I think my Akita is addicted to nuts

[Inchworm]

HIS nuts!!!!!

This chomp-chomp-chomp chomp-chomp-chomp is driving ME nuts!

:banghead:
:yoiks:

[The Midway Rebel]

1. Could it be medical?

Like fleas? Heat rash? Food allergy? Is it a puppy?

Akitas are a very high energy breed. Is your Akita getting lots of exercise? My old Akitas would dig and groom contantly when nervous or bored.

I've got a Hoosky mix now that licks his paws constantly if he does not get a good hard and long walk a few times a week.

[Inchworm]

2. It is the latter

It has been raining for what seems like weeks. He doesn't even like to go out when that wet stuff is magically hitting him on the head :D

He is 4ish... and quite a handful when confined to the insides.

:hi:

[The Midway Rebel]

3. Well, at least he's not shedding a lot of hair while in the house.

:sarcasm:

[Inchworm]

4. True...

NOT! lolol.. good one :)

:rofl:

PS: got a rake?

[TorchTheWitch]

13. play fetch up and down the stairs

Great for working off energy and the dog does all the work. They poop out pretty quickly, too. I do this with my Akita on those occasions either he or I don't want to go outside for exercise like in this icky summer heat.

[Inchworm]

15. I like "rastling" with him

He can be quite evil in play though. One quick turn with his massive head and just from his tooth hitting me leaves a bruise. All fun though.

Hmm... fetch up the stairs.. good idea! lol

:hi:

[mcar]

5. My neighbors have an akita

Beautiful dogs. She's a 5 YO monster marshmallow - with people of all ages. With other animals, fuggedaboutit. She's absolutely ferocious.

We just adopted a stray, hound/husky mix. He's about 7 mo. first time the akita saw him through her fence, she rolled her terrible eyes and showed her terrible claws and barked like a maniac. He laid down. She hasn't barked at him since.

[Inchworm]

6. Yup - mine is super great with any aged human

as well as large, unaggressive dogs.

Smaller animals all look like prey to him I think.

:hi:

[mcar]

7. She almost got my cat one evening

My neighbor was walking the dog and I had just gotten home. The dog came over to greet me at the same time my cat came out from under the other car to do the same. Dog had cat in his paws in a heartbeat. Neighbor pulled back on the harness, cat got away -- it happened so fast I was still smiling a greeting at the dog. Then my heart stopped - talk about delayed reaction.

It's just an amazing change - from about the sweetest animal you've ever seen to godzilla in a split second. It's just bred into them, I believe.

[rucky]

8. Hot sauce may do the trick.

have fun!

[hobbit709]

9. Tried that with my moosedog puppy

He liked it, switched to habanero-he still liked it.
Ate my habanero plant and two Thai bird pepper plants-didn't bother him a bit.

[Inchworm]

11. And ouch!

:hi:

[Inchworm]

10. ouch

:hi:

[TorchTheWitch]

12. neither of my Akitas are the least bit interested in their nuts

Of course, neither of them have nuts since they were both neutered, but they had no interest whatsoever in their "nether regions".

Feet. They are infatuated with their own feet... clean, clean, clean, lick, lick, lick.... chew the nails short, slobber, slobber, slobber in between the toes...

Funny how so many things I'd thought were just strange quirks of my first Akita are the very same strange quirks of the one I have now. And it's not like they could have learned these things from each other since the Akita I have now wasn't even born before my first one passed away, and they aren't genetically related in any way either.

It could be just simple boredom that's the cause of the licking... you know how Akita's just don't deal well with boredom. But it could be allergies. Akita's are prone to skin irritations or various sorts, and this year has been the worst ever for allergies. This season is the first time my Akita has had skin and eye problems because of the monster pollen. He's doing much better than last spring, but this year has just been terrible for him. Ordinarily, he'd only get a little bit of drippy eyes in the spring and that's it.

Check for any redness, flaking skin, thinning broken hairs or any other skin irritations, and get to the vet if you notice anything. If he keeps it up you should probably take him to the vet as well just to be sure something serious isn't going on.

And neuter him. Any dog not used for breeding should be spayed or neutered. There are many health and behavioral issues with intact dogs that can easily be eliminated with spaying and neutering. He'll be much happier without his nuts.

[Inchworm]

14. Well, ok -rephraze

he is addicted to ballsack and his feet lol

He is neutered. Yup, you are right. Licking and gnawing on his feet/legs is part of the chomp-chomp-chomp. I do watch him for skin stuff. Last winter he got real raw above his tail where he gnawed to spite my vacationing. Vet said Vitamin E.. or food allergy.

It healed since. I think it was part of that nervousness from no daddy around 24/7.

:)