In this article, we will answer the following question: Are Akita dogs good family dogs? We will talk about the most important features of an Akita Inu, and help you decide whether this is the right breed for you and your family.
Are Akita dogs good family dogs?
Akita dogs are good family dogs. The Akita Inu adapts very well to family life, it can live in an apartment, as long as it has a wide space to move freely and rest and sleep peacefully.
The Akita Inu, being an athletic and active breed of dog, requires a great deal of physical exercise daily (more if you live in an apartment) and a great deal of food, which is an expense remarkable for the family. Find high-quality feed on trusted online sites.
The Akita Inu tends to prefer a member of the family, its owner, but it protects the rest of them in the same way since these dogs are very protective both with their family and with their belongings.
It is also a fairly independent type of dog and at certain times it will tend to be dominant, but they are very docile and easy to train dogs.
Akita Inu – Relationship with children.
Although in many countries the Akita Inu is considered a potentially dangerous dog and it is necessary to obtain the corresponding license, in reality, it is tremendously affectionate with children, remaining impassive to the many mischiefs that they can carry out in the hours of play, such as throwing it ears, hair, etc …
The Akita Inu is a little barking dog, so it is perfect if small children in the house require many hours of sleep. It will only bark if something out of the ordinary happens, so it should be given your utmost attention in this case.
In order to carry out correct and effective training, it is very important to have specific accessories for this task. Both the accessories and the use made of them will be Tog factors for the Akita Inu training.
Characteristics of the Akita Inu
The Japanese Akita has a very characteristic “Spitz” dog morphology on its head, eyes, ears, and tail, as well as on its coat.
It is a medium-large dog, robust -more in the American version-, with a wide and deep chest, strong and wide legs, longer than tall, and a straight back.
It has a wide triangular head, proportional to its body, with small eyes, erect, triangular, small, and pointed ears, and has a strong and wide neck. Its snout is prominent and its nose is generally black.
In its American version, it usually has the typical dark-colored glasses. It has a tail curled towards the back, with long and dense fur. If we talk about its pose it is usually thrown towards its front legs, upright, firm. Imposing!
An adult Akita’s height can range from 50 to 70 cm to the withers and their weight can be 25 to 45 kilos.
On the Akita Inu’s coat, they have longer fur on the neck, hindquarters, and tail and there can be several types of coat color combinations, including black, white, chocolate, a combination of color and white, or brindle.
The temperament of the Akita Inu
When we talk about dog breeds we always say that it is recommended that, if the decision is made to acquire a purebred dog with a good pedigree, it is necessary for one to seek advice on which responsible or reputable breeders to refer to. . This can help to a greater extent to have a healthier and more balanced dog of character.
Even so, you always have to socialize and educate the dog since it is a puppy in order to obtain the best balance from the furry when it comes to interacting with other humans and other dogs. This will avoid many problems and the dog will surely appreciate it.
If he is not properly educated and you have other pet companies or another dog, it is likely that you will see him running after any animal that is in every corner of the house. Surely you will not like that, apart from the stress that everyone in the house will have for it.
The Akita is one of those breeds that can have a strong character and being a poorly educated specimen or somewhat unbalanced in their behaviors can make them prone to aggressiveness with other dogs, usually, they are of the same sex.
The Akita Inu is not usually recommended as a companion to people or family groups who are first-timers in having a dog, although one can always take it as a challenge if you wish because the furry one is a while.
The Akita is a bold and willful dog, it has a natural distrust towards strangers but extremely loyal to its family. They are always alert, they are very intelligent and also brave. With the family the Akita Inu is very affectionate and playful, they enjoy a lot in the family company and always want to participate in all daily family activities.
On the contrary, given its family nature, it is not advisable to leave it alone for many periods of time as this can lead to the dog in a state of pain and stress that, without a doubt, will exert a bad influence on its behavior (aggressiveness, damage, injuries), which is not very pleasant in a large and strong dog with a very strong personality.
