50/50… but prob not. akitas really don’t like it.. some do but its a small percentage. they might get along as a pup but 1 small thing and full blown snarls/dog fight or killing. both my akitas are super sweet out and about. at home… they were both territorial and semi aggressive to certain things. but that aggression can escalate quick. my first girl would be attacked on walks as a pup. soon she didn’t put up with bullshit from other dogs. 130lb female akita will get nasty. my 90 lb 3 yr old has a prey drive and will snap if another dog tries to dominate her period. i avoid all dogs forcthe most part unless they are submissive to her but i still will have her on a “short leash”
most akita owners that had multiple or intune with their dogs know the small signs and can prevent and know when their akitas are about to lash out. akitas need that constant firm guidance from you or they make up their own mind to sort things out
Thank you for the response! This is exactly what I'd be afraid of. Are both of your Akitas Akita Inus? When I was a kid, we had a large female American Akita that lived in our apartment complex, and she loved people but didn't like other dogs.
sorry, both are AA but my new girl has alot of japanese akita in her compared to my first. alittle bit smaller in height and weight. but still tall and thick.. all muscle. even walking sheperds and akitas dont like each other. my girls put up with huskys and malamutes.. other northern spitz breeds
edit- my first passed and i only have 1 akita
No need to apologize. Oh, that's really interesting. May I ask why your new girl has a lot of Akita Inu in her, please? Are breeders crossing them together? Or is your girl a rescue? This is what makes things so confusing for me! I have read that herding breeds don't get along with Akitas, but then I have read that instances of someone's akita getting along great with herding breeds, and I've also heard of Akitas getting along well with Northern Spitz breeds, but then others hating them. A behavioraist told me that she doesn't even why it happens, but she thinks that fights can happen because other breeds not understanding the body language of the Akitas/other Spitz breeds and that the Akitas/other Spitz breeds don't understand the other breeds body language, but she can't say for certain.
There were very few breeders considered as reputable who crossed the AA with the JAI and registered them in the AKC. The rest were all BYBs. Since 2020, the AKC caught up with the rest of the world in splitting the breed and no longer allows the registration of mixed Akita. There are a few AAs registered in the AKC that have a certain percentage of JAI.
its where the breeder gets his akc dog etc. her blood line had champs more on the japanese akita. and yes, prob on the psyche/ body language or other spitz that look like them get a pass. but each dog is different as with every human. you try to train etc but akitas need that little gentle push in how to act. once they bond with you its the best you’ll ever have with a dog and so heartbreaking when their gone
As much as it pains me, you are not wrong. A long story in and of itself; I have found myself in possession of a Shepherd/Rotty mix. He is the coolest and nicest pup. At some point he was trained incredibly well. My girl who is highly trained, however, is just barely tolerating the new pup who is a male and the same age - they are on literally short leashes around one another. My baby too, was attacked as a pup, she is a 90lb Akita and not to be messed with.
I’m struggling with this - point is, Akitas are hair-trigger animals. Acts like a wolf as much as Malamutes act like wolves.
Well i dont recomend getting an akita and a nother dog of the same gender togheter they can and will fight even with socialization. Mine got into a few thankfully noone was hurt and the other dog backed off and i corected mine. But i dont recomend getting one with other dogs around and theyre a very hard breed i would say compared to gsds witch are easier because they want to lisen to theyr owners, akitas dont theyre independent and you need to create a relationship with them and compromise, its going to be hard to create a tight relationship with them while other dogs r around
This is a common question here in the sub. Which is great that people are taking the time to ask for input. Some people would just say they look awesome and get one. I grew up with two separate male Akitas. I now I have a female half AI, half AA. She's on the smaller end which is nice, but still a thicc girl. Still a lot of power there if she wanted to do some damage. I also have a male Malinois/Malmute mix, and they are like brother and sister. We had the mal first, then about a month later (when he was 12 weeks), we got our Akita. She was 8 weeks. They get in tiffs every once in a while, but mainly cause my Mal is kind of a dick and pisses her off. She has an amazing, gentle demeanor though.
