Like any animal it depends on how they are raised but your correct. I have an 11year old Akita and they take a lot of work. People spend time with my dog (loves people and is a fantastic dog) and they say they want an Akita. I try to discourage them because they have no idea of the 100's of hours that it has taken to get hit to that point. I have mine around kids quite a bit and have never had issues but I've heard the horror stories.
My brother had a husky (they lost her earlier this year...she was 14). Husky, Malamute, Akita all spits breeds have similar tempermant. They take alot of work. If you expect to have an outdoor dog that you aren't going to spend a lot of with them...bad idea. They will beome aggressive and destructive. Don't plan on letting them run off lead. You can get them to behave off lead but again, it will take you dozens of hours. Both my bro and I were never able to just let our dogs "run"....they get selective hearing.
Another one is that they view any animal smaller than them as prey and will usually try and kill it (through the years I've found everything from squirels and cats to possums dead on the back porch. My bro's husky had a thing for ground hogs). If it is an animal that they have been raised with you'll be OK but they are animal aggressive and dominate. They will typically want to fight other dogs for dominance.
As far as the heat goes I wouldn't worry about it as long as you allow them in the house. I typically hits 110-115 here during the summer and we have never had any issues.
Don't get me wrong, they all can be great dogs and I wouldn't trade my furry buddy for anything but be prepared to do a lot of work and spend a lot of time working with them. Go pick up a copy of "Dogs for Dummies" and read about selecting the right breed for you.
