Prospective Akita Owner Looking for Feedback! :)
Hello All,
I've been seriously thinking about adding an Akita to my household for a while now. I don't intend to actually do so for at least another two years, so that gives me some time to research further and find out about reputable breeders. I am mainly interested in the Japanese Akita.
Just a little background on myself first. I've basically grown up with dogs, from fluffy Bichons to a big, mean Rottweiler. Okay, just kidding, the Rottie was more like my childhood teddy bear than a fierce killing machine
. Right now, I have a yellow Lab. In my early teens, I trained her to be a guide dog for the blind, but at her 18-month evaluation, she was deemed "too friendly" and had to be kept as a pet--so I gladly took her back. She's now 15 years old, and she's still pretty healthy--even runs up and down stairs. I'd like to give her a few more years of peace as an only dog. In her younger years, she loved playing with other dogs, now she can't keep up, so she keeps to herself. That's one of the reasons why I wouldn't want a new pup just yet.
Another reason is that I have a toddler. I'd like him to be a little older before introducing a new dog to the household. I actually did foster two feral puppies that I rescued while I was living in Europe a couple of months back. My son was only 10 months old, but I somehow managed to survive caring for a human baby and two super naughty feral dogs in a small, one bedroom apartment (I couldn't even let the pups outside because they weren't protected against Parvo yet and there were no "safe" outdoor areas free from roaming strays in the city we were living in). It felt like my life revolved around cleaning poop--of both the human baby and canine variety...haha. Anyway, I managed to find loving new homes for the pups in Germany before my family and I moved back to Los Angeles.
Now that we're in LA again, we have a house with a backyard (so the living situation is much more favorable), and I really do want my son to grow up with a canine companion as I have. I looked into a couple of different breeds, and decided a JA would be a good choice for my family for a number of reasons.
First, I like that they're protective. I miss that about my Rottie, because my Labrador wouldn't hurt a fly--or a burglar or assailant--for that matter! While I don't live in a dangerous neighborhood in Los Angeles, I was attacked by creeps a couple of times while living in big European cities in my early 20's, and I couldn't help but wonder how different the situations would have been if I had had a big, protective dog with me on the end of a leash. At the same time, however, the JA seems sedate enough that, if brought up with children and well-socialized from puppyhood, would be trustworthy around my son (although I would never let my young child be alone with any dog).
Secondly, I like that they're not supposed to be high-strung. My lab was seriously hyper for the first 4 years of her life. Marley in Marley and Me completely reminds me of how she was when she was younger.
Thirdly, I like that they're a clean breed. Even my fluffball Bichons loved rolling around in the mud when they could--and boy was it a pain maintaining that super white fluffy appearance when all they wanted to do was get dirty again! And my lab? She has no concept of clean or dirty--even poop is considered clean to her! Plus, I am now very paranoid about getting dirt tracked into the house, as my toddler is always picking things off the floor and putting them in his mouth. Like I said, when I was fostering the stray puppies in Europe, I always had a bottle of bleach and pair of gloves within reach...and don't even get me started on the horror of having to de-worm them and scrape dead roundworms off the floor --ugh!! Oh, and my Rottie was a total drooler. Drool is something my husband is grossed out by. So, according to what I've researched so far, JA's seem to be pretty good when it comes to the hygiene department.
Fourth, I like how they're not big barkers. My lab barks quite a lot when she's outside, and the new neighbor is starting to get annoyed.
Fifth, I like that they're good house pets. I want my dog to be a house dog...one that won't tear everything apart and poop/pee everywhere the second I step outside. My Bichons and my lab were all difficult to housebreak (and my lab was very destructive). I'm not so much of an outdoorsy, let's-play-fetch person, so the Akita seems like a nice fit for me. I enjoy walks around the neighborhood/outlet mall and visits to the beach...MAYBE the occasional camping trip--but no jogging, hunting, or anything very physically exerting. Too much of a wimp! :P
Of course, I also think they're beautiful dogs. I do acknowledge their reported flaws, too, and I'm pretty sure I can handle them. I've heard that they're stubborn, which is not really new territory for me, as I've dealt with many, many stubborn dogs...and it doesn't matter to me that much.
