Are Akitas Good With Kids? 6 Insane Traits

Last Updated/Info Checked on October 17, 2023 by Scott

You can safely say that dogs that are good with kids are calm. 

Akitas are frantic and energetic dogs on the other hand. They have big sizes and you may have a hard time draining their energies. 

So, according to that, are Akitas good with kids? Let’s see why they aren’t:

• Their friendliness isn’t up to the mark;
• Hate dogs and strangers;
• Not easy to train;
• They bite and nip;
• Have a high prey drive; and of course,
• High energy.

All of these make the breed ill-suited for a house full of kids. 

Are Akitas Good Family Dogs? Are They Friendly?

Here’s what a dog trainer has to say about that based on Akita’s personality.

1. Not so friendly 

Score: ⅖ 

A dog’s temperament makes it either too lovey-dovey or a complete pain. 

Akitas doesn’t do well in that department. 

They are short-tempered and get easily fussed about small things. 

Imagine children’s hard pets and stronger hugs. It’s not difficult to understand that the breed doesn’t like them.

2. Something against dogs and strangers 

Score: ⅖

This breed can single-handedly rip apart its opposition. Guessing by its territorial aggression, any stranger or dog will have a hard time messing up with what it calls home. 

During my training years, I had to be careful when approaching an Akita. 

I knew that they don’t mingle well with new faces. So, I’ll request the owner to be vigilant about its behavior. 

I’ll ask them to put the dog on a leash until I’m comfortable that it won’t take my very soul. 

3. They are hard to train

Score: ⅖ 

Intelligence plays a lot of role in making a dog aloof to training techniques. 

More than that, it makes them stiff. Make a mistake and they won’t forget it. 

I used to take special care of whatever training technique I was going to use. 

Positive reinforcement works with them but it takes more time to make them recall well than most breeds. 

That doesn’t mean that Akitas don’t learn to stay put when kids are around. 

Only they take more time to get used to the new ways. You should also beware of the fact that they could discard whatever you teach them in a second. 

4. Bites and nips come in abundance 

Score: ⅗ 

Some dogs hold and pull things with their mouths. That leads to their tendency of biting, chewing, or nipping at their owners. 

While you could take that, your kids may not. 

They could get hurt by the dog even though the poor pooch only means to “herd” them to a particular spot when it pulls on their hands. 

One way to deal with that is to give the dog plenty of toys to chew on. 

Also, you’ll have to take out most of their energy by training or walking them more often. 

That may not completely remove the dog’s biting potential but it will dwindle to a bearable degree. 

5. Massive Prey Drive

Score: ⅘ 

These dogs were bred to watch out for potential threats surrounding the royalties of Japan. 

So imagine their guard-dog abilities or prey drive. 

They will chase down small animals around the house. 

If you have toddlers around, the chasing could switch from your cat to your kid. 

With their large size and powerful demeanor, your toddler could get seriously hurt. 

6. Uncontrollable energies 

Score: ⅘ 

The physical needs of Akitas are way beyond the bearing threshold of a first-time owner. 

Add kids to the equation and you form the perfect recipe for an unrelenting routine. 

Chasing it around when it chases your kid may become part and parcel of your rut. 

Most importantly though, that may not discontinue even if you take the dog out more often. 

These dogs seem to rejuvenate their energy silos after quite a short time. 

I didn’t even mention the time it takes to walk them because you have to do that for miles. 

While using toys and all sorts of other plays pay off, they could still be a nuance around the house. 

Don’t even get me started on the intensity with which they do stuff.

FAQs

Let’s look at some common questions about Akita’s behavior.

Are Akitas Good With Kids? Conclusion 

Akitas are large, intelligent, and free-thinkers. Their temperament doesn’t do well with kids running around, pulling at their tails, or petting them beyond control. 

Teenagers may not find them too intimidating but toddlers wouldn’t be spared. 

So, think well about your family environment; how your kids are, and then decide whether you’ll be able to hold back this giant animal of limitless energy from hurting your kids.