Training Your Akita

Why should you train your Akita or any dog?

Won’t that break their spirit? Will it hurt him? If I train my dog, can we still be friends?

Dog training won’t break their spirit unless you beat them with a stick and make learning not fun. Think about how you learn best? Is it when a teacher is watching you over your shoulder? Or when you’re playing a game and don’t even realize you’re learning?

Make if fun and you’ll both learn about one another. Training also tells him that you are in charge and that he can trust you because he knows his status within the family. If you let him feel he’s in charge you won’t be able to take his food, make him move out of your way or be trusted to walk outside with you.

Dogs are pack animals, in a pack they have their own status where they fit in. When you train your dog, not only are you showing their place but you are developing a strong bond between you. It doesn’t matter if it’s Akita Training, Chihuahua Training or even German Shepherd training, the principles are the same. You must be firm and above all have patience.

Give your puppy a name. Make it simple.

Teach him/her the basic commands first such as come, sit, down, stay and heel. When your dog can do these you can go for more advanced training.

The Akita comes from Japan where they were used to hunt large prey. They bred an independent, strong-willed dog that would be able to run through deep snows after their prey. They wanted a dog that would face down an angry bear without fear as their owners fired arrows at it. They wanted a dog that would be loyal to it’s family and guard the home.

So they bred a strong, independent, intelligent and loyal dog that had a lot of heart.

These dogs can play so dumb that you want to pull your hair out in frustration. Don’t. Just make training short and fun and in no time at all you will have a well-behaved dog.