Akita owners, unite! (If you are out there somewhere)

[CrazyCochin]

The breed will always have a place in my heart. We had one when I was a kid. His name was Max, he was black and white. You can see who his favorite person one in this picture with some of my brothers. Once my mom couldn’t find that brother - this was after we moved to the country. That was probably 6-8 months after this picture was taken. But my brother had curled up in the big igloo dog house, and was sleeping with the dog. And he loves to play in the mud pits we made. He made such an impact that this picture is hanging in my bedroom right along side picture of my own children. My whole family loved that dog.
I wish I could have one. But if I ever do it will be many years off. Our dog family is complete for now.

As for dogs living a really long time, my mother in-law had two pugs that lives past the age of 14. She fed them milk bones, and she fed them people food. One would only eat his milk bones and meat. But the other one loved pancakes so much that I’m pretty sure that was the only thing he ate the last 6 months of his life.

We have had a couple black and white pintos in the past!

 

[CrazyCochin]

Emi and I have decided we are going to give Rally a shot!

 

[Mellowmalt]

what is Rally?
I just want to add my observations about Akita's although they can't really be generalized like a friend's Akita killed cats and rats whereas mine has never killed anything bigger than a bumble bee and even then he only tries to play with them but Bumble Bee's don't like Akita paws - it squashes them.

He loves going up to things and sniffing them, cats, hedgehogs, squirrels, chickens but he has learnt very quickly not to scare my chickens. Usually all it takes is for him to show his big head to cause that but he has already learnt if he causes them to squawk too loud I will get angry so he's been leaving them alone.

It took a while but like with most dogs you can form a real bond over many years. My routine is very similar day to day, so is his, if he wants something it's either food or a walk and I just need to ask him what he wants, if he wants a walk he will prick up his ears mentioning it and look out the window.
He understands a lot of things, all the basic commands but he also knows what a burger, cheese, eggs, chicken and biscuits are.
I don't think he has quite understood that the chickens are proving him with a free egg a day - sometimes I catch him drooling over them but he hasn't killed any yet and he has had a few opportunities to do so so I wouldn't trust him with them but he wouldn't kill one on purpose.
But that is the thing with Akita's or at least mine. They are really intelligent, super loving and generally don't like to hurt anything but they have the power to kill and although mine has been fine living with just me, I would not trust leaving him alone with a child. A child running for example gets him really excited and although he wouldn't do something on purpose (unless you try to stroke him while he has food in his mouth, he will defend his food no matter what) he is so big that he could knock a child over by accident easily so he cannot be trusted around children or animals as if he was really dangerous even though he really isn't but you just cannot ever put an Akita in that position in my opinion.

Recently I read about a man going into the shop and asking the shop assistant to watch his dog which he tied to a post. All was fine till a mother let her 5 year old child run unattended past the dog to the shop. The injuries were severe, the dog got put down and the man got locked up. It was terrible what happened and you have to put the dog down, I partly blame the mother for letting a 5 year old run around but people expect to be safe going to the shop too so anyway it could have been avoided and I know had it been my dog in that situation something similar would have happened so you cannot ever put an Akita into a situation where it has the chance to injure a child or an animal.

It can be a challenge sometimes. Recently he nearly knocked me off my feet going for a dog he did not like. They can he hard to stop and oh yeah if he finds a spot he wants to sniff, there is no budging him till he has had a proper sniff. He can stand his ground more than I can pull him. I can put all my weight into the lead, he won't budge

 

[CrazyCochin]

Rally is like fancy obedience, you take your dog around a ring and there are signs that tell you what to do, such as sit, lie down, etc!
If you look up AKC Rally, you will find videos for it!

 

[CrazyCochin]

if he finds a spot he wants to sniff, there is no budging him till he has had a proper sniff. He can stand his ground more than I can pull him.

I get the feeling! I have to have a gentle leader/haltie on mine. I just feel more control with it!

 

[Mellowmalt]

thx for the tip cochin. Probably would have been useful in his earlier days. We went out the other day and must have passed about 20 squirrels, he just glanced at them, out of his teenage years now.

The thing I don't like so much is like I said that they cannot be trusted. I'd rather get a dog I can let off the lead if I ever got myself another one but he is actually quite low maintenance if you ignore the sheep load of fur he sheds every year.

Rally sounds like good fun for an Akita. I know mine would be up for it. He likes showing off. Hope he wins.

 

[CrazyCochin]

My dogs like chicken so heres one they like.
10lb chicken legs
Bag of carrots 1lb
Bag of peas 1lb
Bag of broccoli 1lb chopped
2cups brown rice
Throw chicken in crockpot with water cook til tender. Cool. Debone and skin. Add chicken back to crockpot with broth add vegetables and rice cook til rice is tender. Cool and ziploc portions. I put cubed apples in this too when I find them on sale.

Okay, I know the sketch of your Akita is long overdue, please forgive me.
But I have made a beautiful art piece for your boy you lost, I hope you like it.