Valentino is a one year old Akita in Fairfax, VA. He is a sensitive dog that was feeding off his nervous sister’s energy. They would bark at guests coming to the door, follow their owners a little too much and pull on their walks.
After a few simple exercises that did not involve treats or painful collars, all that changed.
Akitas are dogs, but they can be unique. They are typically more of a cat’s personality than the stereotypical dog. Bold, aloof and sometimes territorial with strangers. To train an Akita, it’s important to know some dog psychology and behavior. After you learn about dogs, the reason for their behavior often becomes more clear. Ultimately, it comes down to how the dog views you.
Valentino’s owners subtly changed their relationships with their dogs which causes their dogs to be more calm and relaxed. While on their first loose leash walk ever, his owner remarked, “Is this really my dog?” By gaining his respect, without doing anything physical, Valentino is now more of a follower. He is thoughtful and checks in with his owners. He now has clear communication as to what his owners want and expect from him. By leading the walks, his owners have more status in their dog’s minds. Their dogs check in with them, rather than just react (aka run to the door and bark or pull them on walks.)
By the end of the lesson, neither dog even reacted to knocks at the door – not even the doorbell!
You don’t have to rely on treats or collars to have a well-behaved dog. Ideally, you will focus on the relationship you have with your dog.
Great job by Valentino, his sister and owners!
Train an Akita in their natural language – like a dog 🙂
