While everyone who breeds or buys dogs probably agrees she wants dogs

with "good" temperaments, exactly what that means is left to the

imagination more often than not. Each party assumes that he is talking

about the same thing. Unfortunately, huge discrepancies may lie between

their concepts of what constitutes good temperament

For instance, many years ago, a group of us attended a party given by the

owner of a champion male. He was outside when we arrived and remained

there despite inquiries about him. Finally, a few of the guests prevailed on

our host and were taken out to see the dog.

Several told me that later that they wished they hadn't been so insistent,

Initially, the dog growled and snarled at them, quieting down after a few

minutes but remaining very alert and wary. One visitor said, "One wrong

move and you'd have been fair game!"

The owners later told me that they felt the dog's temperament was very

correct for the breed and were quite proud of what they considered a

properly protective nature. If he growled at a few judges in the ring and

couldn't be petted by spectators, that was okay with them. They hadn't

bought a poodle.

Is this good temperament? I don't think so, but it is certainly an "eye-of-thebeholder"

question. This discussion of temperament was originally

components of good temperament for an Akita, why I think they are

important, how to tell if you have problems, and how to strengthen

weaknesses.

This material is garnered from my own experience, education, and opinion,

and I welcome input from you. Your suggestions, comments, or (perish the

thought!) criticisms should be directed to me. Email

sherry@sherob.com phone: 713 465-9729 (CST, USA,

not between 8-10 p.m

The priority of this list is rather loose. Some components are equally

important; others depend on an individual's preferences. For instance,

many people would rank protectiveness much higher than I have, but

almost everyone would agree on the first few. However, I know from

experiences like the one just related that even they are open to challenge.

RECIPE FOR GOOD TEMPERAMENT

BITE INHIBITION

First and foremost, every dog, not just an Akita, should be bite-inhibited.

He should be so reluctant to bite, that he does so only under the direst of

circumstances. Even then, he should bite only once, and damage from the

bite should be very minimal.

ACCEPT AUTHORITY

Second, they should be accepting of authority, that is they should be

submissive. Between and within breeds, the degree of submissiveness

varies. The Akita's independent nature may well modify its willingness to

cooperate.

LIKE CHILDREN

Third, an Akita should like children. Just as retrievers like sticks and balls,

this breed should have an affinity for children.

ACCEPT STRANGERS

Fourth, dogs should be accepting of non-threatening strangers, regardless

of whether the stranger is friendly or neutral.

CONFIDENCE

Fifth, the dog should have enough confidence to be at ease an unfamiliar

setting.

TRAINABLE

Sixth, he should be trainable. He should be willing and able to learn

behaviors that he repeats reliably.

NOISE STABLE

Seventh, he should stable around strange noises.

INDEPENDENT

Eighth, to some degree, Akitas should have an independent nature.

INHIBITED

Ninth, Akitas should have an inhibited nature They should not respond to

stressful situations by becoming increasingly excited or agitated.

PROTECTIVE

Tenth, faced with a threat, they should be protective of their family.

ACCEPT OTHER DOGS

Eleventh, they should be accepting of other dogs.

LOYALTY

Did I actually put loyalty last? I don't believe it either because it is the

essence of Akita character.

INHERITANCE OF BEHAVIOR

Research on all sorts of animals, including humans, tells us that the

basic composition of our temperament is inherited. It is constructed of

building blocks we receive from both parents. Although we have elements

in common with each, the material we receive is unique to us. The

exception to this, of course, is identical twins. Studies of twins separated at

birth have confirmed the inheritability of temperament, just as studies of

identical twins living together show the powerful influence of environment

on these elements.

Similarities between the former are eerie in their consistency. For instance,

one set of twins separated at birth were phobic about water but wanted to

swim. Independently, they arrived at the same solution to their fear; they

backed into the water! Another pair lived in neighboring towns and were

both firemen. They both did woodworking in their spare time and had built

identical benches around trees in their back yards.

On the other hand, most of us have met identical twins living together who

work at differentiating themselves from each other. Often, these pairs are

like two sides of the same coin with complementary personalities--one is

extroverted, the other shy; one likes science, the other arts; one is bold,

the other cautious.

Inheritance gives each of us a set of building blocks that represent our

basic nature. Our experiences, interactions with others, and environment

determine how those blocks are arranged. With almost the same

components, one structure may have a good foundation and great stability,

while another is likely to topple into disarray.

The foundation of a dog's temperament is laid early and will influence his

behavior throughout his life. The structure is dynamic and reacts to outside

influences so long as the animal is alive. We can reinforce strengths and

shore up weaknesses in the dog's nature. We must be careful not to

undermine strengths and encourage problems.

BITE INHIBITION

Bite inhibition is a concept that, as a dog owner, you know about, but

you'll probably pay it little attention unless and until your dog bites. Most

dogs are inhibited from biting. That's what makes them desirable

companions.

A few people seem not to mind living with an animal that might inflict

serious injury on them. They buy lions, tigers, wolves, and dogs that are

likely to bite, often and hard. They probably also like bungee jumping and

parachuting. While these all have a large element of risk to the individual

who likes living on the edge, only the first presents a hazard to others.

Inherited Component

Bite inhibition begins before birth, since it is partly inherited. Unless you

are a telepath, you have really no way of knowing how quickly a dog might

reach its flash point. It may have a good reason for biting, but, again,

unless you're telepathic, you'll also never know when and why it is

triggered to bite.