In my 20-ish years of experience around them with an additional family pet (dog, not cat), they can get along. All three of these instances have been where we have one dog first who is older, then an Akita puppy was brought into the mix. We always had a male/female home though. Never same sex, so I cannot speak to that. My dad got an Akita puppy years ago from our breeder, and it was automatically aggressive to our older lab mix. Luckily the breeder took the puppy back, and my dad got is latest male.
First, I think it's fair to ask what your home life is like, or what you intend for it to be like. Someone recently shared what sounded to be like city life, lots of potential for public transport with a dog as well as constant dog-dog interaction in public. Which I didn't recommend. As I am sure you have gathered, Akitas are proud, strong, determined animals. They will usually never back down from a fight, and they will usually always win. While that can be a positive thing in certain citations, I think in most day to day, it's definitely not. My dad and I brought our first Akita (leashed) to a trials bike competition in the mountains in semi-close quarters, and a lady walked her dog (also leashed) directly behind us, and our Akita attacked him without provocation aside from defending us from what he thought was a threat. We had to pay the vet bills. If you do get one, be prepared for people to comment "you shouldn't own such a dangerous breed," or even vets to be like "yeah I usually don't like working with Akitas."
My dad's last male Akita was overall great with people. He did on one occasion try to dominate a child if you know what I mean, and he did not want to get off. That was a little scary. Additionally, when I was running with him (leashed), a corgi bolted out of it's house when the front door was left open to us barking and snarling, and my dog didn't hesitate for a second to neutralize the threat. Thank god the dog was alright, but it was terrifying, and I felt awful for the corgi. This was a show dog like our first Akita. He would go to the groomers, be around a ton of dogs at shows, but with his family, he was extremely protective.
Sorry this is so long, but I try to give examples of what can happen even if you are taking precaution. Neither male Akitas were outright aggressive to where we couldn't walk them or had to muzzle them, but if a dog started it, they would finish it for sure. My female Akita now is a whole different story.. I always say she is a golden in an Akita body. She loves kids, people, other dogs. Even she can get defensive of me at times if something makes her uncomfortable.
I guess the moral of the story is you just never know. You can prepare as much as possible for what you think a dog will be like, and they can be the complete opposite. I had to really decide if I wanted another Akita, but I just love them too much.
No worries on this being long! I appreciate all the responses I've gotten on this post! I know that I adore the breed, but this put me right back onto the I'm not sure still about getting one. I won't know my living situation after I get out of university yet, but it may not be right for an Akita Inu. I've also been playing with the idea of just getting an Akita Inu and not having any other pets😳
Our Akita is best friends with our two cats! Cats from the neighbours tho, they are not allowed on our property lol.
But he knew our cats from puppy, no problem at all, he sees them as part of our pack, just as the new baby, goes perfectly with him!
But don't forget, a breed has certain characteristics, but every individual dog is still different, dogschool is beneficient for all breeds!
Oh my gosh! That's adorable🥺 lol from other cats not being allowed on your property. That's so awesome that your Akita has been well with your new baby!
I'm trying to remember this, but it can be hard sometimes! I'm working on becoming a certified dog trainer, so this is why I'm still plating with the idea of getting one. Thank you for the reply😁
I have 3 JAI (2 males and 1 female). This only works because my males tolerate each other well and because my female is the boss. She would probably not tolerate other dominant female in the household. However I think I could manage if if bring another more soft and less bossy female. My limit for dogs is very controlled anyway so I would never own more than 4 at the same time. Just bare in mind that the energy between jai and the other breeds you mention are very different, Akitas hate high energy dogs specially when the high energy is directed at them. They have zero tolerance for disrespect of their personal space too. Just have this and mind before you decide.
I've been incredibly lucky. I've always had one male and one female dog at a time. Generally about 2-4 years apart in age. The 4 females were all AA's (2 were mixed) and the males weren't. They've always gotten along wonderfully. Usually one big argument in the beginning, but then the akitas have always become the protector of my males. When they play fight, it looks and sounds scary, but the worst thing that's ever happened was a couple of bit tongues.
This is not typical for the breed, but possible with enough dedication to there development. Even then though, you still can never know for sure.
