The Akita, also referred to as the Akita Inu or the Japanese Akita, is a Japanese breed that is known for its bravery. This dog typically grows to about 24 to 28 inches and typically weighs between 75 and 110 pounds. Their coats come in a variety of colors from snow white to brindle. Their coats can also be a solid color or they can have a face mask. The temperament of the Akita is bold and brave. They are known for not being afraid of anything. Because of this they are great watch dogs and guard dogs. While this breed is aggressive they are very loyal and protective of their families. If you have a multi-pet family then you will want to raise the Akita with your other pets. They are generally aggressive towards small animals and people that they are not familiar with. They are a very intelligent breed that can learn quickly, however, it is important to start their training early and to remain consistent with rules and discipline throughout their life. 
To care for this breed you will need to brush them daily. They shed their coats two times a year. During their shedding periods you may want to pluck their coat to avoid matting and skin problems. This is a moderately active breed that will need daily exercise to stay healthy. Akitas are very intimidating large and burly dogs. They are tough but very beautiful to look at. An Akita in your household brings security but they require proper handling and socialization to make the best out of the breed.
Origin of the Akita
Akita, also called as Akita Inu or “The Great Japanese Dog”, is native to the Akita region in Japan. Primarily, Akitas were bred to be guard dogs then later became military and fighting dogs. They were also used in hunting. Nowadays, Japan considers the Akita their national dog. Japanese people even associate mystical powers to the breed. It supposedly the symbol and bringer of health to young children especially newborn babies. The first Akita in the western world was believed to be brought by Helen Keller to the United States.
Appearance and Abilities
Akitas are large breeds of dog. They have bear-like heads and they have dignified stances. They look very tough and powerful with a very substantial build. They may resemble wolves in appearance. Also, Akitas are heavy-boned and very sturdy. They look very imposing. A guard dog with very intimidating look and bearing. An Akita’s tail is plush and curls over his back exposing its anus. It has a thick double coat which comes in many colors including white, brindle or pinto.
Akita Temperament and Tendencies
Akitas are courageous and dignified. They are docile, strong silent type of dogs. They are always alert and genuinely territorial. Akitas are natural guard dogs. Akitas don’t mix well with other dogs and very wary and careful around strangers. But when inside the house with their owners, they are mild-mannered and affectionate. However, they need strong owners that they will consider their pack leader. Akitas tend to be on the aloof side. They can be dominant if not treated appropriately. On the positive note, Akitas are very devoted and loyal to their masters. They are dependable and will protect you and your properties to the death.
Training and Care of the Akita
The very first day the Akita steps into your home, training must begin. First and most vital thing you should do is to socialize the Akita. If they are not socialized extensively, they may become aggressive and very unwelcoming as adults. Training Akitas require patience, firmness, and consistency. They are naturally willful but respond very well to positive reinforcement. Never let the Akitas believe that they are above you. Dominant Akitas are terrifying and nearly impossible to train. Eat first before your Akita. Let him wait so he will get the idea that you are the top dog and that he has to wait for his turn. You must also train your dog to believe that he is below all the humans in your home especially the children in your house. If you are not quite sure about his dominance disposition, you have to supervise the dog when other people or animals are around. Akitas may bite if not socialized well. The coarse, stiff, short-haired coats will need significant grooming. Brush with a firm bristle brush, and bathe only when necessary as bathing removes the natural waterproofing of the coat. Akitas shed heavily twice a year. Perfectly trained and socialized Akitas are absolute wonders. They are dependable and loyal creatures.
66 Responses to “How to Train an Akita”
The website above is of my previous (female) Akita that died three weeks ago. I just brought in my home a 2yr old MALE Akita thats not neutered, His previous owner used a crate which he kept in the garage. The gentleman had a heart by pass and is moving to Canada so he asked if Id take his dog. Which I brought home last night. Ive never used a crate and I do not believe this dog likes a crate. In any event he has been very nice and gentle in my home, he slept on the floor next to my bed, no problem. He isnpected the house from top to bottom but has done no damage at all (so far), he does want to play. The ownere who had 3 cats told me the dog hates cats which means the dog was never in the house. He pulls very strongly on his leash, so looks like there was no trainning there either. He does not know sit, down commands but he come when I say “come here”. Not being neutered will make the dog aggressive and hard to handle though at this point he seems to be bonding and very affable with me. But in june when I go to visit family there are children and two cockers. Im concerned that though young he has not been properly trained and I havent tried yet but Im wondering what happens if I leave him alone in the house to say go to the grocers. My other Akita I got when she was 11 month old. I didnt have to train her she was amazingly smart ans social with everyone and all animals. I was very fortunate to get such a loving animal. This young dog is staying very close to me, no matter where I go in the house. He will come over, I pet him and eventually he lays down next to me and sleeps. But I wouldnt dare take him outside even my fenced back yard with him on a leash. I know patience and care a big factors. But Im concerned he is 2 yrs old, 100lbs and were I to leave a door open would likely bolt. My other dog would not go out even with the door open unless I called her. I want to do the right thing by this dog, I don’t think he was properly cared for though he is sweet and loving to me even in the 48 hrs Ive had him. But Im concerned nevertheless
Congratulations on adopting an akita. We are on our second pair, my husband’s third pair of these wonderful dogs.
Make no mistake, akita’s have a mind of their own. They are great family dogs, and every one is different. My last female was sweet but very neurotic, had terrible separation anxiety, and hated crates. My last male was calmer, fortunately more tolerant of his crazy companion, but subject to become a bit crazed like her around fireworks and strangers.
Akita’s are runners but not climbers. It takes lots and lots and lots of training to keep an akita from running. But they don’t scale fences or gates. They are not above digging under them to get out though.
