Akita....off lead

We, seem to see alot of Akita's here, all are on leads. Sometime back in a post I said that most Akita owners I've spoken to (as I love the breed) told me that they are not ideal to have 'off lead' Well yesterday evening, we took the gang to Babbs Mill, we'd been walking for sometime, when suddenly an Akita appeared from out of no-where, naturally being rather 'Oh! No' his owner appeared and shouted.....He's ok, he'll just play' and play he did, my three were exhausted by the end. The owner walked with us for a while and told us that he was 4 years old and that he had him since 9 weeks of age. He said ' I think I've spent to many hours with him' and laughed. Guess what I didn't take my camera I was really annoyed with myself.................just goes to show doesn't it, his name was 'Ki' and he had such wonderful manners and was so obiedient. Well done to his owner, a wonderful example.

awwww i love akita's ther are hardly any around here!

I love Akitas too, gorgeous dogs. I am very jealous

Me too and it was wonderful to see one 'off lead' and so playful at such an adult age

Being the very proud owner of a nearly 13 year old Akita who has always been walked off lead it is lovely to hear of others.

In all my years of owning Nala I can count on one hand (well half of one probably) the number of Akitas that I have heard of that are exercised off lead.

I don't know why there are not more?

Can I say....well done to you and your lovely dog. We have a number around here, and before we got Bruce I was keen to look into them (as I think they are a great breed) but everyone I stopped and asked said the same..'We never let him/her off/instincts/etc., so I thought well No then, because ours are off lead, but yesterday showed me that even a 'Intire 4 year old male' can be trusted....and now yours. I think that proves what a good job you and Ki's owner have done. Well done.

ps..Ki was so patient with Bruce too. Lovely to see

Thanks for the compliments

I can't take the credit though really. We were told by her breeders that it was not advisable to let her off the lead but, as we already had 2 Shepherds at the time, thought it would not be fair to keep one on the lead when the others were off.

Nala was off lead from the minute she was on the ground and just followed the Shepherds lead. She did waver occasionally and, although she has ALWAYS come back when called, it's not the fastest recall in the world a bit like a petulant child who doesn't really want to do it but knows that they have to

As for mixing with other dogs, good socialisation is the key as it is with all other dogs.

It really confuses me when people say 'this breed can't do this' and 'that breed can't do that'. Breed not deed should carry through to ALL breeds. Time, training and a lot of patience is all it takes.

there are a few akitas around here, and more over where my dad lives (also in Sheffield but a rougher area! )

Lovely dogs, there's one around that's always offlead and is a nice dog but is a bit nippy when playing so Takara doesn't play with her! There's also quite a few akita crosses around here and they are absolutely lovely!

I've never really heard anyone say they're not good offlead... as a rule I think they're generally pretty fixed on the owner, being bred for protection they don't go far.

stevie there are two in sutton park off the lead ,they are lovely a older man has the one she is girl ,the other one a younger man owns they are both lovely dogs .