When I got my first dog, a Shiba Inu, I thought he was the most difficult, most terrible dog in the world.
He was extremely mouthy, and would constantly bite at my hands and arms. He humped my leg, did extreme leash biting, and was very hyper around the house.
Then, I had a brainstorm; I could just hire a pet sitter/dog walker. In this way, I won’t have to deal with my devil dog all of the time, and someone else can train some manners into him.
I researched the dog walkers in my area, and picked one with seven years of dog walking, and dog training experience.
It took about a month and a half before Sephy got kicked out of his dog walking group. I also explored several different dog daycare centers, that declined to accept my money after meeting him.
But I do not think that Sephy, or even Shiba Inus are unique in this regard.
Many people probably believe that they have the most difficult dog or dog breed.
The most difficult dog breeds are simply the ones that do not fit our expectations, temperament, or lifestyle.
One man’s favorite dog breed is another man’s dog breed from hell. Some dog breeds, become more notorious for their “difficulties” because of popular movies or other media coverage. Dalmatians, for example, became very popular with the release of Disney’s 101 Dalmatians, and many owners were unprepared for the Dalmatian’s energetic nature.
While breed characteristics may predispose a dog towards certain behaviors, each dog is an individual, and each dog-owner pair is unique.
A difficult dog can come from any breed, when paired with an inappropriate owner, an inappropriate environment, or an inappropriate lifestyle.
Here we examine some of the key characteristics that make up the most difficult dog breeds.
Most Difficult Dog Breed 1 – Energy
All young dogs are energetic, but some dog breeds are more energetic than others.
Just like us, dogs need both mental and physical exercise in order to stay healthy and happy. When we are away at work, it is easy to forget that our dogs are at home alone; getting bored and anxious. Bored dogs easily become frustrated dogs; and frustrated dogs, may become aggressive and destructive.
How to calm an energetic dog –
- Walk our dog every day. At least one 30 minute walk per day. Some dogs may require two walks (mornings and evenings).
- Train our dog every day. This could be as simple as asking our dog for an obedience command before we give him anything, including food, toys, backyard access, and walks.
- Play with our dog every day. The flirt-pole is a favorite with my dogs. Soccer, fetch, catch, and tug can also be fun. Structured play sessions can help to make our dog more obedient, and enhance our overall relationship.
- Make our dog work for all of his food; either through training, grooming, or dog toys.
- Provide our dog with safe chew toys and food toys when he is home alone.
One of the most popular, energetic dog breed is the Jack Russell Terrier. Terriers are energetic as a group, but the JRT easily tops that list. JRTs are extremely intelligent, easily bored, and very independent, which make them a high maintenance dog breed.
Only get a JRT if we have a lot of time to spend with our dog, and if we have a very active lifestyle. JRTs require not only a lot of physical exercise, but also a lot of mental stimulation.
Most Difficult Dog Breed 2 – Size
Some dog breeds are more difficult because they are large and powerful.
The American Pit Bull Terrier always comes to mind when we think of a powerful dog breed. Sadly, this breed has received a lot of negative publicity due to their use in dog fighting operations. However, as with any other dog breed, Pit Bulls who are properly trained, and managed by their owners, are loyal, friendly, and well-behaved.
Nevertheless, it also true that larger and more powerful dogs can do more damage than their smaller Chihuahua or Pomeranian cousins.
Owners of larger dogs must be more vigilant and more careful with their training, because large dogs can inadvertently hurt people just from jumping or playing.
Most dog attacks that occur, are directed at children, so it is important to always supervise our dog when there are children around. Supervision is a must for all dogs, even for small dogs. To prevent dog attacks, teach our children the proper way to meet a dog, and how to avoid loose dogs in the neighborhood.
In a dog attack, it does not matter who is right or who is wrong; our dog will always be the one to pay the price. If we love our dog, properly train and manage him so that he is not exposed to stressful situations that may cause him to resort to aggression.
All dogs are capable of aggression, and making excuses for bad dog behavior, especially people biting or nipping, will only endanger our own dog.
