Hot to Stop an Akita Chewing
Training an Akita to stop anything begins on day one of your relationship. The Akita is a strong willed although quiet dog. Unfortunately you cannot read their minds and since there is little posturing or other signs of potential aggression you must take control immediately.
If your dog or puppy is chewing something that is unacceptable it is important to stop it. Chewing is a dogs way of learning. They learn with their mouths as well as other senses. It is not unnatural for them to learn about your shoes or furniture by chewing them right into destruction. It needs to be stopped immediately.
Do not punish a dog if you don’t catch them chewing. They won’t know why they are being punished if the punishment does not occur immediately. When you do catch your puppy or dog chewing a loud verbal command such as “stop” will get their attention. After you get their attention, replace the object with something that is acceptable. Do not just remove the shoe and swat the dog on their head. This is just aggression fighting aggression. It does not work.
Keep a good selection of chew toys available for you puppy at all times. It may be necessary to keep your puppy in eyesight when you are around. You can then correct immediately and teach your puppy acceptable behavior.
If your Akita chews furniture or hands, you need to stop it. One technique is to apply something undesirable to the object. Bitter apple is frequently used to deter chewing on furniture. It is a very unpleasant taste to a dog. By applying the bitter apple to the leg of the chair or around the ottoman, once your dog starts to chew it will be deterred by the taste.
Do not hit your dog or even swat them when you catch them doing some unacceptable chewing. Replace the item with something they can chew. While it is a learning process for the dog, it needs to be corralled at a young age. Dogs learn with their mouth and by applying bitter apple, their mouth will probably not want to chew that item again. It will not happen after one application. Teaching a dog anything takes a lot of consistency and persistence. They have to learn early that you are the leader. This is especially with a dog that has the instincts of the Akita.
An Akita does not necessarily live up to the adage that their “bark is worse than their bite”. They are a quiet dog that seldom barks, but will be quick to defend and become aggressive unless you, as their owner teaches them acceptable behavior right from the start.
In conclusion, it is important to keep plenty of chew toys around. Those such as the Kong type toys are good and when filled with peanut butter will keep the dog entertained for long periods of time. If your techniques do not work and the behavior continues despite your efforts, you may have to consult with a professional obedience trainer to accomplish your mission.