The Accumulated Wisdom/Ramblings of the ADF Moderator


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Why Akitas

by Keith

WHY AKITAS

My sister had a beautiful HUGE male dobe(still, the 2nd biggest i've ever seen) and was gonna breed her to a nice female and promised me pick pup. Well my significant other at that time, who was a case study in Jeckyl&Hyde Syndrome btw, was terrified that I would get a 'big dog'. Could NOT convince the airhead that they start small(hello!) and end up being whatever you raise them into when the are fullgrown. Now I dont care much for little dogs (she wanted a 20# one or so) and she knows how strongwilled I am, so she starts researching breed books looking for something I'll like better than a dobe and she wont be afraid of (good luck). So she reads the section about the Akita one night. I say, duh, isnt that bigger than a dobe? Well, i guess that had slipped her mind (I later realized this was just another ploy to be the controlling bitch she is, ie, by controlling the dog I would get). But I liked what I heard so we call up the local Akita Club president and go visit them. I heard my 1st Akita before I ever saw one as I was inadvertantly staring at a cage one was in and he let out this low grumble (not a growl, but more like an earthquake). I quit that, owner lets him out and he was the perfect host, playing with his guests. I was sold.
Went to the first litter that had pups that I could find (I AM a hard learner. I dont remember the speech I KNOW the breeder must have given on byb's. I was too impressed with the dogs). Rest is history.
Now I have always been a dog person. Had mutts and hunting dogs growing up. Always. But Akitas are something else. Kind of like a combo of dog and human friend. Hard to explain, but Akita owners understand.



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 2:24 PM

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Intro-ing 2 dogs

by Keith

When you introduce 2 Akitas to each other(on leads), do so on neutral ground, like say at a school playground. Do not let one totally dominate the other, but realize that they must decide between them who will be higher in your pack. I guess i'm saying, dont let them fight, but let them do the dominance posturing.
Dont leave them alone together for a couple of months (weeks at least) and try to have them together A LOT during that time with adults present to referee (in case anything gets out of hand).



    
This message has been edited by krater on Jan 13, 2005 11:42 AM

Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 2:23 PM

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Weigh Your Puppy at the Vet!!!

by Keith


Weigh Your Puppy OFTEN @ the Vet!!!


A REAL good thing to do is take him to your vet once a week while he is growing( for 1 -1.5 years) and stand him on the scale. This does many things:

1) tells his weight progress

2)gets him used to car trips

3) gets him used to vet trips

4)socializes him with all the people and animals he meets in the office

5)gives you both something to do together

6)has the vet vet give him a FREE quickie once over when he/she greets the dog.

7) gets you out of the house and away from all the chores the wife has for you this fine saturday am. (just kidding, pls hold all flames)


Most vets encourage this kind of thing because it builds good will at no cost, creats a loyal customer, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, allows the dog to come to know and trust the vet. This may save his life later and at the very least makes it easier on you and the vet on those future exams.



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 2:23 PM

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Training: puppy desensitation

by Keith

As a puppy, I have always examined my dogs' feet, ears, mouth and anything else they seemed sensitive about on a daily basis. I also took them by my vet at least once a week (after all shots had been given) to socialize them, not only to the other animals, butt to the vet her/himself. The result is Akitas that I or my vet can completely examine without fear of the least growl.

(This was not the case with my 1st Akita, where I had to place myself between him and the vet everytime he needed looking at. Live and Learn)




Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 2:21 PM

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Thunderstorms

by Keith

Well, both of my male Akitas have never even acknowledged that thunder occurs unless it startled them out of a sleep. Then it gets a 'who goes there?' WOOF. My first girl tho hated thunder and would stick by my side during a storm. It helped her a lot. My current female started acting like thunder made her nervous when she hit about 3 years and I did the training below. She has ZERO problems with thunder now.(she will ocassionally come and sit with me in the same room during a bad storm tho)

Spend time with your dog during and BEFORE the storm. You can see when thunder is gonna occur before it does (remember lightning?) and immediately start telling your dog what a good girl she is and giving treats. Train her to associate good times with the thunder.



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 2:20 PM

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Your Local Pound

by Keith

Your local pound: somethings you can do

Michelle made a good point below about her local shelter that I think is worth discussing.

She stated that most Akitas dont make it thru a pound's intake process and are killed, I guess because they are hard to handle. I can see how that could be a real problem with peolple that dont know how to handle Akitas.

One of the things I do is to go to my local pound when they think they may have an Akita. They call me when they have an Akita and I come down and have a look to help them evaluate the dog(temprament and type). At first, I got called for just about any large dog, but the staff has learned a lot in the last few years about what an Akita looks like. In the process, I think the staff has also learned a lot about how to approach a strange Akita (you dont. you let him approach you). I try to give them some guidance re is he someone's missing pet who dug out or is he a freeroaming problem. Occasionally a really nice(from a genetic standpoint) Akita comes in and we label it a real 'keeper' and they try to keep him longer than normal if necessary.

This is NOT a fun thing to do. I live in an area where there are not many Akitas and I dont have to do this often (I hate going there. Depressing.) But I truely believe I have helped to save the lives of some Akitas.

Call up your local pound and volunteer your evaluation services. This is a way to help a needy Akita without costing you a thing.


Also it has been suggested that volunteering to do basic obedience training with some pound dogs might save a few lives. WONDERFUL IDEA! (from andi)


Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 2:19 PM

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Misc

by Keith

IME, females are quicker to protect a person and males are quicker to protect their territory( their territory being defined as whatever they see).

But trained or not, BOTH female and male Akitas are VERY protective.


Dog manners
http://www.flyingdogpress.com/sayhi.html



RAINBOW BRIDGE:
http://home.earthlink.net/~randog/akita/rescue/poems.htm

The Golden Rule of Dogs

Long ago some1 told me the golden rule of dogs.:................. They live SOLELY to please you. It is SOLELY up to you to teach them what pleases you.


While Akitas for show need to be close to standard size, as long as the pup is healthy and developing correctly, I really wouldnt worry. Barring sickness or injury, he will be what his genes determine him to be.

And as I have stated many times, what makes an Akita is PERSONALITY and ATTITUDE. Size, shape, coat length, color mean nothing except for personal preference. Health is everything.



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 2:18 PM

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Chronic Urinary Tract Infections

by Keith

Chronic Bladder Infections

I noted down the post list that one lady had luck fixing a CBI by just switching brands of dog food. My vet recently told me that dogs get bladder stones like people get kidney stones (oposite from humans where people get kidney stones but rarely bladder stones).
She stated that a canine bladder stone is often the cause of a Chronic Urinary Tract Infection and can be diagnosed(4sure) only with an Xray of the bladder. Good news is that you DO NOT have to knock the dog out for this Xray if the animal is halfway cooperative.
Posted on Jan 03 2000, 10:26 AM



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 2:17 PM

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Inbreeding

by Keith

Inbreeding and linebreeding Akitas

Basically, the closer the relationship, the greater # of genes the dogs share. And the greater the chance a recessive gene will not pair up with a dominant one. That means that , in the absence of a dominant gene the recessive trait will show. If there are no bad genes (most recessives are bad,& virtually all bad genes are recessive), there is no problem. But ALL us animals have bad genes lurking somewhere in our personal genome, humans included. So the closer the breeding relationship, the higher the Odds of a bad trait expressing itself.

