Akita, Family Pet?

therewillbe · 19-02-2010 1:48pm #1

Hi, I am looking into the Japaneese Akita as a Family pet.I have read pieces about them but want first hand information about them and young Children.I have had Rotties and am used to the larger Dog.Thanks for your replies in advance.

you*ess*bee · 19-02-2010 7:39pm

When I was younger we had a Japanese Spitz, which is a miniature version of the Akita. She was the most gentle, and loving dog we have ever had. Plus she was highly intelligent, and trained very easily. She lived a good long life, with no major health problems.

Hope this helps

fatmammycat · 19-02-2010 8:35pm

I only know of one person who owns one, so this is hardly a breed review, but her dog is large, loyal, intelligent, easily bored, excellent with HER children, excellent with her and her husband and EXTREMELY watchful and wary of strangers. He is well socialised which is very important, but even then his 'guard' tendency is high. He also needs a fair bit of exercise and because of the law now has to wear a muzzle when out, even though he has never shown any inclination to bite.
He is aggressive towards other male dogs and is rather strong, but he is quiet in the house and would probably follow her nine year old son across hot coals if the boy asked him. He sleeps in the child's room at night and has seemingly worked out what time the boy returns from school during the day because the woman says no matter where he is in the property he goes to the front door about ten minutes before the lad arrives home. I can't say if they would be suited to a family with very small children as they are a bit excitable, but if you're used to large dogs I can't imagine you would have any trouble. (Rotties are pretty stranger wary and strong anyway, as far as I know)

therewillbe · 20-02-2010 12:08am

Thanks for that ,Yes I dont have a problem with them being large etc etc. I have a five year old and a little one due anytime soon and am thinking of getting the dog asap to be part of the latest addition.I never had problems with the rotts and they were well socialised with children .I am trying to get a feel for the Akita from owners as the books dont really tell it as it is. Thanks again

Magenta · 20-02-2010 12:48am

you*ess*bee wrote: »

When I was younger we had a Japanese Spitz, which is a miniature version of the Akita. She was the most gentle, and loving dog we have ever had. Plus she was highly intelligent, and trained very easily. She lived a good long life, with no major health problems.

Hope this helps

They are two completely different breeds though. The Japanese Spitz is a small dog bred for companionship. It is a relatively new breed- created in the early 1900s. The Akita is a large dog and is bred and used for guarding, hunting and police work, and has been around for centuries.

fatmammycat · 20-02-2010 12:51am

No probs, they seem to be fine dogs, her dog is lovely. But not the sort of dog for the first time owner. But as you say you have experience with large guarding breeds, so I cannot imagine you might have a problem. I do like how loyal the dog is with her son. Good luck no matter what breed you choose. FMC

EDIT, I mentioned he is good with her children as a salient point, as he does NOT like other children over playing. He finds it rather stressful if other kids are running around and/or 'bashing into' her son, what you and I might consider normal rough and tumble. Because of this he needs to be shut in when other kids visit- which of course annoys him, but the owner is right not to take any risk. Again, good luck, lovely dogs, but a lot of initial work and again I should say what I say is not a breed overall, just one dog.

andreac · 20-02-2010 12:39pm

I would be inclined to hold off until the new addition is a little older. A new baby into the house can be a very big thing and if you have a pup around too you might not have time for it and be able to put in all the necessary time for training and socialisation.

As a rottie owner i spent a huge amount of time at training classes and socialisation with him but it paid off and i have a fab dog now with a great temperament but it took up a lot of my time.

So i would advise waiting until your new baby is a little older before getting such a big breed that needs a lot of time from day one.

marley007 · 20-02-2010 2:30pm

Hey, I have an Akita myself and to be quiet honest i probably wouldnt bring one into a home with children their a great pet and all but they need a serious amount of time and attention.....mine is the most stubborn dog ever! Around children they are quiet rough, eg, she has chased many children when they run because she thinks they re playing and has knocked them down loads of times! so now when my family call i have to put her into her house.

Mine is also mad about playing tug of war and taking food off any child she finds, which can scare the bejeesus out of them! she has never bitten anyone but their extremely protective so even if the dog is ok with your kids she woundnt take well to other kids calling around. :cool:

therewillbe · 20-02-2010 3:12pm

andreac wrote: »

I would be inclined to hold off until the new addition is a little older. A new baby into the house can be a very big thing and if you have a pup around too you might not have time for it and be able to put in all the necessary time for training and socialisation.

As a rottie owner i spent a huge amount of time at training classes and socialisation with him but it paid off and i have a fab dog now with a great temperament but it took up a lot of my time.

