ANNA TITOVA

The Akita Inu is one of those dog breeds that will impress you from the moment you first lay eyes on them.

They are composed, calm and have a royal air around them as if they’re constantly looking down on you. They have a dignified demeanor and will always keep their eyes on their owner.

But, don’t be fooled by their tranquil behavior as they are usually quite a handful. In other words, you need a lot of patience to raise them properly.

The first thing you should know about the Akita is that they were bred to hunt other animals. This is somewhat obvious from their robust build and hunting posture. Also, they are extremely possessive when it comes to, well, everything.

Akitas won’t particularly appreciate it if you give too much attention to anyone else when they’re around. Expectedly, they’re not fond of other animals either. These dogs are very aggressive toward other dogs of the same sex, though sometimes the opposite sex bothers them just as much.

They love to chase after small animals and anything trying to run away from them, so you shouldn’t adopt an Akita if you have cats or other small pets. The thing they’re most possessive about is definitely their food and they’ll show no mercy toward anyone who approaches them during feeding time, your kids included. As you’ve probably concluded by now, Akitas love to be the center of attention, so don’t adopt this dog if you already have other pets in the house.

You should also be aware that these dogs don’t really reveal their feelings, unlike most dogs who will always show their emotions in their behavior patterns, especially if something is wrong. Not Akitas. They will act calmly and strut around until they’ve had enough. Then, they will strike with ferocity. This is why training and getting to know your dog very well is incredibly important. You have to train them properly from an early age and clearly set the boundaries of behavior.

Their training won’t be easy. Akitas are a dominant breed, as you might’ve guessed already. On top of that, they are very strong-minded, sometimes truly stubborn and unwilling to bend even a little bit. This dog requires an owner who knows what he or she’s doing and has strong leadership skills.

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An Akita will get bored easily, so you need to keep their minds stimulated. If they become destructive, they will establish themselves as the leader of the pack, i.e. your household.

These dogs are strong in every sense of the word. The best way to describe them would be to compare them to a Special Forces officer, that’s how dominant and unyielding they are.

So, how should you train an Akita? Well, they react well to praise and reward training even though you may often feel like they are training you instead of the other way around. With perseverance and assertiveness, though, they will learn their place. They will also learn to respect you and perceive you as the alpha.

Akitas are excellent watchdogs as well. However, to prevent unwanted behavior, you need to socialize them from an early age. They need to learn how to behave around people and in all kinds of different situations so that they wouldn’t become nervous and prone to defensive biting.

Even though they’re large dogs, Akitas don’t require vigorous exercise. As a matter of fact, don’t be too surprised if your Akita becomes a couch potato.

On the other hand, they are quite independent and easy to housebreak, not to mention that they care about their cleanliness very much, so you won’t have to worry about that.

Another thing that makes Akitas great apartment pets is the fact that they aren’t too vocal. They simply don’t like barking. They know how to bark, they just choose not to.

Akitas have a beautiful coat that comes in various colors, but they also shed a lot, which means that regular grooming and house cleaning will become your way of life.

Truth be told, Akitas aren’t regular dogs, so regular owners probably won’t be too happy with them. They need their freedom, but they’ll be very loyal to you. With a bit of effort, you’ll earn their wolf-like respect and then there’s nothing they wouldn’t do for you.