It's time for an update on Kuma, even if without spam. There hasn't been much spam lately, and this weekend we went out to the park, but I forgot my camera at work :-( Anyway, both Kuma and Nyx are doing great!
This weekend Kuma showed of his "Akitaness", but managed to be very correct while doing it. A Cocker (it's always a Cocker!) came to us at the park to smell and started growling at Kuma, Kuma didn't like it and warned him. The Cocker didn't stop and tried the bite, Kuma scared the living crap out of him when he jumped the Cocker. A Shepperd mix came around a few minutes later and (I didn't see any provocation on his side) got a growl too (I think Kuma still had some adrenaline in him from the Cocker) but we met the same dog a bit later and it was fine, they played a bit and all.
He will be friendly with any dog that his friendly, but he will not take crap form any dog, if the other dog mean business. He got mounted by a boisterous Golden puppy, while playing, and couldn't care less.
Did you ever have a dog before Kuma? I'm asking b/c I'm wondering if theres any difference in managing social situations with an intact dog vs. cut dog.
Kuma is my first dog, but I've been around dogs all my life. All of them were intact though, but none of them was as tolerant as Kuma. The one I spent more time with (Rudy, the GSD at work) was very aggressive to other dogs, he was nasty.
Jen, to be honest, when I realized an Akita was the right breed for me and started researching them, all the hype I found worried me a lot. I thought I had good chances of getting an over aggressive dog that would be unmanageable. But then i realized "Hey, I have no idea what socialization and what care there people that are writing about the breed gave their dogs", so I understood that a lot of the outcome of any future dog I would have would depend on me a great deal and before any other factor. Yes, Kuma comes from an excellent breeder, famous for her great temperament dogs. Yes, his parents are wonderful Akita, both with great temperament. But at the end of the day, I'm sure what we did with him over these 13 months he's been with us was a major help for having such a balanced dog. If I hadn't gone to the efforts I did to socialize him, I'm sure he wouldn't be as tolerant and balanced as he is. So, it's a mix of both his genes and how he was brought up, the old nature vs nurture. We've also been lucky that he hasn't had any major bad experiences, that helps a lot. It really comes down to socialization, socialization, socialization. And when you think you've socialized enough, double it. :-)
Thats great, Rui! Truly, Bravo! I often wonder about breed hype, in all breeds and especially in nihon ken.. how difficult they can be, etc. I guess I thank my lucky stars that the female shiba pup I raised is really a breeze due to the constant socialization. It truly does pay off! The people who are 'authorities' on the subject and write the hype-type info must not have done the leg work in raising a well balanced dog!
Can't wait to hear about future adventures of Kuma!
Either they haven't done the leg work, or they are trying to dissuade people that aren't willing to do the leg work from getting that breed of dog. Just a thought.
I admit that I use the negatives to answer the 'fox' questions to people who've never heard of the breed. And maybe the stigma stays... Shiba = aloof and cat like, when really - its just a dog who acts a bit differently than a beagle. Maybe we all do that, to preserve whatever we can in the breed and scare off those who wouldn't be willing to do the leg work to produce a balanced dog like Kuma. He is a great advocate for the Akita breed, Rui!
"He will be friendly with any dog that his friendly, but he will not take crap form any dog, if the other dog mean business."
Sounds like an Akita! They are mostly pacifists, but if a dog "brings it" the Akita will "bring it" 100x more. Amazingly fast too; I'm always shocked at how fast our Akita can move when they need/want to.
I agree tho, I think 75% of Kuma is his great (human) parents, the rest is his lines and a bit of breed.
Breed hype sux, there are always underlying truths in the hype but truths are skewed and distorted to the extreme.
Yeah, that Cocker couldn't believe it either! LOL It was too fast for me to do anything much, when I reacted he was already stretching the leash, and I could only pull him back. He really meant business there...That Cocker was in for a hell of a beating. The interesting thing is, as soon as I pulled him back, he was fine. Still on his toes but fine, no "talking sh!t" to the other dog, nothing. He just went back to his normal self. Not exactly his normal self, because that Shepperd mix got a bit of snarkiness, but a lot of dogs would have stayed "talking" to that Cocker.
I remembered something about another Akita, Unshou. His Silvia's brindle male, on the Akita Cup thread. Unshou is very different from Kuma, not as tolerant. He will not tolerate male dogs. He's fine with any dog in his household, but he tried to eat Kuma and a few dos that passed too close to his crate while we were at the Porto show.
Yesterday we went to the a dog show, in Elvas, a city in Alentejo, about 200Km away from Lisbon, exactly on the border with Spain. Kuma got the points he was needing to be Junior Promise 2009.
Thanks! It was a bit of an extra challenge, since it was the first show we did without any treats. Actually we took treats, dried fish, but he wasn't feeling like having it. I should know the boy likes cheese for shows. :-)
We just came back form the vet. Kuma has rhinitis, it seems. He spent yesterday sneezing, and toady he was the same so I took him in. The vet checked him out, listened to his lungs, and everything was clear so rhinitis is the simplest explanation. He had a shot for it, his first intra-muscular shot, which he took like a champ. He just flinched slightly when the needle went in.
