Is this a problem?

[Ree'sKujo]

Mt 2yr.old Akita Kujo is a very sweet and friendly dog but fiercly protective.He's fine when my hubby is home but when he's not Kujo becomes another dog.I can't open the door unless it's family or friends and when I walk him if anyone even comes in my direction or speaks to me that he doesn't know he growls and lunges towards them.I can get him under control very quickly but I'm curious if this is a behavior I should correct and if so how/Any advice would be appreciated.

[Alysser]

Maybe special training? Or invest in a crate. That can be very useful.

[Ree'sKujo]

The problem isn't so much in the house because I can put him up.It's when my husband isn't home and I have to walk him alone.I try and do it when people aren't around but there's always one that shows up,like the neighbors kids who no matter how much I tell them to stay away still come and try and pet him until he lunges after them.

[king2005]

My old dog was like that when he was young. He seemed to relax after he was 2yrs old. We noticed at 5 months old. My sister was 8yrs old & was walking him in the campground we were camping at. 2 adult men asked to pet him & they couldn't get anywhere near them. Max went nuts, snarling, barking & snapping. My sister is a little slow & I guess Max somehow knew that & went into big brother mode.

Then from there he got worse, but he was NEVER scolded, as he never pulled to try to hurt someone & he warned quite early. I remember trying to walk him in the park & if someone was walking in our direction, he would stop dead & start to snarl. If they kept coming, he started to bark & if they still came (duh, its not like they could go anywhere else) he would so an agressive kind of snap, with snarling & barking.

After dad moved out when Max was 2yr old, he went into father mode in the house. Whice was good, as our town was quite bad. One night Mom & I we're playing cards in the kitchen & like usual Max was in the kitchen doorway snoozing. Someone knocked on our outside door (its the porch door, then there is a screen door on the house & then the house door). Max barked, normal. We got up & opened the first door (well I did, mom was behind the door). I asked what he wanted, he was going on about something about a Burger King order (which I knew they didn't do delivery). Max was quiet as he had no reason to bark, as we were talking to someone & he couldn't see them. Then they guy tried to open the outside door (it was locked), then he tried to push on it a little hard. I barked at him to get lost or I'll set the dog on him. He ignored me & due to my voice change Max was getting angry, as his breething was deep, snorting & his fur went up. I yelled at him & grabbed Max's collar to get him riled up. I opened the door & let Max go. Max went nuts! I think the guy pi$$ed himself! Max ripped down the blinds, tore up the carpet, scratched the paint off the window ledge & door. He ripped a few pieces of wood from around the windows out & scratched the windows. I was scared of Max & so was the guy as he ran to his car & sped off.

Later on we found out that guy was breaking into homes, stealing stuff & hurting the owners.

Not once did Max ever go too far. Not even when he attacked my dad (its a long story, Max didn't know it was dad). I only had to yell stop once & Max stopped (dad was fine, didn't have a scratch, only a partial disslocated arm).

[Ree'sKujo]

I really don't think Kujo would go to far either as he knows I don't tolerate that behavior,I'm just really curious as to wether or not it's normal and if I should correct it.I kind of like that he's so protective over me but I'm really afraid he may go to far if he feels I'm threatened.After all he wieghs more then me and if he is determined to go after someone in a dead run I couldn't hold him back.That's an Akita for ya.

[king2005]

My friend had an Akita & he wanted to kill anyone & everything outside during walks. It was so bad, that he was over powering my friend & killing frogs & snakes left right & center. She would cry a lot as she had so very little & he ment the world to her.. I talked her into a spiked choaker, so when he would try to kill something or someone, he was allowed to bark all he wanted, but could no longer pull her around. After that he seemed to calm down all on his own.. BUT he was still protective of her, just didn't go nuts all the time.

Maybe the spiked collar would make you feel better?
remember it doesn't harm the dog at all (if you follow the directions properly, which are easy)

[Ree'sKujo]

Good idea after all I'd only need it when my husband is working and I have to walk him.He's not as aggressive as the Akita you spoke of,only when it comes to me being home alone.Thanks for the idea.