My current male (who we rescued at 6 mos of age) is not a chewer or digger. He barks at everyone who walks by the front of our house behind a chain link fence and lets them know they need to keep moving along. My female on the other hand is content to lay in the driveway (also behind the chainlink fence) and watch him bark at passersby. However, if she decides she’s bored, she’s more than happy to dig a hole up to 2 feet deep just to pass the time. She doesn’t bury anything nor does she want to lay in it. She just wants to dig the hole.
My dogs sit, shake, and come when called (except the one time they got out of the yard because the gate was accidentally left open). My male is much more obedient that my female who loves to play catch me when its time to come in for a cookie.
I have leash trained them since they were puppies but at ages 3 and 4 years old, they still pull on the leash if they see another animal, (male freaks after other dogs, female shakes when she sees a cat because she wants it).
They’re loyal, affectionate, love to mouth your hands but have no interest in playing fetch. They’re not fond of other dogs or cats and shouldn’t be trusted around them unless raised with them.
If the dog is okay with the crate, then by all means crate him when you go to the market. Previously I left my female at home and she shredded my drapes and dug up every plant in the house because I didn’t take her with me. By all means get him neutered and watch him around children. Akitas are not as tolerant of kids pulling on them like labs or golden retrievers.
Akitas are usually wonderfully hardy dogs and live on average 10-12 years, some live much older. Be prepared for lots of hair once or twice a year when they blow fur. But they’re loyal, protective and once they decide you’re their owner, will always be close to you.
One last thing, my female (also rescued) had terrible plaque on her teeth. We cured it and keep it under control by giving them each a frozen raw chicken leg each morning. The raw bones don’t splinter, they love the chicken, and it does wonders for keeping tarter from building up on their teeth. My 3 1/2 year old male has sparkling white teeth and has only had to go to the vet for his shots, never to have his teeth cleaned.
I have 2 Akitas Keisha is now 4 and Yoshi is 2 I have given them lots of socialisation they love dogs but they
Get so excited playing with small dogs I am always afraid they will hurt them so mainly they play together.
I have recently had a behaviourist who has worked wonders with them,now they walk on a slack lead calmly
And no longer have to have their Headcollar on its a pleasure to walk them now.He has also had them
Walking along main roads with leads trailing behind them I have done it occasionally but I am a bit nervous
Of doing that and mainly I wanted to beable to walk my dogs without pulling be happy around other dogs and
Do what I say when I tell them what to do.This has been money well spent its priceless to not have a large
Akita drag you along the road.I am lucky my two have super temprements and love people.Keisha was an 8
Week old puppy we got from an animal sanctuary so has grown up being taught good manners but Yoshi was
An emergency rescue had been tied up,in the garden with a rope which had cut into his neck had no training
Was 10 months old but he is adorable a gentle giant so with lots of love and training he is a wonderful dog
And I just love my two Akitas they are both American Akitas wouldn,t have any other breed
I happen to have an Akita puppy, she’s about 5-6 months old and I got her 3 months ago. She was a drop-off who was rescued by a family friend and given to me as a Christmas present. Though she is a generally good dog inside the house, as soon as we walk out the door with her, all bets are off. We can train her to walk on the chain inside and she does perfectly, but when we go outside to train on the chain she goes crazy. She is almost impossible to work with outside, but I have to walk her every day. We have her trained for ‘sit’ and ‘lay’ and we’re working on ‘stay’ and she will normally come to me if I call her, but again, only in the house.
If you can help me, it would be most appreciated.
Thank you
What type of training are you doing? Is it treat training or other?
My first Akita was a an adult male guard dog very little training was chained up his whole life,everyone was scared of him him was very untrusting aggressive and bad tempered when I adopted him. I spent several months working with him which turned him into a friendly playful totally obedient dog. Akitas are smart as long as he knows your boss and you gain his trust training through positive reinforcement can work, my best way was to show him real affection, however at the minute I would not let him alone with kids. Worked for me best of luck
I adopted a male Akita in May of 2012 and it’s now almost September. I’ve always had dogs but never an Akita. He turned one on July 4th and is already well over 100 pounds. He’s beautiful and loyal. However, he has destroyed my entire home. I tried securing him in my bathroom while at work and he chewed the moldings off the doors, chewed my shower curtains and tissue. I tried crating him and he broke out of the cage. I tried chaining him to the crate, but he still broke out and dragged the cage around the house. I went and bought a chain to secure him to the fence and the pole in the basement while I’m away so he won’t destroy the furniture I have left. I also bought a choke chain to walk him. At first, I though this was cruel. But he’s so strong that he can slide out of any regular collar and I can’t control him when he gets anxious. THe choke chain allows me to be in control and it’s safe for both of us. You should never own an akita if you’re not familiar with this breed. He has a mind of his own and he’s very strong. I was so discouraged when I came home and he was sitting in the living room window even though I had left him in the crate. He is hard to secure and will destroy anything when left alone. He’s safe in my basement because he can’t chew threw the concrete walls and floor. I give him lots of toys, love and treats but he’s still a beast!!
NaJuan,
Both of the dogs I’ve had (one is an Akita), have been destructive. I’ve had my whole house destroyed as well, so I can empathize. When you see him chewing on things he shouldn’t be, remove him from it, say no and immediately give him something he CAN chew on. Then say “Good boy” and give him a treat. If you come back to something destroyed, immediately take the dog to it, make him sniff it/look at it/acknowledge it, say “NO” and give him a toy to chew on instead. Make sure you have lots of variety because they get bored easy. Get them running outside for 30-60 min, or until they’re tired. He should stay settled down for awhile. My dogs have a bone, ball, frisbee, pull toy, clean rag(tied in knots), and a squeaky toy, and the older one never chews on anything, and the puppy will grab her toys to chew on unless she can’t get to them. I’ve even resorted to bringing in a piece of a branch (just 1 foot long) inside. The Akita liked to chew on my wooden trim around the doors and wall corners, she hasn’t touched my walls since I gave her that piece of wood.