Therefore the Akita needs an owner who can provide firm discipline and love in equal measure. Physical activity is essential for this very active breed of dog. They need a lot of exercises to prevent them from getting bored and destructive, as we discussed earlier.
Do you need positive reinforcement for your Akita in its training? We know that certain incentives such as cookies – if they are better homemade snacks – or prizes made from healthy dog food, will never be rejected by an Akita, so it is always recommended that you help yourself from a good assortment, such as a pack of cookies for dogs that in addition to helping you will make for him some very appetizing moments, also healthy and very nutritious.
Of course, take into account the amount that you give him treats such as those of chicken dog biscuits in his exercises or walks, since then you will have to discount those amounts in his food intake to avoid being overweight.
In conclusion, given that it is a stubborn breed, with personality and that has a great instinct for protection, training and educating the Akita is essential, as well as proper early socialization.
Caring for an Akita Inu
As we have mentioned before, Akita is happy in the company of his family. This breed of dog is not hyperactive, but Akitas Inu does need daily exercise to lower their energy level. With daily walks of half an hour, they are minimally sufficient.
Akita Inu’s favorite activities are brisk walks and jogging (for an adult dog over two years of age, for a horse it is better to avoid running too much and less on hard floors).
Given the problem of bones and joints in an Akita, normal play on grass or sandy ground would be a good option.
Visiting a dog park is probably not a good idea, given Akitas’ aggressive tendencies toward other dogs.
Due to the high intelligence of this breed, a varied routine is best to avoid boredom.
Include your Akita in family activities, and don’t leave them alone for long periods of time. A securely fenced yard or plot area is also important, both for the safety of Akita and for the safety of strangers who may mistakenly enter their territory. Although they are not usually aggressive towards visitors if the family is at home, the opposite can happen if no one is home or nearby.
Making grooming a positive and relaxing experience early on will ensure easier handling as your Akita puppy grows into a large, willful adult.
With regard to nail care, it is better to cut them once a month and the ears should be cleaned and checked often – once a week – in order to detect any infection in time and keep them clean.
Caring for Akitas coat
The Akita Inu has a double coat of fur, with a very dense and luxurious undercoat and a short coat. In general, grooming the Akita Inu’s coat is not too difficult, but it tends to shed a lot of hair – in a lot two or three times a year – so brushing the Akita is very important, at least once a week, for your dermatological health and for the floor of your house.
The bath can be given once every 2 or three months a year, although more often it is better for your skin and glands, but without exaggeration, eh?
Good coat care must be fundamentally accompanied by a good diet to avoid disorders of the Akita’s skin and hair. It shows how shiny his coat is and how strong he is, as well as the health of his skin.
Dog food such as dehydrated salmon food with an extra supply of essential oils -such as Omega3-, with high quality and very nutritious protein intake, will help you in your mission of optimal care of the Akita Inu’s coat.
Conclusions
The Akita Inu is a very affectionate dog, but it needs early socialization, both with
animals and with people, to avoid possible episodes of anxiety or aggression.
The Akita Inu is a breed of dog that, due to its past as a hunting dog and defense and attack dog, presents a loving, faithful, and very protective character with both its owner and his family.
He is suspicious of strangers but will never attack for no reason, he will simply be on the alert. Adults should always supervise dog-child interactions and this is especially true with this breed. No child could have a more loyal playmate or caretaker than an Akita, but a poorly educated Akita can become a great responsibility and even endanger the lives of minors.
It is therefore imperative to teach young people to be respectful and kind in all their interactions with dogs. Play between dogs and children should always be supervised, even with well-trained dogs.
That said, the Akita is suitable for families with older children. However, it is generally desirable for them to be the only pets as they can become aggressive towards other dogs and will chase other pets if they are not properly trained.
For those who can and do want to invest time and effort in research and proper training for this breed of dog, the reward of having the company of the “Great Japanese Dog” such as the Akita Inu is an excellent and intelligent companion with unwavering loyalty.
Certainly, the Akita Inu seems to us a fair national symbol of Japan.
And what do you think of the Akita Inu?
References
Petful.com
Wikipedia.org
Dogtime.com