Of course, that doesnt mean, any specific breeding is bad. What I generally tell folks is that , in a Aunt/nephew or uncle/niece type cross, you will get a couple of GREAT pups, a couple of obviously CRAPPY pups (or stillborn) and a handful of genetic questionmarks(krater calls them Genetic Timebombs---I think I'll steal that, its an appropriate saying). I wouldnt buy from any group except the Great group because the odds are I will be eaten up with vet bills and heartache as my pup grows up. Of course, the show breeders keep the Great pups and sell the rest to us. I speak not only from training (BS in Biology/Human Genetics) but from experience. My first male was a inbred dog and we had genetic problems.First female was linebred and we had less problems, but we still had problems. My current two are a total genetic outcross (and it took 2 months and over 12 breeders to find one who had a nonlinebred litter!!!) and we are happily genetic-problem free at 5.5 years.
======================UPDATE=================
Female died at 10 yrs of nongenetic problem.
Male is arthritic, but no other indications of a genetic problem at 12 yrs)
=============================================

Remember that my perspective is that of a consumer of pups, not as a breeder. Linebreeding is a great tool of the breeder, but a bane of the unknowledgable Akita buyer.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying linebreeding is evil or anything. This is how you develop Great Dogs. And advance the future of the breed. But it does come at a cost that we must be willing to pay up front.
Posted on Jan 02 1999, 1:56 PM

Answer to xxxxx re:inbreeding (from way down the page)

I think you need to reread my thoughts on genetic/inbreeding.
Short version: in linebreeding, you get
a)a couple of great pups +
b)a couple of sick or stillborn pups +
c)genetic timebombs which make up the majority of the litter.

This is not in dispute,. It is simple recombinant genetics. And IF(!) you get pick puppy, and sell off the question marks, it works GREAT. That is what OBJ, Goshen and Addington do (like all other great breeders). I never said it is evil.

I have met Myra (my 2 dogs are bro-sis from one of her litters), and talked a lot with Barbara and Julie in the late 80's-early 90's and , yes, they know a lot about Akita genetics. They understand what they are doing AND what I have said here, namely, the closer the breeding, the higher the chances of a larger # of recessive genes expressing themselves in the litter. And most recessives are bad.

Why did I buy from Myra (and why didnt I buy from OBJ or Goshen). Because Myra had a litter of TOTAL OUTCROSS pups and no one else did. I also knew the genetics of the father's line quite well (the Coal Miner you noted) and liked what she showed me (and what I could check) of the mothers's line (sheishedo (sp?)).
I do my homework too and can pick the top genetic pups out of a litter with the best of them.
But most Akita buyers cant, so its easier to tell them to look for an outcross instead of the salesman.

Sorry if I have offended you or any other breeder, but it is the uninformed that end up with the less than perfect pups that inbreeding/linebreeding produce.





    
This message has been edited by krater on Jan 13, 2005 11:36 AM

Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 2:16 PM

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Parvo---a plug for vet visits

by Keith hates cats

Vets have inside info

My 1st female puppy had a slighty yellowish eye booger one friday when we came home from work. Wife was a worrier who ran to dr herself at the slightest hint of personal trouble and tended to view the dogs the same way. So she starts worrying and wants to take female into the vet on sat am. Akita shows no other symptoms whatsoever. All is normal except the eye booger.

So we waltz into the vet on sat, vet takes one glance at her and says "she has parvo". Stunned. Totally. No Way. Parvo is a KILLER of puppies. She hasnt left my fenced yard and has gotten ALL shots on time. I'm not stupid and know more than most dog owners about disease and medicine and this dog IS NOT SICK. I live with her. I know.

But I had an excellent vet who I trusted and he described what she would go thru in the next week and my options. He said it was one of the earliest cases he had seen. To shorten the story, he was right and I nursed her thru it, waking her up every 30 minutes at the worst of it to hydrate her with a turkey baster of pedialyte solution. I asked him months later how he could make the diagnosis based on 1 quick glance and no bloodwork or other physical exam and he said "it was running epidemic in the area, so it was easy". Not word 1 in the papers about a parvo epidemic.

See your vet more often than you need to. You might learn something important.

(BTW, he also said that knowing our lifestyles and precautions, it was probably a passing wandering cat(allowed to run loose in violation of the law) that dropped off the parvo virus into my uncontaminated yard. Those of you that know me ......)



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 2:03 PM

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Off Lead

by Keith



I posted a recounting of an incident that happened to me a few years back on another BB and took a lot of flack. I repost here all of my posts on the subject (you can read other peoples' posts at Denali's board as I am hesitant to bulk copy someone else's writings) and await your wrath. I dont think the later posts are flaming as one of the guys in particular doesnt seem to have a clue how the real world works.
See what you think....
----\

off lead

Posted on Monday, 23 November 1998, at 4:12 p.m.

I only allow my 2 off lead when there is no real chance of another dog around. They LOVE to run and burn off energy so we let them run (supervised) in our woods. They are excellent (well, very good) on recalls unless there is a dangerous squirrel to be chased up a tree. I had my 1st 2 Akitas when i lived in TX and they were only off lead in a fenced school yard where we took them to run them. you are right about liability.

But, I would NEVER allow my dog to be at a disadvantage in a fight. We have a chow in the neighborhood (with an idiot owner) that has a rep for suprise attacking from behind. I didnt walk my dogs that way until they had their full growth and sure enuff, the chow comes up friendly (he runs loose) and I will not force my dog to present his rear by walking off. We stayed there until the chow backed off (smart enough to see a 50# advantage). The owner was hollering ''oh, he wont bother you, just ignore him'. I responded ' your dog has a rep of attacking from behind and I want to see what he'll do with the front of an Akita facing him'. Weeks later with no chow owner in sight and my male on a 30 lead, said chow ran to us again posturing, so i waited and then gave my Akita enuff lead that he could deliver a message. Chow stuck his tail between his legs and doesnt come out when we pass.

Oh yeah. Whenever I see a dog in my yard, my male and I go for a 'walk'. Most dogs learn quickly about whose territory it is. Now the neighborhood dogs dont come to my house. A + is you have many flowerbeds.

I will not force my Akita to back down from loose-running dogs. I wouldnt ask my son to swallow his pride and back down from a challenge from a bully and I wont ask my best buddy to do it either.

Posted on Monday, 23 November 1998, at 10:45 p.m., in response to Re: off lead, posted by xxxxx on Monday, 23 November 1998, at 4:48 p.m.

Well, i figured I'd catch some grief over this post. So I guess I'll answer up to your questions....

>I really think it's too bad that you'd let your Akita enough lead to get in the face of this loose Chow.

Would you have us run or timidly never walk down that street?

> How would you have felt if your Akita evicerated this dog?

