Trainability
...
Of course, to accomplish all this, an Akita
must be trainable. Personally, I think trainability is an
innate characteristic of all dogs and that all dogs are trainable.
Puppy Aptitude Testing helps match people to dogs and dogs
to training methods, which is one reason I strongly advocate
its use.
Some combinations of people and dogs just do not work
well together, such as a dominant dog with a shy, timid
person.
Likewise, a very dominant person may
overwhelm an omega bitch. Occasionally, you may encounter the person who
Ian Dunbar describes perfectly as "dog dim." A
short conversation will tell you that they haven't got
a clue as to why dogs do anything nor do they
have a clue about how to get them to do anything!
If they are otherwise suitable, they can learn a lot provided
they will read or watch videos. Appropriate reading material,
such as Mother Knows Best and a good training
book or video can provide a basis for understanding
their dog. It's a good
idea for you to provide this material for their review
before they pick up their puppy and for you to question
them closely
to make sure they understood it. These owners will
require a disproportionate share of mentoring to
stay on track. Just
as some people cannot learn a foreign language, a
few of these people will never have a clue about
their dog's real
personality.
Fortunately,
dogs are very adaptable and better at understanding people
than we are at
understanding them.
Training
Classes
When we discuss training, I caution new owners that an
Akita is not going to sit at your feet with shining
eyes that
beg you to tell him what to do. Compared to
training a Border Collie, training an Akita is an
uphill climb.
Does
that mean they are not trainable? Certainly
not!
On the other hand, finding a suitable training
class and utilizing it successfully can be
difficult for a newcomer. Because most instructors
are
obedience competitors,
they tend to have the breeds that work well in OTCH competition,
which means most have Goldens or Border Collies,
followed
by Poodles, Shelties, or Aussies.
Training these breeds is very different from training an Akita.
If
you are fortunate enough to live in an area with a number of
training classes, before you sell puppies, take a tour
and watch how the people train. Look at the
types of dogs in their classes and how well they progress.
Talk to the
trainers about Akitas and see if they are
receptive to having your puppies in their classes. Pick
up brochures from those
with whom you are satisfied and give them
to your puppy-buyers.
In
placing puppies, we can't rely on the new owner's love
for his dog to keep the dog in his household throughout
the
dog's life. We have to see that the ew
owner learns to control the dog and gains some understanding
of how they can work
together.
Formal
training needs to begin in puppyhood. First, dogs are learning
regardless of whether they
are in class. Secondly,
a 50- pound puppy is much easier to deal
with than a 120-pound adult.
My
sales contract contains a clause requiring the new owners
to attend a training class
with the dog. I encourage them
to attend puppy classes and give them
information on trainers who are in their area. To sweeten
the
pot, I rebate $50 of
their purchase price when they give
me a copy of their graduation certificate. Although everyone
doesn't
graduate, they all
do attend class, so at least they have
some foundation for working with the dog.
If
you have some grounding in obedience training, another
approach is to offer
classes yourself. For extra incentive,
you could rebate part of the class
fee for graduation with a puppy you bred. A trainer with
whom you are
on good terms
might discount her rates for your
puppies in exchange for referrals. However you manage it,
the new owner
should leave
your house with the clear understanding
that his puppy must be trained and the determination to
do
so.
Training
Akitas
Before I send them off, though, I
talk to the new buyers about
training classes
and
discuss
a few
problems they
might encounter because they
have an Akita and not a Border Collie.
After all, back
in the days
when dogs actually
did work for people, they performed
different jobs which required
very different
skills.
I wouldn't ask my accountant
to wire my house nor would
I go to a plumber for brain surgery.
Herding and gun dogs are the telephone
operators of the dog world.
We think of them as "smart" because
they learn behaviors quickly and will repeat them
endlessly and eagerly. If you take a retriever
duck hunting, you
expect him to go after the last duck just like he went after the first.
What would a shepherd do if his helper suddenly
decided that running back and
forth around the sheep was boring?
Although
these dogs are capable,
indeed must be capable, of independent decisions, they
are not particularly "independent" dogs.
They must be what shepherds describe as "biddable;" that
is, when the master gives a command, the dog should
hasten to obey it unless he has a compelling reason
not to. In
that case, sooner or later, he will communicate it
to the owner.
