We are first time dog owners and we happened to adopt an Akita from the shelter without knowing anything. We suspect that he was abandoned since the shelter told us nobody came to claim him after they called the number on the chip. He turned out to be a very sweet boy and fit right into the family. I guess we got lucky.
Very lucky. A guy in my neighborhood adopted one like you did, and he's in way over his head. That dog takes him for walks. You have to be willing to put up a fight and show them you're the boss or they will own you.
A family member nearby got killed by their Akita. Throat bite. Before that head bit. 40 stitches. A glorious but powerful and nervous dog. He got ill and died early so they were spared having to have him out to sleep. They will jump on the back of a big dog, push it flat on the ground and sit on it, saying I’m alpha. Make no mistake, they are a serious dog! Intelligent, not sure suited as a pet though. Be warned. Wolves are scared of them.
I recently adopted an Akita from the animal shelter. Didn't know anything about this breed. Was told that she was taken from a breeding hoarder house. Spent most her life neglected in a garage. Would have never guessed that she's so sweet and does awesome at the dog park around other dogs and people. So behaved in the house never have to worry about leaving her home alone. Doesn't chew on anything except her dog toys and bones. She's very spoiled gets the bark box every month and loves it. All and all feel blessed she came into our lives and I can give her a much happier life.
I loved my Akita so damn much. He was my best friend & I have no words to describe how much I miss him. It's been 2 months since his gone & it feels like hell on earth. He was animal aggressive because he was attacked multiple times by dogs off their leads while I was walking him. He was very cautious when It came to strangers, he would just stare them down in silence watching every move they made. He absolutely hated strangers touching his head though, he wouldn't attack them, but he would growl to warn them. He was very protective of me & he did protect me in the past. He was the best dog I have ever owned & he was perfect in every way possible. Almost 14yrs with him & I never forget him ❤
They leave a big hole in your heart when they go. Six months after losing my first I had another. She is now 4 1/2 so hopefully at least another 5 years.
I feel your pain. I lost my favorite Akita (Zeus) this past September 26 2021. The bond that I had with him was mythical. He wanted to be at my side always and he most definitely would protect me and did have to on several occasions. I have one Akita (Shiloh) left and when she is gone no more Akita's for me. I've gotten to old and my health has deteriorated to the point where I cannot care for a dog the way they deserve; and most importantly, I don't know that I could out live an Akita. The last thing I want to do is to die and leave an Akita that has bonded to me alone and heartbroken.
@@rickkephartactual7706 I lost mine this past September also. September 13th 2021 2.35pm. I completley understand what you mean by Mythical. Mine was the same, most of the time I thought he knew me better then I knew myself. He always wanted to be wherever I was. He really was my best friend & I miss him so damn much. I dont have the heart to get another one at this stage, it took me more then 6months to find him & when I gave up on looking for an Akita he randomly appeared. He ran up to me and sat on my feet. I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm glad you still have another fur baby to watch over you ❤
It’s the way you raise and train your dog. My Akita also is people friendly, child friendly so on so forth but when it’s time to protect she does her job.
I got an Akita as a first time dog owner and I couldn’t be happier! We do follow strict training and used your leash training video as advice on outside training. Very helpful and well recommended Channel!! He’s the softest and most well behaved dog I’ve known
I remember the Akita named Goro in my neighborhood. He was such a gentle old man and always looking after other younger dogs and hyperactive puppies like mine. Everyone loved Goro. He was like everyone’s dad
My big boy is Old now it's okay we still love him we've had Kimpachi since he was a baby almost 11 years now he's a Japanese Akita and he's a big Baby to me so he fractured his paw I gave him a CBD gummy he threw his toy up in the air and caught it it was like he got some rejuvenated strength he was running and playing we love him
I trained my American Akita as soon as we brought him home. I’m Navy vet and understood “pack mentality “ from the jump. Yes, he tried me . I laughed and let him a little bit. Then , I raised up & asserted myself and he was like,”whoa” , ok. I also had my wife spend a lot of time with him. He understood after a while and accepted us as the leaders, but he’s 3rd,lol. Never any problems after that. A foolish robber “bothered” my wife once,and he almost took the idiots head off! My wife came home later, ranting about how much she loves him now and I must admit I was extremely proud! He got special treat that night! Our guys name is SHOGUN, and he’s a beautiful part of our family. Everyone marvels at how smart he is also. Carries himself like royalty,which they are!
I'm currently on my 3rd Akita, and you are correct about the socialization. When I picked him up from the breeder at 9 weeks, I immediately started introducing him to people, strangers, friends, other dogs, cats, children, infants, old people, everyone I could find. And he is super friendly, loves to meet new people, even loves meeting other dogs, is very curious about cats, but has never been aggressive toward one. As sociable and curious as he is with everything else, I think he really just wants to meet one and smell it. But, he is also fairly aloof. He's happy to meet new people and dogs, but generally, once he's met them and played for a minute or two, he's ready to move on. I've always found this behavior fascinating. My American Akita was the same way, though he was much more aggressive with other dogs than my current Japanese Akita. Best Dogs Ever.
Same as my current male. He’s my 5th Akita. First rescue. Got him at two. Was chained to a tree until I got him. Very defensive and apprehensive of almost everything. After a year he calmed greatly but is still very very protective and always guarding and does not tolerate other animals except females. Still displays all the good traits and is so helpful with the kids. Gentle at home. Dominant outside the home.
I never had a dog, until I got my beautiful Akita, at first he was not good to walk with me, but it took a few months again for me to walk him. And now he can walk with me without dragging me down the street. My Akita likes to smell flowers, catch butterflies. He is not around other dogs.
I was in a vet hospital waiting room when this beautiful Akita came in. He loved the vet who came out to talk to his owner yet the dog looked at me like he wanted to end my life. I didn't get it as I've never had a reaction like that from any animal before and I'm always doing rescues.
You never know what a dog has been thru. Perhaps you looked similar someone who had abused them. Hard to say with any dog if you don't know their history.
I mean this in the best possible way. Lol. I love it when this happens, you see people who believe as you do that they are normally dog whisperers. And they meet an akita and its not that. Akitas know and they are not love bugs except to the ones they choose. Magical creatures.. there is quadruped, there is dog, there is akitas and then there's american akita. In that order..
After having Akita's for 40+ years and now on my 4th good friend. They are all different as far as aggression but some people introduce over aggressive games to their dogs feeding their natural aggression. Kuro my currents parents are very friendly in fact the breeder had 4 adult Akita's and puppies in the house. Kuro has that great temperament and thinks everyone needs their ears licked!
Yes, need to be calm and gentle, but firm. When my My Akita mix was a Puppy she kind of like hunted me. So I would rough house back. The Trainer told me not to engage in this Behavior, because she will just get more aggressive and bully me. Lucky I stopped before it became her nature.
Great video - beautiful bear. One thing people need to understand is that even if you have a sweet, fun-loving Akita, they are still a dog with a neurological hierarchy. They will protect and defend at the cost of their lives. That’s never going to leave their collective gene pool. So enjoy the fact that some of the more milder Akitas give you the best of both worlds! My Akita days date back to when I was 4 (36 now) and they were all aloof. But if the “pack” accepts you, they will too, in time. What a glorious breed they are.
My female Akita, Suki, will be 12-years-old in October. We too socialized her with people a lot. Unfortunately, we didn't have the opportunity to socialize her with other dogs. We had a neighbor who had a dachshund, and he would terrorize her. Now, whenever she sees a small dog, she gets aggressive. Other than that, she's the best. We love her very much. We call her our HMD; High Maintenance Diva. We are just her people. 😂
I swear it feels like you just described my American Akita. We're a family of 3 (3 yr old included) and first time dog owners, which goes against almost any post/video I've seen in regards to owning one. The more effort you put into your Akira's training, the better of a companion you will have, just like with any other animal. She's exactly like Haga described in this video, love bug and sociable as she's been taught to be. Disciplined within limit, as I feel they're extra stubborn as opposed to other breeds and very very smart, kind of hard to manipulate. You just need to be an alpha or it will try to dominate you or have no respect for your commands. Amazing dogs, great with babies and toddlers and any age kids. I love how the breed was described in this video 👌
My Akita was friendly to people I introduce him to. However one day I was having a deck installed in my backyard. I introduce the contractors to my dogs they ran around off leach while they were working and everything was fine. Then they decided to take a lunch break and I had to run to the store. I informed them if they made it back before do not start back until I return. They didn't listen, they figured since they had been playing with the dogs everything was all good and went in the backyard. As soon as they walked around my house, my male Akita grabbed one of em. The only thing saved him was before I left I put the dogs on a chain just in case they didn't listen and entered the backyard anyway.
I have raised 3 Akita's and they are the most loving breed I have ever known. Prior to owning my first Akita I had a red male Doberman and a female Rottweiler.
@@titanhound6671 There is no comparison. I have loved each of my Akita's but you either learn to accept the hair and move on or they aren't the breed for you. I have never had a closer relationship with any breed and I am a animal lover from childhood.
@@titanhound6671 I had a red male Doberman and a female Rottweiler in my apartment and they did wonderful. I've lived in a house for the most part with my Akita's but I have been in an apartment for a short period of time and it wasn't a problem.
@@titanhound6671 Full disclosure, I know very little about Rottweilers. However, I will say although Akitas are BIG dogs, they don't necessarily need a lot of space. For a few years we lived in an apartment with our Akita mix, and he was quite content despite it being somewhat cramped. Now that we have a big house with a good amount of room to run around, our American Akita spends 90% of his time laying on that window you see behind me in the video. Our Akita mix would shed pretty badly in the spring, but that was it, and our American Akita seems to be following that same pattern. It was really bad in June, but now the house stays clean.
Four years ago we were looking for a puppy for our older dog after his companion which was a standard poodle had to be put down at the age of 16 years old( I miss her more than ever). We found some puppies on Craig’s list that were a German shepherd mix so they said. Well she is 4 now and the vet kept telling us that she was an Akita and we didn’t believe them so we got a test done and she is a full blooded Akita. The sweetest dog I have ever had but I had to work with her a lot. She loves people but not other dogs. She also has a cat that she protects or thinks is her baby. The Amish farm we got her from did not want to tell people that they were Akitas because they would have been hard to get rid of but I am glad I didn’t know because I would not have got her and would have missed out on the most loving and sweetest dog I have ever had. You just have to be stern and ready for all the energy!
I love this breed, they're so unique! Our Yuna was quite a handful when we first got her at about 5 months old, but we stuck at consistent training. she's not very well at the moment and we're trying to raise some money for her specialist vet.
My Akita’s are dangerous, unfortunately but we’re training everyday. They are sweet to most people but if they get a bad vibe they won’t mess with you. They have full obedience but their aggression is through the roof often just too much.
@@TheAkitaLife The parents are turning 5 in November, I have 4/5 from the first liter they will all be 3 next month august 29. Recently sold all 6 from the second liter at 16weeks. Yes it’s a handful
Actually what you describe is quite common even in top quality show dog lines. This is a breed which was bred for personal protection, fighting and hunting and while socialization and training are essential, in the end even a trained tiger remains a tiger. This is why this breed needs a fenced yard with a locked gate and should be on a leash held by a physically fit adult. This breed is like a 550 hp supercharged V8 Jaguar - they are easy to drive at normal speed but they have the power to reach speeds of 180 mph in seconds which is way too fast for most people to safely handle. Akitas are a commando war dog best kept by a former commando. Not recommended for frail or feckless dog owners.
I've noticed that our dogs tend to be a lot like us. If we are the outgoing type who is greeting other and talking to them, our dogs are like it too. If we are the grumpy type or just introverts, the dogs tend to be more introvert too and not wanting to interact with other dogs or humans.
I have 2 akitas. One since puppy other rescued. Both loving but you have to understand you don't know what they're thinking. Both have zero prey drive and love people. They like other dogs too as long as they don't try to dominate them.
