU! I'm glad you took action. I don't remember if you said what you did....but I'd like to know :wink: Just curious. You can always pm me if you want....HINT HINT

[Guest Anonymous]

[quote name='gigishiba']Gooey, I wonder if AC would take a video recording of it happening? Hmmm...does anyone know?

Deep, the whole thing about human aggression....I'm sure I posted this before, but children that live around/with dog fights think it's OK and normal. Imagine them as adults! It's just NOT right. Not only are the poor, poor animals getting raised to fight and kill each other, but the children, possibly the ones taking care of us when we are all in nursing homes, are being raised that this is OK. Chills just ran down my spine and I'm covered in goosebumps.

Well GOOD FOR YOU! I'm glad you took action. I don't remember if you said what you did....but I'd like to know :wink: Just curious. You can always pm me if you want....HINT HINT[/quote]

Sorry, not ALL kids feel that way, I'm sure....some of us were just born animal lovers.