In this blog post, we will answer the following question: Are Akitas easy to train? We will provide a short guide on how to train an Akita; we will discuss the importance of socialization in puppies and advanced training for Akita Inus.
Are Akitas easy to train?
Akitas are easy to train, being a very intelligent dog. They tend to learn all kinds of commands quickly, which will facilitate their training. However, you should keep in mind that, being very reserved, an Akita will only fully trust the human who has adopted him.
Akitas is a suitable breed for activities such as Agility or Schutzhund; It is also often used as a rescue or companion dog, developing therapeutic exercises.
Training the Akita Inu is not very difficult, but it requires perseverance and a firm commitment. Your pet can become very obedient and affectionate, you just have to socialize with it from the beginning.
The Akita Inu dog loves to play, run, and have fun. However, their gentle and playful appearance hides a strong and domineering temperament. The Akita is reserved and distrustful by nature, so it can be aggressive towards others, although it will never attack without reason.
A study conducted at the University of Tokyo found that aggressiveness is written in their genes, although that doesn’t mean it can’t be shaped. It is only a sign that indicates that you should socialize your Akita dog from puppyhood.
Training an Akita Inu: Everything You Need To Know
The education of a dog must begin when it is a puppy since during the first months of life it is more receptive, it is more open to new learning and it has a greater curiosity for everything that surrounds it.
To educate Akita Inu, start with simple habits such as teaching him to relieve himself in a specific place or come to your call. Then you can teach him to bring objects, sit or go to sleep.
Keep in mind that this is a very intelligent breed, so mental stimulation is essential. You can train your pet’s skills with exercises such as agility or hiking. And don’t forget about their socialization.
Tips to encourage socialization for Akita Inu
An abrupt gesture or a higher than usual tone of voice can cause your pet to attack another person to protect you. You can also fight with other dogs if you perceive an aggressive attitude. To avoid these problems you must properly socialize the Akita from puppyhood.
Encourage your pet’s contact with your family members from day one, especially with children. Make sure that first contact is positive and fosters a relationship based on caring and mutual respect.
Stimulate your pet’s socialization by exposing it to people in different situations. When you take her out for a walk or have guests at home, let people pet her. Physical contact from an early age will help you be less possessive and nervous in the future.
Use positive reinforcement, especially since the Akita Inu does not usually respond well to the harshest training methods. That means that, instead of punishing your pet for its aggressive behavior, it is preferable that you use dog treats when it interacts appropriately with others.
Make sure they exercise daily so they can release excess energy and ease anxiety. Take advantage of these moments for your Akita to interact with other people and pets.
The socialization of your pet must be voluntary, which means that it must be the Akita who approaches people of his own choosing. If you force him, he could end up developing fears and phobias that make him more nervous and aggressive.
If you are trying to socialize your pet, but you keep noticing that she is shy, fearful, or aggressive, it is best to consult a professional trainer. If you think you will not be able to train her properly, you can leave it up to her.
Plan the foundations of your dog’s education
Despite the fact that Akita dogs are faithful and protective like few others, in some countries these dogs are considered to belong to the breeds of “potentially dangerous dogs”, nothing is further from the truth, as there are no dangerous breeds but irresponsible owners. Raising a sturdy and strong dog like the American Akita is not very difficult, but it does require firm commitment and an owner who is not easily defeated.
The first rule that you must always comply with is to be firm in front of your Akita, under no circumstances give your arm to twist. Together with your family members, you must summarize the rules that relate to them (do not get on the sofa, do not receive food from the table, etc.) the entire family unit must always know and comply with the same established rules. Failure to do so leads to confusion and role problems in the dog.
The American Akita, like any other dog, needs abysmal amounts of affection and companionship, but of course, this dog needs an owner with character, firm, authoritative and disciplined. If you do not meet these requirements, better get an adopted dog of other sizes or characteristics.
The basic pillar of dog training
One thing is a firm owner, and quite another is an angry owner who gets carried away by these types of human emotions, this does not interest us when we want to train a dog.
