27 March 2008 OneNews – New Zealand’s News A man in New Zealand was attacked by a Japanese Akita. Now he wants the popular dog out of the country, or at least added to the country’s dangerous dog list.
He says “they just kill us”. He thinks Japanese Akita’s are three times more dangerous than a pit bull. He wants them all out. Next time he sees a Japanese Akita, any Japanese Akita, he’s going to kill it.
The victim was working on a job in a home in Auckland, New Zealand. The dog was the very loved family house dog of his clients. Just hours after the attack Dog Control Officers were on the scene. The owners said their dog had never attacked before. It was handed over to authorities. The Akita was brought to death row for dogs and was destroyed less than 24 hours later. The decision to whether or not the owners will be prosecuted is still being decided.
All dogs are capable of biting. All dogs can launch an attack. There is no evidence that Japanese Akita’s are more violent than any other breed. Experts say you can’t single out just one dog breed as the new public enemy number one. This resembles the nature-nurture debate. Dog’s behavior, is just like ours, not fully controlled by the genes.
A predisposition to behave in a certain way is only a small part of the equation. The environment has a bigger impact as to whether or not the aggression is going to surface or not.
The triangle: dog breed, the individual dog and dog training/the owner is what’s important. A dog that has had negative experiences with people is more likely to develop a fear of people which can result in unprovoked bite incidents.
Don’t stare a dog right in the eyes. Imagine a human stranger doing this to you. How would you feel? When a dog gives a warning, then accept the warning. Socialized dogs will give light warnings first, then stronger and stronger and only if you can’t take any hint then the dog would have to escalate the warning further.
When we as humans are the superior breed, then act superior. Learn doggy language as they cannot learn ours. Education is very important. Up to 75% of dog bites are actually by the victim’s own dog.
You can’t decide a whole breed is aggressive because of a biting incident with an individual dog. If so… then what conclusions can be drawn about the human race after reading some random newspaper headlines?
The bond between dogs and humans is based in part on trust, and part of that is eroded once you are bitten. If the victim is a bystander and not a dog owner, he is likely to be lost forever to any relationship with dogs and may become hostile to them. Hostility coupled with activism can sound the death knell of a breed.
John Payne, President of New Zealand Institute of Animal Control Officers, only today heard for the first time of a Japanese Akita attacking and he’s 21 years on the job. In order for a breed to be designated as a dangerous dog breed they need to be disproportionally featured in dog attacks and there aren’t really any dog breeds that fit into that sort of category.
For instance, German Shepherds account for a large number of bite incidents, but that’s just because there are a lot of German Shepherds around. Before jumping to conclusions you have to know how to interpret quantitative data.
Scientist are examining aggressive genes in dogs. Swabbing that dog and analyze it’s gene profile can help predicting whether a dog that has never been aggressive in the past is likely to be aggressive in the future. Then what? Are we going to allow these dogs to be destroyed whilst they haven’t done a thing wrong so far? Like in the pre-crime unit in the movie ‘Minority Report’? Within 24 hours, without a jury?
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The truth of the matter is, all dogs can be provoked or egged on to bite. Aggression is of course part of the dog psyche (as it is also part of the human psyche); young dogs, particularly males, do frequently test the dominance status of higher-ranking males. There’s no such thing as a ‘bad’ breed. Practically all kinds of dogs are trainable. Proper training and socialization can make otherwise violent dogs, such as pit bull terriers and Rottweilers, adorable and gentle ones. |
Dog owners should have their beloved pets trained to follow basic commands like come, sit, lie and stay. Obedience training school is one way of effectively preventing many dog-biting incidents, but you should try to find time for day-to-day instruction between dog and master, as well. This helps build the bond between you and your dog; when your dog trusts you enough, he dare not attack other people, particularly YOU.
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Myth #1: The Akita was used to bring down bears. This is wrong and believing this is really underestimating the power of a bear. Two Akita’s could corner a bear, but it was man who made the kill. So which one is the more dangerous creature in this story?
Myth #2: Akita’s are unpredictable. Any dog that is not raised properly can be unpredictable. It’s not in the breed to be like that. A good dog owner is prepared and knows how to socialize and train a dog. Akita’s are known for their loyalty towards their owner (see the story about Hachiko). 
{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree.
I´m currently attending a school to become a dog trainer. We study the mind of dogs, language of dogs, socialization of puppies etc. and the more I study the more I understand dogs and the more I feel sad for them. Even those people who say they love dogs don´t often truly understand dogs and some of they think that if a dog bites it´s always crazy and has to be put to sleep. That leads to unnecessary killing and fear of certain breeds.
When I was little I was told that German Shepherds are always untrustworthy and they attack without reason. My relatives called them “wolfdogs” because they believed that the Shepherds are most wolf-like of all dogs. Now that I think of it, that´s really unbelievable. I keep wondering where they had heard those things. Maybe from newspapers? Maybe there was a headline about Shepherds being dangerous and they remembered it for the rest of their life?
An Akita bit my friend earlier in the week. it was one of the worst experiences of mine and my friends life.
You can single a dog breed out when they are violent and are harming people unprovoked.
I don’t see why a dog specially bred for hunting down bears can be a suitable family pet and trusted around people.
I’m very sorry to hear about your bad experience with an Akita.
There are good and bad Akita’s, just as there exist good and bad humans or good and bad Golden Retrievers for that matter.
Too many people conduct a great deal more research before purchasing a coffee maker or refrigerator than before purchasing a dog. They buy a dog based on an emotional response to a fleeting look at the breed, and then expect it to grow into a well adjusted, perfect family companion without any basic knowledge of the breed. Worse yet, they buy that doggy in the window from a pet store which buys their stock from a puppy mills instead of a acknowledged dog breeder. Both purchases can lead to tragedy because they are not based on any intelligent, researched, sound decision. Get to know the history of a breed and its nurturing requirements, its level of trainability, its need for socialization and then decide if you really want a dog!