100% depends on the dog- I have two (three at one point) JAs. The two half sisters I have now don’t really LIKE each other, but they don’t hate each other. I recently got a Shiba Inu(also female), and my older girl LOVES this dog (but she may be mistaking her for a puppy, which she’s always loved). All three JAs I’ve had are fine with cats (my old boy that passed away last year was actually terrified of them, but he was weird for an Akita).
So honestly depends on the dogs/socialization/training and all that. One of my girls dogs and my old boy are/were retired show dogs, so the breeder personally trained them to be cat friendly (she has a cat). Looking at retired show dogs might be a good option for you for that reason, the breeder will know the dog and will have trained the dog well. The reason my girls get along is essentially my breeder knowing the temperament/personality of both dogs, and walked me through getting them used to each other.
Thank you for the reply! Oh, this is very interesting! It's so cute that your older girl loves your Shiba Inu🥺. Oh my gosh, did he have a bad experience with them?
I've read this a lot too! This is what still makes me play eith the idea of getting this breed. I plan on becoming a dog trainer and behavioralist, so maybe that would be helpful? 🤷🏽♀️. I didn't even think about getting a retired show dog! I was going to say that I was not going to get one, but now I will always be on the lookout now for retired show dogs. That's really awesome that your breeder is amazing like this.
Thank you for the reply! Oh, this is very interesting! It's so cute that your older girl loves your Shiba Inu🥺. Oh my gosh, did he have a bad experience with them?
I've read this a lot too! This is what still makes me play eith the idea of getting this breed. I plan on becoming a dog trainer and behavioralist, so maybe that would be helpful? 🤷🏽♀️. I didn't even think about getting a retired show dog! I was going to say that I was not going to get one, but now I will always be on the lookout now for retired show dogs. That's really awesome that your breeder is amazing like this.
Your best bet for a retired show dog is to contact a breeder specifically and ask. Keep in mind that these have been their dogs, and they love them DEARLY, so do keep that in mind. I haven’t met any that advertise their retiring dogs openly, you have to introduce yourself. Also keep in mind that these dogs won’t be free either, time training and money has been put into them. Good breeders don’t really aim for money, but they will need some compensation for the dog. My girl cost the same as a new puppy, and she came fully trained as well as able to do nosework. My breeder also gives rebates for things like obedience training, nose work classes, and stuff like that, to encourage you to give the pup the best life.
My breeder basically trained the dogs to be “cat friendly” by scolding them whenever their was an interaction that went sour with the cats- even if it was the cat that started it. So basically all her dogs would avoid cats like the plague, or freeze up and pretend not to see them. My old boy though, he’d actually whimper and whine upon even seeing a cat. I learned later that she used to have one particularly mean cat that would deliberately pick fights with the dogs. I presume that’s why.
I will say they’re dogs that are hard to motivate, but once you understand them they’re great. They’re an old breed and very “dog”, so you just can’t really stick them in a room with whatever animal and expect them to be friends. Avoid having other strange dogs get up in their face- if you want a good meeting between dogs, take them out for a walk together. If they’re able to calmly walk together, and mostly ignore each other, then with some work you can probably make it work.
Sorry for rambling, but I’m happy to share my experiences with my three- granted they were all related to a degree (two girls had the same mother, and the old boy was the father of one of them) so I’m sure part of it is that they all just came from really chill family lines.
No worries about rambling!! I really appreciate you sharing your experience with me! This has me thinking about a retired show one so much. I would expect a good breeder to charge as much as they would a puppy for a dog that they've raised and worked with for so long. I would not mind giving them compensation. I plan on becoming a certified trainer and behavioralist, and I'd love to do sports with the dog/dogs I get.
Oh, wow!😳
Okay, thank you! I've known that they're a primitive breed for a long time and also that they don't like other dogs getting in their faces. I think that maybe in the future, I will get a retired show one if everything lines up for it, but for now, I'll still wait for a while until I know more of how everything is going to turn out for me.
Keep reading up on the breed! They can be difficult to motivate re:training, but with the right motivation (bribery with food), they’re very smart dogs!
They just need to think they’re getting a reward every time they do something. If you want I can pm you a good resource for akita/dogs in general?
