• by shibashake

  • Shiba Inu Personality - The Good, The Bad, and The Quirky

    Shiba Inu Personality - The Good, The Bad, and The Quirky.

    The Shiba Inu is a beautiful Spitz dog. You will get many compliments and turn many heads while walking next to a Shiba.

    A Shiba Inu can get you a lot of attention and open doors to many social encounters. Get used to hearing, “He/She looks just like a fox!”.

    In fact, it is this foxy look that often gets Shibas into trouble.

    Many people fall in love with the ‘Shiba look’ but are not equipped to handle his larger than life personality.

    If you like the Spitz look, there are many other breeds that fall into this group that may better suit your lifestyle.

    The Good

    1. A Shiba Inu is a dog that is more like a cat

    A Shiba Inu is independent and very clean.

    My Shiba Sephy spends a fair amount of time not just grooming himself, but also helping to groom my Siberian Husky.

    A Shiba Inu is extremely easy to potty train.

    Sephy only had housebreaking mistakes on the first day that we brought him home (10 weeks old). After that, he always let us know when he has to go potty. We did not even need to train him to go potty outside. He naturally dislikes soiling his living space and even prefers not to go in our backyard.

    Shiba Inus like having their humans around in the general vicinity. However, they are aloof like cats, and do not need or want human attention much of the time.


    A Shiba Inu is a dog that is more like a cat.

    A Shiba Inu is a dog that is more like a cat.


    Good watch dog.

    Good watch dog.

    2. A Shiba Inu is a good watch dog

    A Shiba Inu is not a noisy dog. However, when there are strange people or strange noises around the house he will bark to alert you. Once I go and check things out, Sephy stops barking.

    Shibas have great memory and will alert you to anything out of place around the house and even in a familiar neighborhood. One day Sephy started barking at the fence because somebody had put a piece of wood on top of it – amazing!


    Graceful, agile, and high energy.

    Graceful, agile, and high energy.

    3. A Shiba Inu is graceful, agile, and high energy

    A Shiba Inu is graceful and agile.

    He can leap tall fences in a single bound and can scale walls like Spiderman. If properly directed, his super powers can be used for good. However, when left on his own, the Shiba will likely turn towards the Dark Side.

    A Shiba Inu is a great hiking buddy and is always up for a new challenge. He can easily learn and conquer an agility course but he will only do it, if you make it worth his while.

    A Shiba running is a sight to behold and a Shiba at play is poetry in motion.


    Doggy Einstein.

    Doggy Einstein.

    4. A Shiba Inu is a doggy Einstein

    A Shiba Inu can learn many dog obedience commands and he can learn them very quickly. He also thinks that he is much smarter than you, and will only obey you when it suits him.

    A Shiba can quickly figure out complex interactive dog toys and puzzles. I am always trying out new ways to deploy Sephy’s food in toys because he figures things out so quickly. A Shiba will challenge you and keep you sharp and on your toes!


    Shiba Inu with butt in the air.

    Shiba Inu with butt in the air.

    5. A Shiba Inu has a larger than life personality

    No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness. ~~[Aristotle]

    A Shiba Inu may be small in body, but he has a ginormous personality. If a Shiba were a person, he would either be an extremely successful egomaniac or in prison!

    Sephy always surprises me and makes me laugh; at least when he is not making me cry.

    He has this one move where he puts his head down on the ground with his butt sticking up in the air – it is just too precious.


    Larger than life personality.

    Larger than life personality.

    The Bad

    1. A Shiba Inu is bold, strong willed, and stubborn

    He has a “Never give up, Never surrender” attitude.

    He will not back down from a challenge and will often fight back when he perceives a threat. Because of this, many owners face aggression issues with their Shiba including food aggression, dog to dog aggression, and people aggression.

    To successfully live with a Shiba Inu, you must be extremely patient and have a good sense of humor.


    Shiba Inu Personality - The Bad.

    Shiba Inu Personality - The Bad.


    A Shiba Inu gets bored easily.

    A Shiba Inu gets bored easily.


    Bold, strong willed, and stubborn.

    Bold, strong willed, and stubborn.

    Turn a Shiba’s annoying habits against him.

    For example, a Shiba gets bored easily. If you ignore him and give him nothing to react to, he will quickly lose interest, and move on to something else.

    Shibas can be very competitive. If they see another dog getting praise and rewards, they will want to strut their stuff and show that they are better.