Puppies grow up and especially large dogs need to know who’s boss. Dogs aren’t horses or cats. Attend puppy classes and read about the nature of the dog so you understand why it’s sometimes best to ignore that cute puppy. Some people say Akita’s are for first time dog owners. This is only to say that you need to be consistent in your own behavior. A lot of people have difficulties with this. It’s simple really, allow your Akita to become the pack leader and you must follow it’s rules.
I’m not arguing every Akita is a nice dog. I’m not arguing every Poodle is a nice dog. My personal experience with dogs has been very good. If you have problems then seek professional help (phone consultation is an option): I can recommend Rena Murray (DogWhisperWoman) for individual advice: http://www.pawpersuasion.com/consult.php. Akitas like to take charge -an inherited trait from their wolf ancestry and may at some time, challenge you for the dominant position. This behavior cannot be tolerated and a firm, consistent correction should be your immediate response. Akitas with good temperament accept discipline well -not beating, but intelligent discipline.
To say this breed is inherently violent, just because it was used to corner wild animals ages ago, is a generalization.
In this particular case the dog is labeled dangerous as statistics also show that once a dog has bitten, it is likely to bite again.
Just don’t provoke dogs. The have their limits too. This is the main reason why children shouldn’t be left alone with a dog around. Children may repeatedly pull the dogs ears and ignore the warning signs the dog is giving. Then suddenly the dog’s patience runs out… and we have another bite incident.
You may also find this website particularly helpful:
http://www.safetyarounddogs.org/statistics.html
To summarize my point:
Any dog, treated harshly or trained to attack, may bite a person. Any dog can be turned into a dangerous dog. The owner or handler most often is responsible for making a dog into something dangerous.
An irresponsible owner or dog handler might create a situation that places another person in danger by a dog, without the dog itself being dangerous.
Any individual dog may be a good, loving pet, even though its breed is considered to be potentially dangerous. A responsible owner can win the love and respect of a dog, no matter its breed. One cannot look at an individual dog, recognize its breed, and then state whether or not it is going to attack.
Again, sorry to hear about what happened to your friend.
Today I found an Australian news article in which a Japanese Akita is reported to have molested a little boy. It was a horrifying attack and the Akita was destroyed just hours after the incident.
After hearing of the dog attack, RSPCA Queensland Animal Training and Behaviour Centre manager Ros Taber said the dog could have been reacting from instinct or fear.
An Akita Breeder said ‘I find it very hard to believe the Akita attacked whilst being unprovoked’.
Whether or not this Akita was an Akita gone bad….. you cannot judge a species or breed based upon these kind of incidents. My experience as well of that of thousands of others is that Akita’s are the most loyal pets one can imagine.
Read the full article below:
“Aidan was with his parents and siblings at a neighborhood barbecue on April 5, when the neighbor’s Japanese Akita dog escaped from its pen and attacked the child in front of six adults and several other children.
Belinda, who asked her surname not be used, said although covered in blood her son was calm as her husband, Rob, rushed him home to ring the ambulance.
“He asked if he could play football the next day,” she said.
“I wonder what was going through his mind at that point, as he looked up at us and said: ‘If I die, I love you guys’.”
Aidan was rushed into surgery at the Mater Children’s Hospital, where he ended up with more than 300 stitches throughout his face, head, tongue and right hand, as well as two skin grafts one on his right ear and one between the corner of his right eye and nose.
Belinda, who owns a border collie, said after receiving many “narrow-minded” comments about what happened to her youngest child, she wanted to set the record straight.
“This was an unprovoked attack and it happened about one meter from us. We would not take our children into a dangerous environment,” she said.
The family had joined other neighbors at the barbecue and were all at the front of the house. The Akita was in a pen some distance away at the back of the house but had escaped.
Belinda said the children had been playing cricket in front of the house and had just been called over to the patio to have some food when the dog suddenly reappeared from around the corner. She said it had struggled free of its owner just before it was put back in the pen.
“It appeared, looked at my husband who said ‘stand still’, and then looked at Aidan and suddenly was into him,” she said. “We thought the dog was about to give a little snap but then it pushed Aidan up against the house and was growling, snarling and shaking him.”
Belinda said she and two other adults immediately kicked and pulled the dog off Aidan.
“Before this I was one of those who would have said I wonder what the child did to provoke the dog, but this was unprovoked and this was no simple dog bite,” she said.
“This was a mauling and it all happened in about 15 seconds.”
The owners of the Akita had the dog destroyed within hours.
Aidan said he did not remember much of the attack. He said it was lucky the dog did not attack the owners’ youngest child, a 13-month-old baby.
“If the dog had gotten that baby it would have been like a rag doll,” he said.
After hearing of the dog attack, RSPCA Queensland Animal Training and Behaviour Centre manager Ros Taber said the dog could have been reacting from instinct or fear.
She emphasized the behavior was not indicative of the breed. “It’s the particular dog, not the breed. From the dog’s point of view there were strangers in the yard. This particular breed of dog is . . . very loyal . . . aware of its own properties and boundaries,” she said.”
I was recently given an Akita to look after. This Akita was a stray, found running in the streets. She was rescued and nursed back to health. Her maggot infested wounds were treated. The people who found her were unable to keep her so put her up for rehoming.
My girlfriend decided to adopt. Unfortunately her mother objected to the dog being in the home. Plus she wasn’t really getting along with the two other dogs in the house, an Afghan hound and a mutt.
So she asked if I could home her. I was reluctant, because I was looking at giving a home to a dog of “unknown provenance”, as they say in the auction circles. I had no idea of her history, of whether she had been socialised properly, or her training etc. Additionally I have 2 young (below age 7) children at home.
On the plus side, I have some 30 odd years of experience in looking after dogs. Mostly mutts, all rescued from the streets. So dealing with (unpredictable) dog behaviour was not new to me. But it was new to my kids, because their mother refused to have pets in the house.
I took her in, and laid down the rules clearly for her over the next few weeks. She was properly introduced to my kids, and they were taught what a dog likes (head scratching, petting etc), and what a dog didn’t like (stay away from the tail, don’t hit the dog, don’t try climbing on her and so on). She accepted them in a “ho-hum” kind of way.