I've had an Akita for the past 12 years and he has been the absolute BEST BOY I've ever had! Now I only want akitas for the rest of my life. Now he's my best old man and I've been lucky to have 12 years with this dude.
I had to say goodbye to my 16 year old akita, Rusty in November of 2021 I loved him so much we had such a bond 💗 undescibable I know he loved me back he was a hand full but we managed I will forever miss him 😢
Idk losing him has been terrible I buried a piece of my soul that day we live on a farm and he was by my side everyday having to put him to sleep is just a hurt that just won't quit maybe one day
And here I am sitting in my bed with two large American Akitas. They want my snacks. There so silent. My male is 130lbs at three years and female at 8 years 120lbs. Long time Akita owners. Had two large breed females. I agree with all ya said. These are the only breed I will ever own. The temperament on my two is incredible. We have kids, so our dogs have grown up with crazy kids running around. I will say all the top breeders in the US have well temp/balanced dogs. It’s up to us to raise them appropriately. Tho my dogs are a bit stubborn on the walks. But no aggression towards other dogs or people. Love your channel.
120 and 130! Those are some BIG Akitas. Our Haga isn't done growing, but I don't think he'll be much more than 90ish lbs. His dad was big, but it was a large litter (10 puppies), and sometimes they don't grow as big when there are that many. Thank you so much for your comment and for supporting the channel!
Good to see another akita channel!! Love this breed so much, it's all about respect, they're such a stoic breed, takes a confident personality to lead them. Hana is a beautiful name, does it mean flower? My tonto is super friendly too, but he won't take treats off just anyone 😂, great with other dogs but is very strong and I'm picky with his playmates
I have a 2yr old male American Akita and hes the best dog Ive ever owned he is clean, he likes other dogs and loves people. The only issue I have is he pulls when i walk him which would be fine if I wasnt a short old granny lol. Lucky I have an enormous backyard and he gets plenty of exercise running around after my sons working dog (a kelpie). Never had any food guarding issues he will even walk away from his own food if the other dog tries to eat it. He is very protective of me and will put himself infront of me if he thinks there is an issue. He will react if another dog that visits tries to dominate him but he is fine at my grandsons with their dog being dominant. I am just sorry I didnt get an Akita years ago. The funniest part about my boy is I was going to get a female Golden Retrevier but while visiting a friend his neighbours who breed them had one pup left and I fell in love at first sight. I did some research as the dog I had before this one had aggression issues unfortunetly (he was a maremma and somebody broke into my house during one of his fear periods and it triggered something in him) so I was wary having heard all the tales of Akitas being dangerous. Im so glad I did research and he was hard work until about 6 months of age. Also would just like to mention when my boy was desexed (hes the only one of his breed in the area I live in which is country South Australia) I dont believe the vet researched that Akitas sometimes dont tolerate anesthesia very well. He was operated on at 8.30am and didnt properly wake up until 7pm that night. If he needs anymore operations I will be sure to voice my concerns about how he was when being desexed. Also because they are large boned dogs its important to make sure they have a good large breed puppy diet until age 2 also supplements for joints and sardines help also. Regardless of all the work needed when they are young they are the most loving loyal dogs. Also they can be absolute clowns. I love my bear so much.
That's great to hear! You may want to look into a prong collar (if you haven't already). They don't hurt the dog, but are a gentle reminder not to pull on the leash.
have had 2 akitas of my own and often look after another when his family goes on holiday...all 3 have been absolute great friends and very well behaved..can not fault them
I’ve got a 7 year old male American Akita. He loves meeting other people and has very very rarely not liked another person. But when it comes to other dogs, it really can vary as you said. If we are on a walk he’s usually good, but if another dog is near our backyard fence, his protection side comes out very strongly. Thanks for making this channel!
I am the lucky owner of a cross Akita Inu and an American Akita, we did the whole puppy school thing and as a puppy she liked to play with other dogs, but after she matured she isn’t so into it. She is great on walks, I am disabled and have no strength but she will not pull the leash, unless a rat or rabbit shows up, and even then she will be careful about it. So she is great outside… UNLESS one of those pesky little dogs show up, badly trained, super dominant… she will go into “ima kill you” mode bark and look very scary (mind you she will still not pull the leash hard, so I guess she kinda knows what she’s doing). The other dangerous thing IMO is people that walk their dog off leash (not allowed but their dog is “special”). We will be on our walk and out of thin air a dog appears… no owner in sight and that dog goes straight for us, circles us and is trying to interact with my dog. Then from far away a person yells “he just wants to plaaaaaay”. Well that’s great Dick but my dog wants to kill yours now because she is protecting me, what TF are these people thinking. Sigh I place myself between said off leash dog and yell at them to buzz off, sometimes that works sometimes it doesn’t. That is one of the most scary things ever. A few weeks ago a dog from a few streets over (off leash obviously) saw us walking across the street and ran up to “play” foaming at the mouth barring its teeth (full aggression) and was running up crossing the street and got hit by a car. Dude that dog didn’t want to play it wanted to attack. It was a pitbull mix very muscular luckily he was fine, he sprained some shit but he was fine. But how am I supposed to walk my dog safely if people let their dogs off leash don’t train them and don’t look after them… sometimes… sigh
There's a saying "there's no bad dogs, just bad dog owners." It's definitely frustrating when people's misbehaved dogs are off leash. Would love to see pictures of your Inu/American mix!
My akita boy is only a year and a half old and he’s 135 lbs already !!!! He’s super friendly and lovable- the only thing that he does that is scary is when he meets someone new he wants to jump on them and smell their face . He isn’t attacking people just wants to check you out but it can be really scary to someone that is afraid of dogs. Once he knows you he just wants to kiss you all day.
I just got my Akita about a month ago he’s the BEST ever I bring him every where with my daughter and I and he loves people. I’m turning him into a service dog.
After much research a Poodle is the dog for me. I am too inexperience for an Akita especially once it becomes a strong adult. I can barely hold on to my friend's husky without getting dragged. And I struggled previously teaching my old dog not to intimidate smaller animals so I don't want to go through that again. But this was very helpful before I made a mistake in choosing dog breed. Akitas are beautiful though
Awesome video! It's so nice to hear from someone how actually owns an Akita. It's so true that they are not a naturally mean viscous dog. That's not to say that there aren't some mean viscous Akitas but if you socialize them early and get them from a good breeder. They are gentle giants. Again great video!
@@TheAkitaLife I dont agree 100%! Even if the Akita is trained in the correct way.. When approached by other aggresive dogs they will act up and defend! Thats when you see their hunting/guarding skills! Offcourse they are an aggresive breath! But only when needed i guess... or provoked
Hmmm I highly recommend being careful. They are extremely strong and have a great poker face. A lot of time you won’t know their aggressive intentions until it’s too late. They can be unpredictable when deciding what’s a threat and what’s not. My Akita absolutely knows and understand my verbal commands but he decides when he wants to obey. I introduced him as my friend because he doesn’t act like a pet. It’s mutual respect with this dog.
I recently adopted an akita newfoundland landseer mix from a breeder after having a german shepherd prior, and he's just been the most amazing dog. I love how he never barks or whines and he barely sheds. He listens extremely well but he can be a bit stubborn and easily distracted. I've been working extremely hard at socializing him since he was a month old because of the akita aggression sterotype and it has paid off. He is extremely good at meeting new people he enjoys it so much and hes very good with other dogs too, but like you said that can be up and down. I was at the dog park and he was attacked by a mastiff that shouldn't have been at a dog park because the owner never socialized it and ever since then I can tell he is a lot more defensive when he meets bigger dogs than himself. I think Akitas are just like any dog when it comes to behavior, if the owner takes their time and does the right thing you will have a great dog but if you neglect them or don't give them their required needs then they can turn out to be "mean" dogs. I truly believe that a dogs behavior is a direct reflection of the owner and how it was raised. To anyone considering an akita I couldn't recommend them enough but I will say its not a breed for everyone. You're going to have to be very patience and be physically fit but if you want an extremely loyal dog that will protect you, I can't think of a better breed.
I own a Akita and I we share a strong bond. It’s mother is friendly to strangers and it’s dad was more aggressive and my female didn’t inherit any of her moms traits. She loves me and my mom and dad and that’s it everyone else is out! So ya Akita’s definitely have aggressiveness in there genes and if your dog is showing any signs of aggression I wouldn’t trust it with a 10ft pole. Akita’s can attack to kill without any warning whatsoever. Great care needs to be taken with these beautiful dogs.
Interesting how there are kind of set Akita traits that all owners see, but some variability. My experience: People: My Akita, Yeller, loved kids, but was always on high alert and was aloof with meeting new adults. Other dogs: pretty indifferent, unless they came on my yard or if he felt they were a threat to me while we were walking or running. Only one incident: a German Shep kept following us and he came up on my blindside. My dog did not like it, lunged across my body and literally rag dolled it for a couple seconds. Akitas are immensely powerful dogs! Prey drive: huge! I swear he was a better mouser than my cat! Strong, stubborn....and still the best dog I have ever had the pleasure of being a companion to. Yeller passed in 2015 and still think fondly of him.
I agree with you on everything you said, I had the pleasure of looking after my sons Akita during the day every day for 3 and a half years, I got to know Quincy very very well, I’ve never known such a beautiful looking guy as Quincy, he’s just coming to age 7 , he’s the most affectionate dog that I’ve ever known, he’s the most intelligent dog that I’ve ever known, he is the most obedient dog that I’ve ever known, he’s the fastest dog I’ve ever known the only problem that we have with Quincy is, he hates being on his own and he doesn’t like other male dogs anywhere near us, I think he’s frightened that it’s gonna hurt us for some reason, but he always loves to sit right in front of the window and he just sits in front of the window watching the world go by I said he’s the most intelligent dog I’ve ever but also he’s the dopiest dog I’ve ever if that makes sense, he’s been one big bundle of fun your guaranteed a good laugh nearly every day with Quincy he’s always getting up to something and he loves to scrounge your dinner to the point that if you put his dinner in his bowl and he knows that your about to dish your dinner he will eat his food as quick as he can so he come and beg your dinner,all in all he’s got a beautiful personality, he’s gone back to live with my son and his fiancé but I love to visit my son and his fiancé and see Quincy when I can and when he sees me he goes nuts until he gets exhausted, I’ve all the true loves of my life, my three big portraits of my grandsons wearing their favourite football team shirts Arsenal, a big blue rose because I buried rose bush for my sister when she was killed I’ve got a big 1971 Arsenal badge because that’s the year I started supporting Arsenal, I’ve in big black gothic writing that says family, I’ve got in big black writing my childrens names and a big portrait of Quincy all tattooed all over my back which I had completed last September 3 days after my 60th birthday because I’ve treated Quincy like he was my son and daughters little brother and I’ve felt nothing but love from him.
I owned a female Akita for 12 years until she crossed the bridge. She had the personality of a Golden Retriever. Absolutely loved everyone. She was beta only to my male chow, who was a little older than she. However, I saw her stand over and grab him by the back of his neck and began shaking him hard, over food, one day. It only happened once and I’m glad that I was there; she could have killed him. She then went right back to following and respecting his lead. It was weird. Other than that one act of food dominance, she never was aggressive to humans or other dogs. It is worth noting that she possessed a confidence that communicated to other dogs that she was not to be pushed around. Very powerful and capable dog and I can’t stress how important it is to choose the pup by his or her’s individual personality. Her brothers were not sweet like she was (even at a young age, they viewed us with suspicion and aloofness; my instincts told me to steer clear) and I also intentionally adopted a female so as to get along better with my male chow already in the home.
My 3 year old Akita is also atypical he loves new people. Confidently goes up to everyone for a pet. Loves other dogs including my male Doberman pincher. All my dogs are raised in grooming shop environment. They met new people and pets everyday after 3 months old. Socialization can be key. Another thing is don’t just punish bad behavior also praise good behavior. If your Akita is going nuts about another dog. The moment they calm give praise to let them know that’s what you want
My guy (simba) is only aggressive if he is being attacked or feels threatened, other than that he's super chill and loves to say hi to anyone that wants to say hi back
I have a 3.5 year old 135lb female Akita (Bear). She’s very loving, playful, protective and always on high alert. She’s great with people and male dogs (not great with female). She is always the alpha when around other dogs and she makes that known, though she’s not aggressive per say. Wish I could post a picture of her she came from an working breeder and show line, she’s huge but a big sweetie!!