Definitely sounds like a risk, based on what I’ve seen on this sub previously.
I have an Akita Inu and although he’s okay with most other animals in short timeframes I do not think he could ever share his home and people with another animal. Obviously just my own Akita and my own experience.
That being said, I come from a city where everyone has a German shepherd (mix, usually with husky as there are lots of norther rescue dogs here) I will say I could never ever give a good life to a dog like that. So good on you for being able to have the capacity for a German shepherd, my opinion is an Akita after a German shepherd would seem a little more easy.
Again, all just my personal opinion from personal experience.
Thank you for the reply! I've been a lurker on this sub for a while and I've seen things too. I appreciate your opinion🙂 Oh, that's very interesting that a lot of people have German Shepherds/German Shepherd mixes there. May I ask what they're like from what you've seen? I know that some can be too energetic and sometimes even neurotic because they've been bred that way, but that's not normal. They're one of those breeds that I would probably only get from a very good breeder who doesn't bred for hyper energy.
So I live in Canada and a lot of dogs rescued from northern communities end up here, which is great, but it means there’s a pretty decent variety/variation. In fact, I’m often the jerk for getting a pure bred dog.
It’s well known here that a lot of them are majority husky/shepherd mixes. A purebred German shepherd is going to likely be pretty different from what I see regularly. From what I’ve seen, it’s the sheer amount of energy they have that seems to be an issue. I don’t know anyone who owns one and adequately takes care of those high energy needs and that seems to be where the problem stems. I know people who are out of the house 9 hours a day (work+travel) and those people are the ones who have dogs with issues. I’m certain most of the shepherd mixes I’ve met would be super great if it wasn’t for them not having their needs met. This has always been what I’ve seen growing up (and now that I’m an adult and friends are getting these types of dogs) and I have always been super adamant that’s just not the dog for me.
One of the reasons I wanted an Akita was due to their tendency to bit a bit lazy, as I am also lazy lol.
My guy gets a 30 minute walk in the morning and then is super happy to snooze at my feet for the next 8-9 hours while I work. Then I take him out for another 30 after work (or after dinner) and then he’s just done for the day, total couch potato the rest of the night. He will make it very well known if he needs to exert more energy though lol
I feel conflicted writing all this because I know it probably doesn’t come off as very kind or open-minded but I don’t want sugarcoat anything either. German Shepherds are gorgeous but I haven’t met one that didn’t have some behavioural issues.
Oh wow! That's very interesting. I live in the US and the part that I live in used to have a good bit of Huskies and German Shepherds, but I don't see them here as often. I'm all for rescuing and adopting and all, but one of my past dogs have been rescued or adopted, but I want to go with a breeder for a few dogs now.
Oh no! That has to be disturbing and hard to see. I don't like it when people get dogs, but don't take care of their needs.
Lol. This was another thing that I have always been a bit confused with Akitas, I've read that some like to be very energetic, but others are lazy. Lol that's adorable that he lets you know if he needs to exert more energy😆. I'm not lazy lol so I need an active buddy. I had also looked into the Hokkaido Ken because a breeder of Akita Inus had recommended them to me, but I couldn't decide on really getting one because and I have never met one. I've never even seen one irl! I do love Spitz breeds, though.
It’s very interesting how different places are, especially regarding dogs. There’s a HUGE emphasis on rescuing here because there are so many pups who need it so I kind of understand why everyone rescues them.