This morning, my older child was sitting outside, alone. The Akita came round my 4WD, and was surprised to see him sitting there. She barked, and then suddenly realised she had made a mistake. She immediately flattened her ears, and slowly walked up to him, hanging her head low. She licked his face, and laid her head on his shoulder.
I watched this from the doorway, not saying anything. I wanted to see what she would do, and my trust in the dog was proven right.
For a breed with a a reputation for being “vicious” and “savage” (they are banned in the district where I live), I have found my Akita to be a very mellow, patient dog. And this is a dog I brought into my house full grown, from an unknown background. I do not know if this is indicative of the breed, or I just got lucky, but I have found her to be loyal, and obedient, even if her stubborness in obeying the “come” command drives me crazy sometimes.
I recently acquired a male Akita. A friend met an elderly widow whose children had given her the dog as an 8 week old puppy to be a companion after her stroke. The dog was then 10 months old and had had no training or socialization, my friend was working at the womans house and the dog opened the gate and introduced himself eye to eye. While this did not bother my friend, who himself is a dog lover, the woman apologized profusely and when my friend said it was fine she asked him if he wanted the dog.
She by now was fully aware of the fact that this dog was more than she could handle and was trying to find it a new home but he was, while not vicious, rather rambunctious and she was have a problem finding the right person to take him.
I was losing my current dog to cancer and agreed to take him in. I knew I was in for some work training a 10 month old 85 pound puppy that had become a leader but I thought I could handle it. He learned basic obedience very quickly and was obviously very intelligent but I found that he had some issues regarding things like rawhides and bones and other dogs. This scared me a little as he was so strong. I contacted a good training facility in the area and took him in for an evaluation. The facility paired me with one of their more experienced trainers and as she evaluated him he at one point jumped up and growled in her ear. Being experienced she was able to handle situation but realized that she would not be up to the task of working with him. She said I would have to work with the head trainer and I made the appointments.
I worked with him for six weeks and the results were spectacular, his dog on dog aggression had become very manageable and he would allow me to take raw meat from his mouth as well as spit it out on command. The next step for him was to enroll in an intermediate obedience class where he would have to do off leash work shoulder to shoulder with other dogs. As a precaution he started the 8 week class muzzled but after 4 weeks he did the whole 1 hour class this past weekend unmuzzled and despite a couple dogs getting into his space he behaved perfectly.
This is a case of a breed with a strong will being mishandled (though not intentionally) by a loving woman and becoming defiant and somewhat aggressive. I have had him now for 11 months and he has become an absolutely wonderful dog. He still has his spats with some of the neighborhood dogs (more often than not he is provoked by poor behavior from the other dog) but the ultimate compliment came from one of my brothers neighbors, They have a 4 year old daughter that is terrified of ALL dogs and after meeting him at a cookout at my brothers house she now asks my brother when she can see him again. I put him in a head down stay and invited her to pet him and she fell in love with him. When her parents saw her petting a dog that was bigger than she was they were simply amazed.
While Akita’s are not for the casual owner, for a person that has the ability to confidently lead they are absolutely wonderful animals. My guy gets compliments from everyone he meets on how beautiful he is and I can’t begin to convey how intelligent he is. My trainer constantly complements me on how well he is doing but the credit rightfully goes to him, he just learns things so easily he makes me look good.
Hi Hawk,
What a beautiful story! It has touched my heart that you have saved this Akita from being put to sleep (probably that would have been the outcome if he had not met you or someone like you).
It just goes to show that people have a big influence on the dog behavior, for the better and for the worse. Thanks for telling your story on akita-blog.com.
I hope people will find this story when they go and search the internet for Akita aggression and learn from it. This is such a beautiful dog breed that a lot of people choose to have a cute Akita puppy without realizing the specific needs. That they really need to be in charge and educate their new friend. When there is not enough time, knowledge of motivation than it’s better to go and get a cat, hamster or a different dog breed.
Thanks again and all the best,
Barbara
I have a male 21 month Akita with a aggressiveness to other dogs although he lives in total peace with two female Maltese. Also he has snapped at two strangers in my house. my question is will nuetering him also help with aggresion.
My Akita Kensho lives in complete harmony with a cat, though he like to chase neighborhood cats if (!) he would get the chance. This shows he is socialized with the cat he’s living with. Would I bring in a new cat that would be a different story. Dogs, including Akitas, differentiate between familiar and odd or strange.
Strangers entering the house should be introduced. As a pup Kensho would look at me to see my reaction and my voice would tell him the situation was ok. Did you introduce the strangers to you dog when this happened? Take the nature of the beast into account. Akitas are great guardian dogs and you should teach them and polish their reactions.
Don’t expect miracles from neutering. Dog training would be much more effective. Neutering could help but not without proper guidance and training of your dog. When you read the story by Hawk you’ll see what I mean.
Consult a good dog school and train your dog’s behavior in dog classes where he can be near other (strange) dogs. Meanwhile you could consult a vet and ask your neutering question. It doesn’t have to be permanent. You can get a pill to assess the effect it has on your dog. Though my recommendation is: training, guidance and understanding of the dog’s mind. That will go a long way and can work miracles.
For online guidance you can try the SitStayFetch method. They have a free six day mini course just to get you started. Best of course would be to join a club so your dog gets the practice of being around other dogs.
I would like you to check out my Akita named Wolf at http://www.youtube.com/heraclio8. I feel like one of the luckiest Akita owners in the world for getting such a fantastically well balanced animal. Let me know what you think of him after seeing his videos on the site I mentioned. Thanks a million!