[cyber-sibes]

"Is this a problem" -- YES!!!
You really need to get in touch with a trainer who works with aggression issues - it isn't something to allow to go on, it'll just be harder to correct. Ask around & call someone in your area. Your vet or the humane society should be able to refer you to someone who can help assess the behavior and teach you what you need to do to correct it. I've done rounds of obedience classes with a three different trainers, two of them had situations where dogs came to obedience classes that were too aggressive to be in a class with other dogs, but were really helped by one on one sessions. Especially with a very strong dog like an Akita, you're taking an awfully big risk every time you step into a situation he gets aggressive in. I really encourage you to get an expert's help.

[Ree'sKujo]

Kujo shows absolutely no aggression at all except when I walk him alone.He's also very submissive to myself and my husband and when I correct him for his behavior he stops right away.Being a former breeder of Akita's this is not unusual behavior.I'm going to try the spike collar and continue working with him.If I find I can't solve the problem I will definitley take your advice and consult a traineer.I really think it's because my husband isn't home and he feels he has to take over and protect me.

[cyber-sibes]

I can't open the door unless it's family or friends and when I walk him if anyone even comes in my direction or speaks to me that he doesn't know he growls and lunges towards them. . . . Kujo shows absolutely no aggression at all except when I walk him alone.
please re-read your post - sounds like you DO have a problem, no? Think about what could happen if you're out walking and Kujo decides he'll attack a passer-by, because he thinks he's keeping you safe? Or he decides to chase off another dog? You'll get dragged right along. Can you really guarantee you'll never be in this situation?

[Ree'sKujo]

No,but I can tell you he's not dog aggressive and when I've had the problem with him going towards someone and I corrected him he submitted right away.Knowing my dog the way I do I feel I can correct this situation on my own and if not I will definitley get a trainer.I was really simply looking for peoples opinions and having raised nothing but Akita's I know this is not atypical behavior for them.In fact Kujo is quite mellow for an Akita.Please be assured I will take what you said to heart and appreciate your input and advice.

[RobiLee]

It most certainly sounds like a problem and it should definitely be corrected. Kujo should not be allowed to behave this way. I really don't know for sure how you should do this but I think cyber-sibes had a good idea about seeing a trainer or maybe a behaviorist. You should be the leader and have control over Kujo whether it be in your house or on walks. I have problems with Katie and Tori pulling when we take walks and it was very difficult to walk them together. I finally caved and bought prong collars. They have helped me tremendously. Recently I have stepped up my dog walks and practice very hard in the way we walk. I DO NOT let my dogs walk ahead of me what so ever. They are not allowed to sniff the grass or take a pee unless I give them permission too. If we see a dog or cat on our walks and my girls get antsy and start getting excited or whining cause they want to go after it. I give them a sharp tug on their collars to let them know that the behavior will not be tolerated. We are not perfect yet but my girls have come a long way. I am amazed at the difference that has come about since I decided I would be in control and not them. I also want to say that I watch the Dog Whisperer alot and that show is what has helped me on my walks with my girls;).

[Ree'sKujo]

Kujo does know I'm in control and when corrected in this situation he submits right away.I've done all of his training and he isn't even animal aggressive.It is an Akitas natural instinct to protect.I simply wanted just to get opinions not people telling me I can't control my dog.Just to double check I logged on to an Akita info site and it says that males are very protective over female owners when the male owner is away.I guess what I need to do is speak on line with experienced Akita owners.If people don't own them they no as little about them as I would about a breed I never owned.I truly love this site and respect everyones opinion but evidently I mad a mistake Putting up this post.

[RobiLee]

I don't understand why you are upset. I did not mean to offend you and no one thinks you are doing anything wrong. I also own an akita, but I am not an expert on the breed and wouldn't even pretend to be one. In your original post you asked if you should correct this behavior and said any advice would be appreciated. When you say that then you are going to get people's advice and opinions. So, why are you upset?

[Ree'sKujo]

I truly do love this site and respect peoples opinions,however I don't like people telling me that I need to teach Kujo that I'm in control,especially when no one knows how he's raised.I don't mean to insult anyone or start a problem as I really love this site and I appreciate the advise but I don't appreciate the critisizm,please know that I'm not reffering to you and forgive my spelling.I don't like people insinuating that I'm putting people in harms way when I take all measures to protect my neighbors.If you own an Akita then you would know it's a natural instinct to protect the female owner when the male owner is not around.Although I asked for opinions I did not ask for critisizm.

