behavior at times going out
The question I want to pose concerns my akita Bill, and his behavior at the times when he is due for a walk. From what I understand akitas have to be out AT LEAST two times a day (that's good for any dog breed, if not three times), but this one, though still a puppy, does not seem like he has to go out more than once a day. So my question is : is that ok? has anybody ever experienced an akita that can keep and hold what the dog has to do outside for more than 24 hours?
He Has been like that pretty much since the time when we first brought him into our house. He was then three months old, grown up on a farm with perhaps not very loving or caring foster parents, and then suddenly he came to our city. We live in Amsterdam, a city, though small, still with a lot of noises and construction going on. So he balked from the beginning, it was difficult then to get him him to walk, but partially forcing (and that was perhaps a mistake) and partially with cajoling we had him going. Now he is 17 months old, but by an unfortunate coincidence he has seen fireworks, and on top of it my daughter, 11 years old, whom he seemed to trust the most before, has been away for some 7 days, and now he seems completely at a loss. He was going out and seemed even better walking while she was away (and then i thought: oh, it is because she is away, and does not make any hassle like any other 11 years old, I suppose) but than she came back and now he absolutely refuses to go out of the house unless we go with the three of us. The Family, which he feels he has to keep together. That has pretty much been the pattern the whole time, i think: the only time when I could take him out for a walk by myself was between 5 and 10 months old, the rest of the time we pair up and it becomes a joint venture to get the dog out of the house ( my daughter and me mostly; or my husband and me when my daughter is away). But now it is really too much, today I first tried with my daughter: we got him outside but he didn’t want to walk further than the first pole, then mu husband immediately after with the same story, and then only when they came and got me and we went with the three of us, then he came, as happily as ever, with the tail curled, and compliments following, you can't even take it out on a dog like this: he looks so content. But why? Is he afraid? And the more people the safer he feels? or what?
I would appreciate any comments on this. Thank you in advance! And yes, indeed, he looks most happy when he sees us three sitting on a couch or something.
He Has been like that pretty much since the time when we first brought him into our house. He was then three months old, grown up on a farm with perhaps not very loving or caring foster parents, and then suddenly he came to our city. We live in Amsterdam, a city, though small, still with a lot of noises and construction going on. So he balked from the beginning, it was difficult then to get him him to walk, but partially forcing (and that was perhaps a mistake) and partially with cajoling we had him going. Now he is 17 months old, but by an unfortunate coincidence he has seen fireworks, and on top of it my daughter, 11 years old, whom he seemed to trust the most before, has been away for some 7 days, and now he seems completely at a loss. He was going out and seemed even better walking while she was away (and then i thought: oh, it is because she is away, and does not make any hassle like any other 11 years old, I suppose) but than she came back and now he absolutely refuses to go out of the house unless we go with the three of us. The Family, which he feels he has to keep together. That has pretty much been the pattern the whole time, i think: the only time when I could take him out for a walk by myself was between 5 and 10 months old, the rest of the time we pair up and it becomes a joint venture to get the dog out of the house ( my daughter and me mostly; or my husband and me when my daughter is away). But now it is really too much, today I first tried with my daughter: we got him outside but he didn’t want to walk further than the first pole, then mu husband immediately after with the same story, and then only when they came and got me and we went with the three of us, then he came, as happily as ever, with the tail curled, and compliments following, you can't even take it out on a dog like this: he looks so content. But why? Is he afraid? And the more people the safer he feels? or what?
I would appreciate any comments on this. Thank you in advance! And yes, indeed, he looks most happy when he sees us three sitting on a couch or something.
Comments
Since I've never come across that behavior before, that's the best suggestion I have. Good luck! And keep us informed.
A bit more on each theory: Our former dog, Joe (a mix of Rott, black lab, husky and German Shepherd) was extremely afraid of fireworks, cars backfiring, gun shots, thunder and any noises resembling these. We were never able to break him of it. He would refuse to go for a walk and wanted to hide indoors for hours after exposure to these noises. Luckily, he took "care of business" in our yard, but I recall times when he would not go for a walk for 3-4 days in a row (especially around the 4th of July celebrations). He never got over his fear regardless of the various ways we tried to encourage him to forget about it!
Our current dog, Josephine (a Kai) refuses to take a walk away from the farmhouse into the field at our rural property at times. Since she will not take "care of business" in the yard this is an issue. Usually, this will happen late at night (ocassionally other random times), and we think it is when there is a wolf or coyotes about. She will go, though, if everyone who is in the house at the time comes along; and usually this is what we resort to doing. I am thinking this is more of the guarding mechanism; in other words she does not want to leave anyone at risk by staying alone in the house. So in spite of my husband thinking he is guarding her (carries that 22 caliber shotgun each time), she instead knows she is the true guard of household.
Well, in spite of all that I don't know of a good technique, but I suggest trying Dave's idea to see how it works for you. I will suggest to my husband, too, and we will try it when Josephine gets in one of those funny moods about going out into the field....
Try these suggestions, but know that if this is how he is, then this may be how he's going to be, and he's making the choice not to go out. Good luck! Feel free to post pics too. :-)