Oh poor Kuma -- here's wishing a speedy recovery! Not sure how dogs get rhinitis --- my mother has developed it a time or two due to chronic, severe allergies (like to pollens, etc.). Perhaps he is suffering an allergic reaction to something in his environment or food? She had to use nasal sprays that were steroid-based.
Comments
Anyway, both Kuma and Nyx are doing great!
This weekend Kuma showed of his "Akitaness", but managed to be very correct while doing it. A Cocker (it's always a Cocker!) came to us at the park to smell and started growling at Kuma, Kuma didn't like it and warned him. The Cocker didn't stop and tried the bite, Kuma scared the living crap out of him when he jumped the Cocker. A Shepperd mix came around a few minutes later and (I didn't see any provocation on his side) got a growl too (I think Kuma still had some adrenaline in him from the Cocker) but we met the same dog a bit later and it was fine, they played a bit and all.
He will be friendly with any dog that his friendly, but he will not take crap form any dog, if the other dog mean business. He got mounted by a boisterous Golden puppy, while playing, and couldn't care less.
Sounds like he is doing well though.
Did you ever have a dog before Kuma? I'm asking b/c I'm wondering if theres any difference in managing social situations with an intact dog vs. cut dog.
Unaltered dogs responsibly out and about fascinate me... it goes against everything I've come to accept but I really am interested in how to manage.
Jen, to be honest, when I realized an Akita was the right breed for me and started researching them, all the hype I found worried me a lot. I thought I had good chances of getting an over aggressive dog that would be unmanageable. But then i realized "Hey, I have no idea what socialization and what care there people that are writing about the breed gave their dogs", so I understood that a lot of the outcome of any future dog I would have would depend on me a great deal and before any other factor.
Yes, Kuma comes from an excellent breeder, famous for her great temperament dogs. Yes, his parents are wonderful Akita, both with great temperament. But at the end of the day, I'm sure what we did with him over these 13 months he's been with us was a major help for having such a balanced dog. If I hadn't gone to the efforts I did to socialize him, I'm sure he wouldn't be as tolerant and balanced as he is.
So, it's a mix of both his genes and how he was brought up, the old nature vs nurture. We've also been lucky that he hasn't had any major bad experiences, that helps a lot.
It really comes down to socialization, socialization, socialization. And when you think you've socialized enough, double it. :-)
I often wonder about breed hype, in all breeds and especially in nihon ken.. how difficult they can be, etc. I guess I thank my lucky stars that the female shiba pup I raised is really a breeze due to the constant socialization. It truly does pay off! The people who are 'authorities' on the subject and write the hype-type info must not have done the leg work in raising a well balanced dog!
Can't wait to hear about future adventures of Kuma!
I admit that I use the negatives to answer the 'fox' questions to people who've never heard of the breed. And maybe the stigma stays... Shiba = aloof and cat like, when really - its just a dog who acts a bit differently than a beagle. Maybe we all do that, to preserve whatever we can in the breed and scare off those who wouldn't be willing to do the leg work to produce a balanced dog like Kuma. He is a great advocate for the Akita breed, Rui!
(end hijack)
Sounds like an Akita! They are mostly pacifists, but if a dog "brings it" the Akita will "bring it" 100x more. Amazingly fast too; I'm always shocked at how fast our Akita can move when they need/want to.
I agree tho, I think 75% of Kuma is his great (human) parents, the rest is his lines and a bit of breed.
Breed hype sux, there are always underlying truths in the hype but truths are skewed and distorted to the extreme.
----
It was too fast for me to do anything much, when I reacted he was already stretching the leash, and I could only pull him back. He really meant business there...That Cocker was in for a hell of a beating. The interesting thing is, as soon as I pulled him back, he was fine. Still on his toes but fine, no "talking sh!t" to the other dog, nothing. He just went back to his normal self. Not exactly his normal self, because that Shepperd mix got a bit of snarkiness, but a lot of dogs would have stayed "talking" to that Cocker.
I remembered something about another Akita, Unshou. His Silvia's brindle male, on the Akita Cup thread. Unshou is very different from Kuma, not as tolerant. He will not tolerate male dogs. He's fine with any dog in his household, but he tried to eat Kuma and a few dos that passed too close to his crate while we were at the Porto show.
Kuma got the points he was needing to be Junior Promise 2009.
Spam
I was hoping you'd post spam soon
HaHa--- at first I thought you meant "Elvis", and was expecting to see Kuma singing and gyrating with his white sequined suit! Just kidding!
Great Spam!
It was a bit of an extra challenge, since it was the first show we did without any treats. Actually we took treats, dried fish, but he wasn't feeling like having it. I should know the boy likes cheese for shows. :-)
Kuma has rhinitis, it seems. He spent yesterday sneezing, and toady he was the same so I took him in. The vet checked him out, listened to his lungs, and everything was clear so rhinitis is the simplest explanation. He had a shot for it, his first intra-muscular shot, which he took like a champ. He just flinched slightly when the needle went in.
I hope Kuma feels better soon! Tell Nyx to be nice to her brother since he is not feeling well!