OUR AKITA An (un)trainable dog

Training guide: Tips and tricks for clueless Akita owners.

This book is not a veterinary guide or a training booklet for Akitas. It is not addressed to Akita specialists who have been able to successfully train their Akitas and integrate them into family life for many years.

This guidebook is a collection of experiences from almost 50 years of living with Akitas. It is intended to help those interested in Akitas, new owners or even helpless long-time Akita owners to understand, deal with and get rid of the everyday worries and difficulties they have or might have with their Akita.

It is intended to replace the sometimes not quite understandable telephone conversation with clear suggestions for action and case studies. Some of our Akita's peculiarities you will learn to appreciate better and maybe even accept. Other "unkindnesses" you may not even have been aware of in the beginning, but they disturb you now or your fellow human beings. Therefore, they should be eliminated or re-educated.

With this book I would like to share some of my experiences and tricks that I have collected over the past decades. They do not claim to be exhaustive. If, while reading my book, you think of topics that have not been addressed, please feel free to contact me at info [at] akita-ken.de and we can discuss your topic. Perhaps there will be an updated edition of this book at some point.

Even if you have had other experiences, I am open to them. Because I am not of the opinion that my tricks and solutions are the only ones that lead to the goal.

Besides, our Akitas are different in their ability and willingness to learn, in their character, motivability and temperament. What works excellently with one Akita does not work at all with another. I have experienced this time and again with my own Akitas.

Our Akita is not a dog with whom you can achieve much by force. It only makes him more stubborn. However, he is an extremely adaptive dog. Therefore, with the right tricks, a lot of patience and consistency, you have a good chance of breaking your dog's bad habits and turning him into a beloved family member.

However, the most important thing is always that you put aside your own insecurity in every situation, are convinced that you are doing the right thing, enforce it consistently and calmly and carry it out. Then your Akita will also cooperate better. I hope that this book will support you in this.

Gabriela Richard

Language: German