The chow has a history of sending neighborhood dogs to the vet. Remember it is allowed to run loose. I would've felt bad for the dog, but satisfaction directed toward the owner of the chow. His fault his dog is not properly trained and restrained. Note that it only took one incident for the chow to learn how to behave (at least to my dog). That is to say, it worked and I was right. It takes several minutes for a dog to kill another (other than extreme size differences). This incident was over in about 2-3 seconds.

> It's not the Chow's fault that he has an idiot for an owner.

Amen

> And did you ever stop to think of the damage this Chow could do to your dog with a lucky bite?

Yes. Its part of life. Same as I place myself in harm's way everyday (I am a police officer). Neither my dogs nor myself care to cower in the face of bullies. I want a buddy I can count on. Not a chihuahua.

> Why would you place your dog in this kind of situation? Don't get me wrong, I completely understand about loose dogs!, I myself own a very dog agressive 130 pd. male and have run into the exact same situations. But I can't control other people's dogs so I choose not to walk him in areas where loose dogs are common place, it's too risky.

> Your choice. Personally, I dont let others dictate my life when I am in the right. Why should I let those in the wrong run my life? But I make no value judgement on you or whatever you decide you must do.

> I personally don't want to see my male rip another apart or visa versa.

Nor do I. Thats why my dog's 'time-on-target' was extremely limited. Limited to just enough time to train the chow. Akita jumps on chows neck. Akita pulled off. Chow runs for home. Lesson learned. I deplore dog fighting. I love dogs, including the chow (it is sweet when there isnt another dog around). Have you ever spanked a child?

> Maybe you can try to talk to the owner of this dog, or call the dog officer?

Well now we all know that leash laws are not enforced unless it is a pretty extreme case. For that matter I could cite the owner myself ($500 a DAY fine for a dog and he has 3 dogs, all at large). This is the real world, I live in a rural neighborhood and about 4 families out of 40 fence their dogs. And about 2 of the 4 let their dogs run at large at some time during the week. Also, this guy has spoken with deputies several times before I moved here and the neighbors say it did no good. No one is interested in a dog that only attacks other dogs. It is considered a civil matter (remember that legally, dogs are just property). And the poor animal control officer barely has time to attack the real problem animals.

> I get the feeling that you enjoy proving to others what a big macho dog you have. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Not wrong,kinda. I love my 'big macho dogs'. They are the absolute joy of the neighborhood and ever1 else they have ever met. They are a couple of the most nonagressive Akitas I have ever seen. But yes, I was proud he stood his ground and ACTED LIKE AN AKITA. His samurai spirit is true. I imagine most parents can recall a time when they were proud of their child in the same way(not backing down and standing up for what's right). 'Proving' they (i love the female just as much) are big and macho? NO, I have to correct you there. I've never met a person yet that didnt automatically give a big dog respect. I know I do.

We dont live in a passive world and must all be responsible citizens. Part of that is correcting the wrongs we come across. I see wrong and I try to make it right. My opinion, anyway.

Posted on Wednesday, 25 November 1998, at 11:02 a.m., in response to Re: off lead, posted by xxxxxxxx on Wednesday, 25 November 1998, at 8:53 a.m.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Some random thoughts stirred up by your post:

I am, technically a deputy sheriff in a southern county (easier to type 'cop').

We had a dog (usually just 1 at a time), a mutt or a bird dog almost all of my childhood.

I really like most all dogs and dont want any of them hurt. But like people, sometimes things must be done for the good of everyone else (1 person's rights end where another's begins).

Not long ago I went to a call where a Catahoula (large hunting dog, can climb/jump/dig with any breed and is Born2Roam) had chewed on a 5 yr old girl. 10's of stitches to her arm and back of neck. Dog was the sweetest thing ever. She ran(next door) and he thought 'there goes prey'. Only the owner thought a 3' fence would hold him. IDIOT. The dogs head was level with the fence (he wasnt full grown)! Well, he hadnt had a rabies shot. (this was a Friday) Owner sez, 'he's got an appointment to get it monday'. Yeah, right, I'm really THAT stupid. So I call up Animal Control to come and get the dog for quarantine and notice 2 other dogs chained and/or running around the property. He sez they're his and I ask if they are vacinnated. He sez 'oh yeah'. I say let me see the certificates. He gets them (sure enought they were vaccinated), and then starts this white-trash-lawyer routine that I got no cause to ask about them dogs cause they aint the one that dun nothin. All this while drinking a beer. I'm sure we'll be back to that trailer again. I hope its not dog-related.

Sometimes I wish owning a dog was something a person had to qualify for. Same with kids.

Posted on Friday, 27 November 1998, at 1:05 p.m.

Flack taken. No ill will. I hate it when the thread plasters itself against the right of the screen, so I am continuing up here. Hope no one minds.

Trying to answer (from memory) points you all have raised...

Citing a neighbor is not an option. My dept wants us to be civilians unless we are on duty. I should call up like anyone else and complain. (This is a good rule that helps me in the long run with neighborly relations). But I could still do it if I cared to. Which brings us to point 2. I spend enough time sitting in a courtroom waiting for a judge to throw out violations because it is out of the ordinary. Real World: thrown out of court. violation dismissed, maybe with a scolding. Owner continues as he always has.

Talk to owner?:(as a civilian) its been done. He's an idiot dog owner. I dont threaten people. Ever. If I have to, I tell people the way it's gonna be, but only if I am ready to take that action immediately. Never threaten.

Some of you have pointed out ''THE LAW'' and my duty to uphold such. I wish it were that easy. It doesnt work 100% as advertised. Saying it 'ought to do this or that' sounds good, but things just dont work the way they were designed. Dont get me wrong, i love this country and legal system, it is the best in the world, but it isnt perfect. My job is to protect the innocent and hold the lid on. Sometimes I must use physical force on violators.

-----------Please explain how what the chow got is ANY different than my physically subdueing an attacker?---------- (other than the chow learned a lesson)

Remember folks, my solution was quick and worked OUTSTANDLY well. For those of you with meeker/smaller dogs, might I suggest a BB to the butt works wonders.

How many of you have experienced your Akitas defining their pack structure? Sometimes violent, no? Same thing in a neighborhood. Chow now understands his place and leaves my dogs alone.

Put the Akita 'thru it'??? PLA-ESE. He's probably still hoping I'll let him jump another dog. Sorry, I dont buy this line of discussion.

Oh yes, the chow owner has previously been reported. See how much good that did. Sad fact is, until the dog does something to a human (and he wont as he's a sweetie with people), it is a civil matter and not a police matter. This is the way the criminal courts work. Not my choice. Just the way it is.

Law enforcement priorities? To my personal knowledge, this chow would rank WAY down the list of problems in our county. Even WAY down the animal problem list.

Using my status to get results? Not ethical. And as I stated, the single animal control officer we have is overworked and handling much greater problems than this.