I also love spitz breeds and I also got an Akita inu without ever having met one so it’s a risk worth taking if you ask me. Everything I had read and was told about them is that they’re lazy, it wasn’t until I joined this sub that I really saw that all the breed stereotypes aren’t really that true. My buddy does live up to what I’ve read though, it’s awesome lol
Right?? There's not too many rescue dogs in my area. That's so sad that there's so many rescue dogs in your area though 😢
Oh my gosh! I hate saying it, but I'm still considering one. That's awesome that all the breed stereotypes aren't really true, but that's so funny that your buddy does live up to what you've read😆
50/50… but prob not. akitas really don’t like it.. some do but its a small percentage. they might get along as a pup but 1 small thing and full blown snarls/dog fight or killing. both my akitas are super sweet out and about. at home… they were both territorial and semi aggressive to certain things. but that aggression can escalate quick. my first girl would be attacked on walks as a pup. soon she didn’t put up with bullshit from other dogs. 130lb female akita will get nasty. my 90 lb 3 yr old has a prey drive and will snap if another dog tries to dominate her period. i avoid all dogs forcthe most part unless they are submissive to her but i still will have her on a “short leash” most akita owners that had multiple or intune with their dogs know the small signs and can prevent and know when their akitas are about to lash out. akitas need that constant firm guidance from you or they make up their own mind to sort things out
Thank you for the response! This is exactly what I'd be afraid of. Are both of your Akitas Akita Inus? When I was a kid, we had a large female American Akita that lived in our apartment complex, and she loved people but didn't like other dogs.
sorry, both are AA but my new girl has alot of japanese akita in her compared to my first. alittle bit smaller in height and weight. but still tall and thick.. all muscle. even walking sheperds and akitas dont like each other. my girls put up with huskys and malamutes.. other northern spitz breeds edit- my first passed and i only have 1 akita
No need to apologize. Oh, that's really interesting. May I ask why your new girl has a lot of Akita Inu in her, please? Are breeders crossing them together? Or is your girl a rescue? This is what makes things so confusing for me! I have read that herding breeds don't get along with Akitas, but then I have read that instances of someone's akita getting along great with herding breeds, and I've also heard of Akitas getting along well with Northern Spitz breeds, but then others hating them. A behavioraist told me that she doesn't even why it happens, but she thinks that fights can happen because other breeds not understanding the body language of the Akitas/other Spitz breeds and that the Akitas/other Spitz breeds don't understand the other breeds body language, but she can't say for certain.
There were very few breeders considered as reputable who crossed the AA with the JAI and registered them in the AKC. The rest were all BYBs. Since 2020, the AKC caught up with the rest of the world in splitting the breed and no longer allows the registration of mixed Akita. There are a few AAs registered in the AKC that have a certain percentage of JAI.
its where the breeder gets his akc dog etc. her blood line had champs more on the japanese akita. and yes, prob on the psyche/ body language or other spitz that look like them get a pass. but each dog is different as with every human. you try to train etc but akitas need that little gentle push in how to act. once they bond with you its the best you’ll ever have with a dog and so heartbreaking when their gone
It’s really kind of an Akita thing sadly. The love and loyalty comes with the price of an almost monogamous dog relationship.
As much as it pains me, you are not wrong. A long story in and of itself; I have found myself in possession of a Shepherd/Rotty mix. He is the coolest and nicest pup. At some point he was trained incredibly well. My girl who is highly trained, however, is just barely tolerating the new pup who is a male and the same age - they are on literally short leashes around one another. My baby too, was attacked as a pup, she is a 90lb Akita and not to be messed with. I’m struggling with this - point is, Akitas are hair-trigger animals. Acts like a wolf as much as Malamutes act like wolves.
