 Barked: Wed Oct 12, '11 2:31pm PST |
 | |  | | Mika's pretty much answered it, ha.
I just wanted to add that Akitas were originally bred as guard dogs, and tend to be very watchful of strangers. Lobo will start to growl very lowly if someone lingers by our front yard for too long. That being said, if we humans let a stranger in, Lobo is happily wagging his tail and accepting pets (keep in mind that Lobo is also part husky, and akitas aren't this friendly). I've heard that they're also gentle with other children, but clearly love their own human family's children more so.
In Japan, mothers would often leave their children in the care of their Akitas while they went to buy groceries for food. Obviously, that requires a lot of trust and understanding, so you can see why the Akita Inu is a popular 'family dog.'
My aunt new someone who took care of Siberian Huskies and Akita Inus. She said that the huskies would turn on each other, but the akitas would defend their families from other dogs. I think akitas are more pack-oriented than huskies, but otherwise, yes, they're pretty similar. In my experience, Sibes have also been a little easier to train, if you can reign in all that energy. Akitas, while loyal, don't really like listening and would rather curl up at your feet than watch you make an ass of yourself trying to train them 
Speaking on personal experience, of course. Lobo was very difficult to train. I would recommend bonding first, and then training. That's what worked for Lobes and I. We had to first get to know each other, and I had to earn his trust before he decided that I was worth following. It didn't take long, though, ahah. But of course, he does have husky in him.
I'm also new to Akitas, so this is all personal experience from meeting other Akitas, my own research, and of course Lobo.
EDIT;;
I wanted to make sure you also knew that there are two distinct "types" of Akita. There's the heavier, larger American Akita, and the lighter, smaller Japanese Akita. Lobo is a Japanese Akita mix. You'll mostly find American Akitas (duh) here in America, but it's not impossible to come by respectable, knowledgeable, trustworthy breeders who breed Japanese Akitas.Edited by author Wed Oct 12, '11 2:42pm PST
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