As for the “breaking free” and pulling things around. Our Rottie used to knock down or push over every barricade we used (yes even stacked livingroom furniture) The only way we could get her out of it was to tell her “NO”, take her back in/re-barricade. When she settled down and didn’t try to get out, we went in with praise and a treat. Make sure they have toys, food and water always! Be firm, be stubborn in what your telling them, and don’t give up. Every time they do it, the response needs to be the same.
I agree with you about the choke chain. I’ve used it with my dogs, and it works great especially when you have 120 pounds pulling on each arm! They don’t pull, because they don’t like the sensation!
If your dog is not neutered they are very hard to handle. It would be wise to have him neutered, you will notice he will settle down and be easier to teach. The Akita breed is a type that thrives on positive, calm vibes. If you’re sending negative, angry vibes, the dog will feel it and may listen, but he won’t respect you. When correcting, be calm but be stern. If they don’t listen the first time, give them a little nudge to show them what you want them to do. (ex. I tell the dog to get down. No response. I plant my hand on her chest and slowly but firmly repeat “down”.) When they listen, make sure you get excited like it’s the first time (even when the dog is old) and praise and reward with a treat. It’s not about physically commanding the dog. It’s about mentally commanding the dog. They have to know you, respect you, love you, and know you are boss. I hope this helps you
Hi all,
I have had an Akita/Pit bull mix now for 3 months. I believe he is approx 8 months old and he hasn’t been neutered, a gorgous looking thing lol.
I have been trying to train him and have been very successful with him with commands like sit, stay, lay down, come, but he only does this when he knows I have treats in my hands/pocket. When I feed him I make sure that he doesnt touch his food until i tell him “Go on then” lol which I think was quite an achievement. I always make him sit or give me his paw before I play with him or give him treats etc but some advice would be appreciated on how to start removing the treats from the training program.
One other thing, when I take him out for a walk I constantly have to stop walking and making him sit as he always pulls and goes off to sniff walls and trees.. When another dog comes into his sight he gets very excited (I believe this to be excitement as I have seen other dogs showing the same postures etc) and starts to try and pull me to the other dog whining. Once this happens he loses all focus on me and no matter what I do I cannot get his attention. I have tried making him sit and stand in front of him, turn him around so that the dog is no longer in view but to no avail. he will just constantly try and get a view of the dog and to get to it (as stated before seems excited but I do know that an Akita will not generally show aggression to the very last second).
cheers
To be honest, this is the reason I never use treats as the means for training. The dog comes to expect it and your training isn’t real.
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I use small treats for trainig initially, then slowly phase them out and eventually only give them randomly then not at all. When used in conjunction with a lot of praise, most dogs will start accepting the praise in lieu of the treat
I had an Akita/Husky/Pitt mix and the behavior your describing sounds very similar to how my dog behaved around other dogs. Mine acted the same way whenever he saw another dog and it was because he wanted to play. If you want to try and lessen his response to seeing another dog training will not help you. you need to desensitize him to seeing dogs. Trying to redirect his focus onto a treat would help if he was showing fear or negative reactions to other dogs because it creates a conditioned positive response to seeing the dog. In your case, you want to make other dogs common place and remove that excitement. If you have friends who have dogs try introducing them in a controlled manor. make sure to only introduce him to dogs who are friendly toward other dogs and aren’t aggressive. the key is to make every experience positive. keep both dogs on the leash during the entire introduction. first time introductions should always be in a neutral controlled environment, that helps remove the chance of territorial aggression from either dog. keep a close eye for any signs of aggression or anxiety. hair raised or teeth bared is a bad sign, but barking, playful growling or grunting, pawing, or sniffing are all good. try introducing them on a walk in a park and keep them together for as long as both dogs are happy. if either dog yelps, cries, or becomes aggressive immediately separate them until they calm down. your dog will probably always show interest in other dogs, but if you create positive interaction the chance of an aggressive or negative event will decrease.
if you feel that the problem is more with your dog getting distracted or loosing focus on a walk there are 2 things you can train your dog to do that can help. first teach them to heal. you will need to train your dog to do this on one side of your body. switching it up will only confuse them. start teaching this in the home and gradually work your way to doing it outside. add distractions. have someone hold a toy or make a noise but keep your dog’s focus on you. this will help with impulse control. remember positive experiences. set it up for your dog to succeed. if you start to see them break attention give them the command again and if they stay in heal then give them a reward. the last thing you can do is to stop. every time you feel the leash pull stop. stand in that exact position until your dog returns to you. at that point continue. don’t pay them any attention until they return to your side. they want your attention and they want the walk to continue. this is called a “life reward”. combining these two techniques to teach your dog to heal the moment they feel the leash pull will require a lot of work, but can help you in the long run.
with that all said, i think that what you’re experiencing is normal behavior and it’s something you’re going to have to learn to deal with. If these behaviors are a problem for you (causing you to have back/leg pain after walking; loosing grip of leash; complaints from neighbors) then try a different harness or leash. there are a variety of harnesses and leashes that are designed to help prevent pulling. The “gentle leader” gave me the best control over my dog’s puling and he did eventually learn not to pull against it in most situations.
i have just recently successfully introduced my brother in law to my akita max after a couple of months of being aggressive toward ivan max has began to accept him into the family he allows ivan to put the leash on and walk him now! however on monday night i went with ivan and max for a walk, allowing ivan control over the leash, we approached a busy road where we had to wait for a break in traffic to cross over…i saw a woman of around 20yrs old walking toward us from the blind side! upon hearing max growling and snarling like a bear i turned to see why and saw he had the woman by her arm, immediately i reacted by grabbing max by his head to force release and as i did he switched to my hand tearing it open ! after 3-4 secs he let go but continued to growl at the woman who was un injured. I am now unsure what should be done, part of me thinks i should have him destroyed and part wants to keep him! he has shown no aggression to me from it happened although his temperament has changed slightly.