So i would advise waiting until your new baby is a little older before getting such a big breed that needs a lot of time from day one.

Yes I understand were you are coming from but He wont be going to Training/obedience classes till he is appx six months.I just want him sniffing around etc etc.I want him used to the cries screams from the baby(maybe me) as well.He will be going to a training kennels as this is what I did in the past and it worked out nice.I live beside the Beach so He will be kept active from day one.I will be keeping him indoors from day one as this one will be a housedog.
Thanks

Magenta · 20-02-2010 3:29pm

therewillbe wrote: »

Yes I understand were you are coming from but He wont be going to Training/obedience classes till he is appx six months.I just want him sniffing around etc etc.I want him used to the cries screams from the baby(maybe me) as well.He will be going to a training kennels as this is what I did in the past and it worked out nice.I live beside the Beach so He will be kept active from day one.I will be keeping him indoors from day one as this one will be a housedog.
Thanks

Sorry but if you want a well behaved dog that will see you as his leader, you have to train them from day one and you have to do it yourself.
If you leave it til he is 6 months old he is already going to be in a lot of bad habits and he will already have grown very big and possibly be hard to control.

marley007 · 20-02-2010 5:56pm

Well waiting till 6 months with an akita is a bad idea! their too strong willed to pay any attention to new commands at that stage.

Also keeping and akita as a house dog is demented! Thay shed HEAVILY twice a year, i only leave mine in occasionally and she still broke my hover due to heavy shedding! Their shedding can last a good while too as in 6 -8 weeks per time!

I'd suggest really rethinking the idea!

andreac · 20-02-2010 6:08pm

Sorry but this isnt a good idea, training a dog like this starts from the minute they come to your house. A big breed like this can be a handful and if left until 6 months to start training is asking for trouble.

Training classes and socialisation can be started from about 3 months of age and the earlier its started the better.

Do you mean you are going to send the dog away to be trained? because again i do not agree with this method of training.

Training any dog is about building up a relationship wit your dog and is as much about training the handler as well as the dog so i really would urge you to consider this whole idea of an Akita if this is the way you are going to handle the situation as i dont think it will be a good idea for a breed of dog like an Akita.

therewillbe · 20-02-2010 10:33pm

I will be doing all the usual basic training myself ie;Toilet Sit Stay etc but when he is Appx six months he will be getting profesionally trained for about 2/3 weeks whilst in kennels. I have done this with all my Rotties and have had the best Trained Dogs.This time I want a House Dog ,Yes he may be big but not as big as my Friends GreatDanexMastiff that has his own couch.I will try and get a picture up. Yes I want peoples thoughts as everyone knows there is a lot going on with Dog ownership.

peasant · 20-02-2010 10:47pm

Have you seen this (from an Akita breeder)?
http://www.tamarlane.com/akitatemp.htm

Especially the bit about strange children would convince me that an Akita is not the ideal family pet (and quite a different proposition than a well trained, docile Rottie)

Edit:
Having read this, I also think that having an Akita trained by someone else is probably going to backfire ... bigtime.

therewillbe · 20-02-2010 11:17pm

peasant wrote: »

Have you seen this (from an Akita breeder)?
http://www.tamarlane.com/akitatemp.htm

Especially the bit about strange children would convince me that an Akita is not the ideal family pet (and quite a different proposition than a well trained, docile Rottie)

Edit:
Having read this, I also think that having an Akita trained by someone else is probably going to backfire ... bigtime.

I wont mention were I used in the past but this Guy had 30 plus years training dogs experience.Dogs for customs & Police have gotten trained by him . I DO go up 2/3 times a week to be trained as well and both the dog and I interact that way.I have spoken to 7/8 owners and NOT one has said a bad thing about them in relation to their family.I do understand about strangers neighbourss kids coming to my home but THAT wont be an issue as there is a pen for him when I need to segregate him.Yes I like to hear different views BUT I would not put the risk of a family before an animal.As much as I had trust in my rotts ,I was always one step ahead.

peasant · 20-02-2010 11:23pm

therewillbe wrote: »

I wont mention were I used in the past but this Guy had 30 plus years training dogs experience.Dogs for customs & Police have gotten trained by him .

What I was getting at is not the capability of your chosen trainer, but rather the willingness of your chosen dog to be trained

(by a stranger of all things)

Handing over a basically biddable dog like a Rottie or GSD for training is one thing ...trying the same with a highly independent breed won't work, especially not if the same methods were used .

therewillbe · 20-02-2010 11:25pm

peasant wrote: »

Have you seen this (from an Akita breeder)?
http://www.tamarlane.com/akitatemp.htm

Especially the bit about strange children would convince me that an Akita is not the ideal family pet (and quite a different proposition than a well trained, docile Rottie)

Edit:
Having read this, I also think that having an Akita trained by someone else is probably going to backfire ... bigtime.