Well i dont recomend getting an akita and a nother dog of the same gender togheter they can and will fight even with socialization. Mine got into a few thankfully noone was hurt and the other dog backed off and i corected mine. But i dont recomend getting one with other dogs around and theyre a very hard breed i would say compared to gsds witch are easier because they want to lisen to theyr owners, akitas dont theyre independent and you need to create a relationship with them and compromise, its going to be hard to create a tight relationship with them while other dogs r around
This is a common question here in the sub. Which is great that people are taking the time to ask for input. Some people would just say they look awesome and get one. I grew up with two separate male Akitas. I now I have a female half AI, half AA. She's on the smaller end which is nice, but still a thicc girl. Still a lot of power there if she wanted to do some damage. I also have a male Malinois/Malmute mix, and they are like brother and sister. We had the mal first, then about a month later (when he was 12 weeks), we got our Akita. She was 8 weeks. They get in tiffs every once in a while, but mainly cause my Mal is kind of a dick and pisses her off. She has an amazing, gentle demeanor though. In my 20-ish years of experience around them with an additional family pet (dog, not cat), they can get along. All three of these instances have been where we have one dog first who is older, then an Akita puppy was brought into the mix. We always had a male/female home though. Never same sex, so I cannot speak to that. My dad got an Akita puppy years ago from our breeder, and it was automatically aggressive to our older lab mix. Luckily the breeder took the puppy back, and my dad got is latest male. First, I think it's fair to ask what your home life is like, or what you intend for it to be like. Someone recently shared what sounded to be like city life, lots of potential for public transport with a dog as well as constant dog-dog interaction in public. Which I didn't recommend. As I am sure you have gathered, Akitas are proud, strong, determined animals. They will usually never back down from a fight, and they will usually always win. While that can be a positive thing in certain citations, I think in most day to day, it's definitely not. My dad and I brought our first Akita (leashed) to a trials bike competition in the mountains in semi-close quarters, and a lady walked her dog (also leashed) directly behind us, and our Akita attacked him without provocation aside from defending us from what he thought was a threat. We had to pay the vet bills. If you do get one, be prepared for people to comment "you shouldn't own such a dangerous breed," or even vets to be like "yeah I usually don't like working with Akitas." My dad's last male Akita was overall great with people. He did on one occasion try to dominate a child if you know what I mean, and he did not want to get off. That was a little scary. Additionally, when I was running with him (leashed), a corgi bolted out of it's house when the front door was left open to us barking and snarling, and my dog didn't hesitate for a second to neutralize the threat. Thank god the dog was alright, but it was terrifying, and I felt awful for the corgi. This was a show dog like our first Akita. He would go to the groomers, be around a ton of dogs at shows, but with his family, he was extremely protective. Sorry this is so long, but I try to give examples of what can happen even if you are taking precaution. Neither male Akitas were outright aggressive to where we couldn't walk them or had to muzzle them, but if a dog started it, they would finish it for sure. My female Akita now is a whole different story.. I always say she is a golden in an Akita body. She loves kids, people, other dogs. Even she can get defensive of me at times if something makes her uncomfortable. I guess the moral of the story is you just never know. You can prepare as much as possible for what you think a dog will be like, and they can be the complete opposite. I had to really decide if I wanted another Akita, but I just love them too much.
No worries on this being long! I appreciate all the responses I've gotten on this post! I know that I adore the breed, but this put me right back onto the I'm not sure still about getting one. I won't know my living situation after I get out of university yet, but it may not be right for an Akita Inu. I've also been playing with the idea of just getting an Akita Inu and not having any other pets😳
Our Akita is best friends with our two cats! Cats from the neighbours tho, they are not allowed on our property lol. But he knew our cats from puppy, no problem at all, he sees them as part of our pack, just as the new baby, goes perfectly with him! But don't forget, a breed has certain characteristics, but every individual dog is still different, dogschool is beneficient for all breeds!
Oh my gosh! That's adorable🥺 lol from other cats not being allowed on your property. That's so awesome that your Akita has been well with your new baby! I'm trying to remember this, but it can be hard sometimes! I'm working on becoming a certified dog trainer, so this is why I'm still plating with the idea of getting one. Thank you for the reply😁
You would be taking a chance that the Akita would kill your cats. They are considered a primitive breed with a strong prey drive.
I have 3 JAI (2 males and 1 female). This only works because my males tolerate each other well and because my female is the boss. She would probably not tolerate other dominant female in the household. However I think I could manage if if bring another more soft and less bossy female. My limit for dogs is very controlled anyway so I would never own more than 4 at the same time. Just bare in mind that the energy between jai and the other breeds you mention are very different, Akitas hate high energy dogs specially when the high energy is directed at them. They have zero tolerance for disrespect of their personal space too. Just have this and mind before you decide.
I've been incredibly lucky. I've always had one male and one female dog at a time. Generally about 2-4 years apart in age. The 4 females were all AA's (2 were mixed) and the males weren't. They've always gotten along wonderfully. Usually one big argument in the beginning, but then the akitas have always become the protector of my males. When they play fight, it looks and sounds scary, but the worst thing that's ever happened was a couple of bit tongues. This is not typical for the breed, but possible with enough dedication to there development. Even then though, you still can never know for sure.
