ok here goes. the "american" akita is a lot bigger than the original japanese version. for instance, males can get up to 120lbs, mine weighs 140 lbs unless he's sick or we try to get him on another diet. they are VERY hard headed. a 3 foot wall will NOT keep them in your yard. they need lots of training, they are a very hard headed dog. exercise is also a must if you don't have a large area for them to be in. this frustration can translate into a form of aggression, or a new habit of destroying things in the house, etc. we have a 3 bedroom 2 bath home, on just shy of an acre and axle still gets frustrated b/c of the lack of room and he's 4 years old now. the good thing is they are VERY smart. sometimes, too smart for their own good! mine knows how to open doors, which could be a problem if you don't keep your front door locked when you leave. they do very well with routine, but if you do go the routine way be prepared if you upset that schedule because they'll figure it out and if they've been on it long enough they'll get very upset. you must be very well versed in dogs, because they will test you. even the most submissive akita will test you horribly. also, be prepared for insurance companies and renters, etc, to deny you because you own the breed. also note the vet bills will be more since they're a large breed, and remember they shed HORRIBLY. we have fur bunnies everywhere when axle blows his coat twice a year, and that's after i fill a few bags with hair i've brushed off of him! if they're around kids a lot as a puppy they're GREAT with them, but at the same time if they're not exposed to them on a daily basis they can be a nightmare with kids and can cause a lot of damage if they were to bite! axle will let a kid do anything to him, but at the same time i've seen akita's that have seriously hurt kids b/c the owners thought the "breed" was good with kid. the breed "is" if the tolerance is nurtured. socialization is a MUST with them. when they're puppies, yes, it's cute that they jump on you. when they grow up and turn into huge misbehaved dogs, it causes a lot of problems, especially if you don't teach them they're not dominant and they push people around and possibly become aggressive. also, check the breeder out, go to a kennel club and ask for advice because aggression can be bred into them and if the wrong people breed (remember, for a while they were bred for fighting), you can come home with a very predisposed naughty dog. also ask about health problems. akita's can get hip displasia and elbow displasia, as well as other problems and it is very heart breaking to watch a dog with genetic problems (trust me, axle is from a BYB and it kills me sometimes when his joints flare up). research the breed so you know what they're known to get. anywho, if you raise a well trained / socialized akita they are awesome dogs to own and will be a lifetime friend! i'm not trying to scare you away from the breed, but a lot of people get them and then say they didn't know how big they'd get, how much they'd cost, or how hard they are to raise correctly. if you do get one though i'd LOVE to see pictures!
