Personal experiences with Akitas?

[Torch]

Anyone here every owned one or known one well?

My husband is not really a dog person, but grew up with an Akita and would like to have another one day. I've not really done any research on the breed, and have never known one personally.

Are the temperament issues that I've heard about with akitas ill-founded? I know they're one of the more controversial breeds out there, but what's fact and what's fiction?

Thanks for your input!