Most Difficult Dog Breed 3 – Dominance
Some of the most difficult dog breeds are the ones that are naturally dominant.
What is a dominant dog?
- A dominant dog challenges us more frequently and is constantly testing his boundaries.
- A dominant dog is more likely to fight when challenged.
- A dominant dog will likely respond with aggression when frustrated; and will frequently redirect that aggression onto us if we try and stop him.
Ancient dog breeds such as the Shiba Inu, Akita, and Chow Chow, have a greater tendency to be confident, independent, and stubborn. These traits make them more dominant, as they are more likely to do what they want, rather than what we want.
Protection breeds such as the German Shepherd, and Rottweiler, are bred to be loyal, self-assured, and strong willed, so that they may better protect their owners. These same traits also make them more dominant.
Dominant, confident, and independent dogs can be more difficult to handle, but with proper training, and a relationship of mutual respect, they can become our most trusted and loyal companions.
Indeed many German Shepherds and Rottweilers are used in law enforcement work where they must be focused and alert, take independent action when necessary, while remaining calm and responsive to their handler.
While my Shiba Inu is not as calm, nor is he greatly responsive to my requests, he is a most trusted and loyal companion.
Most Difficult Dog Breed 4 – Maintenance
All dogs require a minimum amount of basic maintenance including:
- Yearly vet visits for immunity shots, teeth cleaning, and a general examination.
- Regular nail clipping (about once every month). Overgrown nails can easily break below the quick and cause our dog extreme pain and discomfort.
- Regular hair brushing (about once every week). Regular brushing helps to remove loose dirt and hair from our dog.
While all dogs require some basic grooming, some dog breeds may require more grooming than others.
Long haired dogs, like the Afghan Hound, require more frequent brushing to keep their hair from matting. Matting or tangled hair can become uncomfortable and ultimately painful for the dog.
It may also take more time to bathe, shampoo, and dry long haired dogs. More frequent baths may also be necessary to keep their long coats clean, especially for light or white coated dog breeds like the Samoyed.
It is best not to bathe our dog more than once a month. Overly frequent baths may wash away essential oils from the dog’s fur and cause dry skin, skin irritation, and an unhealthy coat. Use shampoo that is specially formulated for dogs and not human shampoo.
Health is also a very important part of dog maintenance. Larger dog breeds tend to have more health issues including bloating, and joint disease (e.g. hip dysplasia). Dogs with shortened muzzles such as the Pug may have trouble regulating their temperature, and are more susceptible to reverse sneezing.
Regardless of dog breed, however, all dogs may fall sick, and become more vulnerable to cancer, and athritis as they age. To ensure good health and a long dog life, I keep up with yearly vet visits, provide daily mental and physical exercise, and feed my dog a balanced and healthy diet.
Most Difficult Dog Breed 5 – Noise Level
The barking dog is the bane of neighbors everywhere. Forget the crazy kid parties, and the motorcycles without a muffler, it is the barking dog that causes the most number of neighborhood arguments, and noise complaints.
Dogs bark for a variety of reasons, including stress, boredom, excitement, and frustration.
Some dog breeds, however, have a propensity to be more noisy than others. Certain hunting breeds, tend to bark more because they are bred to find game, and then bark or howl when they find an intriguing scent. The Beagle is a popular dog breed that may do this.
To stop dog barking, I provide my dog with interesting physical and mental activity every day.
Scent hounds, like Beagles, will enjoy a Find-It game where we hide items around our house or yard, and get our dog to find them. Initially, I make the game easy by only hiding the item a short distance away from my dog, and letting him see where I put it.
I make sure to reward my dog with dog treats, dog play, and praise when he finds the hidden item. If my dog needs more motivation, I may also add scent or some peanut butter onto the Find-it toy.
How Difficult is Your Dog?
If we want a dog, consider our temperament, lifestyle, and environment, and get a dog that suits us. Getting an inappropriate dog breed will result in:
- An unhappy, and stressed out owner and family.
- Property damage.
- Loss of money.
- An unhappy, and stressed out dog.
