The results of the doggy DNA test are in, and as we suspected, our new dog Stella is mostly Akita. In fact, she might be all Akita. According to the lab, she is a level 1, meaning at least 75% of her genes come from the Akita breed. There were no traces of any other breed in her mix.
It's possible she has genes from a breed that's not in the lab's database, but she certainly has at least one purebred parent. I'm hoping she's not purebred, just because health problems are more common in purebreds than in mutts.
We have a couple of issues to work on with her, namely separation anxiety. She gets pretty worked up when she's left alone, and a couple of times, she has peed at the doorway even after being alone for just a few minutes. She follows me around the house almost always. From what I've read, and perhaps you have some experience with this as a pet owner, there are a few things we might do:
Make sure she gets vigorous exercise. On days that she gets longer walks or dog park visits, she doesn't seem as needy. Right now, she's out cold in another room. Thank you, dog park!
Leave a piece of clothing behind. It may help calm her down to leave our scent with her.
Don't make a big production out of leaving. The experts say to leave and return through various doors if possible so the dog doesn't associate leaving with one particular door. They also say to not make a big deal when you come and go. That one's harder. She gets so excited to see you, it's difficult not to reciprocate!
It's funny. I taught Stella to give me a five, as you'll see in the video above. When I say "gimme a five," she sticks out her paw and places it in my hand. Unfortunately, she now uses this against me. If she senses I'm not happy with her, she sticks out her paw, as if to say, hey, we're buddies, remember? It's impossible to stay mad at that point, which is exactly what she's up to!
Now that I have a dog again, I find their little personality quirks and inherent traits fascinating. Stella is definitely not a retriever. She's a chaser. At the dog park, she has little interest in fetching the ball. Instead, she chases the dogs who are fetching the ball. She'll chase anything that moves, which is an Akita trait. She has a soft mouth with very little bite, and that comes from her Japanese ancestors carrying fish in their mouths. Stella will walk around the house for a half-hour with a toy or tennis ball in her mouth.
Her best quality -- besides not barking :) -- is her gentle nature. She is so good with people and other dogs. I've been watching the Animal Planet show It's Me or the Dog, and good lord, there are some unruly dogs out there. The host of the show, Victoria, is really good. I've learned a lot of useful tips from her about teaching and about commanding your dog's attention in a respectful, positive way.
Anyway, my dog strikes my fancy, so I'm writing about it. If you have any good dog stories or experiences to share, I'm all ears!
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