The good news is that Shiba Inus are not extremely energetic dogs.
My Siberian Husky leaves my Shiba Inu in the dust in terms of daily energy.
However, Shiba Inus are easily bored.
They need a fair amount of both physical and mental stimulation every day or they will get frustrated and will likely become destructive or aggressive.
One easy way to exercise your Shiba is to make him work for all of his food.
My Shiba Inu works for his supper by doing obedience exercises, grooming exercises, and through interactive food toys.
My Shiba Inu also really enjoys exploration.
He fancies himself to be a great lizard hunter and has great fun pouncing on bushes to flush out those fierce, pesky reptiles. He enjoys smelling social markers (urine) left by dogs, cats, and other animals; and has a fun time staring at the goats that sometimes visit our neighborhood to clear out dried vegetation.
Daily walks are a must for a Shiba Inu.
If you are looking for some activities for your Shiba Inu, here are some fun dog exercise ideas …
any tips to exercising shiba puppy?
mine hasnt used to be alone when he’s in his crate.. after waking up he will throws his tantrum.. 🙁
Your website has been so helpful. I’ve had dogs all my life but when my boyfriend and I got a Shiba Inu we were so out of our league. Your site is my go to for all shiba questions. I’ve read through and tried a lot of other suggestions and they just don’t work, your tips are spot on. Thanks so much 🙂 We are on our way to a happier shiba!
Thank you very much for the wonderful comment. A happy Shiba makes me very happy. 😀
Hi Sarah,
“You will in all likelyhood have to rearrange your life in some way or other to make room for it in your life.”
So very true. I truly think there should be more control and education at the point of sale. Sadly, dogs don’t have a very strong lobby in DC, or even at the State level.
Shibashake,
That is so true. All to often people get a dog because they are cute, the neighbors dog is such a great dog or because they feel a need to fill a void in their lives.
Unfortunately they tend to forget that having a dog is a great commitment. You will need to take care of the dog, walk it, play with it and so on. You will in all likelyhood have to rearrange your life in some way or other to make room for it in your life.
Hello Cynthia,
Yeah it is really sad. I think people often get dogs to fulfill their own needs and do not really think about the dog’s needs. Sometimes, it is an issue of just not having the right information.
I really believe that there should be more control at the point of sale. Totally getting rid of puppy mills would be a good first step.
I totally agree with you that Shibas should be walked daily and be runned a couple of time every week.
I cannot even believe that some people don’t even walk weekly their shibas !