The Akita Inu is a Japanese dog breed with ancient origins. Considered a national treasure in Japan, the breed is carefully preserved. This magnificent dog is one of the larger breeds, weighing between 30 and 50 kilos and measuring between 58 and 70 cm.
Robust and proud, the Akita Inu is a dog that likes its independence and can sometimes be very stubborn. That’s why it’s important to train them from an early age. Professional training can also be considered.
If you want to take on this task, there are a number of things you need to know. Find out more in the rest of this guide.
The basics of Akita Inu training
The Akita Inu is a dog with a very particular character, and needs to be trained accordingly. Whether or not you’re experienced in dog training, you should know that the training of this samurai dog has its own specificities. To train your Akita Inu properly, you first need to understand its behavior.
The number 1 rule with this type of dog is to always use positive reinforcement, without going over to the negative side at the risk of permanently upsetting your pet. Remember that this is a stubborn breed of dog, and that this aspect is an integral part of their charm. So, training them requires a good dose of gentleness, patience and, above all, regularity. A positive approach to training willmotivate your dog and encourage him to always do better.
In this respect, a reward is always a good way of congratulating your dog on his efforts. It may be a treat, but the Akita will appreciate a verbal reward just as much. Be careful, however: to succeed in your mission, you need to remain firm.
Creating a bond between Akita Inu and owner
With the Akita Inu, it’s important to create a relationship of complicity. With its sometimes difficult character, you can’t expect this dog to cooperate by force. So, as soon as you pick up your puppy, you need to establish a close relationship with him, while making him understand that you are the master. Akitas are highly intelligent and will have no trouble understanding you.
The first step in training a dog of this breed is to teach it to recall. Even as a puppy, the Akita’s independence will not prevent it from wandering away from its master without fear. Owners of dogs of this breed know: the Akita makes its own decisions and will never obey blindly.
For your dog to listen to you, he needs to trust you, and that’s where the complicity you’ve built up with him comes in. This relationship also depends on the quality of the time you spend with him.
Please note: the Akita Inu is not necessarily a very playful dog. He likes to be with people, but not necessarily to have fun. This doesn’t mean your dog isn’t happy, quite the contrary.
Socializing the Akita Inu
The Akita Inu is naturally wary of strangers. As a result, the socialization phase of this breed should be considered as early as possible, even when the puppy is still in kennels.
Since the Akita is a very pleasant, gentle and affectionate dog, this stage is not usually a problem for the owner.
Despite the fact that it loves to cuddle, you mustn’t forget that the Akita also likes its peace and quiet, and shouldn’t be disturbed when it goes off to rest. If you bother him too much, he can quickly get into a bad mood.
When it comes to relationships with other dogs, there are several points to consider. First of all, a male dog will always tend to want to dominate other dogs of the same sex. It is therefore not advisable to adopt two males under the same roof, for example. This problem almost never arises with females. At the park, you’ll need to keep a watchful eye on your walks, to avoid any aggressive behavior from one animal to another during the training phase. Generally speaking, if the puppy is socialized from an early age, this won’t really be a problem in the future.
The question of Akita Inu obedience
Some owners find their Akita Inu too disobedient. As explained several times in this article, the Akita is a dog with a strong character. While many dogs of other breeds don’t hesitate to obey their owners just to please them, this will never be the case with an Akita Inu. For him to obey, it must be in his own interest.
So if your dog doesn’t obey you, it’s not always a lack of training; it’s simply the way he expresses his character. The Akita is also an excellent watchdog. That’s why it will sometimes act on instinct to protect its master, even if it means ignoring an order.
For this reason, it’s always important to remain cautious, especially in the presence of other male dogs. The Akita’s primitive instincts as a fighting dog can sometimes lead it to be aggressive.
In conclusion:
As you can see, the Akita Inu is a dog with a very particular character. Nevertheless, it’s a very endearing dog that will show great affection for all members of the family. To make sure you get the most out of your Akita Inu, and vice-versa, it’s important to take its training very seriously, from an early age.
Finally, if you’re having behavioral problems with your Akita Inu and he’s already old, it’s advisable to call in a dog training specialist. This professional is the only one in a position to make up for any shortcomings in your dog’s training, so that everything runs more smoothly in the future.