    Work with a Shiba’s innate personality and use it motivate him in the right direction. Passive resistance and reward obedience training work best with Sephy.

    A Shiba will hand you many lemons, which is good if you like lemonade. Otherwise, just cut one up and squirt it on his muzzle.
    ~~[ just kidding! ShibaShake]

    2. A Shiba Inu has a sly, rougish intelligence


    A Shiba Inu is super intelligent. He will most often use his brain power to “push your buttons” and get what he wants.

    Sephy is always trying to figure out how he can outsmart me and all the humans around him. A trainer once told me that Sephy was spending the weekends, “Devising new strategies to defeat her”.

    In another life my Shiba was probably a Catholic priest. He can guilt me into doing almost anything for him.

    Beware the Shiba look – it is one of his most powerful weapons and he will use it to great effect if he senses any weakness in you. Before you know it, your Shiba will have gotten you trained to fetch, stay, and rub tummy.

    Remember that a Shiba Inu will do whatever he wants if he can get away with it. If he can’t get away with it, he will figure out another way to get away with it. When he gets caught with his nose in the cookie jar, he will give you the innocent “What did I do?” look and then come over and lick your hand.

    Once you turn away, he is back in the cookie jar!


    A Shiba Inu is equal parts sly and rougish.

    A Shiba Inu is equal parts sly and rougish.


    A Shiba Inu is like the evil, black Spiderman.

    A Shiba Inu is like the evil, black Spiderman.

    3. A Shiba Inu is like the evil, black Spiderman

    He is capable of great feats of agility but if untrained, he will use it to destroy and cause great havoc in the household.

    If bored and lonely, he will escape by jumping over or burrowing under your fence. He can squeeze through small holes, bite through leashes, and achieve amazing great escapes that will make Houdini proud.

    If not properly supervised, a Shiba will pull down items from counters and shred them to pieces. He may even eat some of those pieces. Once, I left Sephy unsupervised for about 10 minutes and in that time he pulled down a phone headset and shredded it to little pieces. Luckily he didn’t swallow anything.

    A Shiba Inu, especially a young Shiba Inu has a lot of energy.

    It takes a lot to keep him occupied and away from trouble. Getting him a dog playmate can help. Another alternative is to put him in dog daycare or to employ the services of a dog walker.

    4. A Shiba Inu is a Drama Queen

    Sephy will whine, mope and act like it is the end of the world when he is unhappy about something (e.g. wearing a harness).

    Woe be to you if your Shiba gets hurt or even just thinks that he is hurt.

    Sephy acts like he is close to death’s door even for small things like getting grass stuck between his teeth.

    Woe be to you, woe be to your vet, and woe be to anyone who tries to help.

    Shibas are extremely touchy when in this state, and may snap and bite at anyone who comes near them.

    Sephy is extremely sensitive to the energy of the people and dogs around him. If I am scared or stressed out, he picks up on that immediately and gets that way too – except with a thousand times more gusto!

    5. A Shiba Inu is an accomplished singer

    A Shiba Inu does not bark much but he has a wide range of vocal stylings.

    The most well known is the Shiba-scream, which is a high pitched, loud scream that will make your blood curdle. Your neighbors will think you are torturing your poor little ball of fur.

    A Shiba Inu will quickly learn to use his Shiba-scream against you if you let him.

    Do not get embarrassed, and do not give him a reaction during a Shiba-scream. Just ignore him and go about your business and he will stop. Remember that he can sense your inner energy, not just your outward appearance.


    A Shiba Inu is an accomplished singer.

    A Shiba Inu is an accomplished singer.

    6. A Shiba Inu knows he is dog royalty

    A Shiba Inu does not like being touched or handled.

    Cutting nails, bathing, or a vet examination, is never fun for any breed of dog, but with a Shiba it can be total hell.

    After a lot of desensitization work and management, Sephy still protests to some of these activities. He sometimes throws a fit when I pick him up, and he only likes human contact when the mood suits him.

    A Shiba Inu is like dog royalty.

    He wants his subjects close enough to serve him but not too close as to sully his royal person.


    A Shiba Inu will quickly learn to use his Shiba-scream against you if you let him.

    A Shiba Inu will quickly learn to use his Shiba-scream against you if you let him.


    Obedience? What's that?

    Obedience? What's that?

    7. A Shiba Inu pretends not to understand ‘Obedience’

    .

    Obedience? What’s that?

    Shibas Inus think that you should be obedient to them and not the other way around.

