@Jack Brickman ,
How is the German Shepherd as far as obedience without a leash? I'm still considering getting a dog, but one that would be good on the road, able to travel with me, and not do anything stupid.
My friend is offering me an Akita and a Shiba Inu, but I hear both are stubborn, hard to train (impossible), and will bolt the moment they are off the leash.
Obviously German Shepherds are highly trainable dogs; I'm just wondering how you would compare and contrast the breed in a normal living environment?
If you mean will he bolt if I let him off leash, then no. He might run up to someone or a dog if he sees one, but he'd never just run away, and he'll generally come when called. Granted, I haven't spent a ton of time training him, so obviously he could be more obedient if I really wanted or needed him to be, but he behaves well enough for what I require of him. He'll absolutely come when called inside the apartment, and I never have him off leash outside of it since he's not particularly great with other dogs (he's totally fine with people, though).
As far as Akitas go, I've always read they were very obedient. Much like Shepherds, they tend to bond with humans more than dogs, but are loyal to their owners. Here's a quote from puppyfind.com about their temperament:
"The Akita is brave and smart, and requires a lot of human companionship. Akitas should be allowed to live indoors (though they can tolerate the outdoors in cool climates) and given plenty of attention. They are highly protective and territorial. Akitas prefer not to have other dogs around, and should become acquainted with cats and other household pets early in life to avoid aggressive behavior. They get along with children, preferably older children, but they must be given personal space. The Akita is not fond of strangers."
The main issue you may run into is the wariness of strangers, since you'd be taking the dog in. Obviously it would get used to you relatively quickly, as dogs adapt pretty well, but the first few weeks might be a pain in the ass. There's actually a true story about an Akita in Japan who would meet his owner at the train station every day after work. His owner died suddenly at work, but the dog continued to go to the train station every day for the next ten years. So clearly they are loyal dogs and can be trained.
It's hard to say how good either dog would be on the road, as that varies by individual animal rather than breed. My Boxer loves the car, but my Shepherd isn't fond of it. The latter had to do with his original ride home. He got carsick and threw up a bunch of times, and while he doesn't throw up when I take him places (and never has outside of that original ride home from the breeder), he does whine a lot when he's in the car, and is really hesitant to stick his head out the window and enjoy the air. My Boxer, in contrast, had a great car ride home. He basically slept the entire time in my lap. He's never had a problem with the car since, and gets excited when I say "car ride."
I don't really know anything about Shiba Inus. Some people who used to live in my building had one and he was kind of a dick, but he was also and adult and not neutered, which probably had a lot to do with it.
Either way, I'd probably recommend the Akita, assuming you want a dog that large. Shibas are a lot smaller, after all. I still recommend Boxers to everyone, though. Just a very easy breed to manage.
No idea. They're not mine. Pretty sure they belong to the pitbull's owner, who I just met last night.