I trained Wolf myself since 2 months old. He just turned 4 years old last January 29 and just last Sunday won at a local dog show here in the Philippines. He was awarded first prize by three different judges. I believe training a dog such as an Akita depends on several factors (1) Your love for the dog (2) Your commitment in time and money and (3) Ability to trust him/her . I do not consider Wolf as a pet but a PART of my family although I live alone, I feel he has become an integral part of my life for the past 4 years and cannot seem to go anywhere without him being with me. There are ofcourse disadvantages as well but like in all things and decisions we take in life, it is a give and take situation. IF you can handle a dog, it does not mean you can handle an Akita automatically. An Akita requires more than just love for the animal but a deeper sense of belongingness and ability to understand the breed better. He is also seeking the same objective from Day one you took him into your household. The other thing, I hardly walk with him with a leash. I trained him to respect other dogs and cats (ofcourse easier said than done!) But often may be the case, he thinks first before acting because he knows what punishment he faces if he did the contrary! It is all a matter of two way communication just like with a human being, a dog also wants to show you how he/she feels about his/her environment and what makes him/her gittery or insecured. It is your job as his/her boss to communicate to him/her that there is no danger lurking and you are happy with his/her behaviour and thus should make sure you reward her/him FROM THE HEART!
Hi Heraclio,
Thanks very much for sharing your story and experience in training an Akita. You have posted some great videos on YouTube. Wolf knows his commands. I recognize the yawn that sometimes occurs just before obeying. I think, this is tension. Akitas can be so stubborn and when they don’t see the logic behind a command and they have to obey just because they are the dog and you are the boss, then they will obey when trained but I do sometimes see the tension. Great training but don’t ask him to sit down too many times just because. I sometimes do this with my Akita Kensho to make it clear who’s the dog. Usually after he has been challenging me. Which he still does on occasion, though it gets more rare as he gets older. He’ll turn four next summer.
All the best and I wish you a happy life with Wolf,
Barbara
I just got my lad 2 days ago, we fell in love and we called him buddy. We also have a 6 month old staffordshire bull terrier, Dora, they get on great.
Buddy and I are soon starting training classes, but having a bitch also we have decided to neuter buddy A.S.A.P. At the moment he is only 16 weeks old, does anyone know how soon I can get this done?
I would also like to say how nice it is to hear some positives about Akitas, since getting buddy we have had only negative responses. The same has been said about staffies, I lost my other staffie a week before Christmas, she was always loving and loyal and never aggressive towards any one or anything.
We have started basic commands in doors and buddy responds well from what I’ve read I’ve gathered the main thing is consistency?.
Wish me luck guys.
I’ll keep you posted.
Di
Hi,
I have an eight month old male akita. He is a handsome animal and normally quite obediant considering their independent nature. In the last month though, he is starting to test boundaries!! I put this down to teenage years, but wonder of the best way to assert my authority. He definately does not like to be told off – he will sulk and ignore me for hours. The behaviours he is showing include: cocking his leg at me (not urinating or humping), a lot of play biting that gets rougher, becoming very boisterous when seeing other dogs and quite aggressive attacking behaviour if another dog growls at him. He has been to obedience classes since he was ten weeks and seen many other dogs. I have been telling him off and being very severe in making him sit and wait for things etc. Does anyone have any other advice???
Jaz
Akitas are not like any other dog I’ve ever known. I have 2 dogs a bitch aged 3years and a dog not quite 2 years. I took up showing to make sure they would be socialable and well behaved. They have both made it to Crufts so I guess the hard work pays off. They are sweet natured and soppy most of the time but I have found that when out on walks if another dog intrudes on their space they will not tolerate it. Some people think I should not walk them together. Most dogs however do think twice before getting too close when I walk both, and if left alone they will happily walk past other dogs without incidence. When I walk training only one we are more likely to have loose dogs come and poke their noise in to say hello. My akita’s don’t like it. I used to think it was me getting anxious and transfering it down the lead but now that my bitch is adult I know that is not the case. If she doesn’t like a dog she will tell it to take a hike pronto. Some dogs scream before she has even touched them. Now I make her sit beside me and I face off the intruder. I used to try walking on but I learnt it is not wise to turn you back on a strange dog. My advice is stay calm. If you get anxious the akita knows and it escalates his tension. I find that having them sit and feeding them whilst the other dog runs circles round us and the owner either disappears into the distance or tries desperately to retrieve their dog, works best. It pays to be patient sometimes just sitting still works wonders. Ps you don’t need to be severe to make him sit a piece of liver works miracles and he’ll love you all the more for it
I’ve been doing very light research on the Akita Inu in the past year – hoping to prepare myself for dog ownership (which will quickly follow home-ownership). I’ve breezed through the posts here and I can tell that the Akita provokes a wide range of opinions and feelings.
The very last thing I want to do in this post is make people feel like I’m not understanding the gravity of their argument. My heart aches whenever I stumble upon a battle between man and animal or beloved-child and beloved-pet.
I am a horse trainer. I know that dogs and horses are vastly different in psychology but I think that there may be similarities in how horse trainers and dog trainers approach their animals.
A good horse trainer will always consider their horse a lethal weapon in the hands of an ameteur. I treat my horses with respect. Absolutely never will I forget that he/she has the capacity to end my life or cause serious injury.
From what I’ve read about the trainability of the Akita Inu – it is a dog that requires a job (sense of purpose), and needs strong leadership or he/she will assume leadership for the pack (family).
All horses are dangerous. I don’t care how “bomb proof” that 25+ year old mare is at Horse Camp – she can still spook and kick an innocent child.
Likewise, I believe that all dogs are dangerous. Special attention needs to be taken to breed and function before a family invests in a family pet. Just like horses, some dog breeds require greater skill to train and I believe that the Akita Inu is one of them.
The public needs to realize that your dog is firstly an animal, then a breed, and then a pet, your precious Cocoa. No matter how good and loyal they are they still require constant training. Being a horse/dog owner is a lifestyle. Not a hobby that you leave out in your garage to fiddle with once every fortnight. You, the owner, are responsable for that animal’s actions. So how now, brown cow?
I’m talking from experience. My childhood dog, a 98lb German Shepard, bit a little boy at the park. It was my fault not the dog’s fault. I thought dog training ended when the vetrinary office printed out my certificate of completion, “Dog Obediance Level II.”
I was eleven years old and I still feel terrible.
Akitas need to stay on the aggressive list (I’m speaking from America). They need to stay there so that people who are not prepared to devote their time into constant training will not doom a beautiful dog. Its like waving a hand gun around without respect for its power and potention to cause harm.