Wow, that is an unbelievably large problem. Where do you live? You likely need some serious intervention from someone who has worked through these kind of problems before.
I plan on getting an Akita next fall, as I am going to be living as a lone college student. Seeing as how my father doesn’t trust me with guns, tasers, or pepperspray (he thinks I’ll end up aiming the wrong way.. how?) I want a guard dog/sort of somewhat a guide dog (I have night blindness). But some of the comments on here are drastically different than what I’ve read about them. For example, the barking. On different sites, it said they were generally quiet and only barked when it was something serious. Or would I need to train one for that, too? On top of that, I also plan on getting a Papillon (the last one I had was a pocket-sized guard dog of her own- but I wouldn’t want my next one to be like that). So should I get them both as puppies at the same time? Or would it be better to have the Papillon first so that when I get an Akita it knows that the Papillon was there first, so he shouldn’t eat/attack it? I was also wondering if it was possible to train them to not be destructive while you’re not there (I mean, of course, right?!), because I figure a guard dog would have to have freedom within the area he’s guarding…
If you haven’t had experience with larger, dominant dogs I might push you away from the Akita and towards a German Shepherd, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, or other dog like that.
PLEASE take Ty’s advice and really THINK before getting an Akita. They are not dogs for everyone! I have been working with, treating and training many types of dogs for the last 15 years (I work in a veterinary hospital) and am just now considering getting my first Akia pup after much research and thought. Please go visit some breeders and spend time with these wonderful dogs, ask tons of questions and KEEP READING. Good luck to you in your decision!
My Aki-ko is 21 months old. I have had him since he was 4 months. Got him from a breeder so I am his first owner. He is a wonderful dog and has been a dream to train except for his strong displays of aggression toward other large dogs. He is fine with dogs who are smaller and that he doesn’t perceive as a threat but just an animal when another large dog is in proximity. I live in a city. He has a large fenced yard and we go for walks daily. I’m a fairly strong female but now 59 years old and I want him to be better trained so we can enjoy our lives together. When I walk him and he sees another large dog, he becomes ferocious. I have learned to be diligent the hard way - he has pulled me to the ground. I adore this companion so any advice would be appreciated. I am thinking of trying to find a trainer who has experience with Akitas and will probably have to go out of town for that which I’m willing to do.
In our aggression formula (you can find free tutorials on this site plus a set of DVDs) when we work with dogs with aggression issues we first focus on stellar obedience. That is where you need to begin, in my opinion. If he was superb at leash walking he wouldn’t be able to act out on walks when he sees large dogs.
My boyfriend and i decided to move in together and he has a 3 year old akita who wasnt trained properly. He is bigger than me (akita) i am 110 pounds 5 foot tall. He is a good guard dog barks at new comers at front door. Ive started to feed him instead of my bf for him to get used to me and i also started taking him for walks in mrning for a hour and he is sooooo obiedient but at home when my bf is around he licks me and jumps on me and crosses his front paws ( a hugging looking gesture) and it is hurtful and his weight nearly makes me fall over my bf tells me to hit akita on the head but im scared he will use more force knowing im smaller than him. I am willing to put in the time and effort to train him and for us all the live happily together. I need advice from any previous owners please.
I would keep a leash on this dog at all times for the next little bit. When he jumps on you he needs to be corrected, when he takes other liberties with you that is where the leash comes in to correct that.
You’ve also acknowledged that he hasn’t been trained properly. It’s time to start working on core training; make sure he’s walking properly on the leash, make sure he comes when called, make sure he stays when told, etc.
Good luck.
I have a 3 year old Akita male who is bigger than me. I’ve had to yell at the top of my lungs twice when he accidently knocked me over but show him that I was clearly not going to hit him before he “got it” and now he’s much better about paying attention to how he’s effecting me when he gets excited. I’ve had recent problems with him in terms of him being willing to go for walks with me. He loves me clearly but he’s head strong and Dad (my husband) is clearly who he thinks is truly dominant in the family. But when Dad is out of town, he gets depressed or odd and this latest round of not wanting to go out walking with me even when I know he’s gotta go, is his latest “phase” or whatever you want to call it. Akitas are not easy dogs to care for. I had a 60 pound chow before this Akita and he was incredibly easy to care for. More like a cat. I left food out and he’d regulate himself, smart smart dog and he trained me more than I trained him. This Akita has been a lot more work for me.
That’s funny, I always refer to Chows as cats as well. Many of them are more calm, easier to house train, etc.
Jennifer - I am in a similar situation as you, I’m the same size and height and our Akita does almost the same thing sometimes when we are at home. We are trying to establish that while my bf is the Alpha, I am NOT beneath Sake (our dog). So when he acts up, my big lets me correct him to show that I too have dominance over him. It takes a. LOT of patience and time, but you’ll get there!
this is going to sound very difficult to do, but it is the quickest way to teach a dog not to jump on you. Don’t give him attention unless all four paws are on the ground. he is jumping on you because he wants attention, and if you push him down or tell him to stop you are giving him just that, attention. ignore him if he comes to meet you at the door or if he jumps on you until all 4 paws are on the floor. i trained my akita to sit and wait for me to acknowledge him. if he starts to jump or remove 2 legs from the floor immediately stop paying attention to him. if necessary leave the room. then when all 4 paws are down again you can pet him and play with him. NEVER hit him to get him off you. remember his goal is attention, not affection. if you start to show hit him, he will do more behaviors that will get him in trouble for attention. if you hit him he may start to associate the excitement of seeing you with pain, in which case he may become hostile toward you. whatever you put into your dog is what you will get out of him.