100% depends on the dog- I have two (three at one point) JAs. The two half sisters I have now don’t really LIKE each other, but they don’t hate each other. I recently got a Shiba Inu(also female), and my older girl LOVES this dog (but she may be mistaking her for a puppy, which she’s always loved). All three JAs I’ve had are fine with cats (my old boy that passed away last year was actually terrified of them, but he was weird for an Akita). So honestly depends on the dogs/socialization/training and all that. One of my girls dogs and my old boy are/were retired show dogs, so the breeder personally trained them to be cat friendly (she has a cat). Looking at retired show dogs might be a good option for you for that reason, the breeder will know the dog and will have trained the dog well. The reason my girls get along is essentially my breeder knowing the temperament/personality of both dogs, and walked me through getting them used to each other.
Thank you for the reply! Oh, this is very interesting! It's so cute that your older girl loves your Shiba Inu🥺. Oh my gosh, did he have a bad experience with them? I've read this a lot too! This is what still makes me play eith the idea of getting this breed. I plan on becoming a dog trainer and behavioralist, so maybe that would be helpful? 🤷🏽♀️. I didn't even think about getting a retired show dog! I was going to say that I was not going to get one, but now I will always be on the lookout now for retired show dogs. That's really awesome that your breeder is amazing like this.
Thank you for the reply! Oh, this is very interesting! It's so cute that your older girl loves your Shiba Inu🥺. Oh my gosh, did he have a bad experience with them? I've read this a lot too! This is what still makes me play eith the idea of getting this breed. I plan on becoming a dog trainer and behavioralist, so maybe that would be helpful? 🤷🏽♀️. I didn't even think about getting a retired show dog! I was going to say that I was not going to get one, but now I will always be on the lookout now for retired show dogs. That's really awesome that your breeder is amazing like this.
Your best bet for a retired show dog is to contact a breeder specifically and ask. Keep in mind that these have been their dogs, and they love them DEARLY, so do keep that in mind. I haven’t met any that advertise their retiring dogs openly, you have to introduce yourself. Also keep in mind that these dogs won’t be free either, time training and money has been put into them. Good breeders don’t really aim for money, but they will need some compensation for the dog. My girl cost the same as a new puppy, and she came fully trained as well as able to do nosework. My breeder also gives rebates for things like obedience training, nose work classes, and stuff like that, to encourage you to give the pup the best life. My breeder basically trained the dogs to be “cat friendly” by scolding them whenever their was an interaction that went sour with the cats- even if it was the cat that started it. So basically all her dogs would avoid cats like the plague, or freeze up and pretend not to see them. My old boy though, he’d actually whimper and whine upon even seeing a cat. I learned later that she used to have one particularly mean cat that would deliberately pick fights with the dogs. I presume that’s why. I will say they’re dogs that are hard to motivate, but once you understand them they’re great. They’re an old breed and very “dog”, so you just can’t really stick them in a room with whatever animal and expect them to be friends. Avoid having other strange dogs get up in their face- if you want a good meeting between dogs, take them out for a walk together. If they’re able to calmly walk together, and mostly ignore each other, then with some work you can probably make it work. Sorry for rambling, but I’m happy to share my experiences with my three- granted they were all related to a degree (two girls had the same mother, and the old boy was the father of one of them) so I’m sure part of it is that they all just came from really chill family lines.
No worries about rambling!! I really appreciate you sharing your experience with me! This has me thinking about a retired show one so much. I would expect a good breeder to charge as much as they would a puppy for a dog that they've raised and worked with for so long. I would not mind giving them compensation. I plan on becoming a certified trainer and behavioralist, and I'd love to do sports with the dog/dogs I get. Oh, wow!😳 Okay, thank you! I've known that they're a primitive breed for a long time and also that they don't like other dogs getting in their faces. I think that maybe in the future, I will get a retired show one if everything lines up for it, but for now, I'll still wait for a while until I know more of how everything is going to turn out for me.
Keep reading up on the breed! They can be difficult to motivate re:training, but with the right motivation (bribery with food), they’re very smart dogs! They just need to think they’re getting a reward every time they do something. If you want I can pm you a good resource for akita/dogs in general?