Now for my questions (finally!)...
1. I hear a lot about how the Akita has health problems. Well, Labs are supposed to be overbred and have health problems too, but my lab is in pretty good condition at 15 years. She has had no health issues her whole life. Then again, she was bred from generations of healthy dogs for the guide dog program. Wouldn't safe breeding practices and health screening of breeding stock dramatically improve your chances of getting a healthy pup? My Rottie and one of my Bichons had health issues, but both were from BYB's.
2. Is it unrealistic to expect my Akita to be suitable for a doggy daycare atmosphere? My lab goes to a cage-free doggy daycare center when we go out of town. The price is pretty steep, but I don't trust anyone else to be responsible enough with my dog, and I've had bad experiences with veterinary boarding kennels. The only thing is that the dog must be able to get along with other dogs at a daycare facility. They are always supervised by at least one qualified adult, but the dogs must still be pretty trustworthy around other well-behaved dogs of the same size (they perform a temperament test before accepting your dog and little dogs are separated from big ones). If Akitas aren't generally suitable for doggy daycare centers, then what do Akita owners do when they need to go out of town? Do you think the puppy's breeder would be willing to watch the dog if I paid him and if he lives locally? I have tried pet-sitters before, but I had a terrible experience with one. She actually "forgot" to come over, and my lab was left starving and thirsty for a whole weekend! She apologized and said we didn't have to pay her for that weekend. Well--DUH!!
3. How much do they shed? I've read it's a hardcore blow-out twice a year. My lab sheds profusely year-round. She sheds more than any dog I've ever encountered. Even the doggy daycare center employees tell me that when my dog comes in, it's like a snowstorm of white lab hairs everywhere...haha. I would assume that means my lab is an exceptional shedder. So, I am used to everything being covered in dog hair, but I want to be prepared nevertheless. Do Akitas shed profusely year-round if they live in a moderate climate, like that of Southern Cali?
4. Are they okay in apartments? I have a house, but I do visit my parents in SF and stay at their apartment sometimes.
5. Finally, what do you think about the JA and American Akita blends? I've talked to one breeder in Socal who breeds the JA/AA blends, but her dogs look much more like JA's. Anyway, her logic for doing so makes sense to me. Akitas pretty much had the same ancestors a couple of decades back, but then the Japanese and American breeders took different routes in terms of what they bred for. They do appear quite different now, but wouldn't it be beneficial to both JAs and AAs to get new blood in their lines? It makes sense that more and more health problems may crop up if you continue to isolate the breeding populations. I know that it's a touchy issue for some, but to me it seems like more variety and "fresh blood" from a foreign stock may be good for both JA's and AA's.
I know that this is a really exaggerated example, but my aunt once purchased a brother and sister pair of goats. When they matured, they bred and produced a female kid. This doeling, the result of a brother/sister pairing, was pretty normal. However, once this doeling matured, it in turn bred with its father. The resulting kid of this breeding was also a female. Now this female bred again with its father when it matured, but it didn't give birth to live kids. They were born malformed and/or stillborn. I might be mistaken, but I think she might have managed to have a few kids survive to adulthood, but they were very unhealthy. I was appalled when my aunt told me this--I could not imagine what possessed her to leave the goats uncastrated and free to breed. Or, if she really wanted to breed goats, I couldn't understand why she didn't introduce a new set of genetics to the mix! Again this is an exaggerated case, but introducing new genetics (as long as they are healthy genetics) can be very beneficial. I've read that cheetah populations in Africa are so limited, and so closely related nowadays that skin transplants among individual cheetahs don't produce typical immune responses. That can be detrimental to the cheetah species if disease (viral, bacterial, or genetic) strikes.
Anyway, I suppose the Akita is following the route of the English Cocker Spaniel and American Cocker Spaniel...meaning, some day they may eventually split into two distinct breeds. I'm not sure how good that was for the Cocker Spaniel, because many Cockers that I've met have behavioral and/or health problems. This may be due to irresponsible breeding after "Lady and the Tramp" was released years ago, or it might have something to do with genetic isolation. I like the rounder faces of the ACC better, but when you breed for looks, you might end up with big problems down the road.