My boyfriend and I have an all white Akita named Sake who is 7 months old. Sake is an amazing dog and a great protector, and yes, we have had problems with him tearing up our carpet twice. He has learned how to manage to get out of his kennel which is pretty strong in the first place, and that’s when he escaped and tore up our carpet while we were at work. However, we started leaving him on his own with a small treat in his Kong AND his favorite toy and he is an angel! No more carpet tear ups. I believe showing him that we trust him helped a LOT. My only concern is that sometimes he gets too excited and friendly when he sees little kids. The breeder we adopted him from had little kids so I’m sure he learned to love them, but he is so big now and of course doesn’t realize how strong he is. The same happens with other dogs… this is my first Akita and my boyfriend’s second, and we both have never seen such a friendly Akita like ours. Anyone else experience this? Before we adopted him I did plenty of research and was prepping for a dog who wouldn’t get along with other dogs, but my Sake seems to love everyone!
I was warned extensively before I adopted my Akita from the local pound, she was 4 months old at the time. I also have a great dane x and often take her to the dog beach and to training. Everyone told me not to get Meko (my akita) as I wouldn’t be able to trust her off lead or walking or with kids and definitely not with other dogs. She is now 1.5 years and the most even tempered and well behaved dog. I love her to bits. I have no issue with letting her off lead & she plays perfectly with any size & breed of dog she comes across. She is super protective, but only when I’m threatened which is exactly what I want. She is very much my dog! I have too keep my Dane on lead more often than her - complete opposite to what all my research told me!
You are so looky, congratulations, when the dog needs to show his courage he will do it. i have 5 akitas 4 males 1 female, , 1 male is like yours an the female too. they are the best.
hi 2 days ago i rcently got a baby girl akita she is 8 weeks old, all i need is guidence as its the 1st dog ive ever had, ive been reading up on them and it seems can be agressive sometimes, but im going to show whoa the boss and willing to give her all the training she needs and ive already introduced her to kids, ive got 2 cats to but within the next 4 weeks once had jabs and injections going to introduce her to them and hopefully everything will be okay . please if any 1 wants to guide me please do as my 1st girl akita
I’m not an Akita “expert” - have 1 6 yr old female since a pup - but one thing we regret is not getting a second dog when she was a puppy because she shows aggression towards other dogs and now we are just too nervous to get a second dog. If we were able to be home more it might be different but we just can’t monitor her enough to feel comfortable.
Also mine has just started exhibiting bad behavior like digging out of the fence and destroying molding and doors in my house when there are fireworks - I would incorporate desensitization to noise training some how while your’s is still young - I know that this is a problem for many people regardless of breed, but because of the Akita’s temprament and size they can do a lot of damage when they get older.
But over all they are fantastic dogs when they know they are not the boss (mine still challenges that by sneaking onto the beds and couch when we aren’t home or go to bed - but that is the extent of it).
Best of luck!
Hi -
Looking for some advice for my 6 1/2 yr old Akita Jordan - overall she has been a fantastic dog - we got her at 8 weeks and trained her from the beginning - she’s VERY smart and loves people - never shown inappropriate aggression to anyone - she used to pull lot on walks and try to run after other animals but now listens to our commands - the problem we have is that she is terrified of fireworks (which go off randomly throughout the year in our neighborhood making it impossible to plan for) to the point where when she’s home alone she eats through doors, molding, the fence etc… she doesn’t do this when we are home so it makes it really hard to discipline her. She also last year discovered digging out of the fence and eatting through the fence to get out (she now just does this randomly, not necessarily triggered by fireworks). We’ve never crated her and now I’m worried that she will be one of these dogs that crews out and damages her mouth considering what she had eaten through before. Also we got an invisible fence that seems to have cut down on the escaping but when she’s determined she just endures the shocks and gets out anyways. When she gets out and people find her they always say how sweet she is, but we have one neighbor that is just nasty and I’m afraid she’s going to call animal control. These situations come up a few times a month so not even daily or weekly, but frustraing non the less when your house is getting destroyed. She really is a wonderful dog and after reading some of the above posts I realize how good we have it, but if there is any advice for these “new” behaviors that she has aquired I would be very greatful.
to me this sounds like anxiety. Fear of Fireworks is common with dogs. One of my dogs could not be left alone when fireworks went off and if one went off randomly i would have a dog hiding in my lap for the next half an hour until she calmed down. try to think about the days that have had incidences. If you can write down the time you leave and the time you return each day. also write down the number of times you’ve entered and exited the home and who was with you. it may not necessarily be new behaviors, rather old behaviors that have gotten more severe. Akitas are a bread that are more prone to neurotic behaviors and anxieties so any changes in your routine may be the cause. these can be vary minor in your mind (like leaving home 4 times in a day instead of 2 or a shift from a sunny day to rain and thunder). If you can log each days activities for both of you over a month or two you may start to see a pattern. if your dog is chewing or breaking things get chew toys that are designed to allow for constructive chewing and ONLY give her these special toys when you are not home. the moment you get home take it away. this creates a pattern “im leaving, but you know i’m coming back to take this toy away” and 2 it gives them something novel to focus on when you’re not home.
you may also want to try a thunder jacket. a thunder jacket mimics a hug and helps your dog feel snug and comforted. Some dogs respond wonderfully to these and do not need any other intervention. My dogs all have loved thunder jackets and as long as they are snug and fit properly can work wonders. as long as your dog is willing to wear it and not rip it up this is a very good option to try.
if none of this helps and you still have increased problems seeing a behaviorist may help. a typical behaviorist visit will consist of a behavioral analysis conducted by a trained animal behaviorist and vet medical work up to rule out any type of disease or physical ailment. these cost a little more then your normal vet visit, but if done with a well trained behaviorist are well worth the money. at the end of the visit you should receive a behavioral modification plan and the vet may suggest a mood stabilizing or anti-anxiety medication such as an SSRI to help with the initial treatment, but most dogs do not stay on these medications their whole life, and many who do need them long term only receive them on an as needed basis during expected high anxiety periods.
