The Akita has a very cheerful personality. It is lively, playful, and extremely attractive to many dog lovers, which is one reason it has become a first choice for many owners. Even so, anyone caring for an Akita needs to pay attention to training as well. The following ideas are useful when learning how to guide the breed.
First, when the Akita shows bad behavior, the owner should not simply allow it to continue. The dog needs to be stopped on the spot and corrected in a firm voice, and in more serious cases some punishment or consequence may be needed. The goal is to make the Akita understand that the behavior is wrong and that it causes the owner to become unhappy. Once an Akita knows its owner well, it can usually understand quite a lot from tone and context. A strong verbal correction often makes it pause and look toward the owner for the next command.
Second, after the dog has been stopped by the owners correction, the owner can keep it in place and prevent it from moving for a short time. This functions as one form of consequence. If the dog is causing trouble and the owner simply ignores it, the Akita may become even more reckless. Even if the dog shows a pleading face after being scolded, some level of follow through is still needed so that the dog truly learns from the event and avoids repeating the same mistake.
Third, when the Akita listens obediently and behaves properly, the owner should stop the punishment after the dog has calmed down and remember to praise it immediately. Gently stroking the head and talking to the dog helps it understand what actions are right and wrong and reduces the chance that it will keep causing the owner trouble.
The Akitas lively personality is part of its nature. From its own perspective, it does not always understand what is right or wrong, so the owner must continue to teach it patiently. Mistakes should be corrected as soon as they appear, and the owner should try to prevent the dog from forming bad behavioral habits in the first place.