hmm. eat? depends on dog. I prefer as much as i can feed my akita. because they are toooooooo picky with food!! adult akita over 2 years old need 30min minimum excercise. I just lightly walk with my dogs for 15-25 min everyday. my female is becoming 1 1/2 and will walk little faster with her from now on.
We exercise about 30 minutes twice a day (I usually let them tell me when they've had enough so sometimes it is a little less). Sometimes it's a walk around the neighborhood, playing ball in the backyard, going hiking, playdates, walking the trails at the park or playing in the ponds (weather permitting), and so on. I try to shake it up a bit to keep them from becoming 'set' on one thing. I like the different environments to expose them to different things/dogs/people/distractions. It works for my AA's and they seem quite happy!
**During really hot weather I modify the amount of time we spend outside and the activities we choose and the times of day we go out.
Mine just runs around in the yard with the other dogs (but I have a very large yard). He used to go on short walks (like 1/2 mile or so) but he has problems with his spine, and we think it's best that he has less activity rather than more (we can see he gets sore and tired).
What kind of Akita are you getting? AA or JA? How much the eat depends on size and what you feed.
I would say, also, to be really really careful to make sure the dog you're getting (if you're not rescuing) is from a reputable breeder who has done good health checks on the parents. There are a lot of health issues in Akitas, and that is not something you want. I thought we did everything right, and spent a lot of time checking up on breeders (like months) and still got a dog with health issues (he has micropthalmia and he has spine problems and he is only 2).
My girl is 17 months and goes nuts if she doesn't get either some good off leash with dogs time (usually do park, or in friends with dogs yard) or at minimum two 30 minute walks. But we mix it up too. If I have a day of errands where I can take her, Home Depot, Auto shop, pet store, coffee shop, etc. those activities have a mental aspect too, which also drain her energy. And she is super socialized. I also take her to the park and I roller blade so she can run, we do 2-3 miles a couple times a week. I find when I've been sick or super busy her energy builds up and she digs holes in the yard or just looks at me like "well, let's go DO something." I'm guessing as she ages she'll need less, but for now she's in great shape. She just had a check up and the vet said she was the perfect weight. They are the best dogs ever, I am so in love! Be sure to post pics when you get yours!!
I'd second everything that everyone has said. Akitas aren't high performance runners like huskies are, but they are perfect for the average runner if you work with them. I would def say they need at least a 15-30 minute walk everyday.
As far as food, it seems like Akitas can be pretty picky. Mine is. He really doesn't have a large appetite. I feed him 2-3 cups of Orijen for dinner. Occasionally, he gets a raw chicken back or turkey neck.
Comments
adult akita over 2 years old need 30min minimum excercise.
I just lightly walk with my dogs for 15-25 min everyday. my female is becoming 1 1/2 and will walk little faster with her from now on.
**During really hot weather I modify the amount of time we spend outside and the activities we choose and the times of day we go out.
What kind of Akita are you getting? AA or JA? How much the eat depends on size and what you feed.
I would say, also, to be really really careful to make sure the dog you're getting (if you're not rescuing) is from a reputable breeder who has done good health checks on the parents. There are a lot of health issues in Akitas, and that is not something you want. I thought we did everything right, and spent a lot of time checking up on breeders (like months) and still got a dog with health issues (he has micropthalmia and he has spine problems and he is only 2).
As far as food, it seems like Akitas can be pretty picky. Mine is. He really doesn't have a large appetite. I feed him 2-3 cups of Orijen for dinner. Occasionally, he gets a raw chicken back or turkey neck.