Thanks for the link. I was bitten twice in my life.Once aged six or so by My Mothers Poodle.That dog never saw the end of the day. Then again by an Aunts Shih tzu.That too was put down.Yes the Bigger the dog the bigger the damage but like everything in life you have to be carefull. By the way those two dogs didnt like anyone coming into contact with their owners which was not really on seeing it was my Mam.

therewillbe · 20-02-2010 11:28pm

Are they as Highly intelligent as a German Sheppard?

jinxycat · 20-02-2010 11:29pm

Hiya, I'm currently minding an Akita which I've had almost two years due to the owners building a house and have no where to keep the dog right now. They have a family of five children and the Akita is very good with the children when they come to visit.

Initially I was worried that the dog wouldn't be used to the children as she wasn't living with them and they weren't around her continously, but she's great with them. I will admit though that when she gets giddy she can be a little too hyper around them and may bump into them but never hurts them.

I would recommend though training the dog yourself, I see no problem with them being a house dog either, Millie, the dog i'm minding is too. She's well house trained. I would also say they do need alot of time, ie playing with them and walking otherwise they'll get bored and chew everything. This is speaking from experience

:D

I'd also like the add that the children range from 5 months to 8 years of age.

PS regarding the shedding, in my experience they shed lots when they aren't kept groomed. The coat needs to be plucked before being brushed.

Hope this post helps you out.

lrushe · 20-02-2010 11:32pm

I personally wouldn't bring such a stong, independant, willful dog into the home situation you have at the moment but as you seem to have made your mind up to get one I would suggest the following:
1. Research the breeder v.carefully and when you find one you're comfortable with make sure you meet the mother and any other relations to get an idea of the temperament within the bloodline. Asks questions, questions and more question, are the parents health checked, how old is the mother, how many litters has she had, does the breeder recommend them with children etc. All of this will not only give you an idea of what kind of breeder the breeder is but also the kind of dogs they breed.
2. Be careful about picking your pup, never take the one who huddles in the corner, nor the one who doesn't respect your space. I try go for the one who will approach you but doesn't demand attention, the one who will allow you to pick it up and inspect it without too much fuss or struggle.
3. Do not leave it until 6 months to get your pup professionally trained, that's a recipe for disaster, nor would I suggest sending this breed away to be trained. Akita's are not Rotties and although I don't like the idea of any dog being sent away to be trained Rotties are a family dog who thrive on human interaction and so will forgive you quicker if you are absent from training, Akita's are alot more independant and don't bond as easily as a Rottie so you being absent from training is you losing out on a v.important bonding experience with the dog. Early professional training done with you will not only build a super foundation for life it will also help build a stronger bond, the bond you won't get from sending your dog away to be train, not to mention the satisfaction you will get yourself.

peasant · 20-02-2010 11:35pm

therewillbe wrote: »

Are they as Highly intelligent as a German Sheppard?

I would say that they are much more intelligent than a GSD ...in that they just don't do what doesn't make sense to them

But if you define intelligence as to how co-operative they are and how quickly they learn commands, you will probably find them rather "dumb"

jinxycat · 20-02-2010 11:39pm

peasant wrote: »

I would say that they are much more intelligent than a GSD ...in that they just don't do what doesn't make sense to them

But if you define intelligence as to how co-operative they are and how quickly they learn commands, you will probably find them rather "dumb"

Yes this is quite true, they can play "dumb" when they're learning commands. It takes alot of patience when training them and it will probably take that bit longer to train them.

lrushe · 20-02-2010 11:40pm

therewillbe wrote: »

Are they as Highly intelligent as a German Sheppard?

The are an intelligent, the only difficulty with training them is that the won't do something unless they see a really good reason to do it

therewillbe · 20-02-2010 11:45pm

jinxycat wrote: »

Hiya, I'm currently minding an Akita which I've had almost two years due to the owners building a house and have no where to keep the dog right now. They have a family of five children and the Akita is very good with the children when they come to visit.

Initially I was worried that the dog wouldn't be used to the children as she wasn't living with them and they weren't around her continously, but she's great with them. I will admit though that when she gets giddy she can be a little too hyper around them and may bump into them but never hurts them.

I would recommend though training the dog yourself, I see no problem with them being a house dog either, Millie, the dog i'm minding is too. She's well house trained. I would also say they do need alot of time, ie playing with them and walking otherwise they'll get bored and chew everything. This is speaking from experience :D

I'd also like the add that the children range from 5 months to 8 years of age.

