We call this the "Akita eye". Let's just say that "graduate school" for dog training started today. In other words there is no longer any e-collar setting less than maximum for Mr. Hard As Nails anymore. Ok, Mr. 18 month old intact male Akita, give it your best shot.



He really is a good boy. But while my female Akitas required a sharp word and maybe a boot up the ass, idiot dog needs the proverbial 2x4. ecollar.com FTW.

He's just biding his time, sizing you up for when the batteries die suddenly.



Yep, keep pushing that button on the remote Mr. Tennis shoes. How's that working out for you now?

This dog is hard as woodpecker lips. You'd never guess from his overall temperament, which is quite sociable and jolly, particularly for an Akita. He continues to test me every day, and I suspect that will continue for a long time. But he is much improved since the dial got turned up a week ago. His sits are getting really good. He was in a sit when a squirrel appeared and held it. I gave him his release and he chased it. It was awesome. And for visitors, too, he's held his sit until released. Sits at a distance are coming along. And he didn't try to chase the bicyclist that went by yesterday on our lunch walk. I'm going to start sharpening up his heeling next.

Just to be clear for the those unfamiliar with e-collar training (not you LesBaer45), it's not just "pushing the button". e-collar training requires a mastery of timing and technique in excess of that required for leash or long-line training. This dog has been quite a challenge, actually. His overall temperament combined with his Akita toughness has made it a delicate balancing act in terms of how much correction is used. And he is is not food or toy motivated. So I've had to familiarize him with the e-collar carefully and gently. But now he is acclimated and good training does not occur using the "death by a thousand paper cuts" method. Fewer, bigger corrections is a good rule no matter what kind of training method is used. We've made more progress in the last week than in the last six months.

Those E-collars can be an awesome tool when used correctly. Unfortunately I have a GSP that previously had shock therapy the wrong way. As long as she has the collar on she will do anything you ask her to immediately. No collar, and she will still listen but on her own time. I don't even have to turn the collar on. I just put it on her and her demeanor changes. I am working on getting a better handle on her without the collar but it is being a long drawn out process.

Good job, OP.  A submissive pack dog who isn't broken is a good dog, and a happy dog.

During this mornings first potty break of the day one of my girls spotted a cat running across the street and bolted out after it. Bitch not only went out in the street but got as far as about two houses down before FINALLY listening and coming back to her own yard.

Fortunately no cat got hurt, bitch did not get hit by a car, and she did come back fairly quickly without me having to chase her down.

If she does this sort of crap again any time soon - She goes back to the long lead and pinch collar for a while. Bitch seriously ought to KNOW by now how to STAY in her own yard and STOP when told to stop.




I would imagine that before long you will not 'need' any batteries for your e-collar. Similar as to how towards the end of training one does not have to actually connect the lead to the pinch collar... The dog responds just because it is there and they think it CAN be used.

VERY nice looking dog!

jwatts: they all get collar-wise. The way I look at it is you keep that "e-boot" ready when the collar isn't on and they eventually figure out they better listen/trust you in any situation.

eracer: thanks!

Ar15-TechGuy: oh boy! I know what that feels like!

He's a looker, ain't he? Here's a better pic:

Beautiful.

We considered getting an Akita when the last of our chows passed in late 2013.

Decided against it due to job/life reasons and knowing people that have them. Just didn't have the time to dedicate ensuring proper up bringing.

So we copped out and got another chow.

And he's been a hard headed SOB as usual but now that he's a year old he's mellowing out. Especially in this heat. A/C vents are his best pals now.

Good on ya' for making the smart choice, LesBaer45 Even if you know exactly what you are doing you still have to really want an Akita and it's a huge commitment. If I had the proverbial nickel for every time I told someone "No, you want a Golden or a Lab."

I took Mr. Big Nuts to the Loudon Classic road race at NHMS today. He did great and everyone loved him except for all the other dog owners whose dogs all lit up at just the sight of him. He himself was super chill around all the race bikes but he did get jazzed up around a few of the other dogs. I'll try to get some pics up later.

Beautiful!



 

I need a good/decent training collar.  Which one did you get and how much did it cost?



Great looking Akita!  We just got two Great Pyrenees/Lab mixes; if we hadn't Plan B was to get an Akita pup.



Thanks,

I am very partial to both Dogtra and ecollar.com. My older dog is currently wearing a Dogtra 1900NCP, and my 18 month old is wearing an ecollar.com K9-800TS. If you've got more of a Great Pyrenees coat on your dogs make sure to get the extra long contacts. They range in price from $200 to $300 depending on the exact collar.

Also make sure to get proper training in how to use an e-collar. There are a great many techniques and you need to find which ones work best for your dog. Be wary of a trainer that says there's only one way to do it. And remember that all behaviors usually need to be taught on-lead before going to the e-collar and even then often you need to use a lead at the same time. But once you and the dog get the e-collar "language" worked out it becomes a really amazing communications tool.

eta: thanks for the nice compliment on the dog. If you look carefully in the photo you can see the 800TS receiver high up on the right side of his neck. I move it to a different spot every day to prevent sores. The orange collar is a Garmin Astro DC50 tracking unit.

Thanks!

first post had me laughing.  First thing I thought when I read the OP.


Beautiful dog OP.  I've owned hard-headed dogs, but never an akita.

Thanks for the kind words, all!

Here is his big stepsister. We got them as a package deal. She is a retired champion brood bitch and she was 7 when we got her as a direct adopt into her "forever home", i.e. our home. If we took her we got a discount on the pup. She has been a huge help raising Mr. Idiot Dog and we love her to death. We are happy, honored and lucky to have her for the rest of her life, for however long that will be (she's eight and a half now).

Dogs can definitely help each other learn if given the chance.

Raising and training a single pup can be a lot harder to do if they have no other dogs around to play with or help them learn things they need to know.


You got VERY lucky on that deal!