I've had rescue Akitas for almost 30yrs. Love this channel!! Really good information. Akitas can be socialized and trained at any age, but with some who've been abused it takes time, dedication, and you have to know what you are dealing with and have the resources and time to invest. We are blessed in the Akita world to have some amazing rescues, who love and adore this breed, and are the best voices for this breed.
You are so right, but people have to be educated Akitas are not for everybody. I live in NH and I have space , lots of space. My Marcel was 18 when he died. He was my child. People need to understand when you commit having a dog, any dog, is a life time commitment, they're not toys, they become your children . My Marcel, talked to me through his eyes, hard to explain what that is, but is true.
Your pooch and mine could be brothers. Very similar in color and markings. You also accurately described my dog. He was my office dog for 7 years. He greeted every client and child that entered my office, escorted them into the conference room and always sat between them and me. I always trusted him with children of any age and he never let me down. He understood. Awesome partners. He isn’t my dog, I am his person.
My favorite dog breed ever! My current boy "Bushido" is a seven year old 135 pound American Akita. While he too loves meeting new people, he doesn't enjoy meeting everyone:) One of my best friends of 30 years cannot come into my house. For some reason, Bushido just doesn't like the guy:) There are also a few dog breeds that trigger him more than others. One Winter, I was walking him at a lake were people like to cross-country ski. A couple had their Pit off leash. The Pit came across us and stopped about 10 feet short of us. The pit ran at me ( he just wanted to play) Bushido charged him rolling him onto his back. This was my one "Oh Sh.t moment in public. I took it as a learning lesson and started shortening my lead when we come across other animals. I also bought a K9 harness that has the handle so I can hold him if needs be. My advice to new Akita owners. 1.) Always have them on a leash in public. 2.) Socialize! Socialize! Socialize! 3.) Learn your Akita's body language and triggers. When my boy is really annoyed, his hackles go up and he low growls, grunts, and bares his teeth. This scares me more than a full out bark! Enjoy them and love them! They are an amazing breed!
I have a part Akita and part German shepherd, but have noticed they don’t have the “OFF” switch in their head, other dogs will growl but they’re not dangerous, akitas go in and growl and you KNOW when they get in a tussle, that Akita’s gonna take it to the death/ extreme injury if no one steps in. So, AKITAS are not the kind of dogs to ever leave alone with other dogs unattended when you leave your home. Best to get an Akita if you only want one dog, but they are so lovely. I love my girl American Akita! She’s also beautiful!!
Temper is very important with Akita Inu's , We know this well as we preserve the breed ,we have 8 of these Wonderful Japanese Akita Inu's - Love Bears = )
Best dog ever, my mika is 9. She is a purebred American Akita. Great with kids, so so with dogs. All depends. Love of my life next to my daughter. Always part of the family.
When I was a kid my neighbor had a big, pure bred Akita named Titus. He was rarely aggressive w/ ppl as long as the owner was there and seemed comfortable. The owner was a super cool, laid back guy and the dog sort of adopted his personality. People he knew well he was glad to see but not overly demonstrative, ppl he didn’t know he sort of ignored once they “checked out” and if the owner was uncomfortable or not there you met a guarded, non nonsense Titus.
Yours sounds like mine. Hes an in tact male about 17 months old. Loves people ( besides tweakers and weirdos) loves playing with dogs and wants to meet every single one on the leash. Hes always nice until theres tension with larger males, then he starts to assert himself… usually only on leash. He has a bunch of big dog intact male friends that all play together pretty well with other females around. Like you said, up and down. Just have to watch his body language and pay attention. If you get one you have to be present. You always have to be paying attention.
Great video! You did a excellent job of explaining their wild side. As this was my first big dog I was fairly surprised at the prey-drive my female Akita exhibited! Walking with one by your side in a dense woodsy foliage type scenery and they flourish in picturesque regality! As she is now 3 (21) years old and maturing I'm noticing a more guard dog stance when it comes to other animals ,the vibrations /energy of the environment we are in and able to distinguish regular ppl from public officials and staff members and police officers! Like it's weird af! She is a service animal so she goes and has gone alot of places you wouldn't normally see a dog much less an Akita pup and I socialized her with 2 well aged cats make and female! She loved those cats! And respected them too! But when it comes to small breed dogs she doesn't take well with them! It's like their bitchy attitude triggers her bitchy attitude and next thing you know she's grabbing or pouncing. I don't know if it's her personality or just a size thing b/c she's really good with pitbulls and other heftier dogs ! But the minute a dog shows aggression and fencetigating she reacts and I want to get her out of that asap!
Akitas wrestling is amazing. No dog requires more responible owner. They simply hate other breeds and are very superior when outside. Amazing but difficult. I remember my friend's Akita got pitbull on his back, held him with one paw and other kept relaxed. Slowly made close face contact a opened his mouth with excitement almost smiling, showing full set of teeth. If I didn't pull him by his collar, that pitbull would be not killed but played with drastically. Never seen more hateful and confident encounter in my life. Cujo was Lassie comparing to Temuchin. Extremely loyal and protective towards owner/s and friends of the owners. Great judgement and memory.
American Akitas, like all dogs, are simply processing all the cues their brains are pulling from their environment. Our dog, Dexter, is a 2.5 year old male so just kinda creeping out of adolescence into adulthood. He's playful and energetic when he wants to be and equally happy to lay on the floor or in your lap . . . but it's ALWAYS on his terms. If he doesn't feel like sitting with you, he isn't going to. I sense zero aggression in him towards other animals, just a ton of curiosity for creatures he's never encountered. We live in the woods and have a constant procession of deer on our property. He's quite curious about them but never shows prey drive or aggression when they stroll through. He's not a single person dog, either. He's quite happy to curl up with any member of our family or friends that he knows. For me, the thing with Dex is that his guardian instincts are always there and his desire to protect us never stops. Anyone who comes in the house is subject to his inspection and he will quickly read their body language, their smells and ours, too. If he doesn't sense anything that makes him uneasy, he'll quickly move along to his own business. If you stay for a while, he'll probably approach you and seek your attention but if you try to heap it on him, he'll put up with it for a bit but will eventually tire of your attention and move along . . . always on his terms. That's just how Dexter rolls! And I agree completely on the subject of other dogs. Akitas almost insist on being the alpha among dogs and this is where owners can find trouble. We also have a 9 year old Golden. She's the perfect companion for Dex because she's older so he grew up with her and she's a completely submissive breed, quite happy to follow rather than lead. If another male dog that was a large breed with dominant tendencies came into our home, I think we'd see a different side of Dexter.
Adopted a beautiful 6 month Akita / Shiba Inu and they wanted me to take her sister as well. I told her I would think about it, but I found out the sister (also 6 months) has already killed chickens and was accused of getting out and killing another dog. My personal thoughts from watching her when picking up our puppy: VERY independent, humans are just an obstacle, extremely SMART, EXTREMELY stubborn.
First time a saw one , maybe 30 years ago , it was a black mask and i felt in love with that beast !! i don't think i will have one but they are what we sould be ...i think!
Our Akita pup just turned One, came from a real nice breeder. And he’s just beautiful, so we’ll tempered and kind, we’ve got 3 young boys and he’s great with them, other people and as of yet not reacted to any other dogs we’ve met ☺️☺️
I looked after my son’s long haired American Akita for 3 and a half years from the age of 6 months and believe me it was the best 3 and a half years of my life for quite a few years, every day nearly he would do something that was gonna make me laugh, there was never a dull moment with Quincy boy around, he is the most dopiest dog that I have ever known yet at the same time he is the most intelligent dog that I’ve ever known if that makes any sense, he is the most obedient dog I’ve ever known, he is the most affectionate dog I’ve ever known, when I go to visit my son and his fiancé Quincy boy just doesn’t leave me alone until he’s exhausted, he jumps up all over me and he loves to gently nibble my lips and that’s how Akitas give affection by gently nibbling the person, I feel so attached to Quincy boy I put him as part of my family for life, I had a lovely big portrait of him tattooed on my back along with 3 big portraits of my 3 beautiful grandsons wearing their favourite football team shirts on, I also had a big 1971 Arsenal badge done and a lovely big blue rose done because when my sister died I planted her a rose bush, and down the bottom of my back from one side of my back to the other side I had a big ribbon done with both my children names in, it was finished last year 3 days after my 60 birthday, it took 25 months to do and it cost me £2260 from start to finish, I’m so proud of my back tattoo I’ve always wanted a full back piece tattoo since I was a kid and now I got it and Quincy boy was the finishing touch to all the love’s of my life all in one big mural on my back, Banksy eat your heart out. I hope you have as much fun with your Akita as I had with Quincy boy whilst he was growing up, take care from Stevie boy and Quincy boy in England.
I had an American Akita as a kid, and in the neighborhood I lived, was super dog friendly, and she used to go on walks on her own, we tried to Trai. Her to stop, but when she passed away we learned she was hanging out with several people in the neighborhood and they were giving her treats, it really helped explain why no matter what we could not train her to stop when the neighbors were unknowingly conditioning her to keep walking off
Amazing how our 110 # guy jumps on the bed as light as a feather: half the time we never feel him hop up. Very stealthy, gentle. As long as you are not prey or threatening. Different personality than our 90# girl, they are definitely individuals- and I think this is a crucial thing: interaction and reacting to their individuality makes an awesome animal.
I love Akitas. Great video. Yes, it's nuture AND nature. Regardless of training or trust, a responsible Akita owner is always on higher alert than the dog no matter how cute they are. By the way, my spayed purebred is a doll and dog park friendly. But she is responsive and will follow my lead. I have had others that could not be given that kind of freedom.
Yes, Akitas are potentially dangerous. They are big, very powerful animals. They need responsible owners and good socialization. But a properly raised Akita is an amazing animal. My good friend has a male Akita named Ronin who is a delight to be around. He has a wonderful personality and makes our lives better. I love the Akita! If someone is willing to put in the time, I can absolutely recommend this breed!
One oldest son walked our Akita one time and some kids came up to them on bicycles and was asking if that dog would attack. Our dog went to the other side of my son to keep himself closer to the kids on the bikes. So he was keeping my son safe. I loved that dog so much . But I educated myself about Akitas before I got one. I had kids still at home. So I got mine as a puppy and the kids spent alot of time with him. So he watched over the whole family. He was the first large dog I ever had that didn't tear up anything in the house. 🥰
Got my Akita at 7 months. Good w/ other dogs because we made sure to take him to dog parks; bad with strangers but that is because his home is his castle. No people are allowed to pet him. Due to crime around our area (I live in Socialist WA State with no police) my dog has had to be on guard for too long. When new people come to our home, I ask that they ignore him and if he comes to you to only pet the top of his head. The only time we have "issues" is when people get too comfortable around him and think our "rules" don't pertain to them.
Socializing is so important. I had someone tell me one time they didn't socialize their Akitas because they heard that "Akits aren't good with other dogs." They didn't realize their Akita wasn't good with other dogs because they DIDN'T socialize them...
How often did you go to dog parks? I get my 6wk old akita in 2 weeks. I have done all my research over socializing and there's not to many videos on akitas out there. I will do my best to take her to them once she hits 10wks due to shots. Do you let her in with the other dogs or is strafing the outside of the fence okay to do? I just don't want another dog getting aggressive and scaring her at a young age
We’ve had 3 Akita’s, not one of them were dangerous. Our last Simba would walk up to visitors and give them a sniff and walk away. He had one peculiarity, he would roll his neck on our shoes all except one, recognizing the lady of the house was leader of the pack. Doesn’t say much about hierarchy for the rest of us. Wonderful dogs
I'm on my second Akita, love them. The first was fine with people but no other dogs. This one is hit and miss with other dogs, she will be grumpy with one and two seconds later wag her tail at the next. She is hit and miss with new people but if one of her friends arrives she will lick them to death. :-) They are such loyal animals. As a large very strong dog though I would never recommend them to first time dog owners. Deep down they are big sooks. I have noticed too that they usually don't start aggression with another dog it is the other dog which is aggressive. Maybe because the akita has a resting face which to other dogs seems aggressive. I love their Yoda ears when they are being submissive too.