When a bite occurs, the family's first impulse is to find a good reason for

their dog's behavior. Most people love their dogs deeply and feel hurt,

guilty, defensive, and protective when it transgresses. "He was protecting

his owner, was abused by the former owner, was startled. . ." The list of

reasons is only limited by the owners' imaginations

You will seldom be in a position to judge the accuracy of their reasoning,

and if you like the dog, your regard may shade your opinion, too. Because

the willingness of the dog to bite a person has a genetic component, the

safest option in breeding is to select dogs that have never done so.

Simply stated: Don't use any dog for breeding if it has bitten a human.

Learning Not to Bite

While the height of the threshold at which a dog will bite may be initially

determined by inheritance, it can certainly be raised or lowered by training.

Puppies begin learning it from each other and from their mother.

biting behavior. The strength with which they bite is tempered by the

response of their playmates. The hurt puppy protests with a loud, highpitched

scream, and the offending puppy lets go.

Likewise, nursing puppies can bite their mother once their teeth come in.

Mom reacts by moving away from the puppy, pushing it away, or, in

extreme cases, by growling at the biter. She may also intervene in the

puppies' play should one puppy prove too aggressive to his siblings.

In these ways, puppies learn to set limits on the force they exert when

biting.

developing puppy not just for bite inhibition but for learning proper doggy

manners. The lessons they learn here will remain with them all their lives

which is why leaving the litter together past the traditional six weeks is

vital.

At six weeks, puppies are just beginning to play with each other, with toys,

and with their mother and other dogs. Taking them away too early can

deprive them of valuable lessons in life.

household should jump right in with the rest of the puppies, teaching them

that humans are very delicate beings. You will be bitten because that's how

puppies test their world. As soon as a puppy mouths you, even if he does

not bite hard, you should mimic his littermates and give a high-pitched yell.

The puppy should immediately let go and will probably lick a couple of

times. Give him a warm "thank you," and wait for the next time. If he

doesn't let go scream higher and louder.

Very young puppies will continue to bite, but the bites should get

progressively softer until they disappear altogether. Extend your

indications of discomfort to bites on your clothing as well. If you walk

among the puppies in a long night-gown, scream when they bite the edges.

This technique is highly effective and will work with young dogs even more

quickly than it does with puppies. All children should be taught to deal with

nipping puppies and young dogs this way since they rarely have the social

standing to correct the dog by indicating their disapproval.

Soft Mouths

Many Akitas have soft mouths, probably from crosses to native dogs that

were retrievers. Their bites may be more like nuzzles and may never cause

you pain. As adults, soft-mouthed dogs may have the same toys for years.

They may never cause problems to your furniture or shoes. Don't be

fooled, though. They can still inflict serious damage on people or other

dogs, because when they want to bite hard, they can.

Because their bites don't hurt much, soft-mouthed dogs in a mixed litter

will be the least likely to truly learn bite inhibition. When you are working

with a litter, therefore, it's very important to teach all the puppies not to

bite, even the ones that hardly touch you. Otherwise, the dogs when they

do bite are likely to bite as hard as they can because they never learned to

temper their bites.

Hard-mouthed dogs have a slightly different jaw structure, so few Akitas

have the same bite strength as a German Shepherd or Rottweiler. If your

face is being bitten, however, this distinction will be of little concern to you.

All bites hurt.

Is Bite Inhibition Important?

The owner of the dog may be faced with huge legal fees and damage

awards to the victim. Most of these suits are covered by homeowners

insurance. However, the unfortunate owner may find himself out of a policy

and unable to secure a new insurer so long as the dog is present.

The impact of a dog bite extends far beyond its effect on the people

involved, which can be devastating by itself. Very few people actually die

as a result of dog bites, but the physical damage can be horribly

disfiguring. Medical treatment can range from simple cleaning to multiple

surgeries. Even worse, the bond between dogs and humans is based in

part on trust, and part of that is eroded once you are bitten. If the victim is a

bystander and not a dog owner, he is likely to be lost forever to any

relationship with dogs and may become hostile to them. Hostility coupled

with activism can sound the death knell of a breed. Does this sound

extreme to you? If so, you need to learn more about the animal rights

activists and their effect on animal welfare.

Strengthening Bite Inhibition

You can strengthen bite inhibition throughout the dog's life. Not letting him

bite you or your clothing is the first and most important step in doing this.

If you currently roughhouse by offering your arm as a target, switch to a

lambs wool or rawhide toy, a towel, or a ball. Throw it or drag it for him and

then let him play with it. You can pick it up (few Akitas will actually bring it

back, so don't be disappointed when your dog proves to be a "getter" but

not a "returner") and throw or drag it along the ground. Any time the dog

tries to play-bite at you, switch him over immediately to one of these toys.

If your dog has a firmly entrenched habit, yelping may not work. As an

alternative, you may firmly take your dog's muzzle off your arm or clothes if

he puts his mouth on you. Hold his mouth shut, but don't try to hurt him,

and with a very low, growly voice, firmly tell him, "No." Don't strike the dog

or shake him. You may also be battling a dominance problem, which is

covered in another section of this discussion. Trading aggression for

aggression may get you into an escalating spiral that can cause the very

problem you're trying to avoid!

Insist that your children and any visitors not play chase, allowing the dog

to pursue them. If dogs could talk, they'd probably call this game "Chase

the Prey." Given the right set of stimuli--the right movements, the right

sounds, the right smells--this can become pursuit in deadly earnest.

When you send your charges on to new home, you don't need to scare

your buyers to death, but you should make them aware of appropriate

before they pick up their puppy. The expense is negligible when you

consider the tragedies it can prevent