I think the issue here isn’t Dog vs. Man – its public awareness and education. Educate people on how to treat their animals with the proper respect. Teach people how to practice saftey so as to prevent disaster.
Neither child nor animal should suffer from our ignorance and laziness as parents/adults.
GirlwithCurls,
You make a number of very good points with a very well written post but I have to argue the last point of the aggressive list.
Aggression is a trait that any animal or human will exhibit when afraid or threatened by a situation. A number of dog breeds have been unfairly labeled as aggressive by the media and other ill informed people.
The Pit Bull is an example, first of all, most people don’t even know what a Pit Bull is. Secondly the breed has been generalized into an aggressive killer because of a group of people that abuse the dogs to make them fearful and thus aggressive to everything. These people do this to make them aggressive in the fighting ring, this does not reflect on the breed but on the scum that abuse a small number of these dogs.
Akita’s are a particularly dominant breed, they will become master of their domain if not shown adequate leadership. They will then challenge all that do not show respect to them. This is not the dogs fault but the fault of the dogs person for not providing the right upbringing. The situation is not at all unlike the playground bully that was never taught that he must respect all people and that there are consequences for bad manners and or behavior. The bully was not taught how to interact in society and usually his parents will rationalize his behavior. Once he finds himself as a mature adult in the real world however, he either learns some real life lessons very quickly or he finds himself in big trouble with society in general and spends his life in and out of societies correctional institutions.
My Sarutobi was lucky enough to be given up by his first person who couldn’t handle him to someone who was willing to invest the time and do what needed to be done to teach him those at times unpleasant life lessons.
The only way a dog can control a situation is by what WE call aggression. If you really look at what is called an aggressive attack you will usually find that someone ignored a dogs signals until that simply became impossible. The dog will make eye contact with a stare that could burn a hole through you, then he will raise his hackles, then his tail will drop, then his lips will bare teeth, then he will growl, then bark and if you have managed to ignore all these signs he will bite. Unfortunately most people miss everything but the bite. My guy wasn’t aggressive, he was protective. On walks he would protect me from other dogs, he would protect his treats from being pilfered, etc. Since no one ever showed him his place in society he lived in his own society and people mistakenly labeled him as aggressive.
No dog should ever have to wear that label and ESPECIALLY not as a means to help people to understand their culpability in this situation.
Hawk,
I get what you’re saying. I made the connection when you used “the playground bully” as an example. For whatever reason, parenting and discipline (or lack there of) has been a huge topic in the last month. I understand the concept of surprising someone (child or animal) with punishment for actions they’ve never before been accountable for. Its not fair to allow a child to grow up without boundaries and expect that same person to magically regard the law on their eighteenth birthday.
I also see my mistake in labeling an Akita as an “aggressive breed”. You are right. Kudos to you for summing it up so concisely and I quote Aggression is a trait that any animal or human will exhibit when afraid or threatened by a situation. Place a person in a dog’s shoes and in the face of a jury of piers we (in America) would call that Self Defense.
My errors acknowledged, may I suggest that we agree that the Akita is, as you said, “….a particularly dominant breed.” The American Kennel Club seems to imply that (and much more) in their breed profile. But is there truly no difference in the predisposition of an Akita or German Shepherd or Rotwiler than that of a…. Schnauzer? There is an overwhelming amount of data (Example: http://www.dogsbite.org/bite-statistics.htm) that would suggest that “Not All Dogs Are Created Equal.”
And if you could, wouldn’t you keep an Akita out of the hands of someone less prepared to deal with a more dominant dog? Is training an Akita just as easy as training a yellow Lab? So don’t you think the dominant breeds, the independent breeds that require more-than-average attention from their owners are better off on a dangerous list? Because they are dangerous in the wrong hands, in inexperienced and unprepared hands, a dog is going to do what he/she feels is necessary and THAT is often determined by a combination of breeding and training.
You know where I’m going with this. I choose to look at the Aggressive List as a positive thing. It helps ensure that the person standing at the end of an Akitas leash knows what their doing because, for goodness sake, why would you own a dog you werent ready to take responsibility for? The Akita owners Ive met in Seattle have had to carefully instruct me on how to approach their dog: with a mixture of humility and caution. They bought their dogs knowing that SHTF (crude acronym), their dog is one of few in the entire city thats going to fight and not take flight no matter what the situation: burglar, earthquake, war, Armageddon… Haha.
I’ve been doing Akita Rescue now for the last 23 yrs — I have seen my fair share of aggression in our breed but I have by far seen more wonderful, loving, devoted dogs than many others in other breed rescue see in their own breeds. Golden Retriever Rescue for example, euthanizes far more Goldens for aggression than the number I need to euthanize in Akitas. Our breed is not for 99.9% of the people out there — many times not for the vast majority that already own them! Someone who has kept an Akita locked up in a pen with no socialization (the case for one of the above posts) is at fault — because that owner would have ruined ANY breed he had done that to. Rotts, Goldens, GSDs, Pitts, or any dog — they all need socialization, boundaries, limits and intelligent owners.
I have found over the last 23 yrs, that the level of intelligence in dog-owners in general has gone down but the level of intelligence in the Akitas has gone up — why do you suppose that is? As people get less and less inclined to do things “right” they ruin more and more dogs — just look at the vast numbers of dogs being dumped today in the shelters — the numbers are so high they are staggering! 23 yrs ago, when I had 2 Akitas in rescue, I cried thinking I could never find homes for TWO OF THEM! Today, we never have less than 22 Akitas in our care at any given time with a huge waiting list of Akitas needing to come to us — and I am only one of dozens of Akita Rescues — we can’t begin to handle all the Akitas in need nor find qualified homes for them. Why is that? Because people want what they want the minute they want it without doing any research, without knowing what they are getting into and when it turns out to be a bit of work, they are done with it — lost their interest, give up, throw the dog outside and pen it or chain it up. No wonder we have dogs attacking people…you can make a dog go crazy when you treat it like that.