Thanks for watching, some other people in the comments think I don't know what I'm talking about because I suggested that Akitas aren't the best dog for first time owners.
Hi All. Loooove Akitas. I had an Akita/st bernard. Kemo was his name. He was obsessed with the boys. He was very easy to train. My youngest was just a newborn. Kemo would lay beside the blanket. If his little boy moved off the blanket, he would put him back in the middle of the blanket. He would wrestle with his big boy, and pin him down. After the boys were in bed he would lay in the door way till he knew they were sleeping. Then he would come a lay beside me for a bit, then go back to the kids room. Stay safe and groovy 🔴⚪️🔴⚪️🔴⚪️AB🇨🇦
I read on Wikipedia that roughly half of male akitas have a gene responsible for aggression, but this was akita inus in particular. I'm not sure if it meant the "American" akita or just the Japanese variant. I chatted to a trainer who said American akitas where nice but the Japanese strain where aggressive. What's weird is again, only male akitas have the aggression gene. I have experience with other breeds and generally females are more aggressive than males.
My son has a long haired American Akita and I looked after him every single day for nearly 3 and a half years, I had from when he was just around 6 months and if I’m totally honest with you all, I’ve never known such a beautiful looking guy, his name is Quincy, I’ve known such a intelligent dog, I have never known such a affectionate and loving dog he loves to nibble on your lip very gently, I’ve never known such a loyal dog, I’ve never known such a obedient dog the only problem we have with Quincy because he’s back with my son and his fiancé he’s just coming up to 7 years old and he can’t be left on his own for some reason he isn’t a vicious dog or anything like that when he’s on his own he’s just a very nervous dog for some reason, I’ve done a bit of research on the American Akita, they are bred for fighting bear and wild boars for some reason, but they are pack animals and I wonder if it’s in genes to not be on his own or he just becomes so attached to his owner’s, cause every time I go to see my son and his fiancé he goes nuts when he sees me he just won’t leave me alone until he gets exhausted, I nor my son have ever had any problems with whatsoever, he’s very good around my grandchildren and children in general, it’s hard to imagine how vicious they can be and I only say that because of what American Akitas are actually bred for because believe me if they fight bears and wild boar’s then they can be very dangerous but I’ve ever seen or have I been told that been dangerous towards anyone the only thing I will say is that he doesn’t like other walking past his garden it’s like he sees it has his territory that’s all he just barks and growls at other dogs as they walk past his garden and he’s always and I mean always has to sit in front of the window he just watches the world go but apart from growling at other dogs as they past his garden he’s just a beautiful looking and has a beautiful personality.
@@TheAkitaLife yeah you ain’t wrong about that buddy, I don’t know if it’s true but, I’ve heard that only 5 or 6% of American Akitas are long haired and it’s a kind of disability, is there any truth in that please buddy, and if have any worries about Quincy boy would it be okay to ask you stuff in the future because I do have a worry about Quincy boy and that is, he loves his walks when I was looking after him during the day for about 3 and a half years I would put him on lead fix the lead to his harness and put the end his lead around the arm of mobility scooter and take him for walks at least 3 or 4 times a day and then my son would take him out a couple of times at night, but now he’s coming up to his 7th birthday in May this year, although Quincy boy is on the small end of the the size and weight of a American Akita he is only about 39 kilos but, lately he’s been limping so my son took him to his vet and he gave my son some anti-inflammatory and pain killers he’s taken them for the last couple of days and now my son has said he’s stopped giving them to Quincy boy and he’s not limping the question that I have for you is, I’ve seen quite a few bigger dogs suffering very badly with their hack legs my friends had a American Akita that I grew very fond of he was 15 years old and honestly it used to really upset me to see walking in so much pain in his back legs only, it’s like sometimes I would see him almost crawling and in so much pain it was really affecting me, would Quincy boy be at the beginning of his back legs giving up on him I really hope not buddy but thanks for the comment mate I really appreciate that I really do, take care and I hope you are able to answer the questions I asked you until then take care buddy from Stevie boy in England.
I had a akita/malamute mix. He was human friendly. The only person he showed aggression towards was a neighbor who he sensed that person didn't like him. He growled and bared his teeth. But if he saw other dogs he wanted to have them for dinner.
Very nice information. I'm 2nd rescue on a 2 year old male, he's doing well, I do have large breed background. It's cool. I would not let this guy go back to shelter dog, he is 115lbs.
@@TheAkitaLife thank you and your correct, not a first dog owner recommend. This one is very reactive to other animals and that was issues for him to have home, fortunately I'm on just over 10 acres at 9,000 ft, can barely wait for him to have some snow to play in.
Our 9 year old Akita is a sweet, affectionate boy, but he has been aggressive toward other dogs. We have socialized him with both of the Pomeranians we have had and he is great with them, but not with dogs he doesn’t know. He is also very friendly with other people when we are around. I don’t know how he would be if another person came into our house or yard without us being here unless he had met them before. He’s very strong too.
my 2 cents from experience: socialize, socialize, socialize...and just accept that it might not work. There is NO better guard dog for your family, whether that family is newbornes, cats, other dogs, chickens, etc...but American Male Akitas by nature will be wary of strangers and KNOW what their duty is. you have to socialize them early on and continually to shortcut that instinct. I've been told I'm wrong many, many times and It's possible, but please keep this in mind.
I rescued my Japanese akita off a junky, he's a bit dodgy with strange dogs, I used to let him off leash but 7 rescues later decided no more off leash adventures.
I have an Akita named Kita!!! She is terrific with people but with other animals she shows aggression.....I keep her leashed when walking and have no problems except for her strength!!! I'm only 110 lbs vs Goliath!!! I would not trade her for anything!!! She's a sweetheart and family and friends love her....and so do I 😊
My akita loves to see other people and when they pet her she starts crying and doing her pipi out of excitement 😂. She is very loving and never has shown agresion but she can’t walk without a leash🥲✌️
Haga reminds me of my uncles Akita his name was Max. He had the same exact color and patches, he passed away. Sadly we don’t know how or when since he ran away when he was very old. He was so huge though one of the biggest dogs I’ve ever seen, I’ve never seen an Akita his size. Akitas are honestly amazing to be honest, very loving and kind dogs:)
Early socialization plays a key role for Akitas (and any breed of course) in liking humans more/being less guarded around strangers and other dogs/animals. My guy is very similar to Haga in that the only people I think he'd ever harm are intruders in our home. He was born on a farm with toddlers and children, then raised around school zones. He loves being around kids; however just because of that I would not automatically say all Akitas are 'child friendly', especially in a chaotic screaming environment. I try to teach kids never to run yelling at any dog, do not pet the head without an introduction first, even then behind the head is preferred, and no hugging. My Akita will react poorly to all those actions or at least dislike them. A fellow Akita owners' dogs in my area who are well-trained only like a very specific set of humans, they ignore or simply 'tolerate' the rest who say hi and pet them; their owner usually has them in a sit or stay command to do so. Haga is adorable
That is 100% accurate, all dogs have the potential to be dangerous. All bites have the potential to be lethal regardless the bite force when it's going into flesh, bones can still break and arteries severed. Any strong aggressive animal can maul a human or another animal of it's size. It all depends on a few factors. The animals temperament, who bred it and the type of owner who raised it. Has it been properly trained or socialized. Any animal either it be an Akita, Rottweiler, Pitbull or German Shepherd can be considered as a loaded gun ready to go off. Some animals are not meant for first time dog owners. They all are intelligent, but some stubborn. Some takes an experienced firm owner to make them outstanding pets. Just because you feed them don't mean they respect you. Just because you want a specific breed, or because you think they look cool or like what they could potentially do. Many first time or inexperienced dog owner may not know how to properly raise them. Which is why a lot of animals gets a bad reputation and labeled dangerous when they actually aren't if raised and trained right. If you are considering to purchase an animal on the sole notion of what they could potential do to another animal or human, maybe you shouldn't own one at all.
Back 'when', there was a gorgeous Akita whose owners let roam. (This was many years ago). He would come visit my husband who spent a lot of time working in the yard, and stay for lots of pets, then be on his way. Not a mean bone in his body.
Correct about the home insurance. We pay more because of the breed. Our Akita is good with most people but there’s 2 or 3 people that he’s just always on edge about. Also temperamental- 90% of the time you can rough house with him, but only if it’s on his terms. Every now and then he’ll grumble about it and not have any part in shenanigans.
We are first time dog owners and we happened to adopt an Akita from the shelter without knowing anything. We suspect that he was abandoned since the shelter told us nobody came to claim him after they called the number on the chip. He turned out to be a very sweet boy and fit right into the family. I guess we got lucky.
You did.
Very cool
Very lucky. A guy in my neighborhood adopted one like you did, and he's in way over his head. That dog takes him for walks. You have to be willing to put up a fight and show them you're the boss or they will own you.
@@mrpankau very true
A family member nearby got killed by their Akita. Throat bite. Before that head bit. 40 stitches. A glorious but powerful and nervous dog. He got ill and died early so they were spared having to have him out to sleep. They will jump on the back of a big dog, push it flat on the ground and sit on it, saying I’m alpha. Make no mistake, they are a serious dog! Intelligent, not sure suited as a pet though. Be warned. Wolves are scared of them.
I recently adopted an Akita from the animal shelter. Didn't know anything about this breed. Was told that she was taken from a breeding hoarder house. Spent most her life neglected in a garage. Would have never guessed that she's so sweet and does awesome at the dog park around other dogs and people. So behaved in the house never have to worry about leaving her home alone. Doesn't chew on anything except her dog toys and bones. She's very spoiled gets the bark box every month and loves it. All and all feel blessed she came into our lives and I can give her a much happier life.
I loved my Akita so damn much. He was my best friend & I have no words to describe how much I miss him. It's been 2 months since his gone & it feels like hell on earth.
He was animal aggressive because he was attacked multiple times by dogs off their leads while I was walking him.
He was very cautious when It came to strangers, he would just stare them down in silence watching every move they made.
He absolutely hated strangers touching his head though, he wouldn't attack them, but he would growl to warn them.
He was very protective of me & he did protect me in the past.
He was the best dog I have ever owned & he was perfect in every way possible.
Almost 14yrs with him & I never forget him ❤
So sorry for your loss. People who don't have dogs will never understand.
They leave a big hole in your heart when they go. Six months after losing my first I had another. She is now 4 1/2 so hopefully at least another 5 years.
I feel your pain. I lost my favorite Akita (Zeus) this past September 26 2021. The bond that I had with him was mythical. He wanted to be at my side always and he most definitely would protect me and did have to on several occasions. I have one Akita (Shiloh) left and when she is gone no more Akita's for me. I've gotten to old and my health has deteriorated to the point where I cannot care for a dog the way they deserve; and most importantly, I don't know that I could out live an Akita. The last thing I want to do is to die and leave an Akita that has bonded to me alone and heartbroken.
@@rickkephartactual7706 I lost mine this past September also.
September 13th 2021 2.35pm.
I completley understand what you mean by Mythical. Mine was the same, most of the time I thought he knew me better then I knew myself. He always wanted to be wherever I was. He really was my best friend & I miss him so damn much. I dont have the heart to get another one at this stage, it took me more then 6months to find him & when I gave up on looking for an Akita he randomly appeared. He ran up to me and sat on my feet.
I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm glad you still have another fur baby to watch over you ❤
@@fsparkman3343 I feel like my Akita took half of my soul with him.