So basically, I'm trying to understand what people feel about the blends, and why. I do really like the look of the pure JA, but I'm worried that these dogs from pure lines may not be the healthiest out there, particularly if they are bred for cosmetic conformity, more so than temperament or health. My main concern as a prospective Akita owner, is to find a dog from healthy, well-tempered lines. I understand the tendencies inherent within the breed itself (prey drive, aggression, stubbornness, etc.) and I don't expect to get a dog that is perfect from the get-go, but I would at least like to acquire a pup from a responsible breeder that breeds two dogs together for the right reasons.
That said, if anyone does know of a GOOD, RESPONSIBLE breeder of JA's in Southern California, I'd be interested in finding out about them. I've found out about Kobun Kennel from the JACA website. Anyone familiar with the breeder? Are his dogs healthy and well-rounded? They look beautiful on the website, but it doesn't say a whole lot about the health checks. I guess I lucked out with a 15-year-old lab who's still going strong, but I do want a healthy, long-lived Akita. I've had terrible experiences with badly bred, unhealthy dogs in the past, and it is heartbreaking, not to mention time-consuming and financially taxing!
Well, this has been a HUGE, long post...so THANK YOU to anyone who has read this 'til the end. Any feedback would be great, as I don't have much personal experience with the NK breeds. Any opinions are also welcome...I'm here to learn, and soak up what people have to say, so that I can make an informed decision of my own. Thanks again! Give your fluffy babies big hugs for me
I've been seriously thinking about adding an Akita to my household for a while now. I don't intend to actually do so for at least another two years, so that gives me some time to research further and find out about reputable breeders. I am mainly interested in the Japanese Akita.
Just a little background on myself first. I've basically grown up with dogs, from fluffy Bichons to a big, mean Rottweiler. Okay, just kidding, the Rottie was more like my childhood teddy bear than a fierce killing machine
. Right now, I have a yellow Lab. In my early teens, I trained her to be a guide dog for the blind, but at her 18-month evaluation, she was deemed "too friendly" and had to be kept as a pet--so I gladly took her back. She's now 15 years old, and she's still pretty healthy--even runs up and down stairs. I'd like to give her a few more years of peace as an only dog. In her younger years, she loved playing with other dogs, now she can't keep up, so she keeps to herself. That's one of the reasons why I wouldn't want a new pup just yet. Another reason is that I have a toddler. I'd like him to be a little older before introducing a new dog to the household. I actually did foster two feral puppies that I rescued while I was living in Europe a couple of months back. My son was only 10 months old, but I somehow managed to survive caring for a human baby and two super naughty feral dogs in a small, one bedroom apartment (I couldn't even let the pups outside because they weren't protected against Parvo yet and there were no "safe" outdoor areas free from roaming strays in the city we were living in). It felt like my life revolved around cleaning poop--of both the human baby and canine variety...haha. Anyway, I managed to find loving new homes for the pups in Germany before my family and I moved back to Los Angeles.
Now that we're in LA again, we have a house with a backyard (so the living situation is much more favorable), and I really do want my son to grow up with a canine companion as I have. I looked into a couple of different breeds, and decided a JA would be a good choice for my family for a number of reasons.
First, I like that they're protective. I miss that about my Rottie, because my Labrador wouldn't hurt a fly--or a burglar or assailant--for that matter! While I don't live in a dangerous neighborhood in Los Angeles, I was attacked by creeps a couple of times while living in big European cities in my early 20's, and I couldn't help but wonder how different the situations would have been if I had had a big, protective dog with me on the end of a leash. At the same time, however, the JA seems sedate enough that, if brought up with children and well-socialized from puppyhood, would be trustworthy around my son (although I would never let my young child be alone with any dog).
Secondly, I like that they're not supposed to be high-strung. My lab was seriously hyper for the first 4 years of her life. Marley in Marley and Me completely reminds me of how she was when she was younger.
