What are American Akitas like as pets?

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Mark Hedberg — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 09:46:26 GMT

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/akitas.html

If you ignore all the 'buy my books' links, this link is a rather useful one - tells you in fairly unequivocal terms that this is NOT the dog for the average household. Also tell the client that this dog will shed everywhere, leaving hair on EVERYTHING.

(I am not the author, I don't know the company, I don't know about any of his products but the message was very clear.)

(Just doing my bit to help persuade the people not to get one - if they won't listen to the vet, maybe they'll listen to t'Internet!)

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Malcolm Ness — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 09:14:49 GMT

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"]I would agree, not a dog to have if you are inexperienced, and not if you have small kids. Or cats. Or another small dog.[/quote]

Akitas love children!

However, most of them couldn't eat a whole one at one sitting.

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Mark Hedberg — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 08:46:06 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]

[quote user="Laurence Webb"]Oh, and they've got a cat, so that's at least one meal sorted![/quote]

Niall

[/quote]

That the best line to take - they are not at all good with cats so decide which one stays!!

[/quote]

I'll be you tuppence ha'penny that the cat gets rehomed because they've just got to get a cute little Akita puppy. When the Akita gets bolshie and nasty, the Akita gets rehomed or PTS too - end result, no pets at all! (Yes, I'm being FAR too cynical for a Friday but I've seen this story before...)

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Bob Russell — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 08:23:44 GMT

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]

[quote user="Laurence Webb"]Oh, and they've got a cat, so that's at least one meal sorted![/quote]

Niall

[/quote]

That the best line to take - they are not at all good with cats so decide which one stays!!

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Niall Taylor — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 23:16:39 GMT

[quote user="Laurence Webb"]Oh, and they've got a cat, so that's at least one meal sorted![/quote]

Niall

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Robin Grimmer — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 11:14:29 GMT

[quote user="Laurence Webb"]

Well I've just spoken to the lady. They haven't had a dog before although the daughter has wanted one for years and has researched breeds for ages before deciding that she REALLY wants an akita. The mother was quite receptive and said she'd speak to her daughter and was asking about alternative breeds so initially sounds promising, although she said she'd have difficulty convincing her daughter that it isn't the breed for them. Oh, and they've got a cat, so that's at least one meal sorted!

Time will tell.

[/quote]

No! Advise them against in the strongest terms, but they will probably get one anyway. My experience of akitas is that 90% of them are evil, you do get a few soft ones. I recall a 12 week-old akita puppy in for it's second vaccination. It was snarling and trying to bite - the most aggressive puppy I've come across. It was a locum position, I pity the poor vet who had to give its yearly vaccination.

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 11:11:33 GMT

[quote user="Laurence Webb"]

Well I've just spoken to the lady. They haven't had a dog before although the daughter has wanted one for years and has researched breeds for ages before deciding that she REALLY wants an akita. The mother was quite receptive and said she'd speak to her daughter and was asking about alternative breeds so initially sounds promising, although she said she'd have difficulty convincing her daughter that it isn't the breed for them. Oh, and they've got a cat, so that's at least one meal sorted!

Time will tell.

[/quote]

I don't deny they're pretty dogs, but I can't say they're suitable as pets, never mind first pets. Persuading your daughter...laudable, but whatever happened to the mother saying "no, that's a bad idea and the answer is still no"?

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 10:51:54 GMT

No no no

Wynne

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Laurence Webb — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 10:25:15 GMT

Time will tell.

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Niall Taylor — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 07:29:40 GMT

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]

Want to have a bet they still get one though?