Hi I have a American akita/staff he has always been grill in house when I am in he is 5mth old but recently while I have been salmon him he has been aggressive to other dogs and people when he is in the house he is the most abidiant dog can u help please
Sorry while walking him
I have a 15 month dominant female Akita and an 11 month submissive male akita. I had my female since she was 3 1/2 months old and my male since he was 6 months. Once my female was fully vaccinated I took her to dog park daily where she interacted very well with other dogs and their owners. However, over the last month or so she has become aggressive toward other female dogs only. My male is great and does well with dogs of any sex. I’m not sure if her age has anything to do with it but I’m concerned about this sudden aggression towrad female dogs.
I’ve found that a great deal of the dog aggression I work with can be directly traced to dog parks. Dog parks often overwhelm and frighten, even when owners aren’t even noticing it. Dog parks are often full of dogs that are playing inappropriately, without proper boundaries, and without the control of owners. This type of environment leads to a great deal of aggressive behavior.
She is getting adult , not a puppy any more.
We have a 6 month old girl Akita. I have read about the Akita’s being willful and difficult to train and I think that is true. She seems to respond well to lots of positive reinforcement, whereas when she’s being punished she just gets out of control and unmanageably excited for several minutes. I think she is highly intelligent, she knows when she’s in trouble and she knows when she’s been good, and is being praised. Biggest problem is our cats, she has not accepted them and chases them every chance she gets. They pretty much live upstairs - where she is not allowed - unless she is in her crate. We have to crate her so we can feed the cats. I wonder if this could still change, hopefully it’s not a permanent situation.
before addressing this, ask yourself this. is she going after the cats playfully or aggressively? if she is aggressive towards the cats then you may need to take some steps to try and correct the behavior. if she is chasing them because she wants to play then making her stop can make things worse. make sure you understand the difference.
some akitas will never like cats, plain and simple. there are a few steps you can take though to try and introduce the cats into her environment. First, place the cats inside a cage in a room and put her on a leash. keep her on a leash the entire time. allow her to sniff outside the door. as long as she remains calm the experience can continue. after she stops sniffing and does not pay attention to the cats allow her to enter the room. keep the cats in the cage and allow her to sniff the room and the cage. if at any point teeth are bared, hair is raised, or any other signs of aggression leave the room, redirect, and start again. once she does not show any interest in the cats exit the room. repeat this multiple times until you are almost immediately seeing no reaction from her. then switch it up. place her in a cage and allow the cats to sniff around. the cats need to be comfortable with her as well. after multiple repeated trials of this it is time to introduce them. still keeping the dog on a leash allow her to sniff the same room with the cats in it, and then in the cage as before, but once she is comfortable open the cage and allow the cats to exit when they are comfortable. do not make them leave it. keep her on the leash, and at any sign of aggression from either of them be ready to separate the two. playing is good and should be allowed. this trial will also need to be repeated multiple times. after a while you can start to allow the cats into her environment, but keep the leash on her at all times when they are out. that way if she gets too aggressive with them you can grab her easier. having an escape route for the cats is also helpful. this can simply be a gate that they can get over and she cannot. that way if they feel threatened by her they can exit the room. NEVER leave them unattended during this period.
it is important to remember that some dogs will never like cats no matter what we do. this is the technique that i have found to work best in introducing dogs to cats, but there is no guaranteed way to make them like each other, especially since akita’s are more akin to hunting then (for instance) a pomeranian would be.
i had a cat living with an akita, (drago) they were good friends, they used to eat in the same place( first the cat, after dog) ( the cat eats dogs food) they lived together for 2 years, the cat showed sometimes to be agressive to drago. until one day i got home and i found the cat dead, i didnt know what happen but drago killed his friend. so be really careful about what will you do.
good look
hi I am about to purchase an akita in a weeks time, I plan on keeping him in the basement for the first two months and then moving him outside in the kennel, I would rally appreciate it if someone could tell me if this is a good idea or not.
Personally I don’t see the point in having a dog if he lives in a kennel outside.
I am the proud owner of an akita who has gone to Dog Heaven……however he was kept in basement as a puppy and then outside these dogs are really an outside dog don’t like to be closed in and a kennel is nice however they should only be in kennel if u have company in your yard……. I am in search of a breeder for an Akita puppy….I want the Sire of the litter so he has to be ready for a great owner…lol
My Akita is sort of defective. It says here they don’t mix well with other dogs. My Akita is a male. He lives with my male German Shepherd dog. If my male German Shepherd dog, who has some medical issues, even has to go to the vet for half an hour, the Akita will panic and get really upset. He howls and paces the whole time the German Shepherd is away at the vet. They love each other and go everywhere with each other. They spend all day together, go to daycare together where they play with lots other dogs and also each other, and they also sleep together at night. The Akita is not dog aggressive at all and never has been. He is wary of strange humans however. I would never leave him tied up outside unattended. He looks like a big teddy bear and people just want to pet him, but I wouldn’t trust him not to bite them out of fear aggression. The German Shepherd can be aggressive towards other large males, but I suspect this may actually be due to his health issues. I leave him tied up outside convenience stores with no concerns whatsoever though, and come out and find children stroking him. He’s fine with people.
Also, my Akita only knows three commands, and no matter how hard I try I can’t seem to teach him any new ones. He knows Sit, Down and Wait. He can’t seem to learn any more commands than this. I was under the impression that Akitas are quite smart. I don’t think it is my training methods, either, because my German Shepherd knows Sit, Down, Wait, Come, Stay, Heel, Roll Over and Play Dead.