Thirdly, I like that they're a clean breed. Even my fluffball Bichons loved rolling around in the mud when they could--and boy was it a pain maintaining that super white fluffy appearance when all they wanted to do was get dirty again! And my lab? She has no concept of clean or dirty--even poop is considered clean to her! Plus, I am now very paranoid about getting dirt tracked into the house, as my toddler is always picking things off the floor and putting them in his mouth. Like I said, when I was fostering the stray puppies in Europe, I always had a bottle of bleach and pair of gloves within reach...and don't even get me started on the horror of having to de-worm them and scrape dead roundworms off the floor --ugh!! Oh, and my Rottie was a total drooler. Drool is something my husband is grossed out by. So, according to what I've researched so far, JA's seem to be pretty good when it comes to the hygiene department.
Fourth, I like how they're not big barkers. My lab barks quite a lot when she's outside, and the new neighbor is starting to get annoyed.
Fifth, I like that they're good house pets. I want my dog to be a house dog...one that won't tear everything apart and poop/pee everywhere the second I step outside. My Bichons and my lab were all difficult to housebreak (and my lab was very destructive). I'm not so much of an outdoorsy, let's-play-fetch person, so the Akita seems like a nice fit for me. I enjoy walks around the neighborhood/outlet mall and visits to the beach...MAYBE the occasional camping trip--but no jogging, hunting, or anything very physically exerting. Too much of a wimp! :P
Of course, I also think they're beautiful dogs. I do acknowledge their reported flaws, too, and I'm pretty sure I can handle them. I've heard that they're stubborn, which is not really new territory for me, as I've dealt with many, many stubborn dogs...and it doesn't matter to me that much.
Now for my questions (finally!)...
1. I hear a lot about how the Akita has health problems. Well, Labs are supposed to be overbred and have health problems too, but my lab is in pretty good condition at 15 years. She has had no health issues her whole life. Then again, she was bred from generations of healthy dogs for the guide dog program. Wouldn't safe breeding practices and health screening of breeding stock dramatically improve your chances of getting a healthy pup? My Rottie and one of my Bichons had health issues, but both were from BYB's.
2. Is it unrealistic to expect my Akita to be suitable for a doggy daycare atmosphere? My lab goes to a cage-free doggy daycare center when we go out of town. The price is pretty steep, but I don't trust anyone else to be responsible enough with my dog, and I've had bad experiences with veterinary boarding kennels. The only thing is that the dog must be able to get along with other dogs at a daycare facility. They are always supervised by at least one qualified adult, but the dogs must still be pretty trustworthy around other well-behaved dogs of the same size (they perform a temperament test before accepting your dog and little dogs are separated from big ones). If Akitas aren't generally suitable for doggy daycare centers, then what do Akita owners do when they need to go out of town? Do you think the puppy's breeder would be willing to watch the dog if I paid him and if he lives locally? I have tried pet-sitters before, but I had a terrible experience with one. She actually "forgot" to come over, and my lab was left starving and thirsty for a whole weekend! She apologized and said we didn't have to pay her for that weekend. Well--DUH!!
3. How much do they shed? I've read it's a hardcore blow-out twice a year. My lab sheds profusely year-round. She sheds more than any dog I've ever encountered. Even the doggy daycare center employees tell me that when my dog comes in, it's like a snowstorm of white lab hairs everywhere...haha. I would assume that means my lab is an exceptional shedder. So, I am used to everything being covered in dog hair, but I want to be prepared nevertheless. Do Akitas shed profusely year-round if they live in a moderate climate, like that of Southern Cali?
4. Are they okay in apartments? I have a house, but I do visit my parents in SF and stay at their apartment sometimes.
5. Finally, what do you think about the JA and American Akita blends? I've talked to one breeder in Socal who breeds the JA/AA blends, but her dogs look much more like JA's. Anyway, her logic for doing so makes sense to me. Akitas pretty much had the same ancestors a couple of decades back, but then the Japanese and American breeders took different routes in terms of what they bred for. They do appear quite different now, but wouldn't it be beneficial to both JAs and AAs to get new blood in their lines? It makes sense that more and more health problems may crop up if you continue to isolate the breeding populations. I know that it's a touchy issue for some, but to me it seems like more variety and "fresh blood" from a foreign stock may be good for both JA's and AA's.
