The Japanese Akita Dog

by Ken Charles

Origin and History of the Akita Dog.

The Japanese Akita is not a suitable dog as a normal family pet. It was originally bred in the Akita Prefecture in Japan, as a hunting dog, for deer, wild boar and even bears. For this purpose, it required to be a large, strong dog with confident, dominant tendencies and an independent nature. The Akita is also known as Akita Inu, which is Japanese for dog.

The average height for the Akita is between 24 to 28 inches and will weigh from eighty to one hundred and ten pounds. He has strong, heavy bones and a muscular body. This is a lot of dog!

The Akita has a double coat, which is harsh and waterproof, with a thick, dense undercoat. It sheds profusely, all year round and requires brushing and grooming every day. Colors include white, white with tan patches and other combinations, including brindle. The dense coat of this breed means that he is happy in the snow but he will suffer in a hot climate.

This is not a dog for inexperienced owners, or for people who are elderly or weak. Akitas are intelligent and athletic and when socialized are faithful and affectionate but will always strive for the dominant position in the family group. He may show aggression towards family members and may not suit a family with small children. With this breed, it is vital that you are the Alpha Dog and that he knows his place in your "pack"!

The Akita may show aggression towards other dogs and small animals and should not be allowed to roam off-leash in public areas where there are many people and other dogs.

Training Akitas

The Akita can be difficult to train because they are intelligent and stubborn and can quickly become bored. it should never be a question of "asking" an Akita to do something. It must always be a strong command from a dominant owner. When you say "NO", mean it and make it stick. You may have problems with house training, as Akitas suffer from urinary infections in infancy.

There is plenty of information available online, much of it Free, on the subject of Dog Aggression. Any dog which shows undue aggression, to people or animals, is in urgent need of proper expert training.

If you take an Akita into your family, you must be prepared to spend time and effort on training, socializing, excercise and grooming. This large dog also costs a lot to feed.

Akitas in the Family

There are conflicting opinions about the suitability of Akitas with young children. Historically, the breed had a strong reputation for being protective of young children and were often left in sole charge. Other opinions point out the dominant nature of the breed and the fact that these dogs will compete for their place in the pack. Certainly, a young child will be no match physically for an adult Akita.

Proper supervision of the behavior of the dog and the children is essential in this situation. Having said this, a well socialized Akita will be more comfortable with this.

Akitas make extremely good guard dogs. They have a strong territorial instinct and will be very protective of family and property. As a watch dog, they are quietly effective. They do not bark unnecessarily but will certainly raise the alarm at the approach of any strange visitors or sounds.

The average lifespan of the Akita is about 12 years. Like many other breeds of dog, cancer is the most common cause of death. Recent surveys in both the United Kingdom and the USA/Canada revealed this to be the case, with other causes including cardiac and bloat/torsion.

There is a load of Free information and useful links on Japanese Akitas at http://allabout-dogs.co.uk/akita which also covers all aspects of dog ownership, including Dog Training, Dog Breeds, Dog Food and Dog Health. For the best advice on training the Akita, visit http://allabout-dogs.co.uk/Dog_Trainers

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Get Pet Beds For Your Large Breed Dogs

Comfort is of extreme importance to your pet, and having a bed that will fit a large dog is sometimes hard to find. I know that Shadow sometimes gets antsy trying to find himself a nice comfortable place to lay down.

So here is a list of links where you can order pet beds online so that your pet can have a good spot to relax.

Animal Comforts

Orvis

Snoozer Dog Beds

Greg Robert


Some of the suppliers also have beds for cats and smaller dogs, too, as well as orthopedic beds, memory foam, etc.

If you have any other suggestions for pet bed suppliers, please let me know by posting a comment.

Great Holiday Gift Ideas for Big Dog Lovers!

Hey, I was just surfing the web, and stumbled upon this great site that sells holiday ornaments and gifts using big dogs as the focal points. They will also post pictures of your big dog, and even have a holiday photo contest.