Looking
at the way an obedience trial championship is obtained,
it's hardly a surprise
that most of the dogs achieving
it are herders or gun dogs. Even breeds not classed
in these groups such as
Papillons and Poodles have that background.
Poodles were originally
retrievers and Papillons were bred down from spaniels.
Akitas
are shown in the working group, but where do they fit in
the obedience
picture in terms of working
traits? To determine this, you have to look at function.
The forerunners of the
breed were used to hunt large
game in the mountainous
territory of Dewa Province
on the Japanese island of Honshu. Accompanied by a hunter,
they located,
followed, and held
or tackled bear, elk,
and boar--activities which make them a hound.
Evaluating
them in terms of
appearance, they obviously derive from "spitz" or "Northern Dog" ancestry.
These dogs have certain common traits: short, erect
ears; mesocephalic heads with oblique-set eyes;
double coats;
and tails that curl upwards in some fashion. Representatives
are found throughout the Arctic and northern temperate
areas
and include the Pomeranian, Keeshond, American Eskimo,
Samoyed, Alaskan Malamute, Greenland Eskimo Dog,
Siberian Husky, Norwegian
Elkhound, Norwegian Buhund, the Russian Laika, the
Karelian Bear Dog, the Korean Kendo, as well as
all the native Japanese
dogs. The working representatives of this group have
served as sled and pack dogs and hunters, and guards.
Obviously,
the Akita fits
nicely with this group of dogs. Like the Elkhound and Karelian,
he is a hunting
or hound/spitz-
type dog. Characteristics
which suit them for their jobs do not necessarily produce
a stellar obedience
performer.
Hounds must be flexible
in their responses. After all, the prey sets the pace and
determines the
course, and the
hunter must be adaptable, ready to abandon one strategy
in favor of another.
In
common with the northern/hound types, he is physically
tough with a high pain
threshold which
was probably increased through selective breeding when
he was used as a
fighting dog.
From both his function as a hound and his heritage as
a northern dog,
he has a core of independence that makes him unable to
always do what you want. This
doesn't mean
he won't do it,
just that he might not.
Boredom
How do these idiosyncrasies
translate
to training? Akitas, like many
hounds, have
a very low
tolerance for repetition.
Once boredom
sets in,
and it does so
quickly,
the dog
looses
interest,
which
means repetition
is not the
key to successful
training. The problem
is that dogs
learn by repetition,
so
as a trainer,
you have
to balance
the two
by mixing
a variety of exercises,
using short
training times, and by
keeping training
a manageable
challenge.
Therefore,
in class, when
your Akita
has done
two great figure
eights,
instead
of doing three
more,
praise
him and go on a
couple of other
exercises
regardless
of what the rest of the class
is doing. Of course,
you need
to discuss
this with
your trainer
first
so she
doesn't
think you're being
uncooperative.
Even
as early as seven weeks
on the
PAT, Akita puppies
show
little persistence.
They
often attack the
mop but
abandon the attack
after
a few seconds,
while Rottweiler
puppies
in the same situation
may have
to be pulled off
of it.
The Akitas will
chase
a ball that rolls
in front
of them but quickly
loose
interest in favor
of some other
activity.
Variable
Behavior
They
also tend
to vary
their behavior
rather than
stereotyping it
quickly. When
we test
puppies, one
of the
things we
do is
put them
on a
box, stand
in front
of them,
and call
them. In
most herding
and sporting
breeds, done
a second
time, the
puppy tends
to repeat
what he
did the
first, even
if it
is falling
off the
box backwards!
Akita puppies
may jump
off towards
the tester
once and
to the
side the
second time.
They might
jump off
once and
refuse a
second time;
jump off
to the
side and
explore their
surroundings the
first time,
and go
right to
the tester
the second.
One
of the
characteristics we
consider "smart" in
a breed is the
ability to consistently
repeat a
learned behavior.
Dogs that
stereotype quickly
are easy to train.
A resistance to stereotypical
behavior does
not make
a dog dumb;
it makes it
more flexible.
Akitas tend
to try more
than one approach
to any problem; just
because they
did it one
way first does
not mean they
will do it
the same
way next time.