I hope you have many more long, happy & healthy years with your fur baby ❤
It’s the way you raise and train your dog. My Akita also is people friendly, child friendly so on so forth but when it’s time to protect she does her job.
Yesssss
I got an Akita as a first time dog owner and I couldn’t be happier! We do follow strict training and used your leash training video as advice on outside training. Very helpful and well recommended Channel!! He’s the softest and most well behaved dog I’ve known
Awesome! I'm so glad it helped. Give him a pat on the head for me 😁
I remember the Akita named Goro in my neighborhood. He was such a gentle old man and always looking after other younger dogs and hyperactive puppies like mine. Everyone loved Goro. He was like everyone’s dad
My last Akita (mix), softened his personality quite a bit in his old age. They are very stoic and regal senior dogs. Goro is a great name too.
Omg our 7 month old pup (Akita) is names goro!! Son or the number 6!!! Is why he was named goro.
My big boy is Old now it's okay we still love him we've had Kimpachi since he was a baby almost 11 years now he's a Japanese Akita and he's a big Baby to me so he fractured his paw I gave him a CBD gummy he threw his toy up in the air and caught it it was like he got some rejuvenated strength he was running and playing we love him
I trained my American Akita as soon as we brought him home. I’m Navy vet and understood “pack mentality “ from the jump. Yes, he tried me . I laughed and let him a little bit. Then , I raised up & asserted myself and he was like,”whoa” , ok. I also had my wife spend a lot of time with him. He understood after a while and accepted us as the leaders, but he’s 3rd,lol. Never any problems after that. A foolish robber “bothered” my wife once,and he almost took the idiots head off! My wife came home later, ranting about how much she loves him now and I must admit I was extremely proud! He got special treat that night! Our guys name is SHOGUN, and he’s a beautiful part of our family. Everyone marvels at how smart he is also. Carries himself like royalty,which they are!
Ha yeah they definitely act like they are the best breed and they know it!
Who is dumb enough to try to rob someone with an akita?
@@danieallen5609 you'd be surprised. My corso had a similar experience
I'm currently on my 3rd Akita, and you are correct about the socialization. When I picked him up from the breeder at 9 weeks, I immediately started introducing him to people, strangers, friends, other dogs, cats, children, infants, old people, everyone I could find.
And he is super friendly, loves to meet new people, even loves meeting other dogs, is very curious about cats, but has never been aggressive toward one. As sociable and curious as he is with everything else, I think he really just wants to meet one and smell it.
But, he is also fairly aloof. He's happy to meet new people and dogs, but generally, once he's met them and played for a minute or two, he's ready to move on. I've always found this behavior fascinating. My American Akita was the same way, though he was much more aggressive with other dogs than my current Japanese Akita.
Best Dogs Ever.
my Akita was abused so my dog is always in guard dog mod but he is so wonderful to me and the people I live my dog loves me and I love him so much
Sorry to hear he was abused. Sounds like he has a good life now!
Same as my current male. He’s my 5th Akita. First rescue. Got him at two. Was chained to a tree until I got him. Very defensive and apprehensive of almost everything. After a year he calmed greatly but is still very very protective and always guarding and does not tolerate other animals except females. Still displays all the good traits and is so helpful with the kids. Gentle at home. Dominant outside the home.
I never had a dog, until I got my beautiful Akita, at first he was not good to walk with me, but it took a few months again for me to walk him. And now he can walk with me without dragging me down the street. My Akita likes to smell flowers, catch butterflies. He is not around other dogs.
I was in a vet hospital waiting room when this beautiful Akita came in. He loved the vet who came out to talk to his owner yet the dog looked at me like he wanted to end my life. I didn't get it as I've never had a reaction like that from any animal before and I'm always doing rescues.
You never know what a dog has been thru. Perhaps you looked similar someone who had abused them. Hard to say with any dog if you don't know their history.
Akita’s are very protective of their humans, the vet had permission to approach their human. You were warned you didn’t.
I mean this in the best possible way. Lol. I love it when this happens, you see people who believe as you do that they are normally dog whisperers. And they meet an akita and its not that. Akitas know and they are not love bugs except to the ones they choose. Magical creatures.. there is quadruped, there is dog, there is akitas and then there's american akita. In that order..
@@Salbead Not acceptable. Train the bastard then. We don't make allowances ever for innate agression. Send the dog to the dog whisperer.
After having Akita's for 40+ years and now on my 4th good friend. They are all different as far as aggression but some people introduce over aggressive games to their dogs feeding their natural aggression. Kuro my currents parents are very friendly in fact the breeder had 4 adult Akita's and puppies in the house. Kuro has that great temperament and thinks everyone needs their ears licked!
Yes, need to be calm and gentle, but firm. When my My Akita mix was a Puppy she kind of like hunted me. So I would rough house back. The Trainer told me not to engage in this Behavior, because she will just get more aggressive and bully me. Lucky I stopped before it became her nature.
Great video - beautiful bear. One thing people need to understand is that even if you have a sweet, fun-loving Akita, they are still a dog with a neurological hierarchy. They will protect and defend at the cost of their lives. That’s never going to leave their collective gene pool. So enjoy the fact that some of the more milder Akitas give you the best of both worlds! My Akita days date back to when I was 4 (36 now) and they were all aloof. But if the “pack” accepts you, they will too, in time. What a glorious breed they are.
Thank you! And yeah my sweet guy was growling at the little kid who came running up to my car in the Target parking lot this AM....
@@TheAkitaLife lol
My female Akita, Suki, will be 12-years-old in October. We too socialized her with people a lot. Unfortunately, we didn't have the opportunity to socialize her with other dogs. We had a neighbor who had a dachshund, and he would terrorize her. Now, whenever she sees a small dog, she gets aggressive. Other than that, she's the best. We love her very much. We call her our HMD; High Maintenance Diva. We are just her people. 😂
HMD! Ha that's funny :-). Give sweet Suki a pat on the head for me!
I swear it feels like you just described my American Akita. We're a family of 3 (3 yr old included) and first time dog owners, which goes against almost any post/video I've seen in regards to owning one. The more effort you put into your Akira's training, the better of a companion you will have, just like with any other animal. She's exactly like Haga described in this video, love bug and sociable as she's been taught to be. Disciplined within limit, as I feel they're extra stubborn as opposed to other breeds and very very smart, kind of hard to manipulate. You just need to be an alpha or it will try to dominate you or have no respect for your commands. Amazing dogs, great with babies and toddlers and any age kids. I love how the breed was described in this video 👌
Thanks for the support!
My Akita was friendly to people I introduce him to. However one day I was having a deck installed in my backyard. I introduce the contractors to my dogs they ran around off leach while they were working and everything was fine. Then they decided to take a lunch break and I had to run to the store. I informed them if they made it back before do not start back until I return. They didn't listen, they figured since they had been playing with the dogs everything was all good and went in the backyard. As soon as they walked around my house, my male Akita grabbed one of em. The only thing saved him was before I left I put the dogs on a chain just in case they didn't listen and entered the backyard anyway.
Yeah people see the cute face and think they are harmless!
I have raised 3 Akita's and they are the most loving breed I have ever known. Prior to owning my first Akita I had a red male Doberman and a female Rottweiler.
Yup. Ours have been total love bugs too!
Compared to rotties how are they energy and shedding wise and which do you think would fare better in an apartment setting
@@titanhound6671 There is no comparison. I have loved each of my Akita's but you either learn to accept the hair and move on or they aren't the breed for you. I have never had a closer relationship with any breed and I am a animal lover from childhood.
@@titanhound6671 I had a red male Doberman and a female Rottweiler in my apartment and they did wonderful. I've lived in a house for the most part with my Akita's but I have been in an apartment for a short period of time and it wasn't a problem.
@@titanhound6671 Full disclosure, I know very little about Rottweilers. However, I will say although Akitas are BIG dogs, they don't necessarily need a lot of space.
For a few years we lived in an apartment with our Akita mix, and he was quite content despite it being somewhat cramped.
Now that we have a big house with a good amount of room to run around, our American Akita spends 90% of his time laying on that window you see behind me in the video.
Our Akita mix would shed pretty badly in the spring, but that was it, and our American Akita seems to be following that same pattern. It was really bad in June, but now the house stays clean.
Four years ago we were looking for a puppy for our older dog after his companion which was a standard poodle had to be put down at the age of 16 years old( I miss her more than ever). We found some puppies on Craig’s list that were a German shepherd mix so they said. Well she is 4 now and the vet kept telling us that she was an Akita and we didn’t believe them so we got a test done and she is a full blooded Akita. The sweetest dog I have ever had but I had to work with her a lot. She loves people but not other dogs. She also has a cat that she protects or thinks is her baby. The Amish farm we got her from did not want to tell people that they were Akitas because they would have been hard to get rid of but I am glad I didn’t know because I would not have got her and would have missed out on the most loving and sweetest dog I have ever had. You just have to be stern and ready for all the energy!
I love this breed, they're so unique! Our Yuna was quite a handful when we first got her at about 5 months old, but we stuck at consistent training. she's not very well at the moment and we're trying to raise some money for her specialist vet.
We're sending our best wishes to sweet Yuna!
All the best for Yuna 💜 hope you raise those funds akita fam
My Akita’s are dangerous, unfortunately but we’re training everyday. They are sweet to most people but if they get a bad vibe they won’t mess with you. They have full obedience but their aggression is through the roof often just too much.
Well it sounds like you are doing all the right things. How old are they?
@@TheAkitaLife The parents are turning 5 in November, I have 4/5 from the first liter they will all be 3 next month august 29. Recently sold all 6 from the second liter at 16weeks. Yes it’s a handful
@@2heavy4udude Bless your heart haha
Bree standards 👍🏼
Actually what you describe is quite common even in top quality show dog lines. This is a breed which was bred for personal protection, fighting and hunting and while socialization and training are essential, in the end even a trained tiger remains a tiger. This is why this breed needs a fenced yard with a locked gate and should be on a leash held by a physically fit adult. This breed is like a 550 hp supercharged V8 Jaguar - they are easy to drive at normal speed but they have the power to reach speeds of 180 mph in seconds which is way too fast for most people to safely handle. Akitas are a commando war dog best kept by a former commando. Not recommended for frail or feckless dog owners.
I've noticed that our dogs tend to be a lot like us. If we are the outgoing type who is greeting other and talking to them, our dogs are like it too. If we are the grumpy type or just introverts, the dogs tend to be more introvert too and not wanting to interact with other dogs or humans.
I have 2 akitas. One since puppy other rescued. Both loving but you have to understand you don't know what they're thinking. Both have zero prey drive and love people. They like other dogs too as long as they don't try to dominate them.
I'm pretty sure my Akita is thinking "scratch my belly!" about 50% of the time, and the other 50% is "can I have some of that cheese?" :-D
I've had an Akita for the past 12 years and he has been the absolute BEST BOY I've ever had! Now I only want akitas for the rest of my life. Now he's my best old man and I've been lucky to have 12 years with this dude.
12 is a great life span. Many don't make it to 10
I had to say goodbye to my 16 year old akita, Rusty in November of 2021 I loved him so much we had such a bond 💗 undescibable I know he loved me back he was a hand full but we managed I will forever miss him 😢
16 years old is really incredible for an Akita. Saying good bye is the hardest thing. Will you get another one?
Idk losing him has been terrible I buried a piece of my soul that day we live on a farm and he was by my side everyday having to put him to sleep is just a hurt that just won't quit maybe one day
Really appreciate your first hand experience, we're weighing up breeds and good to have all the information. Thanks.
And here I am sitting in my bed with two large American Akitas. They want my snacks. There so silent. My male is 130lbs at three years and female at 8 years 120lbs. Long time Akita owners. Had two large breed females. I agree with all ya said. These are the only breed I will ever own. The temperament on my two is incredible. We have kids, so our dogs have grown up with crazy kids running around. I will say all the top breeders in the US have well temp/balanced dogs. It’s up to us to raise them appropriately. Tho my dogs are a bit stubborn on the walks. But no aggression towards other dogs or people. Love your channel.