[dab_20]

No one critisized you. They were just giving advice. I agree, you should probably go to a behaviourist.

[lv4dogs]

I also agree that no one here has critisized you.


I don't like people telling me that I need to teach Kujo that I'm in control

Well it is true with ANY breed the owner & any other family members NEEDS to be in control. The humans are the pack leaders, the pets are not.

If you don't want to be in control than you don't have to be but expect this problem to grow and gro and grow and possibly some other issues may pop up too.

If I read that wrong & you think that you are in control as hard as it is to hear it you are not, or at least not fully or maybe you are you are just sending the wrong signals to your dog. If you were in total control your dog would wait for commands or signals from you.
Is it possible you are tensing up, showing him signs that it is "ok" to be aggressive? The dog whisperer's main training tool is to teach the owners not the dogs. In a situation like this where the dog is aggressive and the owner thinks they are still in control (as also seen on Oprah with her dog) it is mostly because the owner is tense, showing some type of sign that it is ok for the dog to be aggressive.

Some people only want to hear what they want to hear. I know I would be devestated if I had a problem and others were telling me ways to correct it that I don't agree with but I still would have to face it. How else can I learn?

Please, no one here is saying anything bad about you, or critisizing you or your dog, we are only trying to help. :D

[dab_20]

I also agree that no one here has critisized you.



Well it is true with ANY breed the owner & any other family members NEEDS to be in control. The humans are the pack leaders, the pets are not.

If you don't want to be in control than you don't have to be but expect this problem to grow and gro and grow and possibly some other issues may pop up too.

If I read that wrong & you think that you are in control as hard as it is to hear it you are not, or at least not fully or maybe you are you are just sending the wrong signals to your dog. If you were in total control your dog would wait for commands or signals from you.
Is it possible you are tensing up, showing him signs that it is "ok" to be aggressive? The dog whisperer's main training tool is to teach the owners not the dogs. In a situation like this where the dog is aggressive and the owner thinks they are still in control (as also seen on Oprah with her dog) it is mostly because the owner is tense, showing some type of sign that it is ok for the dog to be aggressive.

Some people only want to hear what they want to hear. I know I would be devestated if I had a problem and others were telling me ways to correct it that I don't agree with but I still would have to face it. How else can I learn?

Please, no one here is saying anything bad about you, or critisizing you or your dog, we are only trying to help. :D


Very well put. :)

[Ree'sKujo]

Cyber-sibes,I sent you a PM.BTW Thanks

[Ree'sKujo]

Well I spoke with a few vets and they all told me this is not abnormal for an Akita and since he responds so well to my commands I should be able to break him of this and he should be fine.

[KYS]

Hi Ree'sKujo,
I am sorry I missed your thread until today.
While this behavior might be common in some working breeds
it is NOT desirable.
Working breeds in my opinion are a tougher dog than
many other breeds to own. Many were bread to guard and protect.
(accept for those feisty terriers) :)l
Is your male neutered, and if yes at what age?
My suggestion is to join the Akita-L or the Akita Network e-mail
list.
http://akitanetwork.com/org/email.htm
Their are a few rescue and breeder/trainers on the list
that will be glad to steer you in the right direction.
What ever training method you use, I would suggest do not use
overly harsh methods for corrections as some of the old timers might suggest.
In my case Overly harsh methods had the opposite effect I wanted
to achieve with my male.
You want to be able to walk your dog and have him ignore
people walking by. Only when you are threatened than he should
react.

[Ree'sKujo]

He' two and yes he's neutered.Weve been working with him quite a bit because I agree while his behavior may be common For the Akita breed It's not desireable.I also bought him a harness and since I've been walking him with that instead of just his collar It's easier to control him if he wants to go towards a stanger.We've encounterd strangers on our last three walks and I only had him act up once and as soon as I corrected him he stopped.So,I think his training is working and we're on our way to solving this problem.

