In this article, we will answer the following question: Are Akitas high energy dogs? We will talk about life with an Akita dog, the basics of training them; what makes the American Akita unique, and the basic pillar of training any dog.
Are Akitas high energy dogs?
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. 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.
The Akita Inu is a perfect family dog in every way. He can be both athletic or not, it all depends on the needs of his master. He is calm, considerate, caring, independent, loyal, and barks very moderately. His education is rather easy and his health, despite two hereditary diseases, is quite solid.
Characteristics of Akita Inu
The Akita Inu has a harmonious musculature and an elegant silhouette. It is distinguished by its hard and short coat, very dense which gives it a real plush appearance. He also has a touching face which explains his great success with dog lovers.
The Akita Inu has a head well proportioned to the body and is recognized by the triangular shape of its thick and small ears. They are carried high on the head and always well erected. Another feature that sets him apart is his small, almond-shaped eyes. This dog wears sesame, fawn, brindle, or white coat with white hairs on the throat, cheeks, muzzle, belly, or even the chest.
The Akita comes from Japan, specifically the Akita region. It is also considered a “national treasure” in the Land of the Rising Sun and must be preserved. Its ancestor is the Akita Matagis, the first historical traces of which date back to 1603.
A cross of this fighting dog was then made with the mastiff and the tosa in order to obtain a much larger dog. Note that this breed almost died out towards the end of World War II, as its fur was highly prized for making military outfits.
Necessary living conditions and behavior of the Akita Inu
The Akita Inu is very temperamental. He has a strong temperament and finds it difficult to socialize with other dogs of the same sex. He is also very suspicious of strangers. As it has character, the dog must be educated from an early age in a climate of trust and respect.
This breed is not recommended for people who want a first domestic animal because it needs a master who is knowledgeable in dog training and who also has character. Despite these few flaws, Akita Inu is an example of loyalty and fidelity. He is gentle and calm towards his owners. To thrive, she will need regular walks. He doesn’t really have to do a lot of physical exercises anyway.
Diet and main health problems of Akita Inu
In principle, the Akita Inu is robust in nature. However, there are diseases that can manifest in this breed namely VKH, an inherited and autoimmune disease that is caused by stress and causes inflammation of the eye and brain. The other disease is also autoimmune and is called sebaceous adenitis which affects the skin.
For its diet, be aware that this breed is not the type to consume poor quality food. It is therefore difficult to fill it with classic croquettes. On the other hand, raw meat will delight him or, failing that, offer him croquettes made of meats and not cereals.
Characteristics of the American Akita
The American Akita is a large, powerful dog with a robust appearance. It is somewhat longer than it is tall, which gives it a balanced appearance. Its tail that is linked to the back, is large and curly proportional to the head, also large.
The male Akita, as in almost all breeds, is larger than the female, almost 10 cm taller. In summary, they are around 61-71 centimeters and their weight is usually 40-70 kilograms.
One of the most distinctive characteristics of the American Akita is that the broad chest and neck serve as a solid foundation for its large head. The broadhead and short muzzle form a triangle, seen from above.
How is the personality of the American Akita?
It is a solitary dog, as it was not bred to live or work in groups. Today’s Akita maintains these personality traits, it can be seen alone or in pairs. Therefore, it is difficult for him to live with other animals, he must be previously socialized and from a very young age.
It is an ideal breed to live with as a family since it is loyal and affectionate with its owners and friends, but quite territorial with respect to its home and distant with strangers. They are very good watchdogs and will only bark when there is really something suspicious.
Due to its large size, which makes it difficult to control, it is not a suitable breed for everyone. You have extreme strength and endurance, you need a good workout to help you channel your energy properly.
If you are thinking of welcoming an American Akita into your home, it is certainly an excellent idea. It is an ideal dog to adopt, as well as being a great companion, loyal, and affectionate, it is a clean animal and easy to tame.
The basic pillar of training your Akita
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.
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.
Click here to learn more about positive reinforcement training in dogs.
The importance of socialization for Akita dogs
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.
Final thoughts
Once your 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.
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.
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FAQ on Are Akitas high energy dogs?
Are Akitas good running dogs?
Akitas are good running dogs, great, in fact. The trouble is that Akitas don’t really like to exercise for too long, they would rather take a nap!
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.
References
Insidedogsworld.com
Petful.com
