My Story
Adventures of a Japanese dog in the UAE
My name is Akira and I am a Shiba Inu. I was born in Japan, but I now live in the UAE with my sister Miko and my human family. I like to think that I encapsulate the traits that make Shiba Inus so beloved in Japan: a bold spirit, independence and an alert mind. Some people could perhaps find me a bit bossy, but I like to see it as a mixture of confidence, determination and being an independent thinker/knowing my mind. For me to do something, it must either make sense or be fun, and it must definitely involve a reward! I am particularly motivated by a tasty treat. I also love to play – just because you are a professor doesn't mean you can't have fun! My hobbies include running in the garden, chasing things and playing ball. Daily naps are also very important for maintaining my cognitive performance at the highest level.
A questioning mind
I have always been inquisitive, which has helped me very much in my academic career. I started using these flashcards when I was just one year old. I am always full of energy, even after hours of playing and long walks, so my mum wanted to keep me mentally active and provide me with challenges. We began with numbers, first in my native Japanese, but we soon had to move to English as my mum only knows how to count to 10 in Japanese! We didn't have any expectations when we first started. We thought it would be fun to learn a few numbers. But I continued to progress and as we could not find flashcards with all the different components we were looking for, or that were specifically for dogs, we started designing our own.
My sister Miko
You will see Miko in some of the pictures I post and in some of the merchandise designs. As with all siblings, she is both my best friend and my arch nemesis. She is a rescue dog and joined our pack when I was well into my flashcard journey. She always sits next to my mum during my training to share my treats, but she runs away when it is her turn to learn. Sometimes I wonder who the real genius is in this family!
My Misson
Professor Akira Flashcards - Deepening the bond with your dog
Professor Akira Flashcards are specifically designed for dogs in terms of their content, durability and size. The cards are aimed at keeping dogs mentally active and providing them with cognitive challenges. Just like walking and running keeps our dogs physically fit, so the flashcards can help to give them a mental workout. If your dog is anything like my Akira, adding these flashcards to your daily one-on-one time will strengthen your bond with your canine companion, allow them to practise keeping their attention on you and your voice, and make them a lot calmer, especially during the adolescent stage.
Providing dogs with a mental challenge
Our flashcard lessons are a time of undivided attention that Akira and I look forward to every day. I have a suspicion that the small, healthy treats Akira gets as a reward for correct answers may also be a key factor in his case! I believe that as Akira has learned more and more words, our communication has improved. The flashcards cover various levels of difficulty and topics such as numbers and counting, animals and everyday objects, to name a few. When walking with Akira, I often comment on the number of birds we see, the colours of the flowers, cats and dogs we encounter, and warn him when a car is coming. The Professor Akira Flashcards are designed to mentally challenge your dog and build on their knowledge, eventually testing and combining the various concepts learned. Akira has even learned how to do simple addition, alongside answering questions with either a “yes” or “no” flashcard.
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