Simon K

Yorkshire Terriers :-) Man, those dogs are right little handfuls. I always found that it was the little dogs that would cause most of the issues. They would bark, pull at their leads, and snap / bite my dog all the time. Being small, and considered not dangerous, hardly any would be on a lead anyway and walking freely. On a greenwards / field, you could just see them running up to us and starting issues, but my dog would be guilty, yet to be proved inocent.

I dont mind what type of dog anyone gets, but please be able to handle it in the event of a fight / tumble. Dogs will be dogs and they will bump into another dog which they dont like. I used to see little old women with the strength of a paper bag trying to control their animals but physically couldnt. Or a 11 year old girl walking a huge Rotty, which if he/she were to charge off obviously couldn't be controlled.

I think an onwer should never be in a situation where they cant not physically control, grab, pull, their animal away. Its like driving a car. I hate seeing some old dear getting out of a car, that can hardly walk, control her own limbs, so what would she be like in an emergency stop situation ?? People know your limits ! ;-)

Perhaps you should look at getting a cat ? :-) I have 3 now! All lazy, do nothing but sleep all day, and offer me half eaten mice every now and then. However, cat's are a good introduction into the welfare of animals for my 3 year old son. He's learnt that he has to treat them nice, for them to come to him, that they have feelings, and that he needs to feed / water them daily.

One good thing about cats is that they dont need walking. Walking a dog in the summer is lovely, but after work, on a cold wet Monday in January, dark, grim, mmmm not cool !

SBK

David Lock

The only feelings cats have is for No 1

dl

grovesy

Simon i take back my comments on good adviece :-p

No way i'm getting a cat mate. Might get a goldfish

David Lock

Have you ever trained a Goldfish

grovesy

Been to see two litters today. Fistt one had no papers but seen both parents. Pups seemed small to me and very laid back. Went to the 2nd place, it was a farm. Pups were massive, healthy and full of life. The mother was there and was fine with the kids. The misses would have got one there and then. They have all the papers and will chip the dog.

Gonna sleep on it but we have picked one out. Have took in all the advice, read more about, spoke with both breaders etc etc. think I might go back tomorrow and get him.

billythekid

You got a puppy crate / pen ready? Get set up before you pick the dog up. Also, its going to be a busy few weeks with house training etc and vets visits.

rotty666

read this thread with great interest
Having rescued various types of dogs over the past 21 yrs. I figured having had a Boxer and trained to heel anywhere off the lead, to sit and stay for 5 mins etc An Akita wouldn't be anymore of a challenge. How wrong was I!?
Last October I rescued a 9month old American Akita. (who must have cost someone a lot of money, as there is no mistaking he from good stock, he stands so proud walks with such dignity, and is the most handsome boy I know) not biased of course lol
My vet said she would be needing to muzzle him on his next visit last year (her experience of Akita's) Having taken him for his yearly jabs etc last week she didn't muzzle him, (he was laid ignoring the other dogs whining) and said she knew looking at him in the waiting room it wouldn't be necessary. (such a proud mummy I was lol)
He is extremely hard work, he is defiant, stubborn, bloody rude at times (most of the time)
At times it is 7st against little old me 5ft1 9st!! But I have won every battle (so far) I don't play fight with him, (for obvious reasons) but when he gets defiant and too boisterous with my elderly staffy I pin him down until he submits.. ( I restrain wayward kids for a living lol)
He has been to training, has socialised with other dogs, as a result wants to play with anything that moves. (not a nasty bone in him when it comes to other dogs)
He is getting better on the lead when on the check chain, on the harness I allow him the long lead (I had to purchase a heavy duty one!) so he has some freedom.
The main problem with him, is he wont come back, I have tried every training technique given to me. (apart from electric shock collar, which i wont try!!) I call him he looks around to see whats out there that he's missed and he's gone!! (probably how be became a stray and having to be rescued) Luckily, I have a small brain!, have only allowed him off lead in a controlled environment, where he cant come to any harm or anything else)
So any tips would be good for that please, But I am happy to leave him on the extendable lead so he can sniff and play a little, if that is what I have to do to keep him safe.
He knows his place, he is not allowed on the sofa, he is second to my staffy to be given any food, treats or cuddles. ( I had to allow the staffy to be above him in the pecking order as she is the oldest)
I don't however ever leave them together when i go out. at night they sleep together lovely, but he becomes too rough with her when playing and I worry he will go too far and her growls will become an attack. Safety first I say.
He was in a crate but (touch wood) is now able to be left out of it, he does still chew if he reaches anything on the side.
Would I get another one? I cant answer yet as its only been a year. (dont regret rescuing him, love him to bits but we all find our chosen breed i guess)
Would I get a boxer again, 100% yes.
Anyway that is my little blog over. lol
I will keep an eye out for any advice you guys can give on owning an Akita (cos I wont ever give up on him, he's had trauma in his life already)

Simon K

HI there

When my male Akita was young, I used to try and let him off the lead but also found he would just run off exploring. I live next to the beach, and remember one time watching he run down to the shore ( tide was out ) and literally keep running, and running, and running, till in the end I had to literally run for 10/15 mins to get him. :-)

I then tried to train him to come back with treats, so started with small distances, then slowly getting longer and longer. THe older he got, the better became, its almost like he gets so excited / wants to explore / that he forgets me and just runs.

I used a harness and one long extendable lead, but found they were never man enough and soon break. In the end I found a tremendous one on the internet, almost like a 10m length of rope on some car spring like handle :-) From about 5 years old, I pretty much kept him on the lead full time. but, he was much older then, and running off wasnt something he wanted to do, unless there was a cooked chicken on the table, boy he would run then :-)

So, try rewarding him when he returns.

SBK

Shaid

Awwwww,

Such a cute doggy woggy aaaaaw

Anyway, as you were

grovesy

Well I took Zak to puppy classes and he has passed the first course, was supposed to start him on the next level but never got round to it. He is defiantly going back next week. Not sure what has happened to him but in the last two weeks he has started to misbehave a bit. Nothing to much but I would like to get him back on track ASAFP. He seems to have lots more energy now (24 weeks)and he tends to see what he can get away with in the house. I have always let him off the lead but the last week or so he has started to run away when I try to get him back. I know for a fact he thinks it’s a game so I purposely do not run after him. Also when its dark I sometimes think he does not know its me, the other night he was running around with his tail down. As soon as got hold of him and back on the lead the tail was curled over as normal. Also we have made the mistake of letting him the sofa now and again, to be fair to him when he is told to get down he does. And when we go to bed he wanders into the kitchen on his own and lies on his bed.

rotty666

Training a dog is like bringing up a child. They need firm, consistent boundaries. I work with Autistic children, and as much as this sounds so wrong. The boundaries, routine, tone of voice, general approach is all the same. (more so with the Akita than other dogs i have or have had.) (give an inch they take a yard, bit like men haha)