On talking to owner before allowing Akita to attack: - had good info from numerous other neighbors about chow's history -had previous conversations with chow owner on neighborly things (he's an A**hol*). -previously witnessed and broken up chow attack on another dog (and have done same twice since Akita incident) --previously witnessed chow posture and manuever to rear of my dog, obviously planning attack (owner sat by and did nothing) --witnessed chow posturing and manuevering again (REMEMBER WHO IS COMING >100 YDS TO ATTACK AN AKITA) to attack -------I submit this is enough justification.

And the bottom line is, I really dont care what anyone else thinks. It is right and under the same circumstances, I would do the same thing again.


Posted on Friday, 27 November 1998, at 8:52 p.m., in response to Re: Off-Lead, part 2, posted by xxxxx on Friday, 27 November 1998, at 8:10 p.m.

Maybe my experiences are out of the ordinary, but I've never seen an Akita vs other breed fight that lasted more than about 5 seconds. Akitas go up and land on the other dog to start the fight. They grab a mouthful of neck and it is over. Owner grabs Akita, forces Akita to let go and other animal runs off. My two (male and female) PLAY harder and have more injuries as a result of play. And they are best buddies.

I guess life would be safer if we all cowered in our bedrooms, but I choose not to ''live'' like that.

''... I would continually make those phone calls and sit in the courtroom as many hours weeks years it will take to get something done before it comes to anyone dog or human gets hurt. '' I'll send you the chow's phone # if you want it. I've got better things to do.



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 2:02 PM

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Neck/Growl Corrections

by Keith


I grab a double handful of the back of the neck at or above the front shoulder and give a verbal correction, volume dependant on the dog's personality and the immediacy of the situation. Usually the verbal is a growl, as this is a technique I save for really bad offences.

The 1st time I tried it (I was skeptical), my male hit the ground before I had finished drawing a breath. It seems that a pup instinctively submits when its mother lifts it by the scruff (to carry it). I have never used it on a grown dog, as all of my animals have been well enuff trained that it isnt necessary to give more than minor corrections.



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:59 PM

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Gunfire Training

by Keith


Gunfire Training

I believe an Akita's tolerance to gunfire is genetic. I have trained all 4 of my Akitas the way my family trained our hunting dogs many years ago.

First, 1 person takes the dog off 100 yards or so. Person#2 then fires a 22LR AWAY (180 degreed) from the dog and the reaction observed. Gradually move the dog closer until you get a reaction. Eventually, (hopefully) the dog will be within a few yards and ignoring the sound.
Then take the dog off 100 yards again and repeat the process with a shotgun or rifle.
Keep in mind you dont want to damage the dogs hearing, so dont get too close, especially with the more powerful guns. When you have done all of this, you will know your dog's tolerance of gunfire. Also be sensitive to a pup's reactions. You may want to let the dog mature and get his adult confidence before exposing him to something alien that may frighten him. Know your dog, and dont test him until he's ready.

My personal experiences:
Male #1:
NEVER reacted to ANY gunshot, except he wanted to go and see where the round was hitting. (he saw the dust and heard the thud 100 yards off). Totally oblivious to gunfire.

Female #1:
At the first shot, drug my wife 100 yards and hid under truck. Gunshy. Period. No reason to torture her further.

Male #2:
Doesnt like gunfire, but doesnt shy from it. But would just as soon I didnt shoot.

Female #2:
Not gunshy.Neutral on it. Treats it the same as a car starting. Actually, she doesnt like car rides, and would rather target practice with me as ride with me.

So, Akitas are all over the board when it comes to gunfire. And I think which dog you get is solely determined by their genetics.



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:58 PM

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Dangerous Collars

by Keith

A Dangerous Scenario, narrowly averted

The following actually happened to me with my 1st two Akitas.

For a collar I was using rolled nylon with the two rings PERMANTLY joined so they could never operate as the choke collar they were designed to be. My full grown male was 95# and the female was 85#. They were playing normally, roughhousing while I was watching TV when all of a sudden the play stops with them in an awkward position (together). The male acted like he had hurt himself and the female couldnt breathe properly. Both were about to panic. I saw no immediate sign of the problem until I finally noticed that the male had stuck his paw between the collar and the female's neck, and she had then twisted away from him, creating a tourniquet on his paw with her collar. He was OK (relatively) for the moment, but she couldnt breathe. I hollered for a knife but was able to untwist the kink in a few seconds. But to do so I had to manipulate almost 200# of Akitas with 2 different ideas of what neeed to be done.

I still shudder to think what wouldve happenned if I had not been home and this had occurred. One of my earliest childhood memories is one of an escape artist birddog we had who hung himself, so this really scared me.

Lesson Learned?: I NEVER have a collar on my dogs of any kind unless they are supervised. I realize that's bad if they get out, but I spend a LOT of $ and effort to ensure that will never happen. You might want to think about this.



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:57 PM

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Training and Pinch Collars

by Keith

I raise my Akitas inside (with a dogdoor into a fenced backyard). Eveyone in the house is under a wild canine pack structure, with alpha male and female, then the dogs. I teach them human voice and hand commands and they can even recognize the 'spelling' of a few words (t-r-e-a-t and g-o-4-a-r-i-d-e). I fervently believe you get MUCH more froma dog when you keep it close and train it at all times.



ALWAYS train with the following 2 basics in mind. They work in EVERY situation:

1)PRAISE the crap out of good behavior and reward it lavishly. The best reward is praise, by far, but treats work too.

2)Punish bad behavior. Punishment for an Akita is the Pack Alpha(you, I hope) ignoring the dog. Or a harsh word like No.

NEVER hit an Akita. It doesnt hurt anything except their feelings and they WILL remember it.



Method summary & response to both JB posts

Yes, you summize correctly. The article is not on the web, at least as far as I know. I read it in the paper copy. Article title is '5-Star Behavior Improvers'. The lead pic is a boxer doing Clicker training.

The Alpha Rollover was rated low, 1.2 out of 5. General panel consensus is that it can be a contest of muscle power with an adult dog.

FYI, here are the rankings, in the order they presented:(0 is bad, 5 is best)

alpha rollover= 1.2
anti bark collar: 0.5
bitter apple sprays:2.6
citronella collar:2.8
clicker: 4.0
crate: 3.8
food rewards: 4.2
head halter: 4.4
intense exercise: 2.5
interactive toys: 4.4
nothing in life is free: 4.6
a pet for the pet: 2.5
prong collars: 0.3
shake can: 2.2
shock collar: 0.5
shouting NO: 1.4
squirt/spray water: 1.8
swat with newspaper: 0.3
slip collar(choke chain): 2.0 (note that it must be used properly or rating drops drastically)

I cant recommend the mag, but this is an article worth reading. There are several comments by the panel that i found insightful.
Posted on Jan 03 2000, 10:06 AM


my male is 6.5 years, 125# and unneutered(its a guy thing)((UPDATE: THIS IS A TERRIBLE MISTAKE THAT I MADE. SEE POST ON NEUTERING FOR MORE INFO)). i control him with nothing but light tugs on a light nylon collar (wired so as to no longer be a choke collar) and verbal commands.
I used a choke on him while he learned basic obedience, but rarely needed it. Chokes are for a VERY short period in a dog's life!
I think prong collars are evil incarnate(in nonCujo cases).

