If you want an American Akita, be sure to consider the specifics and needs of the breed. Akitas are bold and willful, which is emphasized by their body weight of 40-50 kg, so it is important to have a strict training from a very young age. They are vigilant, intelligent and brave, they protect their territory against strangers, but they are very loyal to their owner and family. They love to play, exercise and seek their family’s company. Their hunting instincts are strong and they can be aggressive towards other dogs, especially same-sex ones. They definitely protect their property, including their food and toys.
Yes, they are difficult cases. Training and socialization should start at a young age. It is important that your dog should tolerate if the food is taken away when feeding by owner. Actually, he will not allow it for anyone else. The easiest way to achieve this is to gently fiddle in the feeder bowl while he is eating. This little training will come in handy once you have to take some objects out of his mouth, that can even be harmful to his health.
Akita puppies love to pinch a human with their teeth. Of course it’s just playing on their part, but as they grow up these loving contacts may leave some mark on your skin. We’ve taught our own dogs how far they can go on with the pinching, which doesn’t hurt us. However, if it hurts or bothers you then it’s certainly worth stopping them completely while it is possible.
Their relationship with other dogs may be described by the word volatile. They are aloof, they don’t really accept other dogs, animals around them. The maximum long-lasting social relationship that can be expected is a bitch and male couple, and that’s it. Despite all this, we need to start their socialization early on, teaching them to accept the closeness of other dogs. Usually it works well in the beginning, but always be cautious especially if they are starting to become sexually mature. It’s no coincidence that you don’t see Akitas freely in the park or while walking. We don’t want to discourage anyone from these subborn dogs, but we need to know that the owner must be vigilant if there are dogs around. They also have their own private sphere into which it is not worth allowing another dog.
Their relationship with people depends a lot on what kind of training they had as is usually the case with dogs. However, it is definitely worth emphasizing that they require strict supervision in the company of other people. With proper education, they behave impeccably while surrounded by people, you can sit with them in a restaurant without further ado, they will be waiting patiently for the end of your meal. But let’s not forget one thing, they are not toys for kids and of course neither for adults. It may happen that they don’t find someone friendly enough, in this case they will definitely let us know it, which can be in the form of keeping off or a short growl. In such cases the reassuring caresses of their owner comes in handy.
The American Akita can live harmoniously with strong-minded owners based on mutual respect. If you choose an Akita as your first dog, it’s worth to develop a close relationships with someone who has a deeper knowledge of this breed and can be asked for advice.
This is a rather sensitive issue and not just from the dog’s point of view. Instead of persuading anyone, we want to share our own experience, which has worked for our dogs. Of course, there are many ways to feed your dog healthily, but be cautious of fashion trends as dogs don’t know them, they’re just hungry.
We want to capture three basic points that are definitely the basis of any feeding method:
- Compile your dog’s meal to the right amount for his individual energy level and be careful not to under- or overfeed them.
- It is advisable to feed a large dog twice a day and let him have a short rest period to avoid stomach or intestinal twisting.
- There are food that can be especially dangerous for dogs such as sweeteners, which can also cause the death of the dog.
We have chosen the simplest and most predictable way to feed our dogs, they are essentially fed only dry food of the best quality. In the description of the food you can find in detail how much protein, fat and carbohydrate does it contain, and also a long list about what vitamins and minerals are added for healthy feeding. We try to avoid fast-absorbing carbohydrates. High-protein food has not worked for us and we don’t give from our own meals to the dogs. It probably provokes opposition in many of you not to give your dog a single delicious bite of what you eat, not even a little breadcrumbed steak. There is a simple reason for this. We like to spend our time in the company of our dogs and sometimes sit down for a delicious lunch, which doesn’t bother our dogs at all and they do not bother anyone else, as well. They know it’s just a rest time, but not feeding time for them. The other reason is that they don’t need spices and some ingredients are rather harmful for them, such as onion or garlic.
Some special diets in case a problem occurs:
- If you have persistent diarrhea, you may want to check if your dog is getting too much protein and try some “weaker” food. In case of intermittent diarrhea – while following the advice of a veterinarian – we can help them to get over the difficulties with a little boiled rice.
- We can vary their food with cooked or raw grated root vegetables.
- For Akitas kept outdoors during the winter adding some boiled meat may be usefull for increased energy requirements, but this can also be accomplished by increasing their dry food portion.
- Sometimes they swallow smaller things they can’t digest, like tiny pebbles. In that case, be sure to go to a vet and if he suggests that you should wait a bit to see if it empties without intervention then you can help with some boiled pumpkin that will beneficially surround the extraneous object.