If your dog doesn’t learn more than three commands, it’s definitely something you are doing or not doing.
https://www.dogbehavioronline.com/oh-yes-its-most-definitely-you/
im bout to get a new female akita..im sure i can handle the dog aswell as train it. but my question is do you think she can live in a high-rise as long as i get her out for walks and exercise..
hey, thinking about getting a female American akita pup around Christmas time… I have a son who will be 13 months at the time I will get the pup. I have a large garden and the akita would be an indoor dog ( walked twice a day for an hour and let out as much as needed of course) I have a large house so it wont be cooped up.. I am willing to put in as much training as needed and so is my partner… I love this breed of dog… but is it wise to get one with my son, hes very well behaved but im worried the dog will snap and bite him I don’t want to put my son at risk… anyone who got an akita with toddlers please help
I would recommend Akitas to experienced dog owners. Have you had large, powerful dogs before?
When I decided to get a dog my first choice was a large bread dog. A german shepherd was my first choice till I saw a wonderful akita that was 3 months old very beautiful grey and white coat with a black mask face. When I read about akitas apparently all the info said that an akita needs an experienced owner, I am far from experienced with big breed dogs but I fell in love with this akita and got it. My akita is very smart but extremely loyal to me that he wouldnt walk with anyone if I am standing behind he would pull the leash and come behind my leg and not walk unless I do. He is 9 months now and I got him nurtured but that has not calmed him down he destroyed my furniture so now when i am at work I keep him in a separate room with all his toys. He is very aggressive toward other dogs he has attacked two dogs but luckily they were ok I tried socializing him since he was a puppy but he would not allow any dog to come near me since he was 3. Akitas need a lot of attention and training mine learned how to sit say hello with his paw and bark when I say hello at the age of 3 months, very smart dog . I do love akitas and I dont believe what they say about not getting an akita as a first pet… oow ya one more thing an akita will pick up and copy your behaviour if you are calm then they are calm well at least this is how my akita is.
You don’t have a loyal dog. You have a dog suffering from anxiety and a lack of leadership and a need of crate training. This is the reason why many people say Akitas need experienced owners.
I will be looking after my friends female american akita (1 year old) while he is away on holiday. She stays in a crate, and gets little exercise. (once a day 30-45 minutes). she jumps and nips a lot. I met the dog for the first time and it constantly was jumping. it is naturally very excited once it comes out its crate because it knows it will be going out. please may i have some advise as to how i should approach this situation.
thanks
I would use a leash and training collar to correct the dog when she jumps and nips.
My 2yr old Akita will not nor has she ever been for a walk
Have tried many diff techniques with no success
Please help me
Hi Paula, you haven’t really given any details on the problem so there really isn’t a whole lot of advice to give?
Ok I have a female Akita who is about 2yrs old now
We bought her as a puppy and she lives out the back with
Our kelpie cross male who is a lot older. When we first got
Her we took her for her first walk but we only got
5mins from home wen she freaked out and wouldn’t
Move so I had to carry her home since then I have tried
Many different techniques to try to get her to go
For walks incl the blocking method, attaching her leash
To our older dogs lead,I’ve also tried to let her
Go at her own pace as well as night time walking. Every time
We try we have no real progress and have only managed to get her
As far as our verge if we’re lucky. What can we do?
I feel so guilty crating my 17 week old American akita, she doesn’t seem to mind it but its up to 6 hours a day sometimes will she be ok? Someone put my mind at rest please
There’s nothing wrong with crate training. Try not to put your own emotions into it. You think about things way differently than your dog.
i just got a 7yr old akita on 11/10/13 for my bday i adopted him from work “the shelter” hes veryy beautiful, he sits lays down and rolls over when asked, hes amazing with my niece shows knoow sine of aggressive yet, he pulls on the leash a little bit but is starting to not be as bad, did some research and it said that they are guard dogs, so im just wondering if someone he didnt know came into the house with out me here would he attack? and how hard would it be to train him to be a very loyal guard dog as in people like if i told him a command to attack? just wondering incase oneday someone tryed to do something cause people are crazy where i live,.. oh he didnt like the crate so he sleep in the bed with me didnt mess in the house or tear up anything,.. how hard would it be to train him new things where he is a older dog? he loves tv as well turn on tv and his face is in the screen haha
I got Sako when she was 8 weeks old from a breeder. We went through everything together, including a highly abusive relationship that lasted one year (from her age of 4 months-1.25 years). She and I escaped said relationship when I found out I was pregnant. She was with me another 2 years before my new apartment wouldn’t let me keep her, so I found someone to take her until I found a new home. She was my first dog but she knew and followed my every command and was an angel with my baby. Shortly after I got married and moved somewhere I could have her (and have another baby) the people who had her contacted me and told me that their other Akita had attacked her while their 3 year old was playing with them. Sako hit the ground not moving, and took the other dogs full attention, until the baby escaped then tore into the other dog. Long long story short, they brought her back and I am THRILLED my first baby is home. (I’ve shared her history because I know it affects her present) She has attached herself to our 7 month old girl and LOVES our 3 year old boy. Our only problem is that she doesn’t listen as well now. She acknowledges my dominance and obeys me most of the time, sits, stays (temporarily now), lays down, etc but now pulls on the leash. It is actually easier to walk her off her leash because she always comes when I call her and never allows me out of her site. My husband on the other hand, although she has bonded with him and her “spot” is on the couch, head on his knee and baby on her other side, is unable to control her. He’s very frustrated because he normally has no problem with any dog he comes in contact with, but Sako just flat ignores him and sits down in front of me giving me a look that basically says “Mom, what do YOU want me to do?” We are at a total loss. What do we need to do?
You say that he can’t control her. What has he done in order to get obedience from her?
