Teach me about Husky dog ownership
- Thread starter Barn Owl
- Start date
I have a rescue Akita and, much as I love him, I wouldn't trust him off lead. Anything small and furry will get chased until it drops from exhaustion, at which point it gets poked until it runs again. Anything bigger and furry will get the same treatment but will get offended and fight back, at which point he looks hurt, misunderstood and puzzled (not to mention blood-flecked).
Akitas are brilliant dogs but were originally bred for fighting bears, at an impressive two dogs per bear ratio. They have since done just about every job a dog can do including being guide dogs, baby sitting, fish herding, police and army work. They are fantastic with kids and families, as long as they have the opportunity for their own space now and then, but off-lead out in the woods I wouldn't advise. I tried it, once. Never again.
In one afternoon in the woods my akita managed the following:
Animals killed: 1 rabbit and 1 squirrel.
Animals chased: The above plus 3 birds and 1 cat.
Owner's hot chocolate stolen: 1.
Police Sergeants punched in the groin with a paw covered in sharp claws: 1.
I decided to abort the overnighter right about then. I was just lucky I knew the copper already!
I will say my akita is a rescue dog who I adopted with some pretty major behavioural problems. The thing with the copper was in no way agressive, just an over enthusiastic greeting. However, with a dog that powerful, plain old enthusiastic can cause no end of damage. I wouldn't swap him for anything but I don't take him in the woods with me anymore for anything more than a walk! It may be, in fact probably would be, very different if you got an akita younger and with less of an abusive history.
Akitas are brilliant dogs but were originally bred for fighting bears, at an impressive two dogs per bear ratio. They have since done just about every job a dog can do including being guide dogs, baby sitting, fish herding, police and army work. They are fantastic with kids and families, as long as they have the opportunity for their own space now and then, but off-lead out in the woods I wouldn't advise. I tried it, once. Never again.
In one afternoon in the woods my akita managed the following:
Animals killed: 1 rabbit and 1 squirrel.
Animals chased: The above plus 3 birds and 1 cat.
Owner's hot chocolate stolen: 1.
Police Sergeants punched in the groin with a paw covered in sharp claws: 1.
I decided to abort the overnighter right about then. I was just lucky I knew the copper already!
I will say my akita is a rescue dog who I adopted with some pretty major behavioural problems. The thing with the copper was in no way agressive, just an over enthusiastic greeting. However, with a dog that powerful, plain old enthusiastic can cause no end of damage. I wouldn't swap him for anything but I don't take him in the woods with me anymore for anything more than a walk! It may be, in fact probably would be, very different if you got an akita younger and with less of an abusive history.