Of course, in addition to the above you can feed our dog in many different ways, but if in doubt it worths asking the breeder or veterinarian.
They love to walk and the movement is good for them. There are general rules for walking, which is important for all dogs. For example in the summer, heated asphalt can burn the dog’s paw; in a grassy, wooded area, ticks are dangerous and we need protect our dogs against them in several ways. These rules are not special for American Akitas, but there are a couple of issues worth considering.
- Can the dog be called back? That is, if released without a leash, it will surely come back on call. The answer is maybe. At every call the Akita’s stubbornness and hunting instinct will be confronted with obedience. For the peace of mind keep him on a leash.
- Can they touch their noses to other dogs’? Akitas normally can’t stand other dogs around them, even with good socialization. So we can carefully let him go to another dog as a puppy (of course only if the other dog is well socialized), but it is worth avoiding contact with other dogs as the Akita is becoming adult.
Runnig with your Akita can be dangerous for their joints, so you should consider it carefully.
In conclusion, you can walk peacefully with them in nature or in an urban area, as well. They are patient when we stop for a short rest or conversation. They are interested in and curious about everything. It is a really enjoyable pastime to walk with them.
American Akitas do not require special care however, there are some important things to pay attention to. Their powerful legs are often threatened by joint injury, which can even be caused by a bad movement. For prevention, we can give them cartilage-strengthening and joint-protecting supplement until they are one and a half years old. Most joint protectors cannot be overrun, so they can even be given continuously, although they are quite expensive.
American Akitas tend to lie down in a ‘Swinx pose’ that can cause injury to their front elbows. First the hair wears out in the affected area and then the skin can be scraped, even bleeding. It is not easy to cure, but it can be treated well with creams used to treat these types of injuries. Prevention is also important, because in the case of kennels covered with concrete and cobblestones, the wound develops more often, therefore it is worth making a different surface, e.g. scatter the soil with small pebbles.
There is a lot we can do for oral hygiene by occasionally brushing their teeth, giving chewing tapes or other dentifrices. This not only prevents tooth decay, but also reduces plaque formation.
In addition, their feeding also deserves attention, regardless of what kind of food and supplement you give them. In large dog breeds gastric or intestinal twisting can occur, which may be fatal but can be avoided by feeding them multiple times a day. As a puppy, it is advisable to feed the American Akita three times a day and twice thereafter. After feeding, give them a short rest period until their digestion is settled.
Regarding feeding, it is important to mention that you should never overfeed your dog. It can cause problems similar to humans, including musculoskeletal problems that adversely affect them in appearance. Overweight dogs have their legs bent, their fingers open and their joints more easily damaged due to the increased load.
When designing the kennel, keep in mind that the American Akita is almost as height as humans when standing on its hind legs, so he can lean on top of a lower fence and even climb over it, so it’s advisable to be at least 180 cm high. The disadvantage of a traditional woven wire fence is that pulling a single strand of it will unravel the entire fence so this is unsuitable for them. Be sure to make a strong, rigid fence for them that will also withstand the possibility of your dog digging under it and escaping there. Surfaces covered with concrete and cobblestones can hurt the dog’s elbow, so it’s a good choice to scatter small river gravel onto a large area of the kennel.
There is no special need regarding the dog house, it essentially requires neither lining on the floor nor heating, just pay attention to provide protection from the wind and provide dry shelter in rainy weather.
Our dogs are outdoors all year round, as the indoor temperature is usually too warm for them. In summer, of course, it is important to provide them a larger shady area. If possible, they will enjoy any other cooling option.
Akitas do not require special grooming. Similarly to other dogs combing, bathing, claw trimming and ear cleaning are essential. They shed twice or three times a year, which causes significant hair loss. Shedding should be helped by frequent combing and brushing to help hairs to be taken off. It’s advisable bathing them every few months. If you prefer to do it yourself then use a special dryer developed for dogs, because general hair dryers aren’t powefull enough for their dense two-layer coat. Their coat does not require a cut.
Ear cleaning is required weekly or every two weeks, when gently wiping the inside of the ear with ear cleaning fluid poured onto a cotton pad. In addition, essentially they only require monthly claw trimming.
These little rituals worth starting at a young age. On the one hand for the sake of grooming itself and on the other hand to get used to it and make smooth bathing or combing later on.
The above is based on our own experience and knowledge. Our aim is to help those who has got an American Akita or want to own one. The above written advices does not substitute the veterinarian’s recommendation, so we recommend you to follow their guidelines because they have seen your dog and they provide treatment according to the current problem of your dog.