For
the obedience
trainer, these
traits present
a real
challenge. You have
to work harder
to reinforce correct
responses and learn
to shrug off
those times
when your
dog adds a new
wrinkle.
Generalization
Another
problem is
the Akita's
slowness in
generalizing from
a specific
learned behavior.
For instance,
when you
begin teaching
the sit,
your dog
may be
beside you
in the
heel position.
Then you
teach him
sit in
front, then
sit when
he is
away from
you. A
German Shepherd
will quickly
learn to
sit anywhere
because he
generalizes well.
He is
able to
make the
connection that
the same
action is
called for
regardless of
where he
is spatially.
He will
seem to
understand the
concept of "sit," so
to speak.
Akitas,
on the
other hand,
take much
longer to
go from
the specific
to the
general. Instead
of expecting
the dog
to grasp
the concept,
you may
have to
break the
exercise into
many component
parts and
teach each
as a
separate step
and then,
chain them
together. Some
Akitas seem
to have
an "Aha!" experience
and suddenly get
the point, while
others never
have a clue.
They
may have
more trouble
with some
exercises than
others. In discussing
this subject with a friend who
is training
an Akita in Open,
she said she thought
it applied to the problem
she had with
teaching the quarter
turn. In this
exercise, the dog
and handler
stand in a
heel position
with the dog
sitting. The
handler then
shifts her
position, in place,
a quarter turn
to the left.
The dog must
get up and reseat
itself in the
proper heel
position.
All
the
class Goldens
learned to scoot
into position
without ever
really getting
up, whie Teresa
was still trying
to teach her dog
that when
Teresa moved,
the dog had
to move too.
Obviously, they need
to try a different
training method
that takes
into account
a slower ability
to generalize.
Independence
Sooner
or later,
everyone runs
up
against the
Akita's independent steak.
Hound
independence is
expressed in
passive
resistance. The
dog won't
openly defy
you, he
just won't
cooperate. He
may lag while
heeling or
move
a foot on
the
stand. If
you're in the
conformation ring,
maybe
he continually moves
while you
are trying
to
set him
up even though
he's not
unbalanced or
swings his
rear out
away from
you
when you
stop.
You
can put
a stop to
this by
introducing some
variety and
perhaps some
levity into
your training
routine. Sometimes,
passive resistance
is the
end result
of boredom,
so shorter
training sessions
will help.
Northern-dog
independence,
however,
runs
more
to outright
defiance if
the dog
is determined
enough. Again,
all of
us have
seen this
with Akitas.
Has your
dog ever
slipped out the door
and headed
off? He'll
come home
when he
is ready
or when
he's enticed
by something
more fun
than cruising
the neighborhood.
I
had one Akita who
liked certain crates.
He didn't
just escape from
crates he didn't
like, he demolished
them, just to make
his point. I never
could discern what characteristics
made an
acceptable crate,
so I have a
varied collection
of broken ones,
courtesy of Max.
However, if he liked
a crate, he never
made any attempt
to leave it. One
was so flimsy,
if he'd inhaled
it would have
broken apart,
but he stayed
in it peaceful and content.
This is
Northern-dog independence--my
way or
the highway!
Training
Methods
The
next question
that arises
is "what kind of training
should I do?" When
I first started,
mumble, mumble,
years ago, everyone
used the same basic
methods for training.
Over the ensuing
years, learning
research has
supplied additional
tools for working
with dogs. Plenty
of books on dog
training are available,
and most areas
have some sort of
training classes
available. To a certain
extent, how
you train will depend
on the methodology
of your trainer.
The
method I
first learned
has now
garnered the
rather unappealing
name "force
training." Here, you put
the dog on a lead and choke collar
(we didn't even have pinch collars
when I started) and gave a command.
If he did it,
you gave him lots of praise.
If he didn't, you gave him a
quick jerk
with the leash
to get him to do whatever you
were working on and as soon as
he did it or was in position,
gave him lots of praise.
Back
in the dark ages, no one even considered
training a dog until it
was six months old. This, of course, made the dog harder
to
train, both because he'd been learning
on his own all along and because he was
that much bigger than a puppy. So, maybe part of the "force" was
because the
dog was just harder to work with.