PS regarding the shedding, in my experience they shed lots when they aren't kept groomed. The coat needs to be plucked before being brushed.

Hope this post helps you out.

Thats great. I am beside the Beach any am always down there so I hope He likes water.

therewillbe · 20-02-2010 11:52pm

Ok,Thanks guys. What I have read and learned here is that they have to be trained a lot younger.Point Taken.They demand a lot of attention.Some are for house dog some aint.But more inportantly I HAVNT heard/read a bad story about this breed with young Children.I will contact my Dog Trainer and see what his view is and I will accecpt that.

I would like to thank everyone who posted. I will post some pictures and updates in the future.

T W B.

Discostuy · 25-02-2010 12:51pm

Hi, I just thought i would give my 2 pence worth to this.

I currently own 2 female America Akitas, 2.5 years old, sisters.

I love them to bits, they are amazing dogs and i wouldnt change them for any other dog...so here would be my pro's and con's on getting one as a family pet: (speaking on behalf of my two anyways)

Pro's:
- Very loyal and protective...they get on great with dogs they know and family and friends.
- Very intelligent...
- Super clean...they clean themselves like cats, and my two only foul the very very back of the garden...never anywhere else.
- Super quiet...some of my friends have actually never heard them bark...you will only hear them if a stanger approaches the house.
- Very affectionate and love attention.

Con's
- On the restricted breeds list which makes walkies a nigthmare...especially if you have visions of playing in the park.
- They have no desire to play fetch or other games whatsoever unless its for their own benfit...so kids find them kinda boring.
- Their recall is very select...
- They are very aloof...if they dont want to do something they won't...not for all the treats in your pocket...they are so headstrong, this makes training very difficult.
- They will require constant training and authority, or they can get bold very quickly...leaving it 6 months is to late...you need to set the standards from day one. They dont take well to being given out to at all...the more you shout they bolder they become, so they require firm but patient leadership.
This can be very testing...

All in all, they are amazing dogs...Mine get on great with nieces and nephews, but will generally say hello and leave it at that. They are very strong and play rough (very rough with eachother).

When i got mine i heard horror stories of Akitas being savages "he can only feed it by throwing food out the back garden window"...

My two live indoors, they love to sit under my feet and snooze all evening.
They love belly rubs and pets...
They hate being left alone, and if you plan to leave it in the garden all day, with no human contact i would believe they would go wild...

Anyways, hope my input helped...i would love to see more Akitas in Ireland...but only once they are looked after, not left to go wild and give the rest of them a bad name

Dyr · 25-02-2010 1:12pm

Our one is male has not lived with kids except for the crucial first six months of his life but is fine around them, you just have to be careful that they don't knock kids over. Another thing to watch out for is some akitas tend to want to "hold" peoples hand's ..which scares people when those big jaws open and tries to engulf their hand as they reach out to pet them

I'm sure someone has probably already pointed out that this breed was once used to watch over children.

TBH there's so many other variables at play in the equation that it's not wise to make a judgment on breed alone but bear in mind that when things go wrong with BIG dogs they can go wrong in a BIG way :eek:

Discostuy · 25-02-2010 1:36pm

Bambi wrote: »

Another thing to watch out for is some akitas tend to want to "hold" peoples hand's ..which scares people when those big jaws open and tries to engulf their hand as they reach out to pet them

I'm sure someone has probably already pointed out that this breed was once used to watch over children.

I forgot about the "mouthing" thing. When i get home, Koko will run and pick up the first thing she can find and bring it to you...where as Cody does this "handshake" thing...some people see it as biting, but she tries to lead you places or she just wants all your attention...its not a bite, she just holds your hand as Bambi says

adser53 · 25-02-2010 3:33pm

Discostuy wrote: »

Hi, I just thought i would give my 2 pence worth to this.

I currently own 2 female America Akitas, 2.5 years old, sisters.

I love them to bits, they are amazing dogs and i wouldnt change them for any other dog...so here would be my pro's and con's on getting one as a family pet: (speaking on behalf of my two anyways)

Pro's:
- Very loyal and protective...they get on great with dogs they know and family and friends.
- Very intelligent...
- Super clean...they clean themselves like cats, and my two only foul the very very back of the garden...never anywhere else.
- Super quiet...some of my friends have actually never heard them bark...you will only hear them if a stanger approaches the house.
- Very affectionate and love attention.

