Akitas are NOT the breed for everyone. They are large, strong and sometimes aggressive to other dogs and small animals. They MUST be properly trained. They shed in GREAT amounts twice a year. They cannot be left tied to a chain but must be inside with their families to live EVERYDAY. They require exercise and stimulation EVERYDAY. If left to their own  devises they WILL become destructive. A dog this size can RUIN a room in about 10  minutes. If  you do not have the time and energy this breed requires, then please, do NOT get an akita.  Akitas do not generally get along with dogs of the same sex UNLESS properly socialized. Even then there may always be some dogs they do not get along with. (usually other very dominant dogs) They are a dominant breed and do not tolerate other dogs trying to be above them in pack order. Adult akitas will not be adopted out to families with young children for safety reasons. Akitas raised with children are tolerant and loyal to their own family but not always to outsiders. (Especially when screaming and general rough housing is going on.) Akitas can have a high prey drive and small running objects can stimulate this. Akitas raised with cats might be ok with all cats as long as they don't run away from the dog. Introduce any pets carefully to an on leash akita.  Akitas are independant thinkers. They were bred to go out in front of a hunter in pairs. They would find the prey such as the yezo bear, hold it at bay, and wait until the hunter came to kill it. Because of this they are  extremely intelligent and can be a challenge to train. They are also a very protective breed. Proper socialization is a must for these dogs. Protection  training is not recommended for Akitas as they already have a guarding instinct. Unfortunatly they were also onetime used as fighting dogs. This is where the dog to dog aggression comes from. When keeping more than one Akita it is advised to have an opposite sex pair. (Spayed and neutered of course.)  Only rarely do same sex Akita households work and even then there is alot of  work involved. Never leaving them alone together is one way to make it work. Alot of Akita giveups are for this reason. If you STILL think you want an Akita then read on. I hope to offer good information on training and basic akita knowledge on this site. Some will be my words and some will be from other Akita knowledgeable people. Feel free at any time to e-mail me with questions. Remember: Knowledge is power, but it is useless if you don't use it.