Hello, this is my first post, I am trying to find some help with my newly 'acquired' dog.
He is 11 months old (American) Japanese Akita. He is a very large neutered male.
His background is that he used to belong to a friend of mine for several months (from 4 months until 7 months). He became too much for her and she rehomed him. Since then he's been sold on several times, runaway and was finally impounded. The microchip was registered in my friends name and so the kennel called her and asked her to come and collect within 7 days or they would assume responsibility.
So she called me and asked me to take him - well, begged!
His main problem is that he destroys absolutely everything that is left within reach of him. I do not mean chew, I mean he will eat his way through everything. I have some stables and I kept him for the first few nights in the barn. The first morning he had eaten his wicker basket bed, smashed water bowls (ceramic ones), my straw bales had just become one huge pile, and he had nearly dug his way through the barn doors. (They were only erected a month ago!) The first thing I did was order a large kennel and run - which has now arrived.
I am not someone who likes to keep dogs outside, I have another rescue dog, an ex guard dog, German Shephard, who is a dream to have in the house.
The dogs get on well together, although they play very rough! I contacted the Akita Association and they advised me to keep him outside and never leave the dogs alone. Ive done a lot of research on the net regarding this breed and he doesnt seem to fit the 'norm'. He is not aloof with strangers, he does not appear to be dog aggressive (although I understand this will probably change) and he is certainly not independant. He has no command knowledge at all, Ive started basic training - but he only responds to food - which I would like to avoid!!
I am really looking for someone who has experience with them as a 'pet' rather than as a show dog etc, who can give me tips on training and obedience.
I'd like to help this dog, who is adoreable. Thanks for reading :)

Hi
Although I do not have any experience with Akitas I think most bosrd members would agree that this is not a breed-specific problem.
I 'm assuming the destruction occurs when the dog is left alone.In which case I would say with his history its not really suprising ,poor sole.Have you thought about using a crate set up indoors?That way you can confine your dog and stop the destruction without him being put outside. I use a crate and it is left open when I'm at home and all the dogs use it to sleep in.I find it is their 'safe haven' where they go to get some peace and quiet.My 9 month old pup is put in the crate when I'm not around.Feed your dog in his crate and when he has to be left leave him plenty of toys etc to occupy his mind.I also leave a radio on.
I would hope that with time and reasurrance your boy will settle and will stop being so stressed.
As far as pet rather than show experience-although a lot of us show our dogs are also much loved pets who live as family members-so the 2 go hand in hand-we all live with our dogs,train our dogs in all aspects of being pets and show and we have all had problems to overcome.
Good luck-We're always here for advice although you'll probably get lots of different veiws and its up to you to take what suits you best!!
Regards Archer.

It sounds like the akita in question was probably a normal dog that was teething on everything it can find. However, the owner who had him between 4-7 months sounds like she was a very inexperienced dog owner (especially considering that she gave up on him so fast) and probably worsened the dog's behavior by incorporating ineffective training/discipline methods to try and discourage the unwanted behavior. As a result, the behavior not only persisted, but it got worse and everything went downhill for her so she decided to discard the dog by relinquishing ownership to someone else.

It sounds like you, however, are more determined and resourceful to help rehabilitate this poor akita. I've heard that Akita's are a very stubborn and difficult breed to raise so i'm not very surprised. Here are some helpful tips for you that may prove useful (they usually have worked with most of my dogs, including the independant and stubborn ones):

1) As i've told many posters on this board with destruction issues with their dogs, invest in a product called bitter apple. It's a taste deterrent and training aid. Dogs hate the taste and will avoid anything with the scent. Works wonders with all my dogs! At 11 months, most dog's teeth are finally settling in and are experiencing their last chewing phase (that is if it does not become a habit by appeasing it as an owner). As archer said, provide many chewing toys to keep him busy. Better to chew on those than you phone adapters, wires, couch, chairs, etc.

2) Invest in a crate. At first dogs hate it, but they eventually get used to it and resort to it when they are stressed out because it gives them a sense of security. Don't use it as a disciplanary tool though. They should associate it with good, not bad. An additional benefit of this commodity is that you can leave your dog in there when your out, as opposed to pen him out outside (besides, its alot cheaper than a fence outside.

3) Most dogs don't have the intellectual aptitude to decipher human language (e.g. sentences). However, they can interpret visual signals and certain sounds (commands). You should make it a habit to verbally discourage unwanted behavior such as chewing on shoes and furniture. For example, if you catch him chomping down on your favorite boots, say "bad shoe!" in a firm, authoritative tone of voice. Or you could improvise and use your own command if you like = ). However, some particularly independant and dominant dogs respond to negative verbal discouragement with aggression (e.g. growling, barking, etc.). If your dog falls under this category, try isolating him in a corner of the room in a pen or tied up without any human interaction or attention. Not even eye contact! Dogs are social animals by nature and one of their biggest wants is socialization. It's the doggy equivalent of grounding a child with no TV = )

4) Using negative discouragement is not enough to TEACH a dog rules and structure. In my opinion, dogs learn three ways:

1) Association
2) Trial and error
3) Example

In my experience, most of my dogs learn fastest via association. If a certain behavior (for example, basic command obedience such as sit, lay down, etc.) is associated with negatism, they tend not to repeat it as much. If another behavior is associated with praise and love (positive association), they learn that it is acceptable and the behavior tends to recur. Basically, what i'm trying to get at is if you catch your dog doing something good or correct, make sure you pour on the praise and love, you may even want to reward him with a treat. This ensures that your dog registers the act or behavior as good and effectively communicates that it is acceptable and rewarded if repeated.

5) Last but never least, be PERSISTENT! I can't emphasize that enough. PERSISTENCE is key! If your dog figures out that he can get over on you once, he will think he can do it again. NEVER allow him to believe that he can win an altercation or "argument." To do so instills the belief in your dog that maybe, just maybe, he can get over on you again. Remember, he's keeping a mental log of how many times he loses and how many times he wins.

Hope these tips help!

P.S. sorry if the advice is very long but i like to make sure i cover every issue mentioned in the original post! Good luck!!

Best regards,
Rob