How to Care for an Akita Inu

The Akita Inu is a low-maintenance dog. This hearty breed can be traced back thousands of years, to when the dogs helped hunters bring in large game. These days, an Akita in the home is thought to be a symbol of good health and prosperity.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Dental Kits (for Dogs)
• Dog Brushes
• Dog Carriers
• Dog Collars
• Dog Dishes
• Dog Leashes
• Dog Treats
• High-quality Dog Food
• Nail Clippers For Dogs

1. Keep your Akita's weight down. This should not be difficult, since Akitas eat less than most dogs their size. Keep your Akita's food dish separate from other pets' dishes. Akitas are very possessive of their dog chow.

2. Take care when introducing a new baby to an Akita. If children are in the home before the Akita moves in, she will accept them as part of the pack. But if the Akita is there first, she may need time to adjust to new children. Akitas may not tolerate visiting children, and boisterous play can incite an Akita's protective instincts.

3. Be careful with your dog's diet. Akitas need an ultra-premium, all-natural dog food and should receive a digestive enzyme with each meal.

4. Learn about the health problems associated with this breed: bloat (Akitas are among the top 10 breeds that bloat), hypothyroidism, autoimmune diseases, epilepsy, cruciate ligament tears, patella luxation, skin and eye disorders and hip dysplasia.

5. Be prepared for an annual or biannual shed fest. This dog's undercoat is thick and lush and will be shed entirely once or twice a year. You can knit more than one sweater with the fur your dog loses. The shedding period lasts a few weeks.

6. Brush your Akita weekly when she's not shedding and daily during shedding periods. Brushing keeps the coat oiled and is part of a bonding ritual.

7. Bathe the dog infrequently. Akitas are very clean dogs and groom themselves like cats.

8. Make sure to trim the dog's nails once a month, especially if you have an older Akita. An active Akita on concrete will keep its own nails trimmed.

9. Remember that Akitas learn easily and respond well to a firm and consistent trainer.

10. Allow your Akita to come inside; Akitas do not do well as outside dogs. As a rule, they are not destructive and can be trusted with a doggy door.

11. Remember that this dog is very social and needs plenty of time with its owners.

12. Get ready to enjoy your dog for 10 to 13 years - the average life expectancy of an Akita.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your Akita in a secure yard. This breed doesn't require a lot of space, but can and will climb a 5-foot fence.

• While Akitas don't bark much, they aren't silent either. They grumble and mutter, and their sounds can sometimes be misinterpreted as growls by people who don't know them.

• Make sure you or someone in your home is willing to spend 30 to 60 minutes a day playing with and exercising your dog.

• The breed is extremely dominant and needs firm, but not harsh, discipline.

• Akitas are very possessive and should be carefully monitored with children. Never leave an Akita alone with a child under age 12.

• The main reason people give up Akitas is aggression, usually associated with a lack of training. Akitas allowed to roam at will might attack neighborhood pets, and Akitas typically challenge for dominance between nine months and two years. Early spaying or neutering will prevent some of these problems.