I know that this is a really exaggerated example, but my aunt once purchased a brother and sister pair of goats. When they matured, they bred and produced a female kid. This doeling, the result of a brother/sister pairing, was pretty normal. However, once this doeling matured, it in turn bred with its father. The resulting kid of this breeding was also a female. Now this female bred again with its father when it matured, but it didn't give birth to live kids. They were born malformed and/or stillborn. I might be mistaken, but I think she might have managed to have a few kids survive to adulthood, but they were very unhealthy. I was appalled when my aunt told me this--I could not imagine what possessed her to leave the goats uncastrated and free to breed. Or, if she really wanted to breed goats, I couldn't understand why she didn't introduce a new set of genetics to the mix! Again this is an exaggerated case, but introducing new genetics (as long as they are healthy genetics) can be very beneficial. I've read that cheetah populations in Africa are so limited, and so closely related nowadays that skin transplants among individual cheetahs don't produce typical immune responses. That can be detrimental to the cheetah species if disease (viral, bacterial, or genetic) strikes.
Anyway, I suppose the Akita is following the route of the English Cocker Spaniel and American Cocker Spaniel...meaning, some day they may eventually split into two distinct breeds. I'm not sure how good that was for the Cocker Spaniel, because many Cockers that I've met have behavioral and/or health problems. This may be due to irresponsible breeding after "Lady and the Tramp" was released years ago, or it might have something to do with genetic isolation. I like the rounder faces of the ACC better, but when you breed for looks, you might end up with big problems down the road.
So basically, I'm trying to understand what people feel about the blends, and why. I do really like the look of the pure JA, but I'm worried that these dogs from pure lines may not be the healthiest out there, particularly if they are bred for cosmetic conformity, more so than temperament or health. My main concern as a prospective Akita owner, is to find a dog from healthy, well-tempered lines. I understand the tendencies inherent within the breed itself (prey drive, aggression, stubbornness, etc.) and I don't expect to get a dog that is perfect from the get-go, but I would at least like to acquire a pup from a responsible breeder that breeds two dogs together for the right reasons.
That said, if anyone does know of a GOOD, RESPONSIBLE breeder of JA's in Southern California, I'd be interested in finding out about them. I've found out about Kobun Kennel from the JACA website. Anyone familiar with the breeder? Are his dogs healthy and well-rounded? They look beautiful on the website, but it doesn't say a whole lot about the health checks. I guess I lucked out with a 15-year-old lab who's still going strong, but I do want a healthy, long-lived Akita. I've had terrible experiences with badly bred, unhealthy dogs in the past, and it is heartbreaking, not to mention time-consuming and financially taxing!
Well, this has been a HUGE, long post...so THANK YOU to anyone who has read this 'til the end. Any feedback would be great, as I don't have much personal experience with the NK breeds. Any opinions are also welcome...I'm here to learn, and soak up what people have to say, so that I can make an informed decision of my own. Thanks again! Give your fluffy babies big hugs for me
Comments
1. Health Problems
Genetics is a tricky terrain. You will meet people with BYB breeder or puppy mill dogs that are healthy as oxes. I rescue pit bulls and have had my fair share of extraordinarily healthy dogs bred in the most horrific of conditions. I presently share my home with a JA from a reputable breeder oversees. He comes from prize winning lines and on paper everything was done right. However he still has cow-hocked legs, a collagen deficiency that gives him floppy ears, and dental issues that require an annual visit to a specialist. He is still one of the most wonderful dogs I have had the pleasure of sharing my home with and he adores my two other dogs, but it is something to keep in mind. The Akita is a breed wrought with sever health issues. There are some members on the forum (JackBurton is the first to come to mind, and I believe he either lives in or is from CA) who are active in the JA community who hopefully can point you in the direction of some healthier lines than what I have seen.
2. Doggy day care feasibility
Assuming you take the necessary steps to properly socialize your dog from a very young age, it is entirely possible. Though not guaranteed. Some dogs just don't care for that big group environment. Just like you can have two children and one can be a social butterfly and the other a bit of a wallflower. So I guess I am saying it isn't impossible, and if you socialize well it is even probably that you could do doggy daycare. Just always have a back up plan.
3. Shedding
Brad warned me it was bad. I thought, "how bad can it be? I have four cats and two other dogs. It won't be that much worse..." OH MY GOD, the shedding is INSANE. I will confess that I am a bit of a neat freak. But I vacuum two times a day and it is still gnarly! So much fur! I buy bulk lint rollers. I empty my vacuum canister daily. Still so....much... hair.....
