Akita
Temperament Revisited
by Sherry E. Wallis
Part I
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print it out so you can read it at your leisure. Author's
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Part I - Bite Classification
Since the series on Akita Temperament appeared
in Akita Dog and Akita World, I have gotten a lot of favorable
feedback from breeders and Akita owners. I’ve also had calls and emails from
people who have problems with their dogs; so many that I decided I needed to
brush up my training skills. I’ve attended several training seminars, a
couple of seminars on dealing with aggressive dogs, and completely revamped
my training methods.
Most of the people that I talk to about their
dogs don’t live anywhere near me, so my ability to work with them has been
limited. I can explain some of the things that motivate the dog and suggest
changes in their interactions with him to improve the situation. If
possible, I refer them to a trainer and recommend books and videos as well
as Internet sites with information.
Unfortunately, a significant number of these
calls come far too late. The dog has passed the point of no return, which
is when its potential for harm poses significant risk to people. Where
children and/or innocent bystanders are likely to be targets for the dog,
euthanasia is the only course open to the owner.
Despite many years of dealing with people and
their dogs, I continue to be amazed at the range of aggressive behaviors on
the dog’s part that their owners can justify as being normal, usual,
reasonable, and/or acceptable behavior from a dog. Even more discouraging
are those who report that conversations with the breeder about the dog’s
actions reassured them that “Akitas are just like that.”
n case you have any doubt, then, let me
categorically state here that displays of aggressive or threatening behavior
are not only not typical of the Akita, they are not normal and are just not
acceptable. DOGS SHOULD NEVER GROWL, SNARL, SNAP AT OR BITE MEMBERS OF THEIR
FAMILY, FRIENDS, OR NON-THREATENING STRANGERS. The one exception would be
when the dog responds appropriately to a legitimate threat, which is rarely
the case.
Dogs have quite a repertoire of aggressive
expressions that stop far short of biting. Unless you learn to recognize
them, you cannot interrupt the aggressive cycle, which begins with very
subtle warnings. These are messages the dog is sending you, telling you
something is very wrong. If you don't pay attention, it's not the dog's
fault. It is yours, but the dog may likely end up paying for your
inattention with his life.
When the subtlest warnings are not effective,
to make his point, the dog is forced to use one that is stronger. You’d
think that a bite would make the point, but many owners do not even
recognize a full-fledged one as a sign of big trouble on the horizon.
Bites can be classified from I to V based on
the number and the severity. The are:
1.
One bite that barely or does not
break the skin although bruising may occur.
2.
One bite that breaks the skin,
causing damage and bruising. It may require medical treatment
3.
Multiple bites that cause
serious damage and bruising. Crushing injury may cause nerve damage and
extensive bruising in addition to punctures and tearing.
4.
An attack with multiple bites
that cause extensive injuries that stops short of death.
5.
An attack that is intended to
kill the victim.
Dogs that do bite seem to move through a
progression beginning with a Class I bite. Most are euthanized after
delivering a Class III.
Dogs bite for any number of reasons.
Sometimes behavior modification and lifestyle changes can remove these and
remedy the problems. Some dogs have unstable, aggressive temperaments that
make them unsuitable for the vast majority of pet owners.
Once your dog has progressed to the biting
stage, even getting help from professional trainers can be difficult to
impossible. Many don’t want to deal with the personal risk or the risk to
others because no one can guarantee success. Even those who will take one
on may refuse a dog that has a Class III history. In reality, the best hope
for a dog that has some aggressive tendencies is to deal with them at the
pre-bite stage; otherwise, the dog is almost always a lost cause.
Regardless of why he bites, a dog that has
done so once will be much more likely to do so again and the force and
number of the bites will increase with each successive incident. Not at all
uncommon is a scenario where the dog, which has spent several years growling
and snarling without ever biting, delivers a Class I bite one day and then
several more of increasing severity within a few months. Once bite
inhibition has been broached, it seems to deteriorate rapidly.
So what are aggressive signals aside from
biting? Many dogs begin by guarding some object or their food. They stand
with their necks over it, tuck their heads down protectively, and stiffen
slightly when approached. The dog may alternate between looking at the
object and making eye contact. A dog that resists something like going in
or out of a room or crate may stiffen and make eye contact with you.
Signs that the dog is more than just unhappy
are: stiffened or rigid body standing on tiptoes; slightly raised hackles,
direct eye contact (this isn’t a dog looking at you to see what you want but
a flat-eyed stare); lifted lip showing teeth; vocalizations such as barks,
grumbles, growls. A dog expressing aggression may also wag his tail, but
this is a very different message from friendly wagging. It just means he’s
happy to think about biting you, not that he’s talking and happy to see
you!
Now, if you’ve never taught your dog to give
you back something he’s playing with or eating, when he gets hold of a big,
juicy bone for the first time, you shouldn’t be shocked if he doesn’t want
to give it up. A growl here doesn’t mean your dog is a danger to all and
sundry. It does mean you’re not as alpha as you might think. You need to
teach your dog that giving up something doesn’t mean he’ll be deprived. An
accompanying snap might mean he’s not so bite inhibited as you’d like
either, which might call for some additional work.
Issues for Akitas are often centered on pack
hierarchy and sociability. Assertive behavior that may tip the balance over
into aggression is directed most often at children, especially those outside
the family, and next most at people outside the dog’s immediate family.
Most incidents occur in a venue in which the dog feels at home. This may
actually be the home or may be the car, a motor home, or grooming area at a
show.
It’s important for you to understand that the
victim of the aggression may not be the cause. A classic example of this is
the dog that dislikes showing who finds himself in the ring weekend after
weekend. This dog may be fine in a family situation or even in most social
settings outside the home, but cannot tolerate the grind of serious showing.
Some warning signs usually appear before the
actual bite, although they are almost never taken seriously. Finally, he
bites the judge or, less commonly, the handler and is disqualified from
showing. Putting the dog in what becomes for him an intolerable situation
is the cause for the aggression; the judge or handler is a convenient target
for the dog’s frustration because he is a stranger.
Many Akitas find themselves without adequate
leadership. Truly alpha dogs, as I’ve said before, are not bullies. For
the right people, they can be a real pleasure to live with, and the right
people might be those who understand he’s the leader or those strong enough
to be his. Most dogs aren’t alpha, though, and are just not mentally
equipped for the job. When they are propelled into that role, they handle
it poorly, a situation that is not uncommon in Akitas.
Problems with these dogs arise when someone
below them on the totem pole transgresses proper doggy etiquette. They may
take food away before the dog is finished, try to move him from a place he
prefers to be, or interfere with what he considers his duties.
Just as with people, once a dog is entrenched
in the alpha role, even if it makes his life miserable, he’s unlikely to
accept a demotion willingly. Not many CEO’s leave their companies to become
janitors! The trick with these dogs is to move them back to their proper
positions in the pack without getting into a confrontation from which the
dog cannot back down and before they become so comfortable with their role
they cannot give it up.
Please remember that all these cases deal
with aggression towards people and not dogs. I think aggression towards
people and aggression towards other dogs are two different kettle of fish,
although some overlap may exist. Our standard does say that Akitas are
aggressive towards other dogs, but I think it is there as a warning to
judges and exhibitors. Certainly no one should breed for dog aggression,
and it is probably the single-most objectionable trait in our dogs. That
dog-aggression can be present to some degree in any Akitas is something of
which we must be aware. Constant socialization and training are among the
best ways to move away from it. You must keep in mind, however, that when
the chips are down, heredity can overwhelm even the best training.
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