I have owned two boarding kennels and have handled all kinds of breeds — we have never been bitten by a boarding Akita but have been attacked, bitten, mauled by every breed of small dog you can name — yet that is OK, because they are “small dogs”. Well a bite is a bite, a dog is a dog and if you want to brand Akitas as vicious, get in line behind Shih-Tzus, Lhasa-Apsos, Mini-Doxies, Jack Russell Terriers, Pugs, Bulldogs, Chihuahuas and many others I could name — because they all have more bites per breed than the Akitas do nationwide. I get tired of human error being blamed on the dog. Put the owner on trial but stop killing the dog — allow someone with knowledge and understanding to help the dog — in most cases the dog was doing its JOB and it was the human at fault!
If you own an Akita, make sure you train it, keep it healthy (hypothyroidism & LYME disease have been known to make any dog act aggressively)and make people LEAVE YOUR DOG ALONE. Its YOUR dog, not theirs. When you have company over, don’t expect your Akita to tolerate the company — especially CHILDREN. Put the Akita in a safe place, crated, behind a locked door if necessary. I don’t take chances with kids and I have had as many as 5 Akitas at a time living in my home without incident. I don’t trust people to know how to handle my dogs so I just don’t allow them to. Its not that I don’t trust my dogs — my 3 yr old granddaughter lives here now with 3 adult Akitas with NO incidents — its the humans that visit that don’t know how to behave themselves!
I wish you all luck with your Akitas and please seek help if you have issues — do NOT wait for them to ‘resolve’ themselves!! Don’t do your Akita that disservice….thank you!
I adopted a 11 month old male Akita a few months ago from a rescue group. Since I’ve had him he has been very good tempered, friendly and no problems whatsoever. A few days ago, my daughter was visiting me and she approached him to pet him. He jumped up and literally lunged at her and nipped her on her leg and hand. He was growling, snarling and furiously barking at her and would not respond to my commands. My daughter’s boyfriend had to physically move the dog away from my daughter. It was very scary as it was unprovoked and very out of character for my Akita. I am very shaken up by the episode and not sure how to handle it. Perhaps some obedience training? Aside from this incident, he has been an absolute treasure and delight to have.
No, not every akita is bad. Not every boston terrier is good, but most are. If i’m going to be attacked by one or the other, I’d rather it be the boston terrier. Damage inflicted by the akita, pit bull, rotwiler, doberman, german shepard will be far worse than than the boston terrier. First let me say I love animals, especially dogs. A boston terrier is our third child. But I had an incident occur several years ago coaching a little league baseball team when an akita did come on the field and attack a child. I ran up and kicked the dog. The dog then attacked me. I was able to grab the akita by the neck and kill it but not before the dog bit me on the hand and arm. Do I think they should be banned? Yes. I know there are responsible owners out there but what about the ones who don’t give a damn. There are too many people who own dogs just for their aggressive potential. Thugs mostly.
hi honestly im reading all these stories of dogs biting people and they sound horrible ya, but if you count the # of dog attacks in a day, around the world and then you count the number of people being murdered by other people in the same time period i guaranty more people will be killed by people. and thats not counting all those people that are beat into a comma or punched till there hospitalized, and definitively not all the people just plain beating on each other. now imagine if you punched one person and then it was the death penalty just like that, dead. well thats how we are treating dogs so maybe you should think of a person like a mammal, you know warm blooded living being(because thats what we are, and last time i checked thats what a dog is too). AND REALIZE ANIMALS FEEL PAIN TOO! eat like us, live on the same rock floating in space, drink the same water, have families, and have the mind enough to save the life of some one they love!
And people also have to realize its not the breed of the dog its the teacher because having a dog that comes from a long line of fighting dogs can easily be a house pet if trained properly (my best friends dog is a perfect example of this).
and the breed of dog means nothing it could have parents that are lazy lethargic to lazy to get up great Danes and that puppy could decide to rip the house apart or worse.
But then think of humans and how ones parents mean nothing if they are not raised but them(dogs are not raised by dogs they are raised by their owners), their parents could be priests, school teachers or complete plain and simple do good-er’s and that dose NOT prevent you from being a serial killer or a murder, think about that.
before you blame a dog, always look to the teacher(owners).
You can tell a lot about a person by observing the way they view and treat animals.
We got an akita pup 2 years ago, I was hesitant about an akita as we had 2 childs 6 & 8 and the work required to train an akita. Well I have to say, I would never own another dog, training and socialisation are the key, our dog is calm non aggressive and interacts extremly well with children and is used to its tail being pulled, being dragged by its paws and comes back for more, we have kids over all the time and never hasit displayed anything but a willingness to play. It did kill a bat recently that was foaming at the mouth so it had to go off for rabies shots (we are in australia so no rabies in dogs)the vet called just before we turned up and asked if the dog was aggressive and I said no but their is always a first time, The vet asked if he needed to suit up in the mesh suit and I said no. The vet afterwards said he had never seen such a good mannered akita and it was the first one never to bite…Its not the breed, all people and animals can be pushed to their limits and if people train them to be guard dogs then thats what they will be, if anyone is mishandled and treated poorly they will react. Our akita socialises well with all dogs and tolerates my mothers little terrier that is a vicious little thing very well, the terrier btes and is very agressive to the akita, the akita just looks on and takes it, it has lashed out once on the terrier when the terrier latched onto her tail, thats it. The dog accross the road – a staffy got out when I walking our akita, the staffy decided to attack our akita who I let go off (didn’t want to be part of the fight) fought back until she had pinned the staffy down and dominated the staffy but once that happened, she let go and came back to me and the staffy went home…I have no doubt she wouldv’e fought to the death if required but did no more than she had to to protect us. Yes all dogs have the potential to be dangerous however if people get dogs for the wrong reason they will be dangerous no matter what, some have just more potetial to do more harm. I trust my akita impliccably, she does like to hunt small prey when we let her off at the golf course for a good run and on the other hand we have chickens at home in which she won’t hunt as they are also part of the family and she knows this. Anyone who wants an akita for a family pet needs to train & socialise the dog continusley to ensure a stable nature.
i have a female akita of 7 months who is well tempered. when being treated for a broken leg, the vet thought we would have to sedate holly, but holly just lay flat on the table and crossed her paws over my arm for comfort while the vet examined her leg. holly is good with people and never shows aggression, but excitement. my only complaints are that when greeting her she always jumps up in excitement and that she shows aggression towards other dogs. i live on a farm and she behaves very inquisitively around the cows, i wish she showed the same enthusiasm towards the neighbors terrier. would walking her around my local area instead of restricting her to the farm be a better choice when trying to solve her aggression towards other dogs?