If your dog isnt obeying you consistantly after a month of training (make sure you give it a fair shot, in other words, you have to WORK at this for a month), YOU are doing something wrong. (unless you do truely have Cujo, in which case he should be destroyed---which is my way of saying you are doing something wrong)
Posted on Dec 09 1999, 7:25 PM

Age matters not in a properly trained dog

When my maledog was a puppy/adolescent(or my female for that matter), light tugs were all that were required---AFTER obedience training---except on rare occasions, occasions that are THE SAME in frequency today as when he was a puppy.
If you cant control your dog with tugs and verbal commands after obedience training, you are doing it wrong. Period.

The only other way around this that I see is to say that the 4 Akitas I have trained were smart enough to know when they are on lead and always obey then since they know I have then under control regardless of what their instincts say. But to say that is to suggest that all my Akitas are much smarter than other Akitas, which I do not believe (exception is my current female who is exceptionally clever/devious). In all cases I have witnessed, it was the Trainer(99%) or Training Method that is at fault. NEVER the equipment.


on pinch collars:

I never have owned a pinch type collar. I feel that in virtually all cases it is the owner that needs the training when a behavioral problem arises. Firm corrections followed by showing the animal what it is you want it to do will get you anywhere you want to go.

I command my dogs to 'wait, wait' then release them to greet. They have been taught that jumping on someone is a cardinal sin, and when they do jump up to deliver a kiss, they keep their paws pressed closely against their chests. The result is a wet face, but no ruined clothes.






    
This message has been edited by krater on Jan 13, 2005 11:15 AM

Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:56 PM

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Seizures

by Keith

Been there, done that with an Akita

First thing: Be Calm, this is NOT a life threatening problem (unless you play next to a cliff).

2nd thing: Epilepsy means:''We dont know what the hell caused the seizure.''

Yes medications are available to reduce the # and severity of the seizures. My Akita lived years without taking them. The seizures went away as strangely as they came, for no apparant reason. The duration was maybe a month with a few bad ones, then they tapered off over a few more months in # and severity. All I did was hold him and talk calmly and reassuringly during the time(some say they can hear you. I dont know, but it helped me thru it if nothing else).

Often, the dog will know it is about to happen and come to you acting strangely. IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT to comfort your dog at that time as it is HIGH ODDS you may be able to reduce the severity or completely divert the occurance of the seizure! (I am not making this up and it is not a home remedy. I read it in literature by some national Vet Ass'n in a booklet I got at my vet's.) It scared the CRAP out of me the first time it happened (bet you know that feeling), and only the knowledge that I must be the calm/reassuring one made me suck it up and pull my boy thru his crisis.

Take heart, this is a relatively minor problem. It just looks bad to someone who hasnt experienced it. Work with your vet and the odds are you can beat it.

Posted on Nov 08 1999, 3:53 PM



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:55 PM

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Male v Female Personalities

by Keith


M vs F Akita Personalities...My experiences

Akitas have an EXTREMELY wide range of personalities, (i believe) moreso than in any other breed. Some are moody loners and others stay puppies all their lives. This is not an exaggeration, as I have known both the above dogs.

So realize as I pontificate on the male/female differences that these are merely general traits and that any single Akita of either sex can be just about anything.

What makes an Akita personality?:

1)genetics.

2)upbringing This is why I like to raise my dogs inside with my family. .........

You know I typed up a list and then upon proofreading it realized how full of crap it was. The tendencies of male or female in Akitas is so slight that it is DWARFED by personality characteristics of the breed and of the individual animal. So all I can add to this discussion is how my Akitas were/are.

Male #1: 105#. backyardbred. died of genetic-related cancer at 7 years of age. dominant. an alpha male if I hadnt raised him right. dominated female#1 but never showed her or any other family member agression (except his one adolescent low-growl test of me). His attitude is what you read in the Standard. Treated gunfire as background noise. Commands needed to be firm when outside the house.

Female #1: Somewhat submissive. My fault. We got her 6 months after male#1 and i was too strict on her, thinking all Akitas were as hardheaded as male#1. She was only submissive inside our pack however, and never showed any fear outside the pack except for thunderstorms. I no1 was home during a storm, she would go thru (literally) a BR door to hide behind the bed. VERY gunshy. Also dog agressive. Would allow male#1 to lead the fight and she would be less than 1 body length behind in the chase/posturing.(no, I'm not allowing fights. this is in the run to the window or fence). a harsh word would crush her.

Male#2 (current): 5.5years. 132# breeder made a mistake in letting us have him as a nonshow dog. Absolute teddy bear. 1st dog to do everything. Tolerates play abuse of female#2 unbelievably well. He allows her to do just about anything to him, but she knows he is higher pack rank. Loves visitors when we are home, but will stand his ground and WOOF when strangers approach. Have been told he does same when we are not home. Average Akita intelligence. Doesnt like gunfire, but doesnt shy from it. Had always been sensitive to having his ears rubbed hard, and we have no idea why. As a pup, HATED having his feet or ears touched. Well, months of daily practice overcame that. A harsh word would crush him until he came to full maturity, now normal commands work fine.

Female#2: littermate to male 105# (maybe more, its been a while). spayed after 1st heat (medical reasons we let it go that long). Also a doll, but the boy is the one with the show personality. They will eat and drink from the same bowl at the same time and used to allow a geriatric cat to eat with them, FROM THE SAME BOWL (sorry, but I still havent gotten over that). She likes to play a lot more (he tires quicker) and she torments him to play a lot. She is also tremendously smart and can get whatever she wants from him. Gunfire doesnt bother her. normal commands all her life, RARELY have to give her a command anymore as she is so smart she seems to read my mind.
We video'd our hunt for puppies the last time out (6 years ago) and when we watched the parents of our current Akitas the other day, we were dumbfounded. The daddy looked EXACTLY like our male except that our boy is a bit fuller bodied. Even his antics were the same. And the momma played and ran EXACTLY like our girl. These 2 dogs on tape could have been our dogs if we hadnt known when the tape was made!!! I'll say it again: look at the parents to see what kind of dog you are buying!

(this works often for humans too)



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:54 PM

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Akita Memories

by Keith

I have heard stories of long Akita memories, like the abused Akita that was rescued, went on to become an extremely goodnatured showdog and then one day in the ring began growling. the owner/handler and the judge were amazed (judge knew the dog) because this dog NEVER showed agression unless appropriate. then they look around, and at the edge of the ring is the abusing former owner. And it had been 4 or 5 years since the dog had last seen him.

on a more personal level, my first two Akitas always rememberd my mom, dad, sister and grandparents when they would come to visit me, sometimes with over 2 years between visits. my male even recognized my parents car by the sound of the engine (no, it had no distinctive sound that i coud ascertain) after not seeing it for a year or more.



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:53 PM

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Ticks

by Keith

Fleas I can beat.
Ticks, I dont know.

