I have alot of friends with akitas. They all have more than one to be fair. Most of them keep their Akitas outside and the dogs actually ask to go out. I think with their triple coats they are sometimes more confortable outside in Kennels and runs. These are not heated, however they are wind and rain proof. In terms of what age you want them to go outside. A friend of mine has an akita puppy, aged 12 weeks now. That pup will remain in the house over the winter and will go out gradually in the Spring. As I said before though they have the company of each other. All of these dogs are in proper kennels with steel runs. Remember an adult akita can easily run through a typical piece of fencing if they took the fancy.
I have border collies. They both stay in the house. However one of my boys litter brothers would not settle in the house. Kept protest peeing etc. Howling to go out. Bought him a big kennel and he lives outside of any evening and is much happier out there.
I would say with your pup. Leave it until the Spring before making the decision. In the meantime question whether you garden is Akita proof and with a large dog you would need to build some sort of kennel and enclosure. He would only need a dog giving him grief the other side of the fence and he'd be off after it.
The important thing is the dog should want to be outside and not because it's convenient for you.

I would never want to keep my dog outside, but I don't have a problem with other people doing it. As long as the dog is happy and still gets lots of attention, training and company.
In a built up area though I would be extremely worried about the dog being stolen or hurt by cruel people pasing by You would also need to make extra sure that the garden is 100% secure.

What I can't really understand is if the dog is going to spend the day in the house, why would you want it to go outside at night?

i have got 5 dogs and they all sleep up stairs in our bedroom and 4 of them sleep on the bed they are family and i now they are safe. I also now we are safe as if there was noise out side the fornt door or in the garden they let me now.

so i would say no to outside but then i was brought up with dogs from a baby and they all lived in side. The only person i now that lets there dogs stay out all day and night is a breeder near me but that is down to her. we all have our own ways.


welcome dogsey and hope you enjoy

sam and parson family.

I too think it depends on the dog and it's breed. Our GR lives indoors with us and always has done - they are very people orientated.

His bed is in the conservatory and he will often prefer to go there to lie down rather than stay in the other rooms with us. Even on the coldest of nights he will often leave his bed to lie on the cold tiles and will go outside whatever the weather. He swims in the sea right through the winter and never seems bothered by the cold. In the summer he gets very hot and spends a lot of his time in the garden looking for some shade to lie in.

A lot of working dogs live outside and don't seem to mind. I think there is a big difference between a dog living outside but with all the stimulation, attention and training that an indoor dog would get and a dog that is just banished to the outdoors and left to get on with it with little or no interaction with people or other dogs - I would call that abandonment.

My dogs both live inside (GSD and collie) but I am fairly sure my collie would enjoy living outside if he had the company of another dog. My GSD is definitely an indoor dog. When I eventually get another dog, I may consider kennelling the collies outdoors. Only if they enjoy it though.

My OH's dogs are all working sheepdogs and live outdoors from pups. They all have draft-proof kennels and are more than happy outside. Having said that, they are working hard all day and get plenty of mental and physical exercise, so basically just go to their kennels to sleep. He also lives in the middle of nowhere and so doesn't have the added risk of some thief stealing them.

I would hate to think of any dog left outside 24/7 with no companionship or stimulation. Dogs are pack animals and enjoy company.

Regarding when to start the kennelling, personally I would wait until a pup was around 5-6 months old. A friend of mine who is a police dog instructor, has purpose built kennels for his working dogs. He puts the pups outdoors from 5-6 months onwards and has never had a problem. Again though, these dogs are getting loads of stimulation during the day and see the kennel as a sleeping place only.

Good luck with your pup

I see the thread has been reignited!

Thanks for your replies, it was interesting reading. I still haven't got my pup yet, my circumstances have changed so I'll be renting my flat for a lil longer than expected. I will still be getting an Akita when i finish, then a second when the first is older and trained. I'll be home most of the time so the dogs will be free to roam indoors and outside as they please. I'm not at all worried about socialisation and companionship - they won't just be left outside all day then all night.

I'm planning to have kennels built so comfort won't be an issue. I see that people have their own ideas on what is right and what is not but I think a lot of this has to do with the different relationships that people have with their dogs, for example, I would never allow dogs onto my bed but I see that other people do. Each to their own I say.I've come to the conclusion that as long as the dog is happy, well-cared for and receives enough stimulation, exercise etc, it doesn't matter whether the dogs sleep outdoors or indoors.

Wow! Your going to have your hands full with two akitas, best of luck. The owner of the lab we often look after during the day, has an outdoor kennel and run built onto the house where he lives with his owner, accessable through a dog flap in the back door, so the lab has the choice of where to sleep at night.

In fact, although she wanders out occassionally through the night, (in the hot weather only) she generally sleeps in the bedroom with her owner. This indicates therefore, her preference is to sleep inside.

I personally would never keep a dog outside at night, I just don't like the idea.

Just feel the need to comment on a few things.

First of all it seems to be, mention an Akita and it's oh they're a handful and a hard breed. As long as you do your homework and appreciate the traits of an Akita then they are an easy breed to live with. My closest friends have six of them, but neither would have a border collie. They think it would be too demanding and compared to an Akita they are. The only difference is an Akita is a large, heavy dog so you make it clear to them at an early age who is the top dog in the house.
Secondly a breed like an akita that is triple coated can suffer in our general central heated homes and are in the main quite happy to be outside.
How many of our dogs will go and lie on the hard kitchen floor rather than lie on our thick carpets next to the fire. Some will, some won't.
I choose to have my dogs inside (and yes on the bed). Am I doing it for the benefit of the dog or am I doing it for me? The answer both. I want them inside so that noone can get to them and they are safe. However I do not see a problem of having your dog outside at night, as I have said in a previous post.
Tee is not suggesting that her dog will be out all the time, and a dog does not lose out on love and socialisation just because it is kenneled outside. Some dogs are in fact much happier to be outside and have their own space.

I have purpose built kennels - none of my dogs live outside infact kennels really that were a complete waste of money!
When push came to shove I couldn't do it, my dogs are part of my family it felt like I was putting one of my children up there