    If you want a Shiba to do something for you, you had better make him a good offer.

    Sometimes, Sephy bargains with me. He will sit there and wait until I have the acceptable number of dog treats in my hand before going into his crate.

    A Shiba Inu can be a good citizen at home, but he must be properly managed.

    Shibas are strong willed, independent, and bred to hunt. Aversive training does not work well on them. Shiba owners need to be creative and flexible when interacting with their dog.

    A Shiba Inu is not to be trusted off-leash unless in a fully enclosed area.


    Nasty wicked teeth.

    Nasty wicked teeth.

    8. A Shiba Inu has nasty, wicked teeth

    For a small dog, a Shiba Inu has very large teeth, and he is not afraid to use them.

    Shibas can be very mouthy, more so than many other dog breeds. When I first got Sephy at 10 weeks old, his mouth was all over me. Now it is in control, but his instinct is still to bite.

    Shiba Inus are a primitive breed and they lose control more easily than other more domesticated dog breeds.

    The Quirky

    A Shiba Inu is a grass connoisseur

    He likes grazing, but he is picky about what grass he will eat. Dogs may sometimes graze when their stomachs are upset to clear their digestive systems, but a Shiba Inu just enjoys eating grass – if it is the right kind of grass.

    I recently found an article suggesting that there might be something to this grass connoisseur business after all.

    “We at Green Foods believe that dogs and many other carnivores, including cats and bears, eat cereal grasses because cereal grasses contain nutrients not found in meat that are essential for the animals’ good health.”
    ~~[Green Foods web site]

    Thanks to all the posters at Shibatalk and ShibaInuInfo for their many humorous Shiba Inu stories that inspired this article.


    Shiba Inu Sephy resting after a tiring day.

    Shiba Inu Sephy resting after a tiring day.

    Related Articles

    << Previous Next >>

    <a href="http://shibashake.com/dog/shiba-vs-siberian" target="_top">Shiba vs. Siberian</a>

    Shiba vs. Siberian

    I really like Spitz type dogs, so I am owned by a Shiba Inu and a Siberian Husky. They are both great friends, but have somewhat different personalities. Which is better - Shiba or Siberian? You decide - a cookie is at stake! 1. Pretty Face Shiba Inus look like foxes and Siberian Huskies look like wolves. Both breeds...

    << Previous Next >>

    <a href="http://shibashake.com/dog/shiba-inu-a-dog-that-is-more-like-a-cat" target="_top">Shiba Inu - A Dog that is More Like a Cat</a>

    Shiba Inu - A Dog that is More Like a Cat

    People always say that the Shiba Inu is a dog that is more like a cat. I thought it would be fun to look at why Shiba Inus got their cat like status, as well as consider how they are different from cats. Shiba Neko 1. Independent, Aloof, and Stubborn Probably the most important way in which a Shiba resembles a cat is in his independence,...

    << Previous Next >>

    <a href="http://shibashake.com/dog/finding-a-dog-trainer" target="_top">Finding a Dog Trainer for My Shiba Inu</a>

    Finding a Dog Trainer for My Shiba Inu

    Sometimes it can be difficult to find a good dog trainer that is knowledgeable, fits your personality, fits your dogs personality, understands dogs, and is a good teacher. I had a difficult time finding a good dog trainer for my Shiba Inu. He is not an easy dog to handle, and most trainers that I visited initially were not very familiar with...

    <Playback Stop Play >

    176 Comments

    1. shibashake

      I am seriously considering buying a Shiba, even after learning about their feisty sides!

      Feisty is a very nice way to put it! :D

      I’ve been thinking about getting a rescued Shiba that is not a puppy. Do you think this is a good idea since I would’nt mind skipping to an age when the Shiba calms down a little?

      Hmmm, that would depend. Some rescues are already pretty well-trained, and they were given up because their owners had to move or could no longer keep them financially. Other rescues were given up because their owners were not able to properly train or manage their Shiba. The latter group will be a lot more challenging.

      When I got my second dog, I took her on a trial run of 2 weeks to make sure that she would fit in well to our home. Most rescues will not only let you have a trial run but also be willing to accept the dog back if things don’t work out at some later point in time.

      Also, how did you get your Shiba? I’m having difficulty sorting out the good and bad breeders, and the good ones seem quite expensive ($2,500).

      The best place to get a Shiba puppy is through an AKC registered breeder.

