Starting From Scratch.

[mixeduppup]

lol, that was my reaction. But there was a culmination of factors and I refuse to have family issues because of a dog breed.

[Nevafollo]

Kinda sounds like they are in the same basket as those who see marley and me and want a lab or snow dogs and want a husky. I dont mean to sound rude but make sure you are making the right choice for YOU. Ok if they really dont want you to have a rottie then fair enough but try and find a middle ground, if an Akita is that then awesome but Im just going to throw it out there and say in my personal experience and opinion a rottie sounds more appopriate than an akita from what you have said thus far about your wants and needs in a dog.

I really think the WHOLE family should get to a dog show and meet all the breeds (if you can) that you are looking at. You and they might be suprised wih what you end up falling for. If it wasnt for dog shows I wouldnt have either of my fave breeds.

[mixeduppup]

Thank you, but an Akita was just behind Amstaffs on my breed list which was just after rotties. It's OK, I'm fine with the decision and a few things have gone on that brought us to this decision. I'm ok with it, I was disappointed at first but it's all good now.

[tarope]

Many people are scared of Rotties, including Vets. Their fear comes from the Media and of cause Irresponsible owners who think Rotties are vicious guard dogs.

When you ask people who claim the breed is Aggressive and Dangerous, have you ever owned this breed the answer is always no. So what are Rotties really like ?

My Rottie Opal came from a shelter aged 16mths,for the first 14 mths of her life she was kept on a chain starved and bashed. She was very fearful of me and if I raised my hand she would hit the ground, pick up a stick she would run for her life.

She had never been in a house or walked on a lead and check chains terrified her, it took 6 mths before she lost most of her fear but the check chain problem took much longer.

So here is a dog of this so called Dangerous breed that was also a Cruelty case, was my life at risk ?

Hell no, at no time did she ever try to bite me and once I gained her trust I discovered what this breed is really like. Gentle, loving, Intelligent, loyal, Great with kids and big sooks. She will soon be 9 yrs old and very much a part of our family. :D

Whether you get a Rottie or not,it's up to you but please don't take any notice of the bad things said about this wonderful breed because it's just not true.

[mixeduppup]

I love rotties, but at this stage sadly it's not going to happen.

[Polgara's Shadow]

I would have thought an Akita would be much more challenging to raise as a balanced family dog than a rottie

All the best in finding a lovely pup whatever your family decides.

[Purdie]

Here is a dog breed selector that may give you some ideas.

http://www.selectsmart.com/DOG/

[mixeduppup]

I did it and Curly Coated Retriever and Akita were at the top.

[Purdie]

I did it and Curly Coated Retriever and Akita were at the top.

I love Curly Coated Retrievers a breed sometimes overlooked,they are on my short list.Good luck with your searching.

[dancinbcs]

I did it and Curly Coated Retriever and Akita were at the top.

I love Curly Coated Retrievers a breed sometimes overlooked,they are on my short list.Good luck with your searching.

Curly Coats are wonderful dogs and well worth considering as a suitable compromise. Of the others I would be less worried about a Rottie than either an Akita or an Amstaff as far as them showing aggression that family members might be frightened of. Both Akitas and Amstaffs can be aggressive to other dogs and smaller animals too. Rotties used to be but have mellowed a lot over the years. In nearly 3 decades at dog shows I cannot recall an really aggressive Rottie but have certainly seen Akitas and Amstaffs launch very nasty attacks other dogs. They are two of a handful of breeds I give a wide birth to when walking a dog around a dog show.

[KatrinaM]

Black Russian Terrrier!

[Merrirose]

I too would prefer a Rot to an Akita. Ahh well. Good luck.

[Wobbly]

I'd take both an Akita and a Rott in a heartbeat, also probably a Curly Coat retreiver. XD

Except I can't, a multiple dog household that includes a Pit Bull isn't a proposition I'm sure I could manage (it can be done ofc, but it's not so simple as with other breeds).

If I could choose any, any, any breed in the world it would be a red Dobermann. But I'm never gonna find one in the pound, so most likely I will never get one.

Good luck with the Akita, they are an amazing looking dog. Remember they were used for dog fighting, so socialise the pup carefully.

[Sares]

Here is a dog breed selector that may give you some ideas.

http://www.selectsmart.com/DOG/

I just did this quiz and my number 1 result was French Bulldog..

And guess what dog I have...