120 and 130! Those are some BIG Akitas. Our Haga isn't done growing, but I don't think he'll be much more than 90ish lbs. His dad was big, but it was a large litter (10 puppies), and sometimes they don't grow as big when there are that many.
Thank you so much for your comment and for supporting the channel!
Good to see another akita channel!! Love this breed so much, it's all about respect, they're such a stoic breed, takes a confident personality to lead them. Hana is a beautiful name, does it mean flower? My tonto is super friendly too, but he won't take treats off just anyone 😂, great with other dogs but is very strong and I'm picky with his playmates
Thank you! Haga is named after Japanese Motorcycle Racer Noriyuki Haga, who was one of my favorites to watch as a child.
I have a 2yr old male American Akita and hes the best dog Ive ever owned he is clean, he likes other dogs and loves people. The only issue I have is he pulls when i walk him which would be fine if I wasnt a short old granny lol. Lucky I have an enormous backyard and he gets plenty of exercise running around after my sons working dog (a kelpie). Never had any food guarding issues he will even walk away from his own food if the other dog tries to eat it. He is very protective of me and will put himself infront of me if he thinks there is an issue. He will react if another dog that visits tries to dominate him but he is fine at my grandsons with their dog being dominant. I am just sorry I didnt get an Akita years ago. The funniest part about my boy is I was going to get a female Golden Retrevier but while visiting a friend his neighbours who breed them had one pup left and I fell in love at first sight. I did some research as the dog I had before this one had aggression issues unfortunetly (he was a maremma and somebody broke into my house during one of his fear periods and it triggered something in him) so I was wary having heard all the tales of Akitas being dangerous. Im so glad I did research and he was hard work until about 6 months of age. Also would just like to mention when my boy was desexed (hes the only one of his breed in the area I live in which is country South Australia) I dont believe the vet researched that Akitas sometimes dont tolerate anesthesia very well. He was operated on at 8.30am and didnt properly wake up until 7pm that night. If he needs anymore operations I will be sure to voice my concerns about how he was when being desexed. Also because they are large boned dogs its important to make sure they have a good large breed puppy diet until age 2 also supplements for joints and sardines help also. Regardless of all the work needed when they are young they are the most loving loyal dogs. Also they can be absolute clowns. I love my bear so much.
That's great to hear! You may want to look into a prong collar (if you haven't already). They don't hurt the dog, but are a gentle reminder not to pull on the leash.
have had 2 akitas of my own and often look after another when his family goes on holiday...all 3 have been absolute great friends and very well behaved..can not fault them
I’ve got a 7 year old male American Akita. He loves meeting other people and has very very rarely not liked another person. But when it comes to other dogs, it really can vary as you said. If we are on a walk he’s usually good, but if another dog is near our backyard fence, his protection side comes out very strongly. Thanks for making this channel!
I am the lucky owner of a cross Akita Inu and an American Akita, we did the whole puppy school thing and as a puppy she liked to play with other dogs, but after she matured she isn’t so into it.
She is great on walks, I am disabled and have no strength but she will not pull the leash, unless a rat or rabbit shows up, and even then she will be careful about it. So she is great outside… UNLESS one of those pesky little dogs show up, badly trained, super dominant… she will go into “ima kill you” mode bark and look very scary (mind you she will still not pull the leash hard, so I guess she kinda knows what she’s doing).
The other dangerous thing IMO is people that walk their dog off leash (not allowed but their dog is “special”). We will be on our walk and out of thin air a dog appears… no owner in sight and that dog goes straight for us, circles us and is trying to interact with my dog. Then from far away a person yells “he just wants to plaaaaaay”. Well that’s great Dick but my dog wants to kill yours now because she is protecting me, what TF are these people thinking. Sigh I place myself between said off leash dog and yell at them to buzz off, sometimes that works sometimes it doesn’t. That is one of the most scary things ever.
A few weeks ago a dog from a few streets over (off leash obviously) saw us walking across the street and ran up to “play” foaming at the mouth barring its teeth (full aggression) and was running up crossing the street and got hit by a car. Dude that dog didn’t want to play it wanted to attack. It was a pitbull mix very muscular luckily he was fine, he sprained some shit but he was fine. But how am I supposed to walk my dog safely if people let their dogs off leash don’t train them and don’t look after them… sometimes… sigh
There's a saying "there's no bad dogs, just bad dog owners." It's definitely frustrating when people's misbehaved dogs are off leash.
Would love to see pictures of your Inu/American mix!
He is so cute!! He looks a lot like my 14 month Akita!!
Thank you! Akitas are the best!
My akita boy is only a year and a half old and he’s 135 lbs already !!!! He’s super friendly and lovable- the only thing that he does that is scary is when he meets someone new he wants to jump on them and smell their face . He isn’t attacking people just wants to check you out but it can be really scary to someone that is afraid of dogs. Once he knows you he just wants to kiss you all day.
Sounds like Haga. He loves meeting new people.
I just got my Akita about a month ago he’s the BEST ever I bring him every where with my daughter and I and he loves people. I’m turning him into a service dog.
After much research a Poodle is the dog for me. I am too inexperience for an Akita especially once it becomes a strong adult. I can barely hold on to my friend's husky without getting dragged. And I struggled previously teaching my old dog not to intimidate smaller animals so I don't want to go through that again. But this was very helpful before I made a mistake in choosing dog breed. Akitas are beautiful though
Nothing wrong with that! Poodles are a lot of fun!
Awesome video! It's so nice to hear from someone how actually owns an Akita. It's so true that they are not a naturally mean viscous dog. That's not to say that there aren't some mean viscous Akitas but if you socialize them early and get them from a good breeder. They are gentle giants. Again great video!
Thanks Joe. Couldn't agree more. How they are raised and trained is the biggest factor in any dog's behavior!
@@TheAkitaLife I dont agree 100%! Even if the Akita is trained in the correct way..
When approached by other aggresive dogs they will act up and defend! Thats when you see their hunting/guarding skills!
Offcourse they are an aggresive breath! But only when needed i guess... or provoked
@@johnkaasheuvel2860 I suggest watching video in it's entirety. I address this specifically around 4:00
Hmmm I highly recommend being careful. They are extremely strong and have a great poker face. A lot of time you won’t know their aggressive intentions until it’s too late. They can be unpredictable when deciding what’s a threat and what’s not. My Akita absolutely knows and understand my verbal commands but he decides when he wants to obey. I introduced him as my friend because he doesn’t act like a pet. It’s mutual respect with this dog.
@@jasonvu7 indeed - they are like having a bear for a room mate- good company - but never forget that they are a bear at heart.
I recently adopted an akita newfoundland landseer mix from a breeder after having a german shepherd prior, and he's just been the most amazing dog. I love how he never barks or whines and he barely sheds. He listens extremely well but he can be a bit stubborn and easily distracted. I've been working extremely hard at socializing him since he was a month old because of the akita aggression sterotype and it has paid off. He is extremely good at meeting new people he enjoys it so much and hes very good with other dogs too, but like you said that can be up and down. I was at the dog park and he was attacked by a mastiff that shouldn't have been at a dog park because the owner never socialized it and ever since then I can tell he is a lot more defensive when he meets bigger dogs than himself. I think Akitas are just like any dog when it comes to behavior, if the owner takes their time and does the right thing you will have a great dog but if you neglect them or don't give them their required needs then they can turn out to be "mean" dogs. I truly believe that a dogs behavior is a direct reflection of the owner and how it was raised. To anyone considering an akita I couldn't recommend them enough but I will say its not a breed for everyone. You're going to have to be very patience and be physically fit but if you want an extremely loyal dog that will protect you, I can't think of a better breed.
I own a Akita and I we share a strong bond. It’s mother is friendly to strangers and it’s dad was more aggressive and my female didn’t inherit any of her moms traits. She loves me and my mom and dad and that’s it everyone else is out! So ya Akita’s definitely have aggressiveness in there genes and if your dog is showing any signs of aggression I wouldn’t trust it with a 10ft pole. Akita’s can attack to kill without any warning whatsoever. Great care needs to be taken with these beautiful dogs.
Yep, Akitas are known not to show any warning signs prior to an attack. IT's extremely important for Akitas to know their own dog's behaviors.
Interesting how there are kind of set Akita traits that all owners see, but some variability. My experience:
People: My Akita, Yeller, loved kids, but was always on high alert and was aloof with meeting new adults.
Other dogs: pretty indifferent, unless they came on my yard or if he felt they were a threat to me while we were walking or running. Only one incident: a German Shep kept following us and he came up on my blindside. My dog did not like it, lunged across my body and literally rag dolled it for a couple seconds. Akitas are immensely powerful dogs!
Prey drive: huge! I swear he was a better mouser than my cat!
Strong, stubborn....and still the best dog I have ever had the pleasure of being a companion to. Yeller passed in 2015 and still think fondly of him.
RIP Yeller 🙏
When you say he ragged dolled a 80 to 90 lbs GSD - I totally understand what you mean - it has to be seen to be believed
I agree with you on everything you said, I had the pleasure of looking after my sons Akita during the day every day for 3 and a half years, I got to know Quincy very very well, I’ve never known such a beautiful looking guy as Quincy, he’s just coming to age 7 , he’s the most affectionate dog that I’ve ever known, he’s the most intelligent dog that I’ve ever known, he is the most obedient dog that I’ve ever known, he’s the fastest dog I’ve ever known the only problem that we have with Quincy is, he hates being on his own and he doesn’t like other male dogs anywhere near us, I think he’s frightened that it’s gonna hurt us for some reason, but he always loves to sit right in front of the window and he just sits in front of the window watching the world go by I said he’s the most intelligent dog I’ve ever but also he’s the dopiest dog I’ve ever if that makes sense, he’s been one big bundle of fun your guaranteed a good laugh nearly every day with Quincy he’s always getting up to something and he loves to scrounge your dinner to the point that if you put his dinner in his bowl and he knows that your about to dish your dinner he will eat his food as quick as he can so he come and beg your dinner,all in all he’s got a beautiful personality, he’s gone back to live with my son and his fiancé but I love to visit my son and his fiancé and see Quincy when I can and when he sees me he goes nuts until he gets exhausted, I’ve all the true loves of my life, my three big portraits of my grandsons wearing their favourite football team shirts Arsenal, a big blue rose because I buried rose bush for my sister when she was killed I’ve got a big 1971 Arsenal badge because that’s the year I started supporting Arsenal, I’ve in big black gothic writing that says family, I’ve got in big black writing my childrens names and a big portrait of Quincy all tattooed all over my back which I had completed last September 3 days after my 60th birthday because I’ve treated Quincy like he was my son and daughters little brother and I’ve felt nothing but love from him.
I owned a female Akita for 12 years until she crossed the bridge. She had the personality of a Golden Retriever. Absolutely loved everyone. She was beta only to my male chow, who was a little older than she. However, I saw her stand over and grab him by the back of his neck and began shaking him hard, over food, one day. It only happened once and I’m glad that I was there; she could have killed him. She then went right back to following and respecting his lead. It was weird. Other than that one act of food dominance, she never was aggressive to humans or other dogs. It is worth noting that she possessed a confidence that communicated to other dogs that she was not to be pushed around. Very powerful and capable dog and I can’t stress how important it is to choose the pup by his or her’s individual personality. Her brothers were not sweet like she was (even at a young age, they viewed us with suspicion and aloofness; my instincts told me to steer clear) and I also intentionally adopted a female so as to get along better with my male chow already in the home.
They are incredible dogs!
My 3 year old Akita is also atypical he loves new people. Confidently goes up to everyone for a pet. Loves other dogs including my male Doberman pincher. All my dogs are raised in grooming shop environment. They met new people and pets everyday after 3 months old. Socialization can be key. Another thing is don’t just punish bad behavior also praise good behavior. If your Akita is going nuts about another dog. The moment they calm give praise to let them know that’s what you want
My guy (simba) is only aggressive if he is being attacked or feels threatened, other than that he's super chill and loves to say hi to anyone that wants to say hi back
Give Simba a pat on the head for me!