      Here is a list of accredited breeders from the National Shiba Club of America -
      http://www.shibas.org/breeders.html

      Here is the AKC breeder search page -
      http://www.akc.org/classified/search/index.cfm?edu=1

      Most registered breeders also show their dogs, so they know more about the breed and are careful to breed for health and temperament.

      Still, make sure to interview the breeder and ask him/her lots of questions. If it is a local breeder, ask for a visit so that you can meet the puppy’s parents. Also ask for health certifications for the parents. For Shibas, this is usually a check for hip dysplasia.

      Here are a few articles about my puppy buying research and experiences -
      http://shibashake.com/dog/cheap-puppies-getting-a-cheap-puppy-or-cheap-dog
      http://shibashake.com/dog/buying-online-puppies
      http://shibashake.com/dog/new-puppy-supplies-what-a-puppy-needs

      2:21 pm on September 1st, 2010
    2. Franny

      Your Shiba is so adorable! I am seriously considering buying a Shiba, even after learning about their feisty sides! I love cats as much as I love dogs so when I heard Shibas were cats in a dog disguise it really caught my attention.

      I have 2 questions though, I’ve been thinking about getting a rescued Shiba that is not a puppy. Do you think this is a good idea since I would’nt mind skipping to an age when the Shiba calms down a little?

      Also, how did you get your Shiba? I’m having difficulty sorting out the good and bad breeders, and the good ones seem quite expensive ($2,500).

      Thanks for making a great site too!

      10:44 am on September 1st, 2010
    3. shibashake

      Awww – she must be too cute for words. Good luck!!

      Remember that you are the boss even when she gives you the irresistible Shiba look. ;)

      3:55 pm on August 26th, 2010
    4. Kayte

      Just got a 8 week old Shiba female today.. this helped alot..

      thanks.. WISH ME LUCK… She is a little doll!!

      3:11 pm on August 26th, 2010
    5. shibashake

      She was easy to train

      LOL – yeah Sephy learned commands easily … but getting him to actually do the commands when you ask it of him is another matter altogether. There were a few times that he did extremely well in puppy class and we won some dog balls, but most of the time we were at the bottom of the class. One time a trainer barricaded us behind a wall of crates! :D

      Ah, I do love Sephy. Life is always interesting with him around.

      Hugs to your Shiba. She sounds like she has a good mix of attributes.

      9:49 pm on August 17th, 2010
    6. Katrin

      I have totally enjoyed reading this site. I adopted a dog about 3 years ago and they told me she was a corgi mix. When taking her to the vet recently, I was told she looked like a Shiba Inu. After looking up the dog breed, this was for sure my dog. It is so great to read about my dogs personality traits, they are right on.. She was easy to train and does love to chase. She fit right in. Love this breed.
      Thank you,
      Katrin Wince

      7:15 am on August 13th, 2010
    7. shibashake

      LOL – Kodi sounds like a very awesome Shiba.

      I used to take Sephy to the dog park as well, and Sephy could not understand why some of the dogs did not want to play with HIM – a Shiba! He also liked stealing balls from the other dogs to start a chase game – which is not the best thing to do. Dog parks are a bit too unstructured for Sephy so nowadays I only do small supervised play sessions with dogs I know.

      I love him, and we both have learned each other habits and personality

      Seems like you have gotten off to a really good start with Kodi. I think what you say here is key. After I started really listening to Sephy and trying to understand his point of view, things got a whole lot better for the both of us.

      since we are working on this he is starting to wake me up now in the morning to eat and go out side earlier then usual

      Sephy also likes getting up early. But during the weekends, he will let us sleep in. :D One thing that helped when he was a puppy was to not give him water or dry food after about 7pm.

      if I don’t I notice he gets this look on his face and it’s trouble after that

      LOL – I definitely know that look! It is when Shiba is hatching a plan and he has that glint in his eye. Sometimes Sephy’s little tail will also twitch. I think that is when he feels playful, and is about to do something to engage me in a chase game – which is Sephy’s favorite. He also does this with my other dog. It is fun to watch them.

      Many hugs to Kodi. He sounds like a perfect Shiba.