The problem with ticks is that you have to repel them completely before they bite. 1 tick bite can cause tons of havoc, whereas fleas cause 99% of their problems by repeated feeding over time.
Does the topical Frontline actually Repel the ticks? 'Cause if all it does is kill them after they ingest the blood, they are doing exactly 0% for the dog. (sorry, I'm not sure exactly how the stuff works other than that it is absorbed into the bloodstream of the dog).

Conversely, if you groom for ticks after an outing, you wouldnt need a tick poison at all. I know 1 will get past you every now and then, but that might be a better way than something your dog reacts to. Its a gamble and the odds are different for each dog. I dont mean to be supercritical of products like Frontline, poisons have their place. But if there is a less toxic alternative that WORKS, I try to spread the word. Anybody got any good tick solutions other than daily handpicking?

(BTW, this is a sensitive subject right now for me. I recently found out that BOTH my Akitas have had Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever at some point in their lives. But their IMMUNE SYSTEMS WERE TOO STRONG ((I DO love saying that)) for the virus and they fought it off).



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:52 PM

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Digging

by Keith

DIGGING

We almost nicknamed our current male 'Dozer'. It would have been appropriate. It amazes me how much dirt a motivated Akita can move in less than a minute. And I firmly believe that they just plain do it for FUN a lot of times.

Just teach him to dig in appropriate places. I teach my dogs early that digging is OK, but NOT near the fence. Digging to get out is swiftly punished (and yes they remember digging that hole this morning when you show it to them) and digging in the middle of the yard is tolerated to slightly praised (if you are teaching the difference).

The trick with an Akita (most dogs really, imo) is to show them what you want of them. All an Akita really wants to do is to please you(and maybe kill a few dogs) and it is up to you (the suppossedly smart one, to teach them exactly what that is.
Posted on Jul 13 1999, 10:11 AM


Digging objectives

It took me a couple of years to figure out that my current Akitas like to dig for ground dwelling beetles. I guess they emit an odor that is interesting.

And they like to dig over the septic tank (go figure).


Fence digging

Well, SOME dogs will respond to training. My current pair don't dig at the fence because I worked them a lot young. Caught them digging a few times (watch for a pattern of when they dig. there is always a pattern) and hollered NO. Praised them when they moved away from hole. Then led them back to the hole (no verbal commands here), and said no again (softer, just so they get it). This will also work (sometimes) when the hole isnt freshly dug. BS to those who think a dog doesnt remember digging that hole this morning. They know (use a videotape if you have 2 dogs to pinpoint the culprit).

But my 1st 2 , well, they dug to try and get at the neighbors animals. So I burid cinder blocks under 8" of dirt. She dug those up like they were pebbles (i watched, it was impressive. wish i had it on tape.). So then i placed steel pipe thru the cinder blocks, placed 1' from the reinforced wood fence all around the perimeter, even cementing weak spots so the whole thing acted as one unit. That way if they wanted out, they'd have to start digging several feet from the fence and dig a tunnel. And , of course, Akitas dont think in curves. Straight lines to kill another dog is the way that brain works.

Admittedly this was overkill, but it DID work 100%


. An electric fence will knock you flat on your face if you raise up into one.
Plus, a canine's blood has more salt or something that conducts the electricity better and they feel a bigger jolt than us humans do.
I like electric fences, but they do hurt.

(remember to bury the blocks and pack the earth to slow your Akita down at least a little)
Posted on Jul 15 1999, 5:04 PM
I never got into one that I considered low amperage. My first experience was scooting under one while hunting with my dad. I lifted up too quick and next thing I knew, I was flat on my stomach. All this thru heavy winter clothing, including a coat. Still missing that 1/2 second of my life, but I vividly remember that the next 1/2 second was painful. That episode has stayed with me 30+ years.

I have seen a malamute puppy on an electric fence, and it appeared that the current stuck him to the wire(this can happen too if a human grabs a wire. always test a fence with the back of your hand or better yet talk your buddy into doing it). Owner had to kick the pup off (it was the right move).





Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:51 PM

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Housetraining

by Keith

The ideal solution is to confine her to a small space inside, too small for her to go potty, and have a dogdoor into a fenced yard. The yard can be very small, as long as it is big enough for her to do her business. Place her food and water inside and I bet she'll get it correct right away. Gradually enlarge the area inside you trust her in and pretty soon you'll have a completely housebroken dog.

You can have her with you when you are home as long as you watch her closely to make sure she goes outside. With my 4 Akitas I have had (2 at a time), it has taken me 2 days each to housetrain with a sum total of maybe 6 accidents after the first week between the 4 of them. (The girls got it first).



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:50 PM

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Water

by Keith


Never deprive an animal of water, especially a large dog such as an Akita. The more you deprived him, the more he will overdrink the next time.

If he drinks too much, see a good vet for an underlying cause. But PLEASE dont hold water back on a regular basis.
Posted on Nov 24 1998, 2:27 PM



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:49 PM

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Chewing and chewtoys

by Keith

1st, confine her where she cant chew anything when you arent around.

2nd, get her to chew when you are around. Correct her, then give her something she CAN chew and praise the crap outta her when she take/chews it. Continue this and you'll shortly be successful.

Thats the short course anyway.

Some rawhides are processed with caustic chemicals and if they are not properly washed in the process can be toxic, altho usually on small dogs. I also forgo them completely.

My #1 female was not a chewer except under 1 circumstance. Immediately after we left the house to go to work. (we videotaped her all day for a while) She would spend 15 minutes absolutely destroying (usually newspaper we left for that purpose) something. Then she was fine the rest of the day. (Oh, she had a male Akita playmate, so that wasnt it). This destroyed the old myth about how your dog does all the damage in the 15 minutes you arel late getting home from work, at least for me.
What did we do? Not much. Left her plenty of toys, but not all at the same time. Like children they get bored with the same toy selection day after day, so we took up about 1/3 of the toys and rotated the 'missing' third every few days. It seemed to keep the interest in toys fresh in the dogs. And lots of praise for corect chewing......etcetcetc.

Good luck. This takes time and patience, but they usually grow out of it (I think)..



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:48 PM

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Bloat

by Keith

http://www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/vad/cae/bnjan98.htm

Bloat is one of the things I fear, but have never experienced. All of my dogs have been free-fed, that is, they always have food available. As a result, they eat many small meals and never a lot at one time. Thus no bloat. I also limit exercise after they eat.

I've never experienced bloat and the resulting gastric torsion, but here are some tips I have picked up to prevent it.

-don't feed foods that are high in soy
-dont allow your Akita to play hard after a large meal (probably better to feed a lot of small meals/freefeed anyway if you can).
- especially dont let your dog gorge himself on dry food and then play hard as the food swells a lot when it absorbs water
-once a dog has had it, he is predisposed to have it again. you must be doubly careful then.
- as Colleen said, IMMEDIATE PROFESSIONAL action is required. this is a quick, painful killer
- Read a medical book on the symptoms to look for. They describe it better than I can.