[/quote]

Yup - let us know if they follow your advice. I'm with Kate on this one - how often to people as for advice when what they really mean is they want you to support the decision they've already made

Niall

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

MeeraM — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 07:02:28 GMT

I know of an Akita X Rottweiler. Personally, I can't stand the dog and wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him (if I dared to pick him up). He is apparently well-behaved with her local vet - they've never had an ounce of bother off him. The owner can handle him without any problem and the dog adores her. However, he can snap with other people - and prior to doing so, his warning signs are so subtle, the average dog-person wouldn't notice them and take steps to avoid possibly getting bitten. That's what makes these dogs so dangerous - the "hidden" behaviour that also makes them formidable fighting opponents. I'm positive these are Akita traits, having known plenty of nice rottweilers (most of which have been fairly dim animals if I'm honest, but very soppy and loveable with it).

Just in case that didn't put the prospective owners off - the dog is also a sod to recall!!! And, he does require quite a lot of exercise...

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Kate Richardson — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 23:46:16 GMT

Want to have a bet they still get one though?

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Laurence Webb — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 23:27:53 GMT

Thanks for the replies. I'll distil it all down to a 'only if you're brave' summary!

Still, refreshing to be asked before getting the dog rather than after!

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Lorna McHardy — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 22:28:47 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]

We have a few on our books - the latest we PTSd because it ate the owners' new 10 week old Husky puppy a day after they got it (live in a flat, central London, on benefits).

[/quote]

Sometimes there are just no words.

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

David Mills — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 22:05:03 GMT

We have a few on our books - the latest we PTSd because it ate the owners' new 10 week old Husky puppy a day after they got it (live in a flat, central London, on benefits).

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

plantagenet — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 22:04:28 GMT

A client of mine has just acquired a 6m old rescued pup from Romania, as if we didn't have enough strays of our own, and a thoroughly nasty little character it appears to be. Some sort of hunting dog by the looks of it and plain aggressive already.

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Rob Reid — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 21:43:49 GMT

The ones I have met are fairly similar in personality to their Japanese counterparts; that is - I wouldn't trust one as far as I could throw them.

Nice looking dogs, but far too independent thinking to ever be completely trustworthy. With sensible, confident experienced owners - ok, but not a dog for anyone who doesn't fit this criteria and certainly not a dog I would ever want around small children.

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Tim Cheyne — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 20:19:47 GMT

I have met only one Akita (Japanese) and I was not happy with it even as a puppy. It was not helped by a very 'knowledgeable' and demanding lady owner (she had this book, you see) but the husband proved to be a very competent and nice chap who also pleaded to be allowed to take over an abandoned (genuine) Wild Cat that was busy tearing its way out of its third pen in the cattery. He said that he had a way with animals (how often do we hear that?) and we were glad to see it go. He must have been right though because when I saw the two animals a year later they were both very obedient as long as he was with them. I would not though have wanted to handle either of them on my own nor would I wish them on the average inexperienced owner.

Tim.

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Stephen Courtney — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 19:08:26 GMT

I know 2 very nice Akitas, and to be honest can't think of one I'm scared of - but i do not trust them! they need sensible owners and careful training. i never take my hand off the collar when i am anywhere near the face. Have the same rule for GSDs too.

I would agree, not a dog to have if you are inexperienced, and not if you have small kids. Or cats. Or another small dog.

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 19:03:58 GMT

Every Japanese Akita I've seen has been evil, I have no confidence that American ones are any better. That said many aggressive dogs are made worse because of the type of owner who get them and there are a lot of Akita owners by us who have them as trophy dogs and don't realise how difficult they can be, I go into a cold sweat when I see one in the appointments list. Worse we have a cross Rottweiler/Japanese Akita (who would bother with that unless they wanted an aggressive dog?) which was booked in for euthanasia because it had got aggressive, its notes said it was showing signs when it had its vaccines. Fortunately they no showed.

Re: What are American Akitas like as pets?

Rajat — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 18:55:06 GMT

Different phenotype but pretty much the same dog. I'd say not good as a first dog or with cats or with young children - if the 16 y.o. is confident and has been around dogs before it may be fine - esp if getting from a puppy.

I'd love an Akita some day. They are lovely dogs, like many other breeds have an undeserved bad reputation..