If you already have an Akita .......... congratulations!! You've got a fantastic addition to the family.

The following information is meant to be an introduction to Akita training ideas. It is by no means a complete listing of all areas to be considered. It is recommended that you read this information, select and read several reference books on Akitas
and institute a well-planned, consistent training program for your dog-- no matter what age he's at.

The Akita is large in size, extremely intelligent, highly energetic, protective of his family, and very territorial. Because of these instinctive characteristics, it is essential that you learn how to train your Akita to be a well-behaved member of society.

Your Akita's primary training should begin when it is a puppy. You must remember that this cute, cuddly ball of fur will soon grow into a powerful adult weighing as much as 125 pounds. At which size do you think it will be easier to teach them to obey you?

Beginning puppy training should include:

1. housebreaking
2. coming to you when called
3. learning not to jump on people or furniture
4. learning to release objects from its mouth on command
5. learning to be gentle with its mouth
6. socialization with others (both dogs and people)
7. learning to share its food and toys

These training goals should be incorporated into a consistent daily routine where you teach the dog what is expected of him and then you enforce the rules through a balance of correction and praise. You will be amazed how quickly your Akita can learn what is expected of him as long as You are consistent and firm. Remember, you do want to train your puppy but you don't want to break his spirit. Stick to teaching these basic behaviors until your dog is about 4-6 months old. Then you can go on to the more advanced behavior training.

The Akita is a working dog. The AKC Working Dog Group includes some of the most intelligent breeds of dogs. They are able to learn very quickly and can be trained to perform a large number of tasks. Because of their great intelligence, however, Akitas won't be happy if left alone in a pen or in a house all day. A working dog enjoys life most when he is given responsibility and a job to do, whether the job is performing obedience exercises, back-packing, guarding the yard, or hunting.

It is imperative that your Akita learns to respect you as its leader before it attains full size. This is one of the major problem areas for many Akita owners. Many of the puppy behaviors which we humans consider cute are actually challenges by the dog to determine who will be the leader. If you learn to recognize these behaviors for what they really are, it will be much easier to gain and maintain his respect. One example is playing tug-of-war with your Akita puppy. We humans think of this as a cute game, however, your dog thinks of it as an opportunity to use its teeth, mouth, and strength to take something that it wants away from you. Perhaps this doesn't seem too serious with a small puppy, but what happens when you're holding something that your 120 pound adult male Akita wants?

You must also teach your Akita to respect each member of your family. You do not want a dog who obeys you but becomes unmanageable when you are not around!

Body language is critically important to dogs. A perfect example of this is letting the dog sleep in your bed with you. While we humans consider this an act of affection and love, the dog interprets this as weakness in his owner because the dog is now at an equal level. If the dog is made to sleep on the floor beside the bed, he will still feel the companionship, but he will also realize that he is subordinate to his owner.

Akitas are known to be dog-aggressive. This means that many Akitas will show intolerance toward other dogs(especially if that dog is of the same sex). This is all the more reason why you must start a consistent training program as soon as possible. An Akita who is well trained for self control and obedience is a lot less likely to create a problem than one who is left unsupervised all day and who is not taught to obey its owner.

Boundary-control is an often overlooked area of dog training, yet it can save your dog's life! All dogs should be trained not to go through doors or gates without their owner's permission (this includes car doors and street curbs too). Believe it or not, this is not that difficult to teach them!

If you already own an Akita and you are beginning to have problems with behavior and obedience, do not despair! Even adult Akitas can be trained to obey, it just takes more time and energy on your part. This is where the services of a professional dog trainer should help immensely. If you do choose to use a professional trainer, be sure he has had a lot of experience with Akitas. He will be able to help you interpret your dogs' behavior problems and determine the best way to solve them.

If you really enjoy training your dog, you're probably wondering what else you can do after your Akita is trained for regular "household" obedience. This is where the AKC Obedience Trials can be both challenging and fun. At many AKC sanctioned dog shows, there is judging set up for performance of predetermined obedience exercises. The required exercises will vary with the type of obedience title you are trying to earn(there are 3 basic classes of obedience competition - Novice, Open, and Utility). Each class has its own required exercises and standards. For example, to compete in the Novice class your dog must be able to:

1. Heel on lead
2. Heel off lead
3. Stand for examination by the judge
4. Come to you when called
5. Sit-stay for 1 minute
6. Down-stay for 3 minutes

Each exercise has a certain point value and the judge will deduct partial points if your performance is not correct. A perfect score on all 6 exercises is 200 points. If you receive 170 or more points, you will get a qualifying ribbon. When your dog has received 3 qualifying ribbons from 3 different judges, he will have earned the obedience title associated with that class (the title earned from Novice class is called Companion Dog or C.D.). The abbreviation for the title is then listed at the end of your dog's name. Additional ribbons are awarded for first through fourth place high score in each class and a special award is given for the highest score earned out of all three classes that day. If you like competition and working with your dog--this is for you!

The judging standards are high. So be prepared to spend a lot of time training! The
specific requirements for these exercises are listed in the AKC Obedience
Regulations booklet available from the AKC. Front and Finish magazine is another good source of tips on obedience competition. Many professional trainers can help as well. However, if you choose to learn from someone, be sure your trainer has earned titles himself!

We hope that the above training and obedience information will help you to identify areas you need to work on as well as additional sources of information. Our goal is to see more Akita owners enjoying their dogs and more dogs enjoying their lives. Proper training accomplishes both!

There are many good reference books available today. This is one of our favorites:
Good Owners, Great Dogs: A Training Manual For Humans And Their Canine Companions
by Brian Kilcommons
Warner Books NY 1992