Hi Aidan,
I’m teaching my Akita Kensho to communicate ‘calming signals’ (see book by Turid Rugaas) when we encounter other dogs. Bitches are perfectly fine and so are small males, but larger male dogs give stress. When my dog learns to communicate in another way this relieves the stress out of both dogs. We’re making progress. I just wish every dog owner would walk their dog on a leash. It would make my life so much easier. I can’t do anything when I have my Akita on a leash and he gets attacked by another dog that isn’t. It’s not the Akita that’s aggressive, but other dogs seem to get aggressive just by looking. Perhaps they are just to magnificent?
My mother was an Akita breeder I have been around Akita’s my whole life. Although our stud Akita would kill a chicken or a sheep from our farm once in a while. He had never bit a person. I can remember having 5 permit Akita’s in our home and only once was I ever bit by one and it was my own fault. I believe dogs our smarter than us when one bites us we want to blame the dog instead of thinking maybe I should’nt have my face in the dogs face or maybe i was playing to rough. Normally it our faults not the dogs. Now i am 20 and a proud owner of a PITBULL named kiki and she is incredably sweet!
I just wanted share a story about my Akita Forest.I always wanted to believe that if I treated a dog right and socialized him,they’d be pretty good dogs.But,I’ve had my akita for about 7 years and he’s attacked my son twice.The first time,he left deep puncture marks.My son forgot a bowl of icecream on the couch and came back for it,Forest was in it and my son tried to take it.Within seconds,he was on top of my son.(provoked?maybe)Sent Forest away for training for a month.After time,we let my son around him again(he was about 11) while we were there only.2 years later….my son and I are sitting watching a movie,he reaches down to pet him and Forest goes after him.Full on mauling after him.He gashed open above his eye got his arm in several places because he was holding up his arms as Forest was going for his throat.Again,all in seconds,as I try to pull him off.I just wanna stress that these can be VERY dangerous dogs.The strange thing is,he’s like my child,I still love him.Still have him,he has to stay downstairs or out in the dog run now ,whenever my sons here.Oh and he’s now completely agressive to anyone that wants to come in the house.Away from the house…he’s fine.But,I didn’t have the heart to put him down.Would never get another Akita again though
Hi Stephanie, I’m very sorry to hear your story about your Akita Forest and your son. Sending a dog away for training sounds like it was trained by others than its family members or were you and your family involved? I would suggest getting a therapist for private consultations with the full family and in your house.
In your case it’s probably better to not get another Akita. Not because this breed is more aggressive, but just because you are now biased. All dogs are capable of biting. All dogs can launch an attack. There is no evidence that Japanese Akitas are more violent than any other breed. Experts say you cant single out just one dog breed as the new public enemy number one. This resembles the nature-nurture debate. Dogs behavior, is just like ours, not fully controlled by the genes.
In any case, I wish you luck and happiness with dogs in your live and I sincerely hope your son won’t hold on to any fear for dogs he now may have developed because of the negative experiences with Forest.
Take care!
Hi All,
My dog Achilles is a male Akita who just turned 9 months. Inside the house and with humans he is great. He never shows aggression, and he is very well balanced. We also have a cat and he seems to get along with him great. I have taken the time to train my Akita using dog psychology and placing my self and humans in a pack leader status. Here is where the problem comes in. About a week ago while my girlfriend was bringing in the groceries Achilles managed to get loose for about 1 minute, and unfortunitely it didn’t take any longer than that. In front of our house there is a plaza and within the grass there was a small puppy, probably about the size of a baby toy poodle. When Achilles got out he immediately went after the puppy, he got to him, and stepped on him which made the puppy make a whining sound, he then proceeded to grab the puppy with his mouth and shake him. Like I said it didn’t take any longer than a minute, if even that, and we barely had time to react before he clasped the puppy in his teeth and shook him dead. I was devastated as I couldn’t think how a dog that I love so much and tha I’ve taken the time to train could do such a thing. My dog has never shown aggression to humans, however, he does exhibit some dog aggression with strange dogs. I’ve been working at socializing him further, and I’m now trying to remove the aggression from him.
I want to know what I can do to make sure something like this never happens again. Whatever I need to do I will do, I just want to make sure that my Achilles can live the remainder of his life at my side happily, and that he never hurts another living creature again. I will not put my dog down, so do not comment if that is your suggestion. I’ve now taken the measures to make sure he cannot get loose from the yard again, and I have chicken fenced my fence to make sure that he won’t hurt another animal through the fence. I am not taking him on constant walks, and I’ve never had a problem controlling him while I take him out with me. I am open to all suggestions.
Thank you all so much,
Leo
It can’t be emphasized enough that Akita’s must be trained well and by their own family, if you don’t spend the time to do this then they WILL take the time to train you and you will find out just how smart an Akita is. Solid obedience training reinforces in a constructive way that you are the leader and if consistently done for the dogs ENTIRE life (it’s not 8 weeks and you’re done) the dog will be happier and better behaved. This doesn’t mean beating the dog but it does mean that you go for regular walks and on these walks you tell your dog to sit he sits, down he downs, stay he stays. This applies to ANY breed, so called “small dog syndrome” is simply an out of control small dog. This is not the dogs fault but the owners. By not properly training their dog the owner has created what can best be described as a brat that will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. A dog that “protects” it’s owner is very dangerous no matter what breed, this dog is the leader of the family and feels he is responsible for protecting all members of the family from a world that he does not understand. What many people do not realize is that this same dog who would die protecting them will direct what ever force is required to control them should they not recognize his authority in a matter he feels is important. A properly trained dog will recognize his position in the family and expect you to protect him, only becoming physical if you have clearly lost control of the situation.