Finally,
some enlightened people, Dr. Ian Dunbar among them, advocated
working with
puppies. The age to start formal training then
halved to three months. This type of training
goes by the more attractive terms of "lure" or "food
training." It
is grounded
in the surety
that puppies
will do almost
anything for
a food treat
or a favorite
toy.
Using
natural actions, the puppy is
persuaded through use
of the lure to perform.
For instance, if the lure
is held slightly behind and
above his head, he will have
to look up and sit to
get it. Likewise, held between
his feet, he will tend to
go down to get it. The
lure, coupled with a command
and praise teach the dog.
When the command and
action are firmly associated,
food rewards are decreased
and eventually ceased.
Bill
Bobrow one of our most
successful obedience trainers
cautions that older
dogs may not work all that
well for food rewards unless
they are encouraged to do so as
puppies. This applies also
to baiting dogs in the
conformation ring. He
also points out that food
rewards may not be enough
with Akitas and that sooner
or later you will have
to resort to some type of
physical correction.
His
comments reminded me of a young
male I was working on
the down-stay. As his hormones
have kicked in, he's become
increasingly reluctant to
down in the presence of
adult males. A few nights
before at class, I had given
him a down command
along with one of his
favorite goodies. He started
to go down, taking the
treat in his mouth. Then
he stopped, looked
at the adult male next to
us, spit out the food, and
sat up. There and then, I
decided it was time
for a different training technique.
Much
to my surprise, I
found an even newer technique
which uses food too
but couples it with what
psychologists call an event
marker. The first people
to introduce this training
method to the world of dogs
came from dolpin training at
marine exhibitions. While they
use whistles with the sea
mammals, with dogs most use
a clicker (those toys we used
to call "crickets").
The
seminal book for this
training method is Don't Shoot
the Dog by Karen Pryor.
In it, she discusses the
basic principles
governing what is now commonly
referred to as "click
training. While
it shares many
aspects of
lure training,
it relys on
the dog's figuring
out what you
want him to
do rather than
your forcing
him to do them.
Thus, he becomes
an active participant
in his own
training. One
of
the reasons
I think this
method is so
successful
with Akitas
is that
it challenges
them--no boredom
here! Because
of this participation
on his part,
the dog isn't
resentful
or sullen because
you
are making
him do something.
Instead, he's
figuring out
what to do
which is made
easier for
him because
correct
behaviors
are marked
with a click
at the instant
it occurs.
He keeps working
because he
is given a
reward which
can be food,
play, or verbal
praise and
a pat.
Almost
everything you'd like
to know about this training
method can be found on
the internet. I've got several
excellent sites linked on my
web page. Vendors at most shows
carry video tapes
and other equipment, and seminars
are held all over
the country by Karen Pryor,
Gary Wilkes and other excellent
trainers.
Akita
trainers I've
consulted
and
my own
experiences lead
me
to
think that
while clickers,
food rewards
and lure
training are
effective
tools
when they
work,
expecting
them alone
to carry
you through
a complete
obedience
course
may be
unrealistic. Therefore,
when you
pick a
trainer look
for someone
who is
willing to
combine
methods.
Above all,
try to
find
someone
who understands
that not
all dogs
have the
same temperaments,
abilities, or
tendencies,
someone
who
recognizes
that one
training technique
may not
work all
the time
with
every
dog and
who has
more than
one to
offer.
Unfortunately,
not every
area has
enough
trainers
for you
to pick
and choose,
in which
case,
you
will have
to
get
additional help.
Through
the
dog
training
books at
vour local
library, you
have
access
to some
of the
finest
trainers
in the
world and
a plethora
of training
methods.
The
internet
offers
information
on
web pages
as well
as many
e-mail lists
dealing
with
training. Don't
ignore
thesr
resources.
Talk
to other
Akita people
who have
trained
their
dogs in
obedience.
They've
already
been
down this
road
and
can offer
you constructive
advice.
Untrainable
Akitas?
With
humor,
understanding,
and
persistence,
you
can
train
almost
any
Akita
in
basic
obedience.
For
every
person
who
thinks
that
Akitas
are
not
trainable,
I'd
point
to
my
house
dog.
She
has
never
had
an
obedience
lesson,
came
to
us
at
the
age
of
three