      6:47 pm on August 8th, 2010
    8. wanda

      my shiba is name is Dakota aka Kodi he’s 7 mos old now and he just started letting me know when he’s ready, I’m trying to change his bathroom time from 3 times a day to two times a day because of the season is about to change from summer to winter and I know three times will be a little must for me so here lately him and I have been working on this, since we are working on this he is starting to wake me up now in the morning to eat and go out side earlier then usual, I don’t know if this is good sometime, but I keep in mind the time is different now, so I go along with it. I love him, and we both have learned each other habits and personality and so far so good, until I let him off the leash. I learned this the hard way, now I keep toys and treats on me and I only keep him off in a closed area and for a little while cause if I don’t I notice he gets this look on his face and it’s trouble after that he won’t come when I call him and he will run circles around me and keep on going. I try to take him once in a while to the doggie park, but some dogs don’t like him and this leave us to go solo. Me and my kodi

      6:30 am on August 7th, 2010
    9. Hello Kristin,
      It is very awesome that you are volunteering your time at the animal shelter.

      absolutely fell in love with a Shiba/Finnish Spitz mix puppy

      He must be a really handsome boy! Is there a picture of him on the shelter website? Would love to see him.

      Basically my question is. Do you think he would be a good fit?

      Hmmm – I would have a long chat with the people who returned him. You already know a lot about dogs and dog training, so you can filter what they say and get a good understanding of what some of his issues are, and how he would deal with crating, etc.

      In my experience with Sephy, he needed a lot of attention in the first six or so months after I got him. He calmed down a bunch after over 1 year, and after 2 years, he got even better. But the first 6months to 1 year was pretty bad for the both of us :D

      The final thing to consider is that a dog may curtail college life activities. One of the things that I truly enjoyed about college was that I was able to set my own schedule and hang out late with my friends if I wanted to. I don’t think I enjoyed more freedom than when I was in college and I had a great time. It was nice to stay up really late drinking coffee, and talking about nothing and everything :D

      I also did a fair amount of traveling. During the summer I did some fun internships, and during Senior year I had to travel for interviews and such. Sephy really likes his routine, so this type of traveling would be hard on him.

      Hope this helps. Let us know what you decide to do and share some pictures with us if you can.

      8:57 am on July 26th, 2010
    10. Kristin

      I volunteer at an animal shelter and absolutely fell in love with a Shiba/Finnish Spitz mix puppy, but sadly he got adopted. Now 3 months later he got returned (most likely due to the owners lack of puppy knowledge) He is about 7 months old, weighs about 30 lbs-40 lbs. I’m still a college student, but I live in an apartment with no other pets and lots of walking trails/dog parks nearby. I spent some time with him the other day and he does not seem to be very food aggressive. He didn’t make a sound and he is very smart. I’ve owned several big breed dogs while growing up (Labs, German Shepherds, Dalmatians, Weimaraner) but they seem to be easier to train than Shibas. I think I’m pretty dog savvy after training many at the shelter (I just want to reap the rewards of all my hard work!).

      He would be crated while I’m away for at most 6 hours.

      Basically my question is. Do you think he would be a good fit?

      11:17 am on July 23rd, 2010
    11. when their sick and they act like a “regular” dog you just want your shoe stealing, mouthy, back talking, aloof little shiba back!!

      LOL – that is so true. Sephy has been out of sorts the last few days as well. He sprained one of his legs while playing and had to be put on a low activity routine. He does not like it at all and is constantly finding new ways to express his general unhapiness. :D

      Thanks for the kayaking picture. It is amazing that Moksha goes in there with you! He is brave and handsome!

      Hugs to Moksha. Glad to hear that he is feeling better.

      10:41 am on July 13th, 2010
    12. Meg

      Hello everyone,

      Well I have just experienced the absolute sadness of having a sick shiba. Because of the heat the last 3 days my poor prince Moksha has been very sick with diarrea. He is finally starting to perk up, but yesterday he needed to go out every three hours and just looked sooooo pitiful. He lost all of his little quirks that make him my lovable shiba. It’s so funny that when they are healthy you just want them to chill out, lay down, and just be a snuggly “regular” dog, but when their sick and they act like a “regular” dog you just want your shoe stealing, mouthy, back talking, aloof little shiba back!! Shiba’s and their owners are truly a unique breed.

      6:57 pm on July 6th, 2010
    13. Hello Vanessa,
      Congratulations on getting a Shiba! Shibas have great personalities and they will always make life interesting.

      In terms of potty training, what Brendan says is very true. Sephy also really loves attention so rewarding him by giving him lots of attention, play, and treats when he goes outside works really well.