@@TheAkitaLife 👍
I have a 3.5 year old 135lb female Akita (Bear). She’s very loving, playful, protective and always on high alert. She’s great with people and male dogs (not great with female). She is always the alpha when around other dogs and she makes that known, though she’s not aggressive per say. Wish I could post a picture of her she came from an working breeder and show line, she’s huge but a big sweetie!!
That's a BIG Akita
I've had rescue Akitas for almost 30yrs. Love this channel!! Really good information. Akitas can be socialized and trained at any age, but with some who've been abused it takes time, dedication, and you have to know what you are dealing with and have the resources and time to invest. We are blessed in the Akita world to have some amazing rescues, who love and adore this breed, and are the best voices for this breed.
Thank you for rescuing these dogs!
You are so right, but people have to be educated Akitas are not for everybody.
I live in NH and I have space , lots of space.
My Marcel was 18 when he died. He was my child.
People need to understand when you commit having a dog, any dog, is a life time commitment, they're not toys, they become your children .
My Marcel, talked to me through his eyes, hard to explain what that is, but is true.
My teddy bear is 9 months now ♥️ Absolute best dogs, you cannot argue that. Period.
My big boy Duke is six years old now. He gives us so much love and respect, and demands the same be giving to him.
Your pooch and mine could be brothers. Very similar in color and markings. You also accurately described my dog. He was my office dog for 7 years. He greeted every client and child that entered my office, escorted them into the conference room and always sat between them and me. I always trusted him with children of any age and he never let me down. He understood. Awesome partners. He isn’t my dog, I am his person.
Thats awesome!
My favorite dog breed ever! My current boy "Bushido" is a seven year old 135 pound American Akita. While he too loves meeting new people, he doesn't enjoy meeting everyone:) One of my best friends of 30 years cannot come into my house. For some reason, Bushido just doesn't like the guy:) There are also a few dog breeds that trigger him more than others. One Winter, I was walking him at a lake were people like to cross-country ski. A couple had their Pit off leash. The Pit came across us and stopped about 10 feet short of us. The pit ran at me ( he just wanted to play) Bushido charged him rolling him onto his back. This was my one "Oh Sh.t moment in public. I took it as a learning lesson and started shortening my lead when we come across other animals. I also bought a K9 harness that has the handle so I can hold him if needs be. My advice to new Akita owners. 1.) Always have them on a leash in public. 2.) Socialize! Socialize! Socialize! 3.) Learn your Akita's body language and triggers. When my boy is really annoyed, his hackles go up and he low growls, grunts, and bares his teeth. This scares me more than a full out bark! Enjoy them and love them! They are an amazing breed!
Great advice!
I have a part Akita and part German shepherd, but have noticed they don’t have the “OFF” switch in their head, other dogs will growl but they’re not dangerous, akitas go in and growl and you KNOW when they get in a tussle, that Akita’s gonna take it to the death/ extreme injury if no one steps in. So, AKITAS are not the kind of dogs to ever leave alone with other dogs unattended when you leave your home. Best to get an Akita if you only want one dog, but they are so lovely. I love my girl American Akita! She’s also beautiful!!
Temper is very important with Akita Inu's , We know this well as we preserve the breed ,we have 8 of these Wonderful Japanese Akita Inu's - Love Bears = )
8?! That's impressive!
Best dog ever, my mika is 9. She is a purebred American Akita. Great with kids, so so with dogs. All depends. Love of my life next to my daughter. Always part of the family.
The Akita bond is like no other!
When I was a kid my neighbor had a big, pure bred Akita named Titus.
He was rarely aggressive w/ ppl as long as the owner was there and seemed comfortable.
The owner was a super cool, laid back guy and the dog sort of adopted his personality.
People he knew well he was glad to see but not overly demonstrative, ppl he didn’t know he sort of ignored once they “checked out” and if the owner was uncomfortable or not there you met a guarded, non nonsense Titus.
Yours sounds like mine. Hes an in tact male about 17 months old. Loves people ( besides tweakers and weirdos) loves playing with dogs and wants to meet every single one on the leash. Hes always nice until theres tension with larger males, then he starts to assert himself… usually only on leash. He has a bunch of big dog intact male friends that all play together pretty well with other females around. Like you said, up and down. Just have to watch his body language and pay attention. If you get one you have to be present. You always have to be paying attention.
He sounds like a good boi
Great video! You did a excellent job of explaining their wild side. As this was my first big dog I was fairly surprised at the prey-drive my female Akita exhibited! Walking with one by your side in a dense woodsy foliage type scenery and they flourish in picturesque regality! As she is now 3 (21) years old and maturing I'm noticing a more guard dog stance when it comes to other animals ,the vibrations /energy of the environment we are in and able to distinguish regular ppl from public officials and staff members and police officers! Like it's weird af! She is a service animal so she goes and has gone alot of places you wouldn't normally see a dog much less an Akita pup and I socialized her with 2 well aged cats make and female! She loved those cats! And respected them too! But when it comes to small breed dogs she doesn't take well with them! It's like their bitchy attitude triggers her bitchy attitude and next thing you know she's grabbing or pouncing. I don't know if it's her personality or just a size thing b/c she's really good with pitbulls and other heftier dogs ! But the minute a dog shows aggression and fencetigating she reacts and I want to get her out of that asap!
It's somewhat typical for female Akitas to be more picky about who they like :-D
Akitas wrestling is amazing. No dog requires more responible owner. They simply hate other breeds and are very superior when outside. Amazing but difficult. I remember my friend's Akita got pitbull on his back, held him with one paw and other kept relaxed. Slowly made close face contact a opened his mouth with excitement almost smiling, showing full set of teeth. If I didn't pull him by his collar, that pitbull would be not killed but played with drastically. Never seen more hateful and confident encounter in my life. Cujo was Lassie comparing to Temuchin. Extremely loyal and protective towards owner/s and friends of the owners. Great judgement and memory.
American Akitas, like all dogs, are simply processing all the cues their brains are pulling from their environment. Our dog, Dexter, is a 2.5 year old male so just kinda creeping out of adolescence into adulthood. He's playful and energetic when he wants to be and equally happy to lay on the floor or in your lap . . . but it's ALWAYS on his terms. If he doesn't feel like sitting with you, he isn't going to. I sense zero aggression in him towards other animals, just a ton of curiosity for creatures he's never encountered. We live in the woods and have a constant procession of deer on our property. He's quite curious about them but never shows prey drive or aggression when they stroll through. He's not a single person dog, either. He's quite happy to curl up with any member of our family or friends that he knows.
For me, the thing with Dex is that his guardian instincts are always there and his desire to protect us never stops. Anyone who comes in the house is subject to his inspection and he will quickly read their body language, their smells and ours, too. If he doesn't sense anything that makes him uneasy, he'll quickly move along to his own business. If you stay for a while, he'll probably approach you and seek your attention but if you try to heap it on him, he'll put up with it for a bit but will eventually tire of your attention and move along . . . always on his terms. That's just how Dexter rolls!
And I agree completely on the subject of other dogs. Akitas almost insist on being the alpha among dogs and this is where owners can find trouble. We also have a 9 year old Golden. She's the perfect companion for Dex because she's older so he grew up with her and she's a completely submissive breed, quite happy to follow rather than lead. If another male dog that was a large breed with dominant tendencies came into our home, I think we'd see a different side of Dexter.
He sounds like a good boy, and quite typical of the Akita breed. Love to hear this stuff!
My dog's temperament is just like yours! I would agree with your statement, with one caveat: Are Akitas dangerous? No more than any other large breed.
Adopted a beautiful 6 month Akita / Shiba Inu and they wanted me to take her sister as well. I told her I would think about it, but I found out the sister (also 6 months) has already killed chickens and was accused of getting out and killing another dog.
My personal thoughts from watching her when picking up our puppy: VERY independent, humans are just an obstacle, extremely SMART, EXTREMELY stubborn.
First time a saw one , maybe 30 years ago , it was a black mask and i felt in love with that beast !! i don't think i will have one but they are what we sould be ...i think!
Our Akita pup just turned One, came from a real nice breeder. And he’s just beautiful, so we’ll tempered and kind, we’ve got 3 young boys and he’s great with them, other people and as of yet not reacted to any other dogs we’ve met ☺️☺️
It normally changes around 2 years old so be wary of that 🙂
@@TrailBlazerUK ah cheers bud I’ll bare it in mind 👍🙂
I looked after my son’s long haired American Akita for 3 and a half years from the age of 6 months and believe me it was the best 3 and a half years of my life for quite a few years, every day nearly he would do something that was gonna make me laugh, there was never a dull moment with Quincy boy around, he is the most dopiest dog that I have ever known yet at the same time he is the most intelligent dog that I’ve ever known if that makes any sense, he is the most obedient dog I’ve ever known, he is the most affectionate dog I’ve ever known, when I go to visit my son and his fiancé Quincy boy just doesn’t leave me alone until he’s exhausted, he jumps up all over me and he loves to gently nibble my lips and that’s how Akitas give affection by gently nibbling the person, I feel so attached to Quincy boy I put him as part of my family for life, I had a lovely big portrait of him tattooed on my back along with 3 big portraits of my 3 beautiful grandsons wearing their favourite football team shirts on, I also had a big 1971 Arsenal badge done and a lovely big blue rose done because when my sister died I planted her a rose bush, and down the bottom of my back from one side of my back to the other side I had a big ribbon done with both my children names in, it was finished last year 3 days after my 60 birthday, it took 25 months to do and it cost me £2260 from start to finish, I’m so proud of my back tattoo I’ve always wanted a full back piece tattoo since I was a kid and now I got it and Quincy boy was the finishing touch to all the love’s of my life all in one big mural on my back, Banksy eat your heart out. I hope you have as much fun with your Akita as I had with Quincy boy whilst he was growing up, take care from Stevie boy and Quincy boy in England.
I had an American Akita as a kid, and in the neighborhood I lived, was super dog friendly, and she used to go on walks on her own, we tried to Trai. Her to stop, but when she passed away we learned she was hanging out with several people in the neighborhood and they were giving her treats, it really helped explain why no matter what we could not train her to stop when the neighbors were unknowingly conditioning her to keep walking off
Haha yep, treats will do it
Amazing how our 110 # guy jumps on the bed as light as a feather: half the time we never feel him hop up. Very stealthy, gentle. As long as you are not prey or threatening. Different personality than our 90# girl, they are definitely individuals- and I think this is a crucial thing: interaction and reacting to their individuality makes an awesome animal.
Yep, there's a lot of breed genetics but they also have very distinct personalities.
As all dogs are unpredictable, for me, the most dangerous dogs are the ones capable of doing the most physical damage.
I love Akitas. Great video. Yes, it's nuture AND nature. Regardless of training or trust, a responsible Akita owner is always on higher alert than the dog no matter how cute they are. By the way, my spayed purebred is a doll and dog park friendly. But she is responsive and will follow my lead. I have had others that could not be given that kind of freedom.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this, I'm now a subscriber :)
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Yes, Akitas are potentially dangerous. They are big, very powerful animals. They need responsible owners and good socialization. But a properly raised Akita is an amazing animal. My good friend has a male Akita named Ronin who is a delight to be around. He has a wonderful personality and makes our lives better. I love the Akita! If someone is willing to put in the time, I can absolutely recommend this breed!
One oldest son walked our Akita one time and some kids came up to them on bicycles and was asking if that dog would attack. Our dog went to the other side of my son to keep himself closer to the kids on the bikes. So he was keeping my son safe. I loved that dog so much . But I educated myself about Akitas before I got one. I had kids still at home. So I got mine as a puppy and the kids spent alot of time with him. So he watched over the whole family. He was the first large dog I ever had that didn't tear up anything in the house. 🥰
Sounds like a good boy!
Maybe an akita would be perfect as the main antagonist in a new talking dog film in the future.