[KYS]

king2005:My friend had an Akita & he wanted to kill anyone & everything outside during walks. It was so bad, that he was over powering my friend & killing frogs & snakes left right & center. >>>>>>>

That Akita in my opinion was a dangerous liability.
That behavior is not common in well "bread tempered Akita with proper training".
Dog aggression/high prey drive unfortunately can be the norm for
many Akita's, but not unprovoked human aggression.
I can live with a dog that has a high prey drive and wants to
go after animals. I could not live with an Akita that wants
to kill humans with-out justification.
Your friend was lucky her dog never bit anybody.

Ree'sKujo,
Sounds like you are moving in the right direction.
I would still join one of the akita e-mail lists for
advice. Lots of long time AKita
experts on their.

[king2005]

king2005:My friend had an Akita & he wanted to kill anyone & everything outside during walks. It was so bad, that he was over powering my friend & killing frogs & snakes left right & center. >>>>>>>

That Akita in my opinion was a dangerous liability.
That behavior is not common in well "bread tempered Akita with proper training".
Dog aggression/high prey drive unfortunately can be the norm for
many Akita's, but not unprovoked human aggression.
I can live with a dog that has a high prey drive and wants to
go after animals. I could not live with an Akita that wants
to kill humans with-out justification.
Your friend was lucky her dog never bit anybody.

Ree'sKujo,
Sounds like you are moving in the right direction.
I would still join one of the akita e-mail lists for
advice. Lots of long time AKita
experts on their.


He wasn't pure & they got him from a shelter. She knew he was a danger, thats why she got the Spiked Collar. Back home there are NO dog trainers or the sort. You'd have to drive 2hrs to the city to get something like that. & at the time they got him their lab started getting hip dys. So they were spending thounds on getting her help, so they were living from pay to pay, so there was no way they could afford anything else. They just stopped walking Boots for a bit & played with him in the backyard & in the house. The last time I saw Boots (7yrs ago) he was a really good dog. The spiked collar allowed my friend to gain control & his aggression was gone. He was like a new dog. Boots was only bad as my friend couldn't control him to teach him it was wrong. It took her less then amonth with the spiked collar to turn hin into a great guy..

The spiked collar worked wonders on Rocky the Rotti aswell. I'm sure you've heard me mention him a few times before. He was the worst dog I had ever seen. It took me 30 mins to break him & teach him that not all dogs were bad & the same with people. We still kept a muzzle on him just incase, but it was never needed. He was even attacked by a mastif & when called off he tried hard to get away & return to his owners hand.. He was attacked as he ran to her... Even when a burgler broke into their home he did nothing. He only mauled the guy when he kicked the 15yr old 20p dog (still don't know how he got out alive).

Many dogs just need to be told who is the boss & their aggression stops or dies WAY down. I know it wont work on ALL dogs, but it did on 3 that I worked with.

My only failure in training a dog was an English Springer, named Chelsie. She was a BIG sweet heart in the house. While her owner was babysitting me, I would have the dog on he back in my lap. I would pet her tosleep every evening. I only walked her twice & she had to be muzzled & kept FAR away from people & dogs. She was NASTY on a leash.. She had good leash maners, but the second she saw anything she would flip out. It was a little embarrasing, as she was a lovely looking gal. But no matter how hard my friends & I tried to break her. We sat on the dock while my friends sat 10 feet away trying to ignore her & talk to me, while I tried to get her to stop. 2hrs later she was still going strong. I tried with the muzzle off & on & there was NO change at all. My friends have even met her in her hose before & all was well. But because I met them on our walk they were viewed as enemies :confused: So I just stopped walking her & played with her inthe yard & in the house. With the way she ran around in the yard playing with me, there was really no need to walk her.

[Ree'sKujo]

kys,I took your advice on joining the e-mail lists.As for King2005 the only thing I'm going to say on the matter of your friends Akita be it mixed or not,there is NO way I would tolerate that behavior from my Akita.

[JenBKR]

Well, I really don't think that anyone criticized you at all, just giving opinions and advice which you asked for. I thik the behaviorist is a great idea. Also a choke or prong collar would be a good idea, since putting Roscoe on a prong I can walk him without my arm feeling like it's going to fall off ;) Roscoe can be protective of me sometimes too, but the prong keeps him from pulling or lunging.