Hello,

I have an eleven year old female Akita, Amy (never bred, never spayed). She was given to us (or rescued, rather) almost two years ago from a family who were adamant about shooting such a "dangerous" dog.

This dog is poorly bred, in that her snout is too long for an Akita and her tail doesn't curl as tightly as the breed standard suggests. Other than appearance, her temperament seems (and I emphasize seems) to resemble a true Akita.

Initially she would bark if you approached and would attempt to bite if you tried to touch her. However, if you remained still and let her come to you, she'd sniff you and then let you walk by (though still keeping an eye on you). She was kept on a chain 24/7, never walked, and fed more food than was necessary (they fed her once a week, for fear that she would bite).

During the two years we've had her, she has made some improvements. She is fed once a day and has trimmed down quite a bit. Twice a day she goes for 15 minute walks and seems happier for it. Amy apparently was housebroken at some point in her life. So she spends most of her time inside. She sleeps in a crate at night. Her aloofness towards people has remained somewhat the same. She absolutely adores my husband and me and will tolerate frequent visitors if we are home. People can safely walk by with one of us holding Amy by the collar (no pulling or threatening posture). For use as a watch dog, Amy has most certainly found her niche. Amy also gets along well with our 4 month old Rottweiler when they are allowed to play together (supervised, of course).

I don't believe Amy is being protective of her owners though. When taken for walks (the prong collar has been a Godsend) she loses most of her aggression and won't bark at strangers. At home she barks at strangers and puts on quite a show. Also, it seems that she likes to start fights with other dogs...for fun? She'll posture and stare at any dog, especially bigger dogs. Oddly enough, she'll even whine and cry desperately as she tries to charge another dog when on the leash (before the use of the prong collar).

Are these behaviors in keeping with an Akita's tendency to be territorial and dog aggressive? Is there any way to curb this behavior or should I just use a muzzle during walks? I'm willing to use a muzzle if it keeps my dog from being a danger to other people and their dogs.



Thanks for any advice you can offer,



Jennifer

She barks and lunges at other dogs on walks? Is that the issue?

<<<< When taken for walks (the prong collar has been a Godsend) she loses most of her aggression and won't bark at strangers. At home she barks at strangers and puts on quite a show. Also, it seems that she likes to start fights with other dogs...for fun? She'll posture and stare at any dog, especially bigger dogs. Oddly enough, she'll even whine and cry desperately as she tries to charge another dog when on the leash (before the use of the prong collar). >>>>

Is her dog aggressive behavior to a point to where I'm better off putting a muzzle on her? She's eleven years old and though eager to learn a new trick here and there, she is somewhat set in her ways.

She has become less problematic over time, but I'm not sure that I can fully trust her to not attack another dog with the prong collar. Even with praise when she leaves and use of the collar to move her away from another dog, I doubt that she'd really leave a dog alone if the decision was up to her.

I may be missing something, but I don't see a problem with the dog. Not all dogs like other dogs. She's 11 yrs old, and she is what she is. The fact that she has bonded with your family is wonderful after spending most of her life chained up. You implied you have control over her with the prong and you said she isn't aggressive with people when on walks. Do you correct her with the prong when she's lunging/barking at other dogs? If you've corrected her with the prong, how does she behave when you do? Your goal is to get her to ignore other dogs and focus on you.

How does she behave with visitors to your home?

Of course continue to keep an eye on her with the Rott pup. Hopefully as he grows there won't be a problem. If there is, you'll have to keep them separated.

Maybe correcting w/a prong is putting more aggression or drive in her around other dogs?

THANK YOU for saving this poor old Akita-girl <:-) but never expect her to be friendly with strange dogs -- I use a prong AND a Leerburg dominant dog collar while walking my Akita spay http://www.leerburg.com/746.htm

Mine is 2-plus years old & plays nicely, but with typical Akita roughness, with other dogs she knows (after calm, slow, careful introductions!) -- But for trips to the vet, or anywhere we might be in closely crowded quarters with too many strange dogs, I temporarily use a cloth velcro muzzle on her as a precaution...

She LOVES people though <:-)

 Quote: Jennifer Wiseman

I doubt that she'd really leave a dog alone if the decision was up to her.

But it's not.

I feel like I'm missing something too.

On walks she wants to lunge but she's on a lead and you stop her.

Is that it?

She's never OFF lead, right?

Also, do you march her right on by, no chance to focus and hackle?

 Quote: sandy moore

Do you correct her with the prong when she's lunging/barking at other dogs? If you've corrected her with the prong, how does she behave when you do?

How does she behave with visitors to your home?

I have tried teaching her the "leave it" command. I move her forward in the direction I was originally going. When she finally moves with me, I say "Leave it" and at first I would give her a treat. Later on, just praise. At first she'd look back and whimper. Now just tugs in protest and then continues on with the walk.

With visitors, she is normally taken to the crate. However, if they are family or friends that come over quite frequently, she watches them for a while and then generally ignores them. With my niece, she tolerates her when petted, but tends to want to move away.

 Quote: alex corral

Maybe correcting w/ a prong is putting more aggression or drive in her around other dogs?

I read about that on this website and have tried to use the prong collar sparingly. Normally I give her a chance to obey, wait about a second later, and if she didn't obey I correct her with the collar. The only exception is when there were strange dogs present and I was beginning to use the prong collar.

With a regular collar, she'd try to overpower me and pull away. My husband tried to use a choke chain, but she acted like it wasn't there. I read later on about the dangers of using a choke chain and we quickly stopped using one. The prong collar has worked rather well with pulling and helped her to listen. If I'm on a rather peaceful walk, I rarely have to use the collar. Hopefully I can go back to using a regular flat collar.

 Quote: connie sutherland

On walks she wants to lunge but she's on a lead and you stop her.

With the regular collar, she would lunge and try to overpower me (I'm rather petite). With the prong collar, for the first few walks I had to stop her. Later on I used the collar less often during walks (stayed slack for the most part). As before, I try to use the "leave it" command and encourage her to want to leave the other dogs alone.

 Quote: connie sutherland

She's never OFF lead, right?

She's never allowed to walk without a lead, whether it be on walks or to simply do her business outside. Inside, she is allowed off the lead.

Her tendency towards aggressive displays is too much of a liability for us. Our neighbors have children and if Amy were ever to decide to ignore us while off the lead--I'd hate to imagine what could happen.

 Quote: connie sutherland

Also, do you march her right on by, no chance to focus and hackle?

Lately, yes. Initially, I would've had to drag her away. I figured that leaving her to "sort it out" would just end up in a fight. So I went with the attitude of better safe than sorry. Hopefully I can encourage her to leave the other dogs alone and move on with the walk.

 Quote: jennifer wiseman

 Quote: connie sutherland

Also, do you march her right on by, no chance to focus and hackle?

Lately, yes. Initially, I would've had to drag her away. I figured that leaving her to "sort it out" would just end up in a fight. So I went with the attitude of better safe than sorry. Hopefully I can encourage her to leave the other dogs alone and move on with the walk.

You're right: No sorting it out.

Just march on by, with no time and no opportunity to zero in on another dog..... no chance to focus, and no extra attention from you...... not so much "encourage" as "this is the way it is."

What I would set as my goal would be zero attention to other dogs, whether good or bad. No waiting to see what her reaction is, no special instructions or comments to her -- just keep on walking.