Ditzy mum friend with Akita/GS

[PenguinWings]

I'm not sure whether I'm being unnecessarily worried.
My 8 year old DS has a best friend.
The best friends' mum has an akita/GS cross.
They live in a small house with no garden and although the dog does get walked twice a day it's not for very long. During the first year of the dog's life they haven't really had visitors because the dog is "too naughty'. The mum has told me a few times how much of a handful the dog is, how the dog is "so much an akita" and how she hopes that the dog will calm down when she's not a teenage dog.
We usually have the friend to play at our house just because I'm someone who says "yes" when the kids ask to have a friend to tea.

So as you might guess, the mum has kindly offered to look after my DS for odd days in the school holidays.
I'm not sure that I trust the dog to be safe. DS is likely to give the dog a wide berth as far as he can. He is likely to get excited if they are playing. I know that she means well but I feel nervous about it.
I don't really know about dogs and I've been googling. Am I overreacting?
Thank you

German Shepherd-Akita cross? No way. And this is about size and jaw type, not 'breed discrimination'.
That will be one hell of a protective dog.
Both those breeds require skill and really dedicated ownership. I mean, ALL breeds require this, but some breeds are 'easier' than others.
You can lose control of any breed. But the thing about Akitas is their jaw. Like the pit bull, it has a scissor shaped jaw that locks on until the dog decides to release it, which can have lethal results. You don't want to be hanging out with a poorly trained, overly protective guard dog with a scissor shaped jaw, to put it bluntly.

I just really want to reiterate that my strong stance is really based on the fact that this particular dog has not been trained or looked after by a competent owner, it seems. For that reason, I wouldn't trust the dog.

When I worked in personal injury I assisted on a claim for a girl who was attacked by a family friend's Akita when she was 9. The family had had it for 5 years without any problems and she'd been around it regularly since it was a puppy. The two Dad's were outside in front of the house and she was inside with 3 other children playing. Out of nowhere it latched on her face and started trying to tear her cheek off. I'm absolutely terrified of Akitas now and would never feel safe leaving a child with one.

No. Just no.

While my dog was sniffing around exploring the undergrowth in the park, an Akita came crashing through , flipped her over and tried throttling her. I won’t forget the screams.

And btw my small daughter was only a few feet away

The breed is irrelevant.
Breed is not irrelevant. Breeds were developed for particular jobs.

Akitas were for hunting and fighting, and are now used as guard dogs.
GSDs were bred for herding and guarding sheep - the guarding side is why they have been used so much as police dogs. Some modern lines are very neurotic.

Yes, pet breeding weakens breed tendencies (which not all dogs of a breed will necessarily display strongly anyway), but there is a reason why even terriers with generations of pet breeding behind them remain vocal and independent.

it has a scissor shaped jaw that locks on until the dog decides to release it, which can have lethal results
Um, all dogs, and cats, and all other animals capable of biting lock their jaws together until they decide to release them FFS.
Akita’s don’t have some magical savage jaw.
If they have potential to be dangerous it’s because they have been bred as guard dogs previously and are big and strong.
Not because they have a magical lock jaw which doesn’t exist and literally no dog has

Who sold her an akita/German Shepherd cross and what the fuck is wrong with them?

Please don't send your son there. Those are breeds for experienced owners with lots of time on their hands. She's already said the dog is out of control and doesn't get enough exercise - it's a recipe for disaster.

@TheVanguardSix

German Shepherd-Akita cross? No way. And this is about size and jaw type, not 'breed discrimination'. That will be one hell of a protective dog. Both those breeds require skill and really dedicated ownership. I mean, ALL breeds require this, but some breeds are 'easier' than others. You can lose control of any breed. But the thing about Akitas is their jaw. Like the pit bull, it has a scissor shaped jaw that locks on until the dog decides to release it, which can have lethal results. You don't want to be hanging out with a poorly trained, overly protective guard dog with a scissor shaped jaw, to put it bluntly.

Lockjaw is a myth, btw.

Definitely not

I have an Akita mix myself, she is a friendly dollop of a dog. She is boisterous because she is young so when we get visitors I keep her on a lead until she is calm. She would only hurt out of clumsiness. I wouldn't leave her unattended around small children anyway. When she is around kids she is lovely and the children who know her love her. I don't not presume anything though and supervision is key.

Thank you all, we'll stick to inviting DS's friend to our house.

I have never met a friendly akita. The couple I've known have been aggressive. Maybe they were not exercised enough or properly trained so that's probably not a fair view on the breed, I know.

What you do know is that this is a dog that you are not confident is: trained and is no threat to your child.

For those reasons, I would keep the playdates to you house. Tell the mum that your DS is not experienced with large dogs and you think it would better her child to come to yours.