The basic pillar of dog training should be positive reinforcement, this could be summarized as follows: a dog is not punished for its mistakes, but is rewarded for its successes. A good example of an application of positive reinforcement is clicker training, however, there are other methods.
Obviously, we cannot wait to reward the successes of our pet when it is already in puberty or adulthood, adequate training includes positive reinforcement from the first moment and begins at approximately 4 months of age, however, learning The name itself will start as soon as possible to facilitate the remaining process.
Socialization of the American Akita
All puppies need to be socialized so that they can fully enjoy their life in our company, but this need is even greater in the American Akita.
This dog will perfectly tolerate children’s games, it will coexist without any problem with other pets that are in the home and it will bend its territorial instinct to the orders of its owner when it comes across another male specimen. However, early socialization is essential to get to this point.
Your puppy should be in contact as soon as possible with all the members of her human family, and obviously, this includes the smallest of the house. The same will happen with other animals, you must make immediate contact with the other pets in the house and you must make early but progressive contact with other animals. Always trying to make the first contact positive.
The socialization of the American Akita cannot be considered a secondary necessity, but the most important part of their education.
Starting to educate the Akita
The Akita is a very intelligent dog but in its puppy stage, like any other dog, it will have difficulty maintaining a state of attention for a long time, therefore, discard any training planning that includes long sessions.
5 minutes, 3 times a day and in a suitable environment free of distractions, will be enough to educate your Akita. The first objectives that we must achieve in training are the following:
- Answer your call
- Sit, stay, and lie down
- Don’t jump on people
- Allowing you to take their toys and food without showing aggression.
From 4 or 6 weeks from the beginning of the training, it is important to include new commands, since in a way this dog needs to be challenged with new challenges so as not to get bored.
Here are some essential commands to teach your dog.
Physical exercise facilitates the education of the Akita
The American Akita has great energy along with a strong and robust body, therefore it needs a lot of discipline, and the best tool to provide it is physical exercise. Find out what the right exercise is for an American Akita.
Your Akita needs to perform physical exercise daily, this will not only facilitate education and training but will also help your dog to be able to manage all its vitality in a healthy way, without showing stress, aggressiveness, or anxiety.
Advanced training for Akita Inu
Once your American Akita dog adequately understands all the training orders, he will need to be reminded of them on a regular basis. Taking a few minutes a day for repetitions will suffice.
Once you have assumed the basis of his education, you can begin to practice with him advanced commands, fun tricks or start him in agility, for example, to continue stimulating his mind. In the same way, we can include intelligence toys in their daily lives.
The bottom line
Akita Inus are very intelligent dogs and easy to train. However, they tend to be possessive and highly jealous, so we empathize with the importance of early socialization with this breed.
The Akita will be balanced as an adult if he receives correct socialization as a puppy. He is silent and discreet, ignoring the bulk of irritating circumstances. It can be dominant with other dogs, but without starting conflicts. On the other hand, with his family, he will stand out for his loyalty, protection, and affection.
If you have any questions or comments on the content, please let us know!
FAQ on Are Akitas easy to train?
How easy is it to train an Akita?
It is easy to train an Akita if you start early. An Akita puppy is easy to teach essential tricks, but if you do not do it on time, an untrained Akita adult can be dangerous and stubborn when it comes to listening to its owner.
Can Akitas be trained?
Akitas like any other dog can be trained as soon as you bring them home. It is very important to socialize the dog as soon as possible, to prevent future conflicts with smaller animals and people outside the family home.
Do Akitas make good pets?
Akitas can be great pets, as they are calm, highly intelligent, and affectionate. However, due to its size and character, Akita is not a dog for everyone.
At what age do Akitas become protective?
Akitas become protective around the age of 12-18 months, as they begin to bark uncontrollably at strangers and seem to want to protect you from everyone outside the family.
Will an Akita protect its owner?
Akita will protect its owner without a doubt. Akitas are generally very calm dogs, but if they bark, there is usually a serious reason for that.
References
Insidedogsworld.com
Petful.com
