Can Akitas Be Service Dogs? (Explained!)

Akita is a large and strong dog breed who are known to be loyal and friendly. Yet they tend to have an aggressive side to them as well. This side might be a problem in their performance as a service dog.

Though with proper training, any dog can be a good service dog. But to be the perfect service dog, the breed must be patient and soft with its owner. As an Akita gets aggressive from time to time, they are not commonly certified to perform as service dogs.

Can Akitas be service dogs?

With proper training and guidance from early on, an akita can be a good service dog. Though it is not ideal and not seen commonly, but with time and practice the low maintenance and loyal dogs can be good at the job. The dog breed is known to be aggressive sometimes which might be a problem.

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Akitas are very friendly and social breeds. They like to play and be around their family. Quality time is very much appreciated by the. And with enough training and time, an akita can be the most perfect service dog.

Do akitas make good service dogs?

The dog breed akita are great for socializing and as house pets. They are loyal and resilient. These same qualities make the dogs amazing service dogs as well.

But they will need a great deal of training. And these dog breeds are not exactly popular as service dogs either. However, it is not entirely impossible either.

The shape and size of the dog breed is also perfect as a service dog. They come off as strong and intimidating. With accurate training, the akita can be a good service and companion dog for you.

What kind of service do Akitas perform?

The very resourceful and loyal akita can be a great help for the hearing impaired and mentally ill people. These dogs will stay by their owners side till things are okay again. They can even be trained to guide people with visual and hearing impairment-

These dogs are courageous and protective over their owners. This is very important for visually and hearing impaired people;
Their faithfulness and focused attitude can be a great support to the mentally ill people;
They can bring their owner out of self harming acts with their persistent behavior;
They can notify their owners of potential anxiety attacks;
Opens and closes doors;
The strong breeds can carry the bags and other small luggage;
Notifies their owner when the elevation changes;
Picks up dropped items;
Helps to locate and identify any object for visually impaired people;
For the hearing impaired people, they help notify when the alarm or any bell rings;
They can be good balance supporters for their handler as they are built very strong

These are some of the services that an akita dog breed can perform as a service dog. With proper training they can do this and more.

How much does it cost to train akita as a service dog?

The average training cost of an akita dog as a service dog is roughly around $7000. The range can vary and go up by a lot as the trainings advance in levels. But this is the very starting and basic training amount.

Within this range the dogs are trained to do the basic tasks. As the training advances, extra costs are needed. The highest that the costs can go is around 20,000 dollars. This is for very advance training and service dogs.

The basic service training does not require much cost. The basic tasks can be taught within a reasonable range. The main thing is patience and time. And with the right guidance, an akita can be taught to be a good service dog.

How much training does a service dog need?

The time needed to train a dog for service performance depends on the dog and the required skills. But the minimum time requirement is 1200 hours or on an average six months.

There are many levels of training and different requirements to it. From normal public mannerism to specialized skills required for any particular imparity, the training time varies. Some skills need not much time while some skill sets need much practicing to get used to.

A lot of the training time depends on the dog itself. How much the dog is willing and disciplined. The same skill set can take different dogs different time. The minimum time requirement is based on the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) guidelines.

Can akitas be therapy dogs?

Even though the dog breed is very friendly and socializing, they can get aggressive from time to time. This is why the dog breed is not recommended to be trained or used as a therapy dog. There are not many akita dogs used as a therapy dog for this particular reason.

Therapy dogs need to be calm and consistent with the ones they handle. This requires patience and practice. But the Akita dog breeds tend to get hyper and aggressive when faced with an emotional attack or imbalance. This could trigger the owner as well.

With an Akita dog there is a risk of the dog getting triggered and getting aggressive. That might trigger the owner as well.

This is why the akita breed is not advised to be therapy dogs. However, it is not universal and there are akita dogs who work as therapy dogs. Proper training is a must in this case.

Are Akitas good emotional support dogs?

There is a common practice of not assigning akitas as emotional support dogs because of their sudden aggressive behavior. But with proper training and patience these dog breeds can be a good emotional support for those who need them.

Emotional support dogs need to be very patient and consistent with their handlers. Many people who have had an akita as their emotional support dog have given very positive feedback. This is because the dogs received much care and adequate guidance before being certified.

It is still not very common to see the dog breed as emotional support dogs as they tend to get triggered and aggressive.

However, by nature the dogs are very loyal and friendly. This is why, with proper guidance and enough care the dog breed can be a strong emotional support dog like most of the other breeds.

Are Akitas used as police dogs?

Akita dog breeds are very courageous and intellectual. They make good and efficient guard dogs. And with adequate training these dogs can be a strong asset to the police force as well. In Japan, Akita dogs are always used in their police forces.

The dog breed is known to be very protective and spontaneous. They make excellent dogs to work in the force. They abide by the trainings and their ancestral strength make them very effective to serve in the police forces.

The dogs tend to take their responsibilities very seriously. They are built strong and responsive. And they are constantly on the alert to protect. These qualities make them perfect to serve in the police forces.

Though the practice of having akitas in the police force originated from Japan, it has spread worldwide and many countries have akitas serving as their police dogs.

Why are Akita dogs dangerous?

The dog breed are wolf like and they are very strong. This is why the Akita dog breed is considered dangerous in most parts of the world. Their genetic body is built to hunt and prey as their ancestors. And their shape and strength is supportive of that as well.

They have a very powerful bite because their jaws are scissor shaped. And they are so powerful that it is impossible to open their jaws once they bite something, unless they willingly let go. Akitas are also known to get aggressive from time to time.

There have been around 70 cases of Akita attacks within the home of the owners in America between 1982 to 2014. This is very dangerous compared to other pet dog attacks. This is why the dog breed is known as a dangerous breed.

Why is Akita banned?

The dog breed Akita are known to be friendly but they have an aggressive side to them as well. This is why the breed is banned in my parts of the world. Mostly in some of the cities in the United States.

The dog breed is known for its’ aggressive and wild side. There have been many reports of an akita being violent with its’ owner and other dogs.

Most of the time, th dog will get triggered and act violently as a trigger response. This is very uncertain and dangerous. Akitas are the most widely banned dog in the states.

Singapore and Malaysia have also banned the breed. The dog is to be kept under supervision at all times, especially when they are around small children

Akitas are loyal and strong dogs. With training they can perform as good service dogs. Though it is not very common for this particular breed to be a service dog. Still, a bit of care and proper guidance can turn the tables.