4. Apartment friendly
My house is only 1600 sq ft. And I share my home with 3 dogs and four cats. If you are active and make a point of exercising your dog well and often, I see no reason why an Akita wouldn't be fine in an apartment. Hilo is a couch potato. He is great outside and will totally be playful. But if we don't actively exercise him, he would very gladly just chill out on my sofa and wouldn't budge.
5. Tweenies
To be completely honest, I have no real opinion on the whole AA/JA controversy. As far as a less than informed opinion, I consider them separate breeds. And considering both seem to be filled with nasty genetic issues, so I am not sure that blending really is helping. Again there are other members that are far more educated on the topic and hopefully they will take the time to put in their two cents.
Again the member JackBurton would be a great person to talk with he is active in the California JA community.
Again, welcome to the group.
He is aware of the problems of inbreeding. Two of the dogs he raises are directly from Shirai kennels in Japan, but before importing them, he had asked if they were unrelated and okay to breed together. A third dog is from an entirely different kennel.
I think JackBurton mentioned that Ben may be getting some more unrelated dogs in the future?
Here is the JACA webpage (also put together by JackBurton) which is a good source of info, and I linked the breeder page for you: http://akita-inu.com/breederlistings.htm BTW, as a side note,if you're looking around on that page and your read "about the split" a pro-split article, that is written by Katie Asling, who I got my AA puppy from
To answer some of your questions:
health issues: I believe both JA and AA can have a lot of health issues, but I don't honestly think it is more so than some other problem ridden breeds like GSDs and I would put Labs in this category too. You can, easily, get an unhealthy dog. You can also get a healthy one. Do your homework and find a breeder who is really dedicated to health issues and also being up front about health issues (that is why, in the end, I chose the breeder I chose: she was upfront about health issues, about temperament, everything). I would think the JA might be more prone to health issues than the AA (more limited genetic pool?) but I could be totally wrong about that.
Doggy Day Care?: I'm with Jessica on this--maybe, if you work really hard to make sure your dog can handle it, enjoys other dogs, etc. Right now my AA puppy is 3 months old and shows every sign of loving every other dog he meets, and I hope it stays that way. Also, be aware some day cares may have breed specific prejudices that might now allow your dog. My dogs are at home when I'm at work (puppy in a crate, and the shibas were in crates til they were about a year old). When I leave town I do have housesitters on occasion, but my dogs also go to the kennel, where they are fine. I actually tend to worry less with dogs in the kennel then when I have a housesitter/petsitter.
Shedding: Believe me (and Jessica) you have no idea how bad it will be. A Lab is NOTHING like this. My two Shibas are insane on the shedding, and with that and the GSD I had for years, my house was constantly adrift in dog hair. And as a comparison, the GSD does shed, a lot, all the time (more than a Lab), but he was still nothing in comparison to the Shibas who do the twice a year coat blowing. I know I'm going to be overwhelmed when my AA does it....because they also never do it at the same time! *lol*
Apts/small spaces: Akitas need exercise, but if you give them that, I think they'd be fine in an apartment. They also have a lot of lazy downtime. It's a bit overwhelming when your very large puppy gets the puppy zooms (as mine is prone to do and he's about 32 pounds now) so I can just take him out in the yard, but you can work around that.
Blends: I was sort of on the fence about the breed split when I joined this forum; now I am entirely pro-split, esp because my research and meeting of dogs made me convinced they are entirely different breeds. Still, for awhile I was interested in the tweenies too. I was interested because I loved the looks of the JAs and knew I was looking about a year or more to get one, and I didn't want to wait that long (I'd just lost my GSD to cancer, and wanted another big dog, esp. as my female Shiba was freaking out without him). so I considered the blends. I got advice from people here on the forum, and did find some various things I didn't like about some of the tweenie breeding programs. I realized I was only interested in the tweenies because I didn't want to wait for a JA, and I decided I had to focus on what was most important to me, which was to get a healthy dog from a breeder who particularly interested in breeding for a good temperament, and I went with an AA instead.
