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!