Feed your Akita off of an elevated platform (we use the fireplace hearth) so his neck is not strained while eating (this has nothin to do with bloat, just thought i'd throw it in)

Be viligant, but dont worry too much. The odds are you'll never see it.
========================================

UPDATE: Keith has now experienced Bloat and Gastric Torsion.

It is every bit as horrible as I imagined. My elderly male bloated due to medical reasons unrelated to feeding, but it was a potential death situation nonetheless. We noticed him restless at 9pm and I kept checking him for abdominal swelling or hardness(& watching for unproductive vomiting)until 11.45pm when I noticed all of these symptoms. Stuff in car and rocket to Vet College. They saved his life. He was 270 twisted clockwise. They tacked his stomach(and noted that there was only a 2% chance of recurrence after tacking!!!!) and told us we had to hold our breath for 48 hours to see if the swelled stomach had cut off blood flow to anything major, allowing necrosis to kill important tissues.
Long story short, we got him there fast enough that he recovered fine(tho still with underlying medical problems related to his age). Bloat can be beaten with due vigilence and a plan, but it is THE most horrible thing I have been thru with my Akitas.



    
This message has been edited by krater on Jan 13, 2005 10:49 AM
This message has been edited by krater on Jan 13, 2005 10:47 AM

Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:48 PM

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Akitas and the A-bomb

by Keith

Many SCIENTIFIC studies were done on the aftereffects of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs and there has been ZERO genetic damage attributable to those blasts in humans. Lots of problems with those directly exposed, but none passed down to the next generation; even to children in the womb when the bombs went off.
This astounded me when I read it, so I followed up on it (skeptically) and found it to be true. Direct radiation does tremendous cell damage, but it is not passed to the progeny, at least not a rate that is discernable above the background mutation rate. It seems that spontaneous aborting is much more likely than some genetic damage in a bomb environment.

If you doubt me, pls contact the biology department of your local community college(not the high school as I've found many HS teachers to lack basic science knowledge).


message edited for clarity only-Keith



    
This message has been edited by krater on Jan 13, 2005 10:39 AM

Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:45 PM

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Feeding and Growth

by Keith

my basic feeding points:
1)FREEFEED(yes, I'm shouting as I believe that this is the most important thing you can do. Exceptions to this are obvious, such as a new puppy and a chowhound adult dog, but freefeed as soon as you can)
2)Never feed treats anywhere near where you feed meals. These 2 events should never be associated in the dog's mind. NEVERNEVERNEVER place anything but dryfood in a dogs bowl!!!
Treats should be very small in nature. A dog is just as happy getting a small treat as a large one. It is also a great opportunity to practice some obedience when giving out small treats. Wait, sit, OK, or whatever, even with puppies. Akitas border on brillant and dont let anyone tell you that 5-6 week old pup is incapable of learning.
Other basics:
*Feed a good dry food that says ''complete and balanced nutrition''.
*Corn should be no higher than the #3 listed ingredient, ESPECIALLY in a puppy food(corn is not as digestable and therefore the protein rating in a corn or corn meal food is bogus-ly high.
*NEVER feed a dry food that has soy in any amount to a large breed dog(or any dog IMO). You are asking for Bloat, a killer.
*Do not feed any food containing ethoxyquin as it has been linked to DEATH in 2 breeds and is suspect in others (the breeds are collies and something else..any1 help here?). The IDIOTS at Science Diet will tell you(they told me) that it wasnt proven in Akitas, so why not feed it to my dog. IDIOTS, I'm surrounded by IDIOTS. I DO NOT feed Science Diet products under any circumstances as my 2 encounters with them convinced me that they have absolutely NO concern for the health of my animals.(note: SD was the last major dogfood company to remove ethoxyquin from one of its varieties of dry food)
*Lots of water available at ALL times, I dont care what your circumstances are, there is NO exception to this.
*I'm sure I've left out a lot, but this should get some opinions going.......
Posted on Dec 02 1999, 9:37 AM


imo.........GENETICS!

An animal will grow at its genetically preditermined rate PROVIDED that all nutrients are available to it. It is our job to provide 100% of those nutrients.
The only harm excess protein or other nontoxic nutrients can possibly cause is to the digestive/excremental systems that must process it.
I feed puppy food until the growth spurt slows, then a dryfood that provides 100% of all necessary nutrients.

FEED (and water) Your Puppy

Chickens are raised in megabarns and most dogfoods get a good dose of whatever drugs the chickens are having. Also it's mostly chicken parts, not the breast or leg meat.

Cows are shot full of antibiotics+ and the residue sttays in the parts, finding their way into the food too.

Lamb and Rice is the better way to go.

Corn is harmless, but not a lot of it is utilized in the digestive process (just look at the stools), so you are not getting any nutritional value by buying cheaper, cornladen foods.

NO SOY. Can contribute to bloat.

No ethyoxyquin (sp). May cause problems in Akitas.

Fish is good. These dogs originated on high fish diets.

Raw anything can contain loads of germs, but hey, these are dogs, and they eat week-old roadkill. No, I dont feed raw eggs, but cooked are ok.

FREE FEED. Leave food available ALL THE TIME for the dog to eat when, and how much he pleases. He is already genetically programmed to be a certain size. He will be that size , subject to your feeding him junk food and getting him fat AFTER he becomes an adult.

What else. Oh yeah. ALWAYS have water available, even in his crate. To deny a dog, especially a large breed, access to water is to torture him and may be creating future medical (or even behavioral) problems.

One other thing I do is to mix several good foods. That way I know all of the trace elements are being supplied. I also feed fish oil capsules sporadically. Dont know if it helps, but the logic is for it.

Picky Eaters

My 1st male was a picky eater. He was skinny by genetics and so I worried about him eating a lot. He didnt eat as much as i thought he should, so I started throwing some table scraps into his bowl as the years went on. This eventually developed into his turning away meat sauces that he'd had 3 days in a row because he knew I'd get him something different tastier if he held out. Yes, he ran me. And it was hell when he developed cancer and I was fighting to keep weight on him.

Set of Akitas #2 now get treats and table scraps in a totally different room from their food, and not much of them. Both are well built solid dogs. They are freefed and eat 1.2# of food a day(ie, 2 dogs eat 1.2# of highquality dry food). This works out to about 1100-1200 calories per day for a 132# and 105# pair.

If you need to change your food:
Get a good priced high quality food and if he eats it, STICK WITH IT FOREVER. If you freefeed, just leave it and he'll eat it when he gets hungry (I know its hard).
If you dont free feed, take up his bowl at a predetermined amount of time and make him wait to eat at the next feeding. DO NOT feed him more than is normal when he resumes eating and acts hungry when his bowl is clean. This is a form of manipulating you, a skill all Akitas are inherently expert at.



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:42 PM

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How to Kill Fleas

by Keith



You MUST do everything at once. House, outside and dogs (and any other pets).