Dogs can be a real blessing, but they can also cause a lot of bad dog problems, emotional stress, and arguments within the family.
Think carefully before taking on the responsibility of caring for man’s best friend.
Goodmorning,
Someone can explain to me how is possibile making Shiba Inu girls live together forever. I see that females tend to fight each other in this race. In other breeds no problem exists or exists in part. A friend of mine has 2 Shiba Inu females and one day he found them fighting in silence. One was attached to the other dog’s neck, each dog was pulling the other dog’s neck in silence, Is it a question of blood lining or training?
I have Shiba-Inu, male. he is 5 years old now. when he was puppy he was nipping a lot, and lovely active. I can only say he is the best, most loving, caring wonderful dog. He is great guardian, he is reserved = does not bark when others do, does not get involved in frictions. He is very lively, intelligent. And loves to be hugged, cuddled, and walked outside. He will follow me when i do not feel well, and when he does not feel well. He will ask for daily petting by putting his paw on my arm. Yes, he is stubborn, and picky eater. And yes he runs away few times, but was found quickly. I call him opportunist. But that is not big deal. To us he is the best dog in the world. We raised him with love, no yelling, only when he got too wild when puppy we would raise the voice with single word NO, or STOP… He is also wonderful shredding machine, but learned to chew only his toys now.
we play with him, and when I am busy he learned to wait, understand. He is simply great!
I have a question. My shiba inu (devil dog) is 17 months old and runs away from me when I want to put a harness on her. She knows it’s for play time outside because she stands by the door and waits for me. My problem is that when I want to put on a harness, she runs away. I know about treating and patience and all. I’ve spent hours since she was a young puppy trying to get her to accept it. If she runs away, I put away the harness and go about my business. What else can I do?
Hi! I found your blog today and wanted to ask you some questions about my moms problem shiba inu. It is getting to the point where she is considering surrendering him to the shelter. Would you be able to email me?
Good afternoon! I just found this website and it’s so informative! i’ve got a situation that maybe you can advise me with.
in several weeks i will be adopting an almost 4 year old neutered min pin that is being rehomed due to being aggressive to the 14 month old baby in the house. the current owner admitted this is her first dog and obviously she has allowed him to rule the house.
this will be my second min pin; i learned with my first how much of a mistake i made by spoiling her and treating her like my baby.
i’ve been told that he doesn’t do well around strangers, was crate trained at one point but she no longer uses a crate.
i will be crating, and i will be taking him for walks where we are bound to come into contact with other people.
what can i do to make this transition better for us?
any advice will be appreciated.
thanks, leilla
I have a 2 year old shiba she is my heart. I have two other dogs Wynter is very solid strong dog. she is playful but her playing is too ruff for the other two dogs. I tryed to mate her it was horrible help me how do I mate
Unless you are a professional,certified breeder,you should just get her spayed,decreAses,chance of cancers, take down hee dominance with other dogs,You do not mention ages of other dogs,sex or ages.
I’d like to propose a sixth difficult dog breed trait: Excitability. It’s actually the hardest part about owning golden retrievers, from my experience. There is such a thing as “too friendly” with dogs. My golden becomes absolutely ecstatic around strangers, jumping up on them and accidentily urinating from sheer joy. I have to choke him back on the leash when we encounter other people on walks. It’s such a problem that we have to lock him away whever we have guests or extended family over, especially children and elders. My dog ran in between a 5-year old niece’s legs once and flipped her over – miraculously without harm.
I guess “difficult” can be subjective when it comes to dogs. There’s no one size fits all dog breed for everybody.
I feel your pain. My husky is also “too friendly”. He loves people so much, but will not leave guests alone, jumps on them, and wants to climb all over them. Have tried seeing if he will calm down after a while, but he doesn’t, even an hour later he’s still as excited as he was when they first walked through the door. I always end up having to put him in his crate, and he howls and cries because he wants to be with everyone. I’ve tried keeping him on leash in the house, while people are here, and that helps to some degree- I can at least prevent him from licking everyone to death, but it’s too hard to both control him, and visit with people. He once knocked the glasses off a very tall mans face at Petsmart (the first and last time I brought him there!).