This is my third akita. they can be ahandfull but I only get them after someone else can,t handle them. They are a great dog, but you have to be on top of them all of the time. Give them lots of attention and most will love you and yours.
I have a male American akita who i brought to my house when he was only 6 weeks. Needless to say that he is the best of character. Regarding dominance issues that we have in the dogs’ park, with some other male dogs, I have found an excellent way to avoid fights: to distract him!!i never have him on leash when we go to the park since I noticed he becomes even more agressive when he sees other dogs and he is on the leash. Instead, when he is free, even if he approaches a male dog and it seems there will be fight, I always distract him by asking him to check if some of his other friends came to the park! and it works every time!
What my real problem is now, is that I just adopted a Japanese female akita from the shelter, who is approximately 5 years old. Even though she looks fragile and petite (she is only 24 kg!), she is absolutely fearless. She has picked a fight with almost all dogs in the park (small and big) and her last big fight was with a huge male Great Dane mix dog…She just wouldn’t let go of him and she did manage to bite him on his back.He could have killed her but fortunately she got away with some scratches on the ear..I am very concerned of this behaviour since it seems she does not realize that she is smaller than other dogs which may be deadly for her at the next big fight. From now on I will always have her on leash when in the park but I am wondering, how can I train her so she stops being so dominant against all dogs that she meets? She is 100 times more dominant than my male akita who is male and 50kg! I realize that I did not raise her from puppy and most probable she had a bad life before we adopted her, but this dominant behaviour which leads to such unpredictable and ugly fights, is really not acceptable.
Also, please note that she gets along very good with my male akita. In the beginning they were playing a lot but now they are more relaxed and just lay next to each other and sleep.
And also, she was diagnosed with epilepsy and she is on pills to control her seizures. Please note that she is also excellent character in the house where she seems to realize that we and the male akita will not tolerate her dominance.
What are your comments for her behaviour? How can I show her that she does not need to be dominant with every single dog she meets????
A few things:
1- Don’t go to dog parks. She’s obviously not happy there and it isn’t good for her. You also don’t have the control over her that you need in order to be in public right now.
2- Obedience, obedience, obedience. This is the foundation and the bedrock of fixing this issue.
Best of luck
I have had my Akita, max, for 4 days. I have no experience of the Akita but I have experience of German shepherds and of rehoming a highly aggressive Douge de Bordeaux (took 2 months to sort her out I think that’s impressive)
Max is 11 months old and was never walked by his previous owners, he was great with their cats. I was told he was highly aggressive towards other dogs, especially males. The previous family had 4 kids and he was good with them, I have a 6 year old girl and max adores her!
When we got max he was friendly, house trained and could sit (but only for treats). First day I took him to the park to socialise him with other dogs. The first dog we came across was an in neutered male, he was highly aggressive until I grabbed him and pinned him to the ground, since then we walk twice a day 4-6 miles each time we see many, many dogs and he hasn’t been aggressive to any of them, in fact it’s always quite the opposite! He is very playful and likes to bound about with the other dogs Some times it is too much for the other dog (he seems to play best with young collies and young boxers) if he gets over playful I grab his harness and take him away from his play time, since doing this his socialisation skills and his play skills with other dogs is 20x better!
At home he already firmly knows his place, he doesn’t destroy the house if I go out. He used to only do things for treats, I have now brung him round to doing things purely because I have asked him too. I never reward him carrying out a command with treats, only with affection. He has been taught he is not aloud on sofas or in bedrooms at any time and never even tries too. We make sure that we sit to have our dinner first and he is to sit on his bed or in the conservatory while we eat, after he has to wait 10 minutes till I put his food down, I will only put his food down when he is calm and sits. I never ask for his paw he must sit and wait calmly, he waits till I leave to take his food .
All in he is a very, very quick learner. I will be starting off the lead training very soon, first though to over come his poor attention while other dogs are around. I have been lucky to get such a great dog, it helps my ex militaryness in my voice, I am very dominant myself and very assertive this really helps with max because he knows what is acceptable and where his place is
I got my very first akita, Denali, last summer at 10 weeks old. His parents both had marvelous temperaments, which was important to me when I looked for a breeder.
Denali, luckily, has his dad’s personality. He’s not at all dog aggressive(we have doggy play dates all the time. His best buds are a little female husky and a big male coonhound), loves people and little kids, and is overall, a goofball without an aggressive bone in his body. He’s not dominant with me and I don’t have any trouble controlling him on walks, though I’ve always struggled with whether or not he respects me. I feel like if he respected me, he would obey better, but he is also 10 months old and starting to go through his teenage phase, so I don’t know if I can attribute his behavior to that.
He is undeniably stubborn. While we work constantly on obedience, it is hit and miss to get him to obey a command the first time I say it, without any guidance/correction, and he knows perfectly well what I want. “Compelled in all things” comes to mind. Since he has recently embraced adolescence so whole-heartedly, he’s been at both ends of the spectrum- essentially flipping me the bird when I ask him to do something(he is able to shake his head, almost like an upset horse, when he doesn’t want to do something), to actually looking to me for instruction and obeying fairly quickly.
The one thing I’m afraid I’ll never trust him with is an off-leash recall. We work with an e collar, and he’s great with it, but when the batteries run out, or the collar is not on, he knows it. Not for a sirloin steak would this kid come back to me if he had the chance to sniff that bush over there instead, so I’m very cautious about where I let him off.
As far as temperament goes, I have no issues with my buddy. Denali is bomb proof. Obedience-wise however… I don’t know what to think.
I would get a different e-collar. The kind that have batteries that run out are low quality and often don’t make the right connections.
As far as first command obedience what you need is:
- Give one free command
- if the dog obeys, praise
- If the dog disobeys repeat the command with a proper correction until the dog obeys
- Praise