welcome to the akita breed! both my akita (140lbs) and my akita chow (75lbs) act like this if i don't correct them. akita's are a VERY intense breed, especially if they don't receive training as a puppy. halti leads / gentle leaders work GREAT and help you get a lot of control back. if your akita is as big as mine, we use a goat halter instead because it doesn't slip as much and is a lot sturdier (and actually fits better b/c of their noses!). if all else fails, i grab the tip of axle's ear and pinch a little and say "NO, watch me" and we walk off. if it helps and if you have a yard a good long romp in the yard to burn off extra energy works great to help calm them down. a tired dog is a happy dog, and this will even help on walks because they won't have "extra" energy in them. also, it's NEVER too late for obedience classes. talk to different trainers and see who you're most comfortable with. we do a refresher course every so often just to keep axle in step, and it makes him understand boundaries about other people / animals too. stella's right about the "watch me" command too, it is a life saver if your dog weighs almost as much as you!