Oh my gosh yes we have a notorious licker too. So friendly but he can’t hold his licker. 🙂 Once he settles down though he is a super cuddly bundle of fluff.
An annoying trait I have seen in other dogs is the “social greeter” where they run outside barking looking for other dogs in the neighborhood to respond. Usually doesn’t last long (unless another dog is outside and responds) but still an annoying behavior.
I have two female Jacks and they are starting to fight every time when there together, I just do not know what to do.The breather knew I had a female at home and never told me that two females may not get along, so here I am with my hands full. Im crying every day and I had to separate them after almost two years, on is 11 years old and the other is almost two.The two year old seams to be the trouble maker but they both challenge each other.I really need Cesar Millan to my rescue, I may be the cause of the problem. HELP!!!!!!!!!
Hi Shibashake,
I am so glad to have found your site! such useful info on here! Last year I rescued a 2 year old Australian Shepherd named Zeus. He is the best thing to ever have happened to me! and I just love him to pieces. I have learned a lot in the last year about dog behavior and training and it has been such a great learning experience!
I have been able to train out most undesirable behaviors within Zeus but I can’t seem to get him to not react around other dogs. Big, small, furry, nice, mean whenever there is a dog around he just loses mind. I have tried everything, from sloooooow counter conditioning to just avoiding dogs altogether, and can’t seem to get a consistent result. Sometimes he does great, and I feel super confident, like “okay, this is it, he just doesn’t like big dogs, etc.” and he will prove me wrong the very next day 🙂
He doesn’t have to be friends with every dog on the block, but as long as I don’t have an extreme reaction from him, I will be happy. He is also 65 lbs, (and I am a small person), so it sometimes becomes a safety concern depending on where we are. I am considering taking him to a dog behaviorist soon so that I can pinpoint where his dog aggression actually stems from, so that I can treat it accordingly.
It is fascinating to read everyone’s experiences. I have a Shiba(Rusty) going on 12 years now and, as a whole, my time with him has been positive. I did a great deal of research before my purchase and learned that observed behavior was often less simplistic than expected. Rusty was territorial as expected but his concept of territory centered on a certain amount of space around him wherever he was at. On a walk, he would be fine meeting other dogs as long as they did not get too close. I also confirmed to the surprise of some neighbors that to a Shiba size of the opponent does not matter.
I did not find him particularly mouthy as a puppy but he hated then and does now to be
rough-housed. You do a power roll with this dog at the risk of your fingers.
On the whole though he has been good with people and other dogs. my wife, however, is another matter. He has driven her nuts with his ability to open cabinets for the treasures within. And the time that he bit through a karaoke cord while she was in mid-string still brings smiles now when retold.
I think my years ago of having raised a coonhound provided me with a more comfortable set of expectations. Like most dogs with a hunting lineage his intelligence manifests itself more in problem-solving than trick performance. In regard to prey drive, it has been said that a Shiba will get along with any animal too big for it to kill and eat. That is true of Rusty as it was of my Redbone hound. He is affectionate at a level that is comfortable but not annoying. I have never expected him to behave as a young child. His terms have been met as have mine and we have both been very happy.