      This was what I did with Sephy -
      1. When he did his business inside, I just calmly non-marked him (No or ack-ack) and then brought him outside. If he continued doing his business, I make a big fuss and reward him. Then I play with him for a while outside before we come back in.
      2. I took Sephy out as soon as he wakes up, and after rigorous physical activity. When I first got my Sibe, I had to take her out after about 5-10 minutes of play with my Shiba – lol. Once she gets excited – she had to go! When she goes outside, I reward her well and play with her. If she doesn’t want to go, I wait a couple of minutes, and then I bring her back in – no play and no rewards.
      3. When Sephy had to go, he will also start circling an area. Once he starts doing this I would bring him outside.

      Here are more of the things I did with Sephy and Shania for potty training -
      http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-potty-training-facts-and-myths

      Good luck and let us know how it goes.

      9:21 am on July 1st, 2010
    14. brendan

      Hey, we got dusty when she was 3 months old. were you able to get an of her sawdust/straw from when she was with her mum? I would try and get some from the breader if you can. we put some of this in the garden and from day one she knew to go there. we just sat with her a made a big fuss over her when she went lots of good girls, cleave girls and cuddles. she was soon going as often as she could to get the attention.

      Good luck

      7:53 am on June 29th, 2010
    15. Vanessa

      I just got a female Shiba Inu and is very hard to potty train. She constantly goes to the bathroom in the house. We will bring her outside she will just sit down and then come in the house and go in here instead. Does anyone have any advice how I can break this earlier. She is only 3 months old and I know it’s a lot of work to train a puppy but I have never had her breed before. Please respond back if you have advice for me. Thanks

      7:38 am on June 29th, 2010
    16. That is really interesting – sometimes people think my Siberian is a black and white Shiba. Many people also think she is a hybrid wolf and get afraid of her – which is too bad- because she is such a lover.

      Would love to see your Shiba. Please send us a link when you can. Thanks!

      8:10 am on June 13th, 2010
    17. Shamir

      Since my shiba isnt colored the normal red/orange people say she looks more like a wolf.

      1:50 pm on June 11th, 2010
    18. Shamir

      This article really made me laugh.
      It made me laugh because its so true. My shiba has all of these traits except for the scream.. I’ve never heard her do that before.
      Thanks for this fun read though.

      1:49 pm on June 11th, 2010
    19. Hello Mabel,
      Being in a shelter can be very stressful for dogs. Most dogs tend to be more reserved in such situations, and slowly get back to their normal self after about 2 weeks (or more depending on the dog) in a home. The people at my SPCA used to call this the honeymoon period – because that 2 weeks can be very useful for teaching the dog house rules and getting off onto a good start with a fixed routine.

      I think you already have a great environment for a Shiba because she will have the place to herself and does not have to deal with other animals. When I started out with Sephy I had a very similar situation – no other pets, and also no yard. I must say the no yard was very difficult for a Shiba puppy. Sephy was very energetic and not having any off-leash time was very difficult. Luckily our SPCA had a fenced compound and they let us use it to exercise Sephy.

      After about 1.5 years, Sephy calmed down a lot and did not need as much exercise. Now he is over 3 and he is very relaxed and lazy most of the time. He usually only needs his 1-1.5 hour morning walk and he is good for the rest of the day. Since the female Shiba is 2 years old, she may already be more calm.

      How does the female Shiba deal with other dogs? If she has lived for long on her own, she may be wary of other dogs, or certain types of dogs. I would also ask about how comfortable she is with food, whether she protects her food/toys from people or from other dogs.

      I was also a 1st time owner when I got Sephy – and he was very challenging for me. After about one year things got a lot better and Sephy taught me a lot about dog training. The two things that are probably most challenging about Sephy and many Shibas -

      Their stubbornness can be out of this World :)
      They are very independent and mischievous.

      Sephy is a lot better now but he will still test his boundaries and conduct scientific experiments on the people around him to see exactly what he can or cannot do.

      The other important thing is to not to go too quickly with a rescue dog. Let the dog come to you and don’t overwhelm her with too much attention. Shibas tend to be more on the aloof side anyway, and like keeping their own company. Below is a very useful guide for what to do and not to do on the first days -
      http://www.maessr.org/learn/YourNewDog.pdf

      It is not a Shiba guide specifically, but it has good information that applies to all dogs.

      Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes and what you decide.

