This article appeared in the Winter 2000 issue of Akita Dog, a quarterly publication of the Akita Club of America, Inc. It is reprinted with permission of the author and copyright owner, J. Creason

As an Akita owner, what are the most important issues when you're getting an Akita from a breeder?

Health and temperament. To me, they go hand in hand. I need to know that I can trust that the dog has a stable disposition. I'm happy to say that's been the case with every Akita I've had. I also want the dog to be healthy. Not just so that the dog will have a happy life, but also so that I'm not spending all of my time taking the dog to the vet and spending a lot of money treating a condition that ends in heartbreak.

My current Akita, Benny
I can take Benny anywhere. I take him down to Los Angeles to visit my brother Arthur, and Benny gets along with his household of dogs, including 3 Bichons and a neutered Black Lab dog that's bigger than Benny. I also take Benny to a regional park where he runs free with his Akita/Chow running buddy Sasha.

This 600-acre park has open spaces as well as wooded areas with creeks and a lagoon. There are cows present at times, people on bicycles and on horseback. Benny loves to run full-tilt, periodically returning to check in with me. I put a blinking mini beacon on his collar if we're there near dark so I can see where he is; its great to see his red light flashing through the trees after dark. When he gets overheated, he goes into the creek and settles down in the water. He loves to greet people and other dogs while he's on his rounds.
 

How would you describe the ideal relationship between the Akita owner and their breeder?

I've had 4 Akitas. Nine months after I got my first Akita Teru, I got my 2nd Akita, Tomo. A year after Teru died we got a 3rd Akita, Takane. After Eric and I divorced, I was "dogless" for many years. I got my 4th Akita in 1997. My first 3 Akitas were from Akita Tani; Benny is half Akita Tani.

I had wanted to get a bitch puppy and, when I contacted Liz about a pup, I learned about Benny. He had been repossessed after the first owners stole him and severally abused him. He was a year and a half old and needed a good home.

At first, I was apprehensive about getting a dog that had been abused, wondering how the abuse would manifest in his behavior. During the last 12 years, however, several cats have sought food and shelter in my yard and home. Initially wild and unapproachable, they were transformed into loving companions through my care and compassion. I felt these cats were my training for Benny. So, I got Benny. What was your question?
 

Breeders. Can they help an Akita owner?

I learned so much from Liz Harrell. I don't know what it would be like to be a novice dog owner or a novice Akita owner and have a breeder who didn't communicate. Liz was always interested in the well-being of the dogs she placed.

In my experience she was never too busy to answer questions or discuss the dogs' care. Since Eric and I had never had a dog before, this was vital for us. We started out with a blank slate, and we called her with questions all the time. We'd ask about everything from behavior to health care to grooming to training to feeding…. Is there more? Oh, yes, potty-training. Liz was full of suggestions.

Yes, in retrospect, I can imagine that the breeder's level of interest in the pup [or adult for that matter] could have a very direct bearing on whether it ends up in rescue. If the breeder doesn't provide support to the new owner, that pup could easily land in rescue if problems arise.
 

How are things different now compared to when you were first an Akita owner?

One of the first things that comes to mind is how technical advances impact being an Akita owner. If you have a computer or access to one, you can get on an Akita list and communicate with other Akita owners practically anywhere in the world. You can talk to them about health, training, feeding, breeding, fluff, club politics, or you can just be a silent lurker. You can research all kinds of veterinary issues on the Web. The ACA can reach members and non-members alike through its Web site.

Taking Benny to a Chiropractor
There are new food products for dogs (including wonderful things that help prevent bloat), and there are new procedures that are far more advanced than they were 25-30 years ago.

And, who would've thought to take their dog to a chiropractor? I'd never heard of it before, but I've been taking Benny lately and it's been having a very positive result. He had a lot of misalignment presumably resulting from his early physical abuse. His pelvis was visibly tilted and, as a result, he was putting about 5 pounds more weight on one foot than the other. Benny had slight scoliosis, and some of his vertebrae were sufficiently out of alignment that he probably had some pinched nerves.

After the first set of adjustments, which successfully leveled his pelvis and removed the unnatural spinal curve, his rear stance broadened, appeared more powerful, and his gait flowed much more freely. He's been a very picky eater for a long time, restricting himself only to very easily digested foods. Those pinched nerves were going to his gut, and now he's starting to eat a greater variety of foods. Amazing!
 

Are there any last words you want to say?

Teru, my first Akita, was also my first dog. Once when Eric and I were on a vacation, we were gone for 2 weeks, which was the longest we ever left Teru and Tomo. The night before we returned, Teru died in the boarding kennel. Teru wasn't even 7 years old. Since the autopsy report showed no clear cause of death, I believe he died of a broken heart thinking he was abandoned.

I was devastated losing Teru. I absolutely adored him and, losing him, I felt as though my life was shattered. I had spent so much time working on the Registry and working on the stud book. And then losing him so suddenly, so unexpectedly….it seemed like I hadn't spent enough time with him. And it also seemed like I had spent a lot of time thinking about how horrible it would be when I eventually did lose him. I think it's important to focus on spending time enjoying being with our dogs and not focus on ….

Whenever I was at my desk working on the stud book or the registry, the dogs were always there at my feet, silently waiting their turn, just waiting. And, in a way, I'm lucky right now, I have time to spend with Benny. I can take him to a park where I let him run loose with another dog through the fields and in a creek. He just takes off and runs free, and it's such a joy to see him do that. I know that he's having a happy life.

      
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Last updated November 29, 2002

Copyright 2000 by Kay S. Greisen
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