Leonardo, Achilles is in his teens, at about 9 months puberty kicks in and dogs start to push the boundaries to see if they can move up in the order of their world. It should only take one word firmly spoken one time to stop a dog. My Akita caught a baby rabbit in the back yard one day while I was cutting the grass. I heard the squeal and told him “OUT”, he dropped the rabbit and watched as it ran under the fence to safety. I strongly recommend you find an experienced trainer that you can work with to get control, each time
Achillies acts out he gets stronger and the way back gets tougher. A properly trained dog should NEVER under any circumstances go through a door without your permission, you should be able to simply walk to the door, open it and calmly walk out without even looking at your dog and he should stop and watch you leave unless you tell him he can come with you. In the advanced obedience class he attends about 2-3 times a month my Akita works off leash in a training hall with 15 to 40 other dogs. Occasionally a squabble will breakout between a couple dogs, if he gets up to go join in, one firm “SIT” and he sits where he is. I regularly give him cross shank bones from the butcher with about 5 or 6 oz of meat still attached, a couple minutes later I will say “OUT” from another room and then walk in to the room where he is and he will be sitting patiently over a piece of raw meat waiting for me to tell him he can resume. This all may sound strict but it is what a dog wants and appreciates and in the end the dog will be happier and everyone, including the dog, will be safer.
Hello, my boyfriend and I just got a Akita puppy, one month old, and named him He-ju. I love dogs, but I´ve been bit by dogs three times, once by my own springer spaniel, once by a friend´s cocker spaniel, and once by a stray rottweiler. So i know perfectly well that dogs of all breeds can be dangerous. My boyfriend and I have done a lot of research and there is by far more positive info on Akitas than negative, and we are willing to put a lot of work into training Heju. We intend to take him often over to see my boyfriend´s mother, who owns 5 other dogs of different breeds, and have him socialize with a lot of people. The thing that worries me a bit -or a lot really- is that we also plan to have children at some point, and I understand he will probably see a new child in our household as a stranger. Being so territorial, I´m scared he could be aggressive towards them… Any suggestions or feedback on this, please?
Despite my worries I am absolutely in love with this puppy, he´s adorable and we can already tell he´s amazingly intelligent.
Thank you and wish me luck!
Dani
Daniela,
It truly is a case of one Oh @#$% wipes out a hundred Atta’ Boys. No one ever hears about the good dogs, only the attacks. Akita’s are fantastic dogs but they are very smart, proud and strong. They need to be handled properly, but if they are they will be the best friend you have ever had. Unfortunately More people than not haven’t got a clue how to train, communicate with, or handle any kind of dog and the dog always pays the price.
One month is WAY too young to take a pup from his mother and litter. He will not learn certain things that pups do in that setting. Dogs naturally play roughly and they learn from their littermates, manners and how much is too much while their mother supervises and scolds as necessary. Since you already have him you will need to teach him these lessons yourself and he will need to spend as much time as possible with puppies his age. As I said above consistent obedience training started at an early age will teach him his position in the family and and this will make him calmer and happier. I would suggest working with a professional trainer. Just so we are clear, pet store puppy class is not enough. It’s a great way to socialize a puppy and start on training but a good professional trainer trains YOU how to handle and communicate with your dog. The Akita’s intelligence is a double edge sword. They are smart enough to do whatever you, or they want, if you don’t step up and assume the leadership role it’ll be whatever they want. harness that intelligence and the sky’s the limit.
Keep in mind that a baby is no match for even a Chihuahua. Training and control are the key. If He-ju knows that the house is yours, the toys are yours, the food is yours, and the baby is yours then he will respect all those things.
BTW, 99% of all dogs give many warnings before they bite but most people miss them, tail position, ears, hackles, stiff body, eyes, lips, growls, when all the posturing fails then they resort to force. Even then people screw it up, a dog will use only as much force as necessary, usually one bite. It the threat stops then the dog will stop but if the person tries to fight back the dog will use more force until the threat stops.
I have 2 american akitas fem an male female 3 yrs old male 1yr i have them since they were pups. They al very well. Cared…they eat better than us!!!! Jeje and i have two daughters 9 and 10 yrs old the pups hAve grown in and outside of the house, my daughters friends come almost every day to the house, never have had any incident…..except when the dogs where in the yard the kids always do something to provoke the dogs especially Kiba the female sisnce she has more time with us….so whenever she sees them pas in front of the house she gets mad and barks a lot….the male…just laid there like nothing happens….the strange thing is that when i open the front gate and the kids are just outside kiba doesent even barks she just sits there like nothing and i can let the gate open and go in and out of the house and my dogs dont run off not even for a dog that is pasing by, or a cat….nothing…..i live in mexico where kids play soccer on the strees …..not even then my dogs run off when the gate is open….of course the gate is opened just for a few minutes 2-3,. One day when i took them to the vet they were calm as always on the way back….but suddenly in a stop sign Kiba started to bark like mad hair up and all that, she saw a man who has been identifyed as a robber where i live…..any way my two american akitas are very protective of the house, my fam., the cat, they dont beg for food at the table, dont go in to the rooms when not invited, they havent bitten anyone not even as puppies playing, much less attack anyone…..and the only thing we have to do is show them who is the boss in the house……..i love my akitas and is the first time i have american akitas….have had chow-chow, golden ret mix with german sheppard, and stray dogs…..never had an incident…….
its not so much the breed. Its over breeding. It could be signals humans give off too. To a Dog they are supposed to protect what is theirs whether that person has been around for a while or not. We did a test on this. We took your average happy go lucky Black Lab and ran a quick test. We took a good to do happy person who was just there to work and the dog was fine. happy as ever. Then we has the same person come back in with a poor attitude, looking to hurt somebody and BAM! thats all it took for that dog to go. Oh hey i like you to Oh hey you need to LEAVE NOW!. We also ran the same tests on Pitbulls, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Akitas. all with the same result. if they see something isn’t right of course they are going to react to it.