Con's
- On the restricted breeds list which makes walkies a nigthmare...especially if you have visions of playing in the park.
- They have no desire to play fetch or other games whatsoever unless its for their own benfit...so kids find them kinda boring.
- Their recall is very select...
- They are very aloof...if they dont want to do something they won't...not for all the treats in your pocket...they are so headstrong, this makes training very difficult.
- They will require constant training and authority, or they can get bold very quickly...leaving it 6 months is to late...you need to set the standards from day one. They dont take well to being given out to at all...the more you shout they bolder they become, so they require firm but patient leadership.
This can be very testing...

All in all, they are amazing dogs...Mine get on great with nieces and nephews, but will generally say hello and leave it at that. They are very strong and play rough (very rough with eachother).

When i got mine i heard horror stories of Akitas being savages "he can only feed it by throwing food out the back garden window"...

My two live indoors, they love to sit under my feet and snooze all evening.
They love belly rubs and pets...
They hate being left alone, and if you plan to leave it in the garden all day, with no human contact i would believe they would go wild...

Anyways, hope my input helped...i would love to see more Akitas in Ireland...but only once they are looked after, not left to go wild and give the rest of them a bad name

This is by FAR the BEST description of Akitas that you could ask for. I have a 3 year old intact male and as of last week, we now have a 9 week old bitch, and I couldn't agree more with everything Discostuy said

My lad, Loki is very, very loyal and he is very protective (not in any way aggressive though) of the house and his family. He never, ever barks unless there's something wrong but he does "Whistle" a fair bit and every now and again, he lets out a nice loud howl (only for 2 seconds). He's also very clean. Not only in the toilet department as Discostuy said, but any mud or dirt that gets on his coat falls out as sson as it dries. Speaking of his coat, he does blow it twice a year and you will not believe how much hair comes off him! You need to brush everyday when this happens and give him at least one bath to loosen the hair. Apart from that, they shed very little. He's a very affectionate dog and loves attention but won't play any games, fetch etc for longer than 2 mins(you'll be lucky to get much). They are seriously headstrong and very "Un-Doglike" in their thinking. They are aloof, stubborn and very clever so training from the get go is essential and what works for most dogs, might not work with an Akita as they think so differently. As said above, their loyalty and requirement for firm training means that you'll really be better off training him yourself rather than sending him away. I really don't think that will work with an akita. As for their alledged dog aggression and prey drive, I have 2 cavaliers that sleep on him and hang out of him all the time and he's great with them. He's also great with the new puppy but LOADS of socialisation is essential with them too. We don't have kids but nieces, nephews, friends kids and the kids in the estate will rub him, pull out of him, hug him etc whenever they get a chance and he loves it! Like any dog though, I wouldn't leave him alone with a child under any circumstances. They aren't super-active and will sleep all day if given the option but they really enjoy a long walk/run and should be brought out as much as possible (within reason - over excercise within the first 2 years can be very detrimental to your dogs health) Don't ever get an akita if you intend to leave it alone out the back all day and night. They are seriously social dogs and need to be with their families. Left alone, an akita will be a very unhappy, very destructive and very unstable dog. My dogs are out in a run for 30%-40% of the day but they spend the remainder inside. As DiscoStuy said again, their recall can be very selective and as they're on the restricted breed list, it's tough to find a place where you can actually let them off leash for a run.

Overall they are absolutely amazing dogs! I'm delighted that I now have 2 Akitas but if there was any way I could have more, I'd do it in a heartbeat! I wouldn't change them for anything but they are not your "Standard" dog. They need extra effort but they repay all that extra work by being simply, the best dogs you could ever hope for.

Also, like Rotties and Staffs they get some bad press so be prepared for the occasional ignorant fool that passes comment on you for having a Devil dog :mad:

I know I basically repeated everything discostuy said but I had to throw in my 2 cents too

18-11-2010 1:07am

Apologies for joining this thread a little late but felt it was a good place to ask the question.

I'd love to get an Akita (taking all the pros and cons into consideration, i think they're just amazing animals) - do any of you work in the day and have an akita? If so, how do you manage?

adser53 · 18-11-2010 7:58am

I have 2

My OH isn't working now but we both did when he had our first Akita. Once they're walked and given plenty of attention you'll do fine but they aren't a dog that can be left alone all the time (well no dog should be really) cos they just love being with their family so much that they can act out and develop behaviour issues. We already had 2 cavaliers when we got our first Akita so he had some company when we went to work but I wouldn't recommend getting a second dog until your first Akita is a bit older and you have its training nailed. they are quite headstrong and difficult to train so take a lot if effort and having 2 yeung dogs would make that training very difficult. They really are incredible dogs though!

Akita, Family Pet?

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