The mildest and most effective complete treatment I have found (I lived on the TX gulf coast for 12 miserable years with my 1st Akitas, where the fleas were not killed off every winter by heavy freezes) is as follows:

1) get a bottle of dog dip that contains d-Limonene(pet stores/feed stores/even walmart carries it(has Lassie's pic on front)). This will be advertised as having the scent of oranges. I think it mixes up at 2 oz per gallon of water. Also buy a shampoo containing the same stuff. IMPORTANT: Buy 1 oz (per gallon of stuff that you will ultimately use) of flea hormone regulator, called Precor or IGR. It may go under another name and costs several $ per oz but it is worth 10x the price. It keeps the eggs from maturing, which prevents a necessary retreatment in a couple of weeks. I cant emphasise how important this stuff is in flea control.

2)Get a new gallon sprayer like you would use in the garden (yes it MUST be new or you may kill your dog with leftover poison residing in the plastic) and mix up a gallon of dip. This is what you will use to spray your carpet, furniture and every nook and cranny of your house. You must be thorough. Mix up more gallons as needed, but all you need is a light spray on/under everything(turn those sofa cushions over too). Spray the house, with a double dose where the dogs sleep a lot (unless it is wood/tile/etc)

3) Shampoo the animals with the d-Limonene stuff. (by far the hardest part of the equation). Don't let the vet do it, they'll just pick up more fleas there to bring home. Besides, no1 will do a more thorough job than you will.

4)Launder all bedding. Laundry soap is sufficient here.

5) Treat the yard. This step I am hesitant to give advice on as this usually involves some meaner poisons. If you go with them, keep the dogs off the yard until it rains or you water thoroughly the next day(give the stuff time to work) or AT LEAST, wash their feet everytime they go outside and come back in (yeah, easier to keep them in, huh?). OR, if you live in an area that isnt too bad like me now, you can wait until the sun goes down and spray the yard with your d-Limonene/Growth Regulator sprayer. This is because ultraviolet breaks down d-Limonene quickly. Of course, wandering cats and squirrels will bring new fleas in, but this is a discourse on how to get control of a flea infestation.

UPDATE: now available are a nontoxic product that you can apply to your yard that lasts as long as fleas live in your yard(yearound on most of Gulf Coast, till a good freeze elsewheres). Here is a good explanation: (from: http://gothere.com/AdamsAve/3817/3817a.htm ):

=========================================================
"Interrupt Biological Outdoor Flea Control: A safe and effective method of controlling fleas in a yard with grass or other ground cover. Interrupt is purchased as a canister containing granules. When these granules are dissolved in water, microscopic worms called nematodes are activated. Nematodes exist in the environment naturally; by applying Interrupt to your yard, you are increasing the nematode population to many millions. These nematodes, which are harmless to humans, animals and plants, eat the flea larva and flea pupae in our yards. They also eat other types of insect larva, many of which are detrimental to the plants in the yard, but do not eat the "good" garden bugs. To get maximum duration from this product, yard should be moist enough to keep the grass green. After 4 to 6 weeks it is necessary to re-apply Interrupt because the nematode population will have died off and new flea larva and pupae will be deposited in the yard. If you have used any chemical treatment to kill adult fleas and other insects in the yard, you should wait 30 days before applying Interrupt, as chemicals that kill adult fleas will also kill the nematodes."
=========================================================

SUPER IMPORTANT: NEVERNEVER mix poisons. By that I dont just mean in the container. If you use a carbamate(too strong anyway!) on your dog, dont use diazinon on your lawn. Poisons interact with each other in the dogs bloodstream and have a multiplying effect. Very sick puppy if you are lucky. Remember too that a puppy's tolerence is a lot lower than an adult dogs'. d-Limonene is considered safe for puppies and even for cats.

Well, longer than I meant to be. I'm sure I've confused everyone or made the Greens mad. So ask/fire away(on the Forum this one links to). I'll try to answer your concerns. Most people dont believe me anyway when I tell them my dogs dont have fleas.
Posted on May 25 1999, 2:00 AM





    
This message has been edited by krater on Jan 13, 2005 10:34 AM

Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:41 PM

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How to Recognize a Good Breeder

by Keith

Good Breeders

You know you are dealng with a good Akita breeder IF:
s/he is grilling you about your qualifications of being an Akita owner more than you are quizzing s/he about the pups bloodlines. A good breeder is VERY concerned where her/his babies are going to live.

I have found that you MAY get a lower price for a pet pup if you prove that you can provide a fantastic Akita home. Sell yourself. Show the breeder how much you know (STUDY!) and that you already have the perfect physical conditions ready for the dog. Show the breeder the Akita will be an intregral part of the family and given the absolute best care you are capable of providing. That responsible breeder wants to see that you will be sleeping with the dog, making regular+ vet checks, and will stay up at night worrying about a sick animal when the time comes.

Bottom line: prepare yourself to be the best Akita owner you can be and it will pay off, both in $ and in happiness.
Posted on Jan 05 2000, 3:48 PM



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:40 PM

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The downside to Spaying

by Keith

The downside to spaying (besides the probable weight gain):


Calm down, all. I'm for spaying too. Both my girls have been spayed.

Bit in reading some vet texts this weekend, I came across a reference to thyroid problems that I followed up on and found that spayed female dogs are more likely to have thyroid problems resulting in low thyroid blood levels (necessitating lifetime pills). The onset usually occurred at 6-7 years, which seemed to be the normal onset time of low thyroid.

Again, I will always spay my females, but I will watch them closer for signs of thyroid problems too.


Spaying (long)
by Colleen
Just coming onto the board after a long absence & find the spaying discussion interesting. Know all the risks of not spaying/neuturing, but have grave concerns about the effects of spaying prior to FULL physical development. Have had far too many orthopaedic problems -- and other odd problems -- with my "fixed" male & female Akitas, and I can't believe that the loss of hormones prior to full maturity has nothing to do with it. No evidence as best I can determine of similar problems in their unfixed kin. There have been a couple studies comparing dogs fixed at six months with those done much earlier, but NO studies along the lines of what would answer my questions. Have spoken to some biologists about this & they agree with me that loss of those hormones has to have some detrimental effects. Until studies demonstrate that there are no harmful effects of spaying prior to full growth (2 years or so) I'll never have another Akita done before that. If people lost their sex hormones prior to adulthood they'd be artificially replaced to ensure proper growth.
Posted on Jan 20 2000, 2:38 PM



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:40 PM

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DOMINANCE & CHALLENGES

by Keith

Dominance is not a bad thing. It is merely the assignment of pack structure. This is necessary for a happy home that contains canines. There is no requirement for fighting, bloodshed or even arguments.


DOMINANCE CHALLENGES:
This is a normal part of growing up. Most dogs, especially Akitas will test you for dominance much the way children do. Be firm and consistant in your corrections (no hitting!) and be quick to praise lavishly when he submits. It's a good idea to follow up with a 5-10 minute session of obedience (sit, stay, heel, whatever he already knows), also with lots of praise for correct performance.

My method for dominance challenges is to growl back(once) while towering over his head, with my hand resting on the top of the muzzle. Stare directly into his eyes.

NEVER let an Akita win any dominance challenge.



Posted on Aug 3, 2000, 1:39 PM

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