Book: Our Akita

Our Akita

One Dog - Two Faces

A Guide to the Origin of the Akita,
Owning, Breeding and Rearing

Book by Gabriela S. Richard

Aton Verlag, Unna - ISBN 978-3-9813278-2-3

Excerpt

from Chapter 5 Training

Page from Chapter 5 Page from Chapter 5 Page from Chapter 5 Page from Chapter 5

The Puppy

Ideally, training for the Akita puppies begins with the breeder. There it can learn the basics of coming on command, get used to collars and walking on a leash, get housetrained, and learn to ride in the car. This of course immensely simplifies further training for the buyer of the puppy. It needn’t start from scratch, as is the case with puppies who have grown up in a stall and learned hardly anything there.

 

Picture from Chapter 5

Once the Akita puppy arrives in its new home, it needs a few days to get used to everything. A new home – even for a grown Akita – is the best opportunity to establish basic rules, such as what is and is not allowed – like chewing on the carpet or sofa, sleeping on furniture, eating from the table, etc.

Immediately show the dog where it can eat and drink, where it should sleep, and where it should do its business. I recommend keeping this consistent for a long while or even forever.

The matter of eating and drinking is usually very easy, as a filled water bowl and a meal three or four times a day will be quickly found by a puppy’s nose and will thus be sought again in the future.

This also has the benefit that the puppy may not ever try begging at the table or will stop doing so quickly.

Picture from Chapter 5The sleeping space can be established with a basket, mat or blanket or perhaps with a towel brought from the breeder.

This space should be free of drafts, offer a certain degree of refuge and good visibility for the Akita. Perhaps a corner in the hallway from which the front door or other doors can be seen, or a corner in the living room from which the terrace and/or living room doors are visible. Your Akita may also pick out another place entirely, where you can then place the mat or blanket.

For the initial period, the place for your dog to do its business should be easy and quick to reach. A puppy’s bladder is small and fills quickly; therefore it must also be emptied quickly – every 2 hours in the beginning.

The best thing is to take the puppy in your arm and take it to the place where it should urinate. You could find a place further away for it to defacate.

Once the Akita is older, other places can be selected. Ultimately, in the beginning these only serve to accelerate the housetraining phase for the puppy.

A puppy that has been housetrained by the breeder will remain so with the new owner, provided it has sufficient opportunity to do its business.

If the puppy has previously been taken out between 5 and 6 a.m., then it won’t be able to hold it if the new owner wakes at 8 or 9 a.m. – unless it can go out one last time at 1 or 2 in the morning. A puppy at this age should be able to handle a period of six hours during the night.

During the day, the puppy should initially be let out every two hours during the day: before and after feeding, when it wakes from a nap, and after play.

Some puppies, primarily Akita females, urinate with joy when they see their owners or when someone speaks to them in a friendly manner. You shouldn't punish them for this, as it will only make it worse. It is better to greet them outside or avoid exuberant behaviour in the house. Usually this habit subsides when they’re older.

Picture from Chapter 5Next, acclimatise the puppy to going on walks. A collar and leash mean an adventure. Start with shorter trips in order to show the Akita puppy the immediate vicinity. It is important not to overexert it.

Some new owners are perplexed that their Akita puppy doesn’t move in the evening after picking it up from the breeder in the morning, introducing it to the entire family that day, and then going on a long walk with it. Besides way too many initial impressions, it is way too much exercise. There’s a rule of thumb which states that a puppy should only walk as many minutes as it is weeks old. However, it can easily go for 5 or 6 walks per day.

Once the Akita has adjusted to its new home, you should introduce it to your veterinarian. There you can purchase the next worming medicine and schedule the next vaccination. With a few treats and some petting, the puppy will have fond memories of this place.

You should use the time preceding the next vaccination to let your Akita get used to you, your family and its immediate surroundings.

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