What Does it Mean to be a Strong Pack Leader

So what does it mean to be a strong pack leader anyway? Before I owned a dog I would hear that term but had no idea what it meant. Now several dogs later I get it.
 To be a strong "pack leader" DOES NOT mean that you are forceful or angry with your animal. It means that you show that you are smarter and dominate over then dog, how do you do this you may ask? Well you start by training them and rewarding them. Let them know to come to you for food and for treats. Do not just place their food on the floor when it is time to eat, bring them over, let them see you have it "own it" run your hand throught the food (dry only :). Make them understand it is your food then give it to them. Sit or lay on the floor with your puppy and when they are relaxed and have settled from playing hold their front paw. All you have to do is just lay your hand on their front paws and if they move follow and replace your hand. Dogs do this in the wild to say....hey I own you.

 Tug of war: RESIST THE TEMPTATION! We all know how much fun it is to play tug of war with a puppy but don't do it until they are at least 6 to 7 months old. Tug of war is a game that they are using to try to dominate you! If they win they, in there mind they beat you thus they are smarter and more dominate, that is a very bad thing for puppies to learn. If you do get in the accidental tug of war and it happens make sure you stop the game right away and tell your puppy to drop it. Don't let it become a game. Most importantly....don't lose :) After 7 months when you start paying this fun and exciting game for both of you make sure YOU initiate the game and don't lose :)

 Akita training, more to come in the next blog on Akita training but I want to leave you with this today. Akita's DO NOT respond well to negative reinforcement. Do not yell at your Akita, as I said before Akita's are very smart and have one fantastic personality, but they respond like a human, if you start screaming at them ,they will shut down and stop listening...like you would if someone was screaming at you :) Oh and they will probably find a way to get even with you!

Annabell Ryoko Himes...Our Akita

This is our Akita Annabell, she is 4 months in this photo and already 40 pounds!~ She is an American Akita you can tell by the "black mask" Japanese Akita's have a white mask!

Hachiko The Movie

As an Akika owner I cannot tell you how happy I am to see a movie made about one of the most amazing dog breeds. (www.imdb.com/title/tt1028532/) however I am afraid it is going to be the taco bell dog all over again! Please please people, DO NOT RUN OUT and buy an Akita! This breed is not for everyone!

Now don't get me wrong, I am not here to rant and rave, I am here to educate. Akita's originate from Japan and have a long and proud history. They were brought to the states in the 30's in fact Hellen Keller was one of the first in America to own one. Akita's are docile, loyal, intelligent, strong, fearless, and loving. They are an amazing dog in every way. However....they do require a strong "pack leader" to bring out their potential. They are not a lab or collie which is to say they do not fall in line easily. The Akita is very very smart, at times too smart for their own good :) see above where I mentioned fearless. Akita's are a very powerful (literally strong) dog and they have a will of their own. If you are not a strong pack leader, the Akita will lead you!

THIS DOG BREED IS NOT FOR EVERYONE! Before you buy an Akita do your research!!! There are some great websites to gather information from (http://www.akc.org/breeds/akita/) and I will post here as often as possible. I am on my second Akita and personally I do not think there is a better dog out there. They have so many positive traits and they are so intelligent that it outweighs the negatives, and yes there are a few. Akita's are known for allergies, and thyroid problems and of course they can get the big dog curse of hip displasia. Properly taken care of dogs you can minimize problems of course.

SIZE: Hey there kids Akita's get big! A female will weigh between 95 to 105lbs with males reaching 125 to 130lbs of solid dog pulling muscle! :) My baby Akita Annabell....She is just 6 months and she is already 60lbs. Akita's in case you do not know can grow for up to 2 years! So she ought to get pretty big.
Let me throw something else out there... You do not want a 100 pound rock solid muscle dog if you are not able to be a strong pack leader!

PACK LEADER: you may ask why I keep brining this up. Well there is a difference between a dog owner and a pack leader. No offense to anyone, I am a fan of almost all dogs, but if you are a let's say a....Lab owner...that breed is pretty easy, very smart, loyal and properly exercised...simple. Akita's are not. Period. In Japan they are used as police dogs, guard dogs, and BEAR HUNTERS! They require constant work, training, and patience. To be a pack leader you must show dominance all the time, and prove to them that you are smarter and their leader, you need to earn their respect and give them a reason to follow you. By that I mean you must work on training all the time, be careful the games that you play, do not at anytime allow them to be dominant over you. Your reward for all this work is one of the most loving and loyal dogs you can ever own.

Ok Enough rambling for now! Check back and I will continue to update you about Akita's and my Akita Annabell! Feel free to ask any questions you may have, I may not be a dog expert, but after owning 2 Akita's I know more than a little bit about them!