Pretty big post incoming
Very nice mate.
Got a few questions if you don't mind, have been thinking of getting a dog myself and the breed looks very interesting. Got no experience with dogs so am a bit wary about getting one. I've heard that they are very dominant so I am worried how they will deal with other people and whether for someone with no experience with pets if they might be too difficult for me.
Thanks
They are very dominant and when grown up will between 8 & 10 stone, so they aren't a dog for everyone. However there are things that can be done to curb the dominance, socialisation with other dogs is very important from a young age, preferaby big dogs, who will be able to put the puppy in it's place.
For a non show dog getting it castrated at 6 months will definatley help curb the dominance, by removing his nads you'll stop the supply of testosterone and the urge to mate dead in it's tracks and this will get you a calmer more friendly dog. Also with castration you are removing the chances for the dog getting testicular cancer later in life. Like all blokes when it was first suggested to me before we got Archie I didn't like the idea, and if we decide not to show him then it's fairer on him, they'll be able to smell a bitch in heat from a fair distance and it's not fair on the dog, having strong mating usrges and not being able to do anything about it.
Got a very large garden as well and it is easy to get out of the property and in the summer there are usually loads of rabbits around so don't want the dog going mental chasing after them!
To be fair for their size they don't require that much exercise, but will be able to handle as much as you can give them. Our garden is really long and narrow and he loves tearing up and down it so the bigger garden the better. However - and this a big however, as a breed developed for hunting they have a strong prey drive and will chase anything small and fast moving, they are also very inquisitive and if they can get out of the garden so they can go exploring, there's a good chance they will.
Also not sure how they are with strangers, especially children.
It depends on how well they are socialised really, after a couple of days of settling in we got as many people to come round and see Archie as possible, and of course he got a lot of fuss so he's now pleased to see people after we've welcomed them in. Same when out on the street, if people come up to us to ask about him(and LOTS do
) he's fine as again he's been out and about and had positive expiriences with them. With Children again it's important to socialise them with kids when they are puppies, they grow at such a rate that they will quickly becime bigger than children and if they are playing boisterously could hurt them. When researching the breed before getting one, every book and breeder you will speak to will always tell you never, ever leave dogs and children together unattended.
I've still got a lot to learn to be honest and am finding out more about Akitas each day. Check out these websites you'll get some great information about Akitas on here.
http://www.akitarescue.org.uk/
http://www.jawt.co.uk/
One thing is for sure they aren't a dog that everyone would want to own, but put in the research before getting one and the work when you get a puppy and you'll get a friendly very playful, extremely intelligent and devoted friend
Hope this helps a little.
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) so they have a very high prey drive and will happily chase anything fast moving. 