      2:27 pm on June 1st, 2010
    20. They love to “talk” to other dogs

      Yeah Sephy does this as well! I call them his Shiba warcries :D

      One thing that Sephy really liked to do while at dog parks is chase after other dog’s balls, steal them, and then start a chasing game. He loves playing catch me if you can games. However, some dogs may not like this kind of behavior, and it may ultimately lead to other things. What usually happened was that as soon as the other dog tries to correct Sephy with a growl, they get alpha rolled by their owners.

      As you say, sometimes the other owners get fearful, excited, etc – and this gets picked up by Sephy which amps up his behavior even more. Shibas, I think are very sensitive to the energy of the people around them. I have also met some people who will correct other people’s dogs with physical techniques – and that is extremely dangerous for everyone.

      Like Colleen, I have stopped bringing Sephy to dog parks because the situation there is just too uncontrolled and Sephy is a mischievous little thing. Also, not all the dogs there have bite inhibition – and their correction may ultimately cause physical damage. I also did not want them to get alpha rolled – when it was Sephy who started the whole thing.

      Here is an article I wrote about my experiences with Sephy and dog parks -
      http://www.shibashake.com/dog/enclosed-dog-parks-good-or-bad

      8:59 am on May 30th, 2010
    21. Mabel

      Very insightful website & posts- I would like to pick the brains of all you great Shiba owners. I’m thinking about adopting a 2 yr old female Shiba from a rescue shelter. They don’t know why she’s there and say she’s docile. I’ve never owned a dog before (rescue mgr says that this dog shold be no problem for 1st time owner). There are no kids or other animals here and no yard (but have a great dog park nearby). I’m concerned about my furniture & if I could leave her (she’s crate trained) for at most 6 hrs? What other concerns should I have and what should I ask the rescue shelter? Thanks for your input!

      6:59 pm on May 29th, 2010
    22. shiba_lover

      Hi Colleen, Our shiba never shows his teeth either. You hit it spot on when you mentioned “nip”. That’s what my little one does (he’s 1 year and 5 months). You are right in it must be a shiba trait.

      7:05 pm on May 28th, 2010
    23. Colleen

      My Shiba, he’s 10 mos, also loves to “talk” while playing with other dogs. He also nudges and “nips” (never bites or makes teeth on leg contact with) at other dogs knees to try to get them to play if they are ignoring him. I’ve found that in small groups or 1:1 play sessions, it’s easier to comfort the other dog owner(s) that it is how your Shiba plays and it is not aggressive.

      I’ve never corrected my Shiba for nudging other dogs legs or “talking” while playing as it seems to be part of his play style but my Shiba also does not enjoy dog parks so we don’t have to worry so much about that.

      I thought it was just my Shiba that did those things. Glad to learn the talking, or monkey noises as I call it, and the play biting at the legs to play may be part of a Shiba trait after all….

      11:30 am on May 28th, 2010
    24. shiba_lover

      Hi everyone! I have 2 male shibas that are 6 months apart. They absolutely love to play with other dogs at the dog park. There are some dog owners who fear that our shibas are being aggressive toward their dogs when in fact they are just playing. They love to “talk” to other dogs and when running after other dogs, our shibas try to play bite the other dog’s back or hind leg to stop them. By no means is it aggressive but of course other owners may think different. Is this common with everyone? Or is this something that we should correct so other owners are not afraid?

      12:52 pm on May 27th, 2010
    25. brendan

      I am pleased you enjoyed it.
      Thanks for the tips.

      2:34 am on May 21st, 2010
    26. Thanks for the pictures and word file Brendan. Dusty’s instructions are hilarious! You should definitely publish it, I think Shiba owners everywhere would enjoy it very much.

      Sephy also sometimes goes on a hunger strike for no discernible reason. I think he has a very sensitive digestive system so sometimes he just wants to clear it out. It could also be that the food company changed some ingredients in the wet food.

      In general when switching food it is best to go slowly and do it in quarters. 1/4 new food, 3/4 old food for 3-4 days. If everything is ok, then go 1/2 and 1/2 and so on. When I first got Sephy, he was on Eukanuba (what the breeder gave him) and we would practically have to jump through hoops to get him to eat the stuff. After I switched to Innova EVO things got a lot better.

      (normally she eats like such a lady and then burps after haha)

      Sephy is exactly the same way! He also eats like a lady and burps at the end LOL. In contrast my Siberian girl eats like a man, drinks like a man, and snores like a sailor! She is pretty awesome! :D

      3:18 pm on May 20th, 2010

    RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL

    Leave a Reply

    search button search button
    rss