Got my Akita at 7 months. Good w/ other dogs because we made sure to take him to dog parks; bad with strangers but that is because his home is his castle. No people are allowed to pet him. Due to crime around our area (I live in Socialist WA State with no police) my dog has had to be on guard for too long. When new people come to our home, I ask that they ignore him and if he comes to you to only pet the top of his head. The only time we have "issues" is when people get too comfortable around him and think our "rules" don't pertain to them.
Socializing is so important. I had someone tell me one time they didn't socialize their Akitas because they heard that "Akits aren't good with other dogs." They didn't realize their Akita wasn't good with other dogs because they DIDN'T socialize them...
How often did you go to dog parks? I get my 6wk old akita in 2 weeks. I have done all my research over socializing and there's not to many videos on akitas out there. I will do my best to take her to them once she hits 10wks due to shots. Do you let her in with the other dogs or is strafing the outside of the fence okay to do? I just don't want another dog getting aggressive and scaring her at a young age
We’ve had 3 Akita’s, not one of them were dangerous. Our last Simba would walk up to visitors and give them a sniff and walk away. He had one peculiarity, he would roll his neck on our shoes all except one, recognizing the lady of the house was leader of the pack. Doesn’t say much about hierarchy for the rest of us. Wonderful dogs
Our Haga does the same thing. We call it "smearing" !
Ive wanted an akita since i was 10, they are so freaking cute and fluffy
I'm on my second Akita, love them. The first was fine with people but no other dogs. This one is hit and miss with other dogs, she will be grumpy with one and two seconds later wag her tail at the next. She is hit and miss with new people but if one of her friends arrives she will lick them to death. :-) They are such loyal animals. As a large very strong dog though I would never recommend them to first time dog owners. Deep down they are big sooks. I have noticed too that they usually don't start aggression with another dog it is the other dog which is aggressive. Maybe because the akita has a resting face which to other dogs seems aggressive. I love their Yoda ears when they are being submissive too.
Thanks for watching, some other people in the comments think I don't know what I'm talking about because I suggested that Akitas aren't the best dog for first time owners.
Hi All.
Loooove Akitas.
I had an Akita/st bernard. Kemo was his name. He was obsessed with the boys. He was very easy to train. My youngest was just a newborn. Kemo would lay beside the blanket. If his little boy moved off the blanket, he would put him back in the middle of the blanket. He would wrestle with his big boy, and pin him down.
After the boys were in bed he would lay in the door way till he knew they were sleeping. Then he would come a lay beside me for a bit, then go back to the kids room.
Stay safe and groovy
🔴⚪️🔴⚪️🔴⚪️AB🇨🇦
I read on Wikipedia that roughly half of male akitas have a gene responsible for aggression, but this was akita inus in particular. I'm not sure if it meant the "American" akita or just the Japanese variant. I chatted to a trainer who said American akitas where nice but the Japanese strain where aggressive. What's weird is again, only male akitas have the aggression gene. I have experience with other breeds and generally females are more aggressive than males.
Yeah my akita loves strangers we meet on walks. unless they are druggies or drunk. other then that she loves to greet people outside
That's a good quality for your pup to have!
Do you meet a lot of druggies and drunks - lol
Sweetest dog I've ever known I had a female for 13 years
Today was the first time seeing this breed, man they are freaking beautiful
I think they're the most beautiful, but I'm biased!
My son has a long haired American Akita and I looked after him every single day for nearly 3 and a half years, I had from when he was just around 6 months and if I’m totally honest with you all, I’ve never known such a beautiful looking guy, his name is Quincy, I’ve known such a intelligent dog, I have never known such a affectionate and loving dog he loves to nibble on your lip very gently,
I’ve never known such a loyal dog, I’ve never known such a obedient dog the only problem we have with Quincy because he’s back with my son and his fiancé he’s just coming up to 7 years old and he can’t be left on his own for some reason he isn’t a vicious dog or anything like that when he’s on his own he’s just a very nervous dog for some reason, I’ve done a bit of research on the American Akita, they are bred for fighting bear and wild boars for some reason, but they are pack animals and I wonder if it’s in genes to not be on his own or he just becomes so attached to his owner’s, cause every time I go to see my son and his fiancé he goes nuts when he sees me he just won’t leave me alone until he gets exhausted, I nor my son have ever had any problems with whatsoever, he’s very good around my grandchildren and children in general, it’s hard to imagine how vicious they can be and I only say that because of what American Akitas are actually bred for because believe me if they fight bears and wild boar’s then they can be very dangerous but I’ve ever seen or have I been told that been dangerous towards anyone the only thing I will say is that he doesn’t like other walking past his garden it’s like he sees it has his territory that’s all he just barks and growls at other dogs as they walk past his garden and he’s always and I mean always has to sit in front of the window he just watches the world go but apart from growling at other dogs as they past his garden he’s just a beautiful looking and has a beautiful personality.
Long Coats are awesome!
@@TheAkitaLife yeah you ain’t wrong about that buddy, I don’t know if it’s true but, I’ve heard that only 5 or 6% of American Akitas are long haired and it’s a kind of disability, is there any truth in that please buddy, and if have any worries about Quincy boy would it be okay to ask you stuff in the future because I do have a worry about Quincy boy and that is, he loves his walks when I was looking after him during the day for about 3 and a half years I would put him on lead fix the lead to his harness and put the end his lead around the arm of mobility scooter and take him for walks at least 3 or 4 times a day and then my son would take him out a couple of times at night, but now he’s coming up to his 7th birthday in May this year, although Quincy boy is on the small end of the the size and weight of a American Akita he is only about 39 kilos but, lately he’s been limping so my son took him to his vet and he gave my son some anti-inflammatory and pain killers he’s taken them for the last couple of days and now my son has said he’s stopped giving them to Quincy boy and he’s not limping the question that I have for you is, I’ve seen quite a few bigger dogs suffering very badly with their hack legs my friends had a American Akita that I grew very fond of he was 15 years old and honestly it used to really upset me to see walking in so much pain in his back legs only, it’s like sometimes I would see him almost crawling and in so much pain it was really affecting me, would Quincy boy be at the beginning of his back legs giving up on him I really hope not buddy but thanks for the comment mate I really appreciate that I really do, take care and I hope you are able to answer the questions I asked you until then take care buddy from Stevie boy in England.
I had a akita/malamute mix. He was human friendly. The only person he showed aggression towards was a neighbor who he sensed that person didn't like him. He growled and bared his teeth. But if he saw other dogs he wanted to have them for dinner.
Mine is turning out to be very much the same
I've had 5 Akitas never had any problems with them
Very nice information. I'm 2nd rescue on a 2 year old male, he's doing well, I do have large breed background. It's cool.
I would not let this guy go back to shelter dog, he is 115lbs.
Having an experienced owner such as yourself helps a lot.
@@TheAkitaLife thank you and your correct, not a first dog owner recommend. This one is very reactive to other animals and that was issues for him to have home, fortunately I'm on just over 10 acres at 9,000 ft, can barely wait for him to have some snow to play in.
Our 9 year old Akita is a sweet, affectionate boy, but he has been aggressive toward other dogs. We have socialized him with both of the Pomeranians we have had and he is great with them, but not with dogs he doesn’t know. He is also very friendly with other people when we are around. I don’t know how he would be if another person came into our house or yard without us being here unless he had met them before. He’s very strong too.
That's just how they are sometimes.
my 2 cents from experience: socialize, socialize, socialize...and just accept that it might not work. There is NO better guard dog for your family, whether that family is newbornes, cats, other dogs, chickens, etc...but American Male Akitas by nature will be wary of strangers and KNOW what their duty is. you have to socialize them early on and continually to shortcut that instinct. I've been told I'm wrong many, many times and It's possible, but please keep this in mind.
Yep, we've got a whole video just on socialization
I rescued my Japanese akita off a junky, he's a bit dodgy with strange dogs, I used to let him off leash but 7 rescues later decided no more off leash adventures.
I have an Akita named Kita!!! She is terrific with people but with other animals she shows aggression.....I keep her leashed when walking and have no problems except for her strength!!! I'm only 110 lbs vs Goliath!!! I would not trade her for anything!!! She's a sweetheart and family and friends love her....and so do I 😊
My Akita is cool if I’m present or another family member. Without one of us present he’s totally deferent. Or if not properly introduced.
They definitely love their owners.
My akita loves to see other people and when they pet her she starts crying and doing her pipi out of excitement 😂. She is very loving and never has shown agresion but she can’t walk without a leash🥲✌️
Aww that's so cute.
Facts lol! It looks cool but I'd rather not... Only in gated fenced enclosure do I let her lead off for a bit.
My Akita best walking dog never had trouble see another dog always ignore dint like strangers out on the walk
Haga reminds me of my uncles Akita his name was Max. He had the same exact color and patches, he passed away. Sadly we don’t know how or when since he ran away when he was very old. He was so huge though one of the biggest dogs I’ve ever seen, I’ve never seen an Akita his size. Akitas are honestly amazing to be honest, very loving and kind dogs:)
It's not uncommon for dogs to run away to be alone when they die.
Early socialization plays a key role for Akitas (and any breed of course) in liking humans more/being less guarded around strangers and other dogs/animals. My guy is very similar to Haga in that the only people I think he'd ever harm are intruders in our home. He was born on a farm with toddlers and children, then raised around school zones. He loves being around kids; however just because of that I would not automatically say all Akitas are 'child friendly', especially in a chaotic screaming environment. I try to teach kids never to run yelling at any dog, do not pet the head without an introduction first, even then behind the head is preferred, and no hugging. My Akita will react poorly to all those actions or at least dislike them. A fellow Akita owners' dogs in my area who are well-trained only like a very specific set of humans, they ignore or simply 'tolerate' the rest who say hi and pet them; their owner usually has them in a sit or stay command to do so. Haga is adorable
The world needs more dog owners like you!
@@TheAkitaLife Thanks, and likewise! Great channel...
Thank you for all the information about Akita’s, most people don’t understand them. I had an Akita that I rescued. I had her 7 years
Thank you for your comment and for your support 🙏
That is 100% accurate, all dogs have the potential to be dangerous. All bites have the potential to be lethal regardless the bite force when it's going into flesh, bones can still break and arteries severed. Any strong aggressive animal can maul a human or another animal of it's size. It all depends on a few factors. The animals temperament, who bred it and the type of owner who raised it. Has it been properly trained or socialized. Any animal either it be an Akita, Rottweiler, Pitbull or German Shepherd can be considered as a loaded gun ready to go off. Some animals are not meant for first time dog owners. They all are intelligent, but some stubborn. Some takes an experienced firm owner to make them outstanding pets. Just because you feed them don't mean they respect you. Just because you want a specific breed, or because you think they look cool or like what they could potentially do. Many first time or inexperienced dog owner may not know how to properly raise them. Which is why a lot of animals gets a bad reputation and labeled dangerous when they actually aren't if raised and trained right. If you are considering to purchase an animal on the sole notion of what they could potential do to another animal or human, maybe you shouldn't own one at all.
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Akitas are dominant,quick to react,very powerful and can inflict much damage.....not for a weak and new owner .
Love these videos future Akita owner here .
Thank you for the support! Good luck when you get your new pup. You'll love them!
I love my Akita and my husky they get along so well!! Great video. 💕💕
Thank you!
great and accurate review.
Thank you so much!
Back 'when', there was a gorgeous Akita whose owners let roam. (This was many years ago). He would come visit my husband who spent a lot of time working in the yard, and stay for lots of pets, then be on his way. Not a mean bone in his body.
Correct about the home insurance. We pay more because of the breed. Our Akita is good with most people but there’s 2 or 3 people that he’s just always on edge about. Also temperamental- 90% of the time you can rough house with him, but only if it’s on his terms. Every now and then he’ll grumble about it and not have any part in shenanigans.
Yep, they can be moody buggers haha
Omg what a fantastic video! I luv your dogs name 🐄 Much needed .#newsubbie
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