A FRENCH BULLDOG!

it was meant to be!

[minxy]

Just to clarify, akitas weren't used as fighting dogs because of aggression. They were used because of their thick coats and curly tail. Other dogs would suffer a lot of injuries to their tails or because of their thinner coats. This made akitas desirable dogs to own as they could really take a beating. Dog fighting is also the least of activities that they were ever involved in. They are more known for bear hunting, police work and baby sitting, the latter which particularly speaks more for their temperament than fighting. Yes, they do much prefer the company of people to other dogs. They are used to working either alone or in pairs only. They require socialization just like every other dog. It's extremely common amongst akita breeders and owners to have owned rotties at some stage. I think they both can be wonderful family dogs (having also owned rotties myself) if obtained from a reputable breeder and given proper training and socialization.

[Wobbly]

Just to clarify, akitas weren't used as fighting dogs because of aggression. They were used because of their thick coats and curly tail. Other dogs would suffer a lot of injuries to their tails or because of their thinner coats. This made akitas desirable dogs to own as they could really take a beating. Dog fighting is also the least of activities that they were ever involved in. They are more known for bear hunting, police work and baby sitting, the latter which particularly speaks more for their temperament than fighting. Yes, they do much prefer the company of people to other dogs. They are used to working either alone or in pairs only. They require socialization just like every other dog. It's extremely common amongst akita breeders and owners to have owned rotties at some stage. I think they both can be wonderful family dogs (having also owned rotties myself) if obtained from a reputable breeder and given proper training and socialization.

OFC Minx, I didn't mean to imply anything bad, all of the above (except substitue the "thick coat" bit for "tenacious courage") is true of my breed too, a long history of baby sitting, police & military work (S&R), as well as a herding dog (yes really). Not to say they can't be great with other dogs - you can see plenty of pics of Jarrah mixing with other dogs in the APBT thread in the breed sub forums. But with any breed it pays to know the breed history and to realise that often really does have an impact on the dog's behaviour, and manage socialisation accordingly carefully.

Edited July 5, 2012 by Wobbly

[mixeduppup]

Well I spoke to some Akita breeders and think I have chosen who I want, they breed for temperament mostly, then type and then colour. They said that a good Akita is never a bad colour and I like that. They'll be having pups just at the right time too. I spoke to them for a good hour and they didn't try and sell me a dog like some breeders do, they asked me just as many questions and I answered truthfully, I actually sound like a pretty good potential Akita owner apparently.

[minxy]

Just to clarify, akitas weren't used as fighting dogs because of aggression. They were used because of their thick coats and curly tail. Other dogs would suffer a lot of injuries to their tails or because of their thinner coats. This made akitas desirable dogs to own as they could really take a beating. Dog fighting is also the least of activities that they were ever involved in. They are more known for bear hunting, police work and baby sitting, the latter which particularly speaks more for their temperament than fighting. Yes, they do much prefer the company of people to other dogs. They are used to working either alone or in pairs only. They require socialization just like every other dog. It's extremely common amongst akita breeders and owners to have owned rotties at some stage. I think they both can be wonderful family dogs (having also owned rotties myself) if obtained from a reputable breeder and given proper training and socialization.

OFC Minx, I didn't mean to imply anything bad, all of the above (except substitue the "thick coat" bit for "tenacious courage") is true of my breed too, a long history of baby sitting, police & military work (S&R), as well as a herding dog (yes really). Not to say they can't be great with other dogs - you can see plenty of pics of Jarrah mixing with other dogs in the APBT thread in the breed sub forums. But with any breed it pays to know the breed history and to realise that often really does have an impact on the dog's behaviour, and manage socialisation accordingly carefully.

I don't know what OFC means. Sorry, I wasn't meaning your post in particular so I promise you I didn't mean to jump on you or anything, there were quite a few comments in response to Akitas so I thought I'd better clarify as some comments (without a bit of further insight) can be a bit misleading.

[Guest english.ivy]

Oh really? I was told they are very prey driven and not trustworthy around cats?

Many breeds are prey driven, Rotties especially. I used to have Rotties and had no problems with my cats. One of my other dogs (Stafford) is very prey driven but no problem with my poultry or cats. It just comes down to the right dog and training.

My Belgian Shepherd has a big prey drive. She is a cat chaser but has learnt to leave my cat alone [took a long time to teach her] but a cat in the street is another story.