Akitas and Livestock (long shot...)

[Alexz7272]

My partners parents have an akita and it tries to eat my babies everytime it comes over
I'd be cautious about it doing well around livestock. But maybe if you train it from puppy age it might do well? I am not sure, just our experience!

 

[Southern by choice]

I contacted a dog trainer in our area when we were looking for a farm dog. We were looking for a dog that could come in the house, was good with people and other dogs as well as good with the herd. Good with protecting and good by not killing them! Akita was actually on the top of the list of recommendations. To be honest the only personal experience I have with them is bad in the sense of I have only met one and it was really aggressive towards me, but, when I was looking so many people had wonderful things to say about them in terms of a farm dog.

We ended up with a Decker Hunting Terrier aka Giant Rat Terrier. The dog is a cow whisperer and amazing at keeping unwanted animals off the property, but he is only 40lbs so depending on what you are dealing with it in your area size is important. This dog was said to have prey drive, they are hunters. We tried allowing him to interact with the chickens at a young age as recommended by the trainer and the breeder. At first he was uninterested and then at about 3 months old he killed one. The wild thing about him too is that he doesn't just kill them he also eats what he kills!

My point is that if Akita's do have that prey drive maybe it's not the best dog choice. We just had to change things, the chickens can not roam the property. Our prey driven dog works for us because we made edits to our life, so I wouldn't count the Akita out for that alone.

Akitas are hunters and guardians so they have a great deal of ability the issue lies with the fact that they are HUNTERS.
I would also point out that this particular breed is in the high liability category. Your insurance will be very high. Akita's are very aggressive and have serious potential.

Outside of the Akita here and there I did have opportunity to be around the breed in a more direct way (outside of kennels & vet work). I can say back in the 80's I was around a group of Akita's pretty regularly.... some of the most beautiful dogs I'd come across AND, this part is HIGHLY unusual, 5 dogs ALL living together... males and females INTACT! They were well trained. BUT-
One of the few breeds of dogs that I felt very uneasy and uncomfortable with. Very difficult to read.
Most breeders will not sell to those with children.

If you have worked with the breed and are comfortable as a family pet and are willing to possibly just keep your farm animals separate, then an Akita would be a great deterrent for predators.

 

[norseofcourse]

The only Akitas I've known have been through animal rescue, so it's probably not the 'cream of the crop' as far as temperament - but you do learn a lot about a breed that way. Akitas do have a high prey drive - which can surface in a flash, when you don't expect it, because it's instinct. IMHO, it would be a rare Akita that would be 100% reliable around livestock. Akitas can also be food-possessive/aggressive, or guard anything they consider to be 'theirs' - toys, treats, people. Again, remember, the ones I saw were in animal rescues, and are generally given up for a reason...

You may say, "I'll get one young and bring it up with love", but that only gets you so far. You'd have a chance if you choose a puppy wisely - don't get the bold, hard-playing, stubborn pup, or the shy, spook-at-every-shadow one. One that is alert, intelligent, will focus on you, and is calm - that might work. You may have luck with a mix, as well, if you find one.

I do have Shiba Inus, which are the 'little cousins' of the Akita. They have the same strong prey drive (and just as much undercoat when they shed!), the same if-I-feel-like-it attitude towards obedience (especially to coming when called) and are hard to place, because their temperament doesn't match with what people think when they see how 'cute' they are (especially as pups). My oldest Shiba (who is a mix, but nearly all Shiba in looks and temperament) just turned 17 the other day. He started calming down when he was about 13...

Again, this is all just my opinion, and I tend to get a bit 'soapbox-y' due to those years in rescue... I wish you luck in finding what you're looking for.

I do find it amazing that a dog trainer recommended an Akita as a farm dog - maybe if you raised crops and only wanted it to kill varmints... maybe...

 

[Southern by choice]

I do find it amazing that a dog trainer recommended an Akita as a farm dog -

I see trainers give the worst advice all the time. I think it is the new kind of trainers that seem to not really have an understanding of many of breeds. Most are "pet" trainers and never work with real dogs. We are also in a day and age where trainers are training out the instinct and breeding of dogs to do the opposite of what they were originally developed for. Sad really. I too cannot imagine any trainer saying this but there again most have no concept of farms, livestock etc.

 

[TAH]

Most akitas I see for sale where I live is because they have bitten somebody livestock poultry etc.

 

[babsbag]

There was one on the block where I lived as a kid and we all made a wide berth around that house. It loved to chase our bikes...guess we were the prey

 

[Baymule]

Let's steer this back to LGD's. Not all LGD's are livestock watch dogs. There are some that love their people and want to hang out with their people all the time. My Great Pyrenees/Maremma, Trip, was from couch potato parents that stayed in the house. Their owners shaved their heavy coats to cut down on hair in the house. Trip has made an awesome sheep guard, but I have the feeling that he would be just as happy in the house sleeping on a dog bed. Look at the individual dog, but stay with "farm" type dog breeds.

 

[Southern by choice]

Not all LGD's are livestock watch dogs.

That is incorrect.
Livestock Guardian dogs by definition are livestock watch dogs.

Now, just because a breed would fall under the category of livestock guardian doesn't mean they all are. Many Pyrs are pets and have no livestock. Many Anatolians as well.. etc.

Similar to all the LGD breeds are working breeds. Many other dogs are working breeds but are not qualified as LGD breeds.

 

[Steve Quintavalli]

Hmm, well I have an American Akita and he is very protective of all he sees as his family. We also have a Siberian Husky and she sees everything as a toy or something to chase! When we walk them the Akita always checks out the feral cat we feed by sniffing her all over and she loves it. He is the only animal that she allows near him!! She rubs all over his chest and always comes running out to meet him when we go for our walks. The husky and akita have known the cat since they were puppies but over time the husky prefers to chase the cat while the akita does not, he seems concerned for her.

Our Akita and Husky have been and continue to be socialized through the doggie daycare they go to. The trainers all love our Akita and are surprised at how well behaved he is while still intact. They initially told us when we started to bring him (at 9 or 10 weeks of age) that they would not accept him any more once he turned 1 year old due to the breeds "aggressiveness". Well, they proved themselves wrong and he is 19 months old now and still intact. He loves the animals he met as a puppy but is not as receptive to newer animals. He wants to establish himself as the dominant dog and then things are better.

I would not leave an Akita in a field with livestock but would have one in the house that could be let loose to back up LGDs when they pursue a predator. I think an Akita would make a great back up to true LGDs but they have to be introduced as puppies or I wouldn't do it.