Anyway, I thought it was a great site to check out:

www.bigtalldog.com

Which Dog Breed is Suitable for You?

by El Young

Through the years, man has been served by many types of beasts. From cattle to horses to beasts of burden. However, out of all these, only one serves us by choice – the dog.

Scientific research and DNA evidence shows that dogs have been man’s companion since 15,000 years ago. They were first domesticated from wolves. As pack animals, they display certain pack instincts, such as loyalty and devotion, which of course make them the perfect companion, the perfect best friend.

There are many breeds of dogs and often the differences between each one are highly varied. Some dogs are long-snouted, some have blunt faces, while others are as small as barely 5 inches at the withers. Currently, there are nearly 400 different breeds of dogs worldwide that are officially recognized.

Below are some of the more common breeds of dogs that you are likely to encounter in your local pet shop:

Akita

Originating from Japan, Akita means “the Most Venerated One.” Akita dogs are workers, used mainly in hunting large game and dog fighting. They are medium to giant size, strong, and often independent. As such, they can be hard to manage and thus are not suitable as family pets or for first time dog owners. However, if you own an Akita, you have the distinction of one of the few owners of a dog that belongs to the 14 rare and ancient breeds of dogs.

American Eskimo Dogs

Fondly called “Eskies” by devotees, American Eskimo Dogs are one of the many breeds of dogs that are descended from the Nordic breed. Beautiful with thick, often pure white but may sometimes be creamy white coats and dark noses, American Eskimo Dogs are hardy, gentle, and playful companions. Their fox-like heads and triangular erect ears show their intelligence while their rounded, lion-like manes and softly plumed tails reveal their fun-loving nature. With their devotion and natural affection for humans, Eskies make wonderful pets for children.

Irish Setter

Of all the Irish American breeds of dogs, the Irish Setter is probably the most popular. Irish setters were originally working dogs that used to “set” game. That is, they would crouch down close to a game (a bird, for instance) and wait until the hunter would throw a net over the dog and the game. Today, Irish setters, particularly the field types, are primarily gun dogs, bird dogs, and all in all reliable hunting companions. Their friendliness and genuine affection for humans make them great pets. Their excellent tempers and loyalty rival the best of the breeds of dogs.

Golden Retriever

Arguably one of the more popular breeds of dogs, Golden Retrievers are loyal, friendly dogs with a high level of sociability and intelligence. While they typically bark when startled, they are not considered as good watchdog because of their friendly nature. Their color ranges from dark golden coat to nearly blonde. As such, they are sometimes fondly referred to as “Yellow Retrievers.”

El is the owner of the dog obedience training website. Visit now to find out more resources and offers for dog lovers.

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What breed do you think Shadow is?

Shadow is very unique in his appearance. He looks like a large German Shepherd, but with a larger chest, and a flatter nose in the front. He has the pointed ears like a German Shepherd, but they are quite large as well (around 6 inches long). At 130 lbs, he is slightly smaller than most Great Danes that I've seen, but larger than an Akita. Speaking of the Akita, his build is most similar to them, with longer legs and a very powerful, broad chest. What do you think? Please post a comment if you have any ideas. His face is closest to a Newfoundland, with the flat front and slightly loose lips that have jet black skin. The Newfoundland has much longer hair, though.

He has a great temperament, being quite gentle around the kids, but just by size alone, and his deep growl, he will definitely make an intruder think twice about approaching our yard or house. Most of the time, he thinks he is human. He is always hanging around someone in the household, curious as to what we are doing. If we are just relaxing, he will lay on the floor by our feet calmly, but when there is activity, he HAS to be a part of it. From what I have read, these are all traits of a Great Dane.

Being a big dog, he needs lots of exercise, so he pretty much owns our backyard. We have a good-sized fenced lot for him to run in, and we also walk him as often as possible. He loves riding in the car, so we try to take him whenever we have errands to run.

Mischievous is also a good word to describe him. People with small dogs have no idea. Most dogs will get into anything that they can reach if you let them, but when your dog can reach EVERYTHING, it is quite a challenge to keep him out of trouble.

Anyway, those are his traits. If you have any ideas on what type of dog he might be, drop me a line.