One suggestion I have for you as I've just gone through all this is to really try and see as many dogs as possible, esp. from breeders you are considering, if it is at all possible. Because of where I live, in NM, I was limited in being able to visit breeders, but I did got a dog show, and met a lot of Akitas (all AAs, which did renew my love of the breed). Some I'd been considering had dogs that were aggressive even in the show ring! Others just didn't seem that interested in temperament. Many breeders I contacted rejected me outright because I have Shibas. I narrowed it down to two breeders, one who had beautiful dogs, plus was friendly, helpful, and had healthy, dogs and was very clear on which of her dogs had good temperaments and which were a bit more dog aggressive. (BTW, I'm not entirely convinced you CAN breed for temperament, but I decided to act as if you could, as a way to hedge my bets so to speak, and I also was very concerned about early socialization). I would have got a dog from her (Liberty Akitas) in a minute, but her bitch didn't come into season til late July, and by then I had an opportunity to get a pup from my other favorite, Hoka Hey, so I went with Hoka Hey. Now I have a big, silly boy who has a soft temperament and loves everyone. (This, btw, does not mean he will not be a watch dog--he's already starting to "patrol" the yard and bark at things he doesn't recognize, but I like this friendliness as it is based in his confidence).
Anyway, since I've just been through all this, please feel free to send me a message too, if you'd like to talk more about what I went through/thoughts, etc. I've certainly taken up a lot of space here!
About the shedding, it's not such a big deal for me...I actually thought it was cute when I'd be traveling, and I'd open my suit case and see Lab hairs everywhere--made me feel like I had my dog with me even when I was out of town. Hehe. But, it is a big nuisance to my husband. He gets really annoyed having to lint roll all his outfits before going out. Ah, well. He'll have to deal with it! I have read, however, that Akitas blow coat twice a year, but the rest of the time, are generally not big shedders. Do you find this to be the case? This is a quote I found online:
"Twice a year, Akitas "blow" their undercoats, that is, they shed their undercoats completely. It is a very intense shedding period that can last up to three weeks from start to finish. The good news is that this only happens twice a year. The remainder of the time, Akitas are relatively shed-free. Some people feel that this periodic problem is easier to cope with than the constant shedding and renewal of many smooth-coated breeds."
I think I might prefer 8 weeks of serious shedding over year-long shedding like I get with my Lab (I can create a separate dog from all the hair by brushing her out any and all time of year). Are there Akitas that shed year-round instead of twice a year, though? Do you find feeding a certain diet helps with the shedding? My Lab gets Taste of the Wild (the salmon formula), which I've heard good things about, but still sheds like crazy.
I will definitely try to get in contact with Kobun Akitas soon and see what the breeder has to say. I also plan on attending the Eukanuba/AKC dog show in Long Beach this year (it's like 30 minutes away from where I live), and perhaps I'll get to see some AA's there. I'm pretty excited about it
On a separate note, I think I'm going to watch the movie, Hachi: A Dog's Tale...for the fun of it tonight. Anybody seen it? It's the 2009 version with Richard Gere. I've read that the dog's behavior (going to the train station everyday hoping to find his master) is actually bad socialization on the owner's part for creating such a dependent, schedule-driven dog. Kind of a debbie downer, but oh well...I think, in the end, it's impossible to determine what the heck is really going on in a dog's mind!
Kaeda is from Ben
http://www.nihonken.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/3438/kaeda-photo-spam-08-17-10/#Item_112
Kita and Waka are with Ben but are LA-Branch Akiho dogs. Waka has since filled in nicely.
http://www.nihonken.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/5232/kita-and-waka/#Item_15
Puppy photos from the last breeding:
http://www.nihonken.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/5603/puppies/#Item_25
Quick note for you. First, get either an AA or a JA but don't spend money on a blend. Why shell out $$ when the real thing costs around the same state side. Second, Kaeda just got through her shedding, and it took four weeks and she dropped a ton of fur. I'll post more later.
Good luck on your research, and welcome to the forum!
I've only had Saya my shiba inu for a year and 4months and she blew her coat twice right now she doesn't seem to shed to bad, but who knows maybe as she'll grow she'll shed more.. lol