Expert: Akita master - 7/29/2007

Question
Kona is a 2.5 yr old female.  Socialized to small children and dogs - sm and lg since she was small. She is taken everywhere. She can read a mt bike trail as well as any dog I've ever know. She has major anxiety issues. She's not left alone often but when is, likes to eat pillows and molding. When a sm dog yipes a lot, she can't help but want to eat it.  And when I say eat, I really mean grab its neck and do something I'd prefer to leave out.  Sometimes food is involved, sometimes it's just the constant yapping - but I've come to realize that I have a serious liability issue at hand. In normal circumstances, she treated as if she were a celebrity. She can't sign autographs yet but is undoubtedly an A-lister. I know all dogs are different but maybe you've come across this before with the breed.  

Cheers,
Amy

Answer
Well, yes I have come across this many times before. Anxiety is very common in this breed and unfuntantly cant really be helped unless you never leave her at all. And the aggresive behavior towards other dogs is very common too. Akitas were breed as guard dogs and hunting dogs. So they can be very aggresive. What is probaley happening is the anxiety is what is making her do that. It is probaley making her nervous and does the only thing that she thinks will stop it... eat it or try to. I cant really give you a solution to this except try to limit she is alone without a human. And try to limit her to highper or aggresive dogs. hope this helps.           Alex