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Canine Behavior/norweigian elkhound and akita

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JayJay wrote at 2008-09-05 14:07:01
My cousin owns an Akita, she has never owned a dog before and no one else in her family has owned big dogs before - and yet he is a wonderful, well balanced, friendly dog.  His only real vice is that he is absolutely rubbish at recall so they really need to work on that in his training.  He is also a little bit stubborn, especially with people like me who he doesn't see all that often but thats not surprising considering their famous owner attachment.  I have also walked my own dogs with an Akita who was perfectly friendly with them and obediant to its master.  Clearly they are not all vicious killing machines.  Having said that Akitas are not particularly known for their sociableness with other dogs, in part due to two factors in their history 1. As hunting dogs they worked on thier own or a pair, never in a pack like some hounds and 2. In the distant past of the breed there is some dog fighting history (100's of years ago) where some Tosa blood was probably brought in so yeah if you already have a dog probably best to get an Akita of the opposite sex and if you get a male have him done if he is going to mix with other dogs like at the park. The key to success is understanding how to properly raise and train a dog to respect you but not to be fearful of you or others.  I would definately recomened going to a good dog training class with knowledgable instructors - they can help you avoid making unintentional mistakes before they turn into a big problem.  Read up on the breed, get advice from experienced Akita owners and be prepared to put in plenty of time training and exercising your dog - if you do all that then you are unlikely to have problems.  There are very few examples were a BREED should be automatically considered dangerous or highly aggressive - and most of those breeds are still predominantly in their country of origin and bred for a specific purpose other than domestic companion i.e bred for fighting or farm guards - Akitas have lived in a domestic setting around the world for many decades now and a well bred dog should be a well balanced dog.

Tim wrote at 2008-12-07 05:54:49
I happen to own both these breeds. My Akita is very well socialized 4 yr old male. My Elkhound is 16 weeks old, and they get along very well along with 2 cats. The Akita lets the pup know who the boss is around his food dish, and the Elkhound respects that. So I'd say these 2 will be fine together.

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Alaskan Dog Mushers depend on Pack Mentality Training. We are enthusiastic adherents to this method and possibly the most experienced in applying it.

Sled Dogs perform feats of mental and social acuity that amaze even an experienced observer. My techniques were developed by training large groups of dogs to perform complex tasks while peacefully co-existing as a Team. I taught novices how to handle teams of up to sixteen animals by themselves. My various Race Official placements required I judge other dog professionals on the application of training methods.

How does this relate to you and your dog ?

I can help you speak to your dogs inner wolf and offer methods that support well-balanced lives in the human world. On certain levels all dogs think alike; my background with those close to their wild cousins provides many insights not available elsewhere.

I can help with daily routines to meet a dogs pack psychology requirements, and suggest unusual play methods to satisfy their canine cravings. I can help and advise proper ways to share kitchen foods. I can counsel regarding common stresses such as new additions, new experiences, and multiple dog households.

My advice is unusual and at times controversial. This is not a result of personal bias, but more likely due to under-reporting of our methods among the field of Dog Behaviorism. I am willing to present very advanced techniques, it is entirely up to you to decide if you are confident in using them.

While I enthusiastically believe many of you can make great strides in a forum such as this, some dogs or owners require hands-on evaluation of their situation. I advise you to seek professional and/or veterinary help if your conscience is not perfectly clear on the best way to proceed.

Experience

Experience
Iditarod Dogsled Race Judge 1992. Founder of Copper Basin 300 Dogsled Race serving as Race Marshall 90,91,92. Owner Wrangell Dogsled Tours 1983-1993. Current business: "Learn Dog Whispering" (learndogwhispering.com)

Publications
Discovery Channel segment promoting Alaska Winter Tourism, current business: LearnDogWhispering.com

Education/Credentials
Oregon State University, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Anchorage

Awards and Honors
Honored as Race Judge on Iditarod, chosen from a world pool of applicants. Offered and regretfully declined a position as Judge for the Hope Race across the Bering Strait through Siberia. Early pioneer in the Alaska Winter Tourism Industry, founded one of the world's first Adventure Dogsled Operations.

Past/Present Clients
Good friend of the late Joe Redington Sr., Father of the Iditarod. Past Professional relationships with the worlds’ greatest dog racers. Hosted comedian/pianist Victor Borge on a dogsled tour at age 83 amidst great concern for his safety !
Other international clients, many of whom barely spoke English, often complimented me as being the ‘best translator who didn’t even know the language’, a trait I attributed to my dog behavior skills.

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