When deciding to take a dog home, it is essential that you understand not only the tendencies of their breed but to also learn who they are as an individual. What we know about Akitas is that they are well-known to be extremely loving animals who are vehemently loyal to their owners. However, they are also exceptionally intelligent and tend to get bored easily. With these characteristics in mind, you may be wondering, can Akitas be left alone?
Can Akita Be Left Alone? Yes, Akitas can be left alone, but only for short periods of time and only if they understand that you are coming back! To make sure your Akita behaves well and feels comfortable while alone, they need proper training, sufficient exercise, and mental stimulation.
If you want to understand how to properly train your Akita, whether they are still a puppy or you have adopted them later in life, so that they feel comfortable being left alone, keep reading. We are going to discuss everything there is to know about leaving an Akita alone including the recommended length of time, their possible destructive habits while you are away, and their potential to suffer from separation anxiety.
Can Akitas Be Left Alone?
Akitas generally are content to be left alone, although it is incredibly important to remember that every dog has their own personality, and just because most Akitas can feel comfortable alone, does not mean that your dog necessarily will. If you want to encourage your Akita to enjoy their time alone, there are a few training tactics that can really help.
How to Train an Akita to be Left Alone?
Adopting a dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life, and luckily you do not need to take home a puppy to be able to train them! No matter the age of your Akita, when you bring them home, it’s important to start getting them accustomed to time alone shortly after their arrival.
It’s best, to begin with, short periods of time such as thirty-minute intervals. During these brief lapses of alone time, you can use a small room or even a large crate as their safe space while you are away.
If you are using a crate, make sure that has ample space for them to move around and is extremely comfortable for them. You can put down blankets or a dog bed inside the crate with some water and a few toys to play with. Please note, that the crate should not be used as a punishment, but instead as their personal home where they can enjoy a nap or play with their favorite toys out of harm’s way while you are gone.
You should slowly elongate their time alone so they never feel shocked and abandoned that it has been longer than they expected, and of course, when you come home, it’s best to show them extra love and affection. They will most likely be just as excited to see you too!
Physical and Mental Stimulation
Because Akitas are large, strong, and intelligent, they need both physical and mental exercise to be healthy and happy dogs.
Surprisingly, Akitas do not necessarily need long runs every day. Brisk walks coupled with free time to play and explore in a fenced-in or a safe space will do the trick.
They also crave mental stimulation as well! In order to ensure your Akita isn’t feeling bored, make sure they have time to smell new smells on their walks or play with puzzle toys. If you are interested in ensuring your Akita is engaging insufficient mental stimulation, there are several forums online with dozens of games and toy recommendations!
As we will soon find out, if your Akita isn’t active enough, you will begin to see it clearly in their behavior.
How Long Can You Leave an Akita Alone?
While your Akita is may become accustomed to spending time without you, they will never like to be left alone for long periods of time.
A few hours is the maximum recommended time that you should leave your Akita without at least coming home to take them on a walk or let them play outside.
If your dog is well-trained, well-loved, and has food, water, and toys to play with, you could leave them for up to six to eight hours. But it’s not something that should be done on a regular basis.
Remember, Akitas are energetic animals, and they truly crave physical exercise. If you leave your Akita alone for too long without an outlet, they will most likely become bored or anxious and start to misbehave.
Why Should Akitas Not Be Left Alone For Long
Not only is it not so fun to come home to find your shoes shredded, but it can also be dangerous for your dog. They could easily get into something toxic under the sink, eat from the trash and have stomach problems, and most importantly, they will most likely feel embarrassed when you return home and are inevitably mad at them for the chaos they caused.
Leaving your American Pinto Akita home alone for more than a few hours is discouraged by almost every expert in the field, but remember that your dog may not even enjoy that length of time.
Get to Know Your Akita
Get to know your dog first before leaving them alone. You can test the waters and find out what they feel comfortable with by following the training instructions above and beginning with very short periods of time.
If they act out while you are away, they are probably nervous. They may need more exercise or even a little more loving before you leave them alone again.
Do Akitas Get Separation Anxiety?
An interesting fact about Akitas is that they were bred with wolves, which means that they instinctively pack animals and are fearlessly loyal to their leaders. You are your Akita’s alpha, and they will protect you and love you fiercely. That also means that they will feel your absence when you are not around.
Akitas can develop separation anxiety. It’s important that you pay attention to their needs and patterns and train them to understand that you will always be coming back.
This beautiful breed is also extremely sensitive. They can easily suffer from separation anxiety from the loss of a loved one, a big move, or even feel left alone in the street. Please be conscientious of your dog’s personal history and personality when making changes in their lives or in your expectations of what they are comfortable with.
We also cannot stress this enough: even though Akitas have certain characteristics your dog is one-of-a-kind!
Are Akitas Destructive When Left Alone?
As with most dogs, Akitas can be destructive when left alone. However, based on what we have learned so far, there are usually specific reasons why your Akita may be wrecking the house when you’re not home.
If your Akita is bored for the several reasons we have mentioned so far, such as a lack of physical exercise, they are not feeling mentally stimulated, or they simply have been home alone for too long, they will most likely being to act out.
This often looks like destructive behavior and they may chew or destroy household items to either pass the time, or get your attention. Akitas have also been known to try to escape out an open window, pee in the house, and generally break the rules they already know to follow because they simply have nothing else to do!
A way to combat this behavior is to make sure you only leave your Akita alone after they have been exercising and with appropriate chew toys to play with.
Conclusion
Akitas are not recommended as an owner’s first dog. They require patience, leadership, attention, and of course, affection. But if you do decide to adopt an Akita, you can know for sure that they will love you deeply and follow your instruction if you establish a strong foundation during their training.
While we have certainly learned that Akitas are smart enough to handle being left alone, they really do prefer when you are home. If you do choose to leave your Akita home, please ensure that you have properly trained them to understand their time alone, as well as preparing them for that time with ample exercise beforehand, and enough food, water, and toys to entertain them until your return.