Sammi lives with Frances Antonio and her partner, and they have just bought a new house. What a lucky puppy!

Here is Sammi helping them to arrange the furniture in his new Shiba-pad.

Awesome Shiba Inu puppy pictures,

Shiba Inu Puppy Cuteness

Shiba Inu Puppy Cuteness

Look at that handsome face!

It is no wonder that so many people fall in love with the Shiba Inu puppy.

I certainly did, and got a Shiba as my first pup. Unfortunately, I did not do enough research into the breed, and found that I had a “holy terror” on my hands. Sephy is now over 5 years old, and he has left most of his holy-terror days behind. Actually, he is quite well behaved nowadays, and a lot of fun to have around. Things turned out well in the end, but we had to go through some very difficult times.

What about Sammi?

Unlike lazy ole me, Frances investigated the Shiba Inu breed more thoroughly, and did her homework, so Sammi is doing quite well. Go Sammi! He must have been born under a very lucky star.

He is definitely trying at times but his infectious smile and personality make it all worth it.

Also in the 2 weeks that we’ve had him, he now knows his name (both names), to come, sit, shake and lay down. So proud of our little boy. 🙂
~~[Frances Antonio]

Sammi - a very cute Shiba Inu puppy,

Shiba Inu Puppy Smartness

His appetite seems to have come back, but he’s getting very smart in his food choice in that he smells what we’re eating and thinks he’s going to get that. Once he’s seen that we’ve finished eating and that he won’t in fact be getting our food, he runs off and eats his. He’s a cheeky one!

~~[Frances Antonio]

Beware! Shiba Inus are cute and smart, and that is a killer combination. Even during puppyhood, a Shiba will quickly learn to use his good-looks to manipulate the people around him.

It is difficult to resist that raw Shiba power (see below), which is why before long, we will notice that our Shiba has us trained to fetch cheese, rub tummy, and do whatever else King Shiba desires.

Beware - Shiba Inus are cute and smart and that is a killer combination.

Shiba Inu Puppy Fierceness

Shiba Inu puppies are small but fierce!

… when he’s excited to see us, he nips us with his mouth and grabs onto anything with it.
~~[Frances Antonio]

Shiba Inu puppies are small but fierce!

Shiba Inu puppies can be very mouthy. With Sephy, I found that bite inhibition training is very helpful, and continue with these exercises even now, to make sure that he controls the force of his bites.

At the same time, I also teach him that it is inappropriate to bite on people even if it is in play.

This is what I did to train my puppy.

Shiba Inu Puppy Pictures

Please join me in saying a BIG thank you to Frances and Sammi for sharing their wonderful pictures with us. I love the colors, angles, poses, composition, and framing of the photos.

And of course, Sammi makes the pictures really sing!

Are they truly independent? and what does independence mean here?

According to Dictionary.com there are 17 different meanings to ‘independent’. Many of them describe the Shiba Inu well, especially the definitions pertaining to independent thought and action.

Are Shiba Inus Truly Independent?

Indeed Shiba Inus are not easily influenced or controlled by others – they have a mind of their own and that is why Shiba Inus can be challenging to train and to share your life with.

However, the other key definition of independence has to do with reliance – i.e. whether someone relies on another for their existence, care, and support.

Indeed Shiba Inus are not easily influenced or controlled by others – they have a mind of their own.

Clearly by this definition, all dogs are somewhat reliant on us and never totally independent. However, I would argue that Shiba Inus are even more reliant on us than many other dog breeds.

In particular –

1. Shiba Inus are indoor dogs. My Shiba goes outside sometimes but he prefers being inside the house most of the time, and in the general vicinity of his humans.
2. Shiba Inus need to have their people around. If you leave them alone for too long they will become destructive and/or escape.
3. Shiba Inus like engaging in activities with others. This is probably true of all dogs because they are pack animals, however, some dog breeds are more ‘independent’ than others.

For example, my Siberian Husky will go hunting and exploring in the backyard on her own. She is good at entertaining herself and always manages to find something interesting to do.

My Shiba Inu on the other hand will only sleep when he is by himself. For any other activity, including working on food toys, playing in the backyard, or playing with toys, he will wait until someone else is there to do the activity together with him.

Are Shiba Inus truly independent? Not in terms of self-reliance.

Are Shiba Inus truly independent?

Not in terms of self-reliance.

If you must be away at work or somewhere else for most of the day, it is best not to get a Shiba Inu. They may be independent when it comes to following commands, but they are extremely reliant on their people.

Owning a Shiba Inu takes a lot of time and patience. Only consider getting a Shiba Inu if you have a lot of time available to spend with your new Shiba Inu puppy – to train him, to play with him, to walk him, and to bond with him – EVERY DAY.

Read more about the Shiba Inu personality …

Owning a Shiba Inu takes a lot of time and patience. Only consider getting a Shiba Inu if you have a lot of time available to spend with your new Shiba Inu puppy

They are so cute, and their mannerisms are so similar to my Shiba.

Shiba Inus, however, are a difficult breed to care for.

Shibas are aloof, naturally dominant, and do not generally like being handled, hugged, or held. They are not lap dogs. 

Shibas are energetic, extremely intelligent, and need a lot of mental and physical stimulation.

Shibas need a lot of attention, and they like being inside the house with their humans. If left alone for too long, they will become bored, destructive, and will probably escape to find adventure elsewhere.

Shiba Inu Personality …

Do you still want to get a Shiba puppy?

For those brave souls, check out the breeder list at the National Shiba Club of America or adopt from a Shiba Rescue.

If you love Shibas, do not get a puppy from the pet store. Most, if not all of the puppies in pet stores come from back-yard-breeders or puppy mills.

Read more about buying a puppy …