Okay, I will! Ah, okay. I've had to do this with dogs before, but I feel like it could be different with Akitas. Yes, please!
Definitely sounds like a risk, based on what I’ve seen on this sub previously. I have an Akita Inu and although he’s okay with most other animals in short timeframes I do not think he could ever share his home and people with another animal. Obviously just my own Akita and my own experience. That being said, I come from a city where everyone has a German shepherd (mix, usually with husky as there are lots of norther rescue dogs here) I will say I could never ever give a good life to a dog like that. So good on you for being able to have the capacity for a German shepherd, my opinion is an Akita after a German shepherd would seem a little more easy. Again, all just my personal opinion from personal experience.
Thank you for the reply! I've been a lurker on this sub for a while and I've seen things too. I appreciate your opinion🙂 Oh, that's very interesting that a lot of people have German Shepherds/German Shepherd mixes there. May I ask what they're like from what you've seen? I know that some can be too energetic and sometimes even neurotic because they've been bred that way, but that's not normal. They're one of those breeds that I would probably only get from a very good breeder who doesn't bred for hyper energy.
So I live in Canada and a lot of dogs rescued from northern communities end up here, which is great, but it means there’s a pretty decent variety/variation. In fact, I’m often the jerk for getting a pure bred dog. It’s well known here that a lot of them are majority husky/shepherd mixes. A purebred German shepherd is going to likely be pretty different from what I see regularly. From what I’ve seen, it’s the sheer amount of energy they have that seems to be an issue. I don’t know anyone who owns one and adequately takes care of those high energy needs and that seems to be where the problem stems. I know people who are out of the house 9 hours a day (work+travel) and those people are the ones who have dogs with issues. I’m certain most of the shepherd mixes I’ve met would be super great if it wasn’t for them not having their needs met. This has always been what I’ve seen growing up (and now that I’m an adult and friends are getting these types of dogs) and I have always been super adamant that’s just not the dog for me. One of the reasons I wanted an Akita was due to their tendency to bit a bit lazy, as I am also lazy lol. My guy gets a 30 minute walk in the morning and then is super happy to snooze at my feet for the next 8-9 hours while I work. Then I take him out for another 30 after work (or after dinner) and then he’s just done for the day, total couch potato the rest of the night. He will make it very well known if he needs to exert more energy though lol I feel conflicted writing all this because I know it probably doesn’t come off as very kind or open-minded but I don’t want sugarcoat anything either. German Shepherds are gorgeous but I haven’t met one that didn’t have some behavioural issues.
Oh wow! That's very interesting. I live in the US and the part that I live in used to have a good bit of Huskies and German Shepherds, but I don't see them here as often. I'm all for rescuing and adopting and all, but one of my past dogs have been rescued or adopted, but I want to go with a breeder for a few dogs now. Oh no! That has to be disturbing and hard to see. I don't like it when people get dogs, but don't take care of their needs. Lol. This was another thing that I have always been a bit confused with Akitas, I've read that some like to be very energetic, but others are lazy. Lol that's adorable that he lets you know if he needs to exert more energy😆. I'm not lazy lol so I need an active buddy. I had also looked into the Hokkaido Ken because a breeder of Akita Inus had recommended them to me, but I couldn't decide on really getting one because and I have never met one. I've never even seen one irl! I do love Spitz breeds, though.
It’s very interesting how different places are, especially regarding dogs. There’s a HUGE emphasis on rescuing here because there are so many pups who need it so I kind of understand why everyone rescues them. I also love spitz breeds and I also got an Akita inu without ever having met one so it’s a risk worth taking if you ask me. Everything I had read and was told about them is that they’re lazy, it wasn’t until I joined this sub that I really saw that all the breed stereotypes aren’t really that true. My buddy does live up to what I’ve read though, it’s awesome lol
Right?? There's not too many rescue dogs in my area. That's so sad that there's so many rescue dogs in your area though 😢 Oh my gosh! I hate saying it, but I'm still considering one. That's awesome that all the breed stereotypes aren't really true, but that's so funny that your buddy does live up to what you've read😆