Hi,
My Shiba (Ichiro) is currently a year old. He has been in constant training since we got him at 10 weeks. We did Puppy Kindergarten and Obedience class. He gets along well with dogs and with people. I also have a 9 mos. old Bernese Mountain Dog. Managing 2 puppies has been a lot of work. They are always supervised when they are together. Ichiros play still is a little more rough as he loves pulling her ears and tail when he wants to play. He will also bring shoes or toys and walk around her in order to tease her. When I think he is getting to agitated in the play and our Bernese wants to be left alone, I tell him to stop and put myself between them. That is if I don’t have a treat (cheese) which I usually do. If I do have a treat I let them know it is treat time and I do some training. Getting them to stop playing (especially Ichiro) took a lot of time and patience. Now, they pretty much respond. I guess they are understanding the routine. But when I miscalculate and let Ichiro get too excited, he just runs around in circles around her like crazy and gets very verbal. When he finally decides to obey and sit or go down, it is not without one last bark as if letting me know that he is giving in but not because he likes it. He gets nothing without sitting first or laying down. He gets praised and petted when he behaves or is resting quietly. He doesn’t have an issue with the petting, at least not the family members. I can touch his ears, paws, brush him, touch his food, his toys while he is playing, etc. Here is where I do have a problem: he will not let me clean his ears ( I can wipe them but not put liquid in them) as he will first show his teeth and if I don’t stop he will snap at me. I have tried doing it with treats but no success. I am also unable to trim his nails. Same thing. Yesterday he threw up and when my son was cleaning his vomit he was trying to eat it, so my son pushed him away (maybe a little to rough ) and Ichiro bit him, no bleeding but definitely marked him. When I was petting him later in the day, all of a sudden he growled at me and turned his face quickly to stare at me. Definitely sending me a message to stop. I thought maybe I had touched him somewhere and he was in pain so I took him to the vet. He was very nervous once inside the room and again did not let the vet check his ears. Growled and showed teeth so vet had to muzzle him. This is the first time he gets muzzled. I was devastated. I don’t know how to desensitize him to allow people to check ears, clean them and trim nails and I am afraid that next time he is muzzled he will put up a fight. He has a good memory and doesn’t forget bad experiences. I don’t know it this is particular to the breed and I just have to learn to live with it or if I can change the behavior. Any suggestions?
Did the vet find anything wrong with his ears?
Sephy is also very sensitive to handling. I do a lot of touch exercises with him, and still keep up with it even today. For his nails, I use a nail grinder and I *very slowly* desensitized him to it.
If necessary, I put a drag lead on Sephy (only under supervision, and only with a flat collar or harness). In this way, I can effectively control him without having to lay hands on him. In general, I want all hand interactions to be positive, so that he learns to associate handling with positive events and rewards.
The vet is a totally different thing because from Sephy’s point of view, bad things almost always happens there. It is a high stress place, with a bunch of strangers trying to manhandle him. In addition, there are other dogs around who are unhappy and stressed. Finally, most vet offices are very busy, so the doctors do not have the time to really get to know the dog. All this makes it extremely difficult to desensitize a dog to the vet’s office, especially a dog who is already sensitive to handling. Sephy also does not trust easily.
As a result, Sephy has to get anesthetized for his yearly examinations. Since they also have to examine his teeth, just using a muzzle is not enough. For other things, using a muzzle works. However, after using the muzzle once, I have to spend many many months after that slowly desensitizing him to it again.
ASPCA article on desensitization and counter-conditioning-
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/desensitization-and-counterconditioning
The vet did not find anything. Ears were fine, skin is fine and she touched him everywhere and he did not seem to be in pain. Should I buy a muzzle and start reintroducing it to him again so that he learns to allow me to put it on? I am sure he will put a fight next time he sees one. Should I buy the same the vet used or should I get a different one? Which muzzle do you suggest? When I go to the vet, should I put it on before going or when I am there? Do you have any videos where you show how you trim nails and clean ears?
First, let me say that dog behavior is very context dependent. On my site, I talk about my experiences with my dogs and some of the difficult times we went through. However, each dog and situation are different, so I always try to adapt things to my own situation and the temperament of my dogs. I was unable to desensitize Sephy to the vet and the vet’s office, but perhaps with a different dog and a different vet that would be possible. I usually start with the least invasive method first.
With Sephy, I use a basket muzzle. In this way, he can still drink and pant. I act just like it is another training exercise (i.e. I keep my energy calm), and put it on at home, where Sephy is comfortable and relaxed. Once we get to the vet’s office, it is too late, because he is already on high alert.
When Sephy has the muzzle on, he just shuts down at the vet’s office. He acts like he is totally calm and ok. However, the truth is, he is still under great stress, but he can’t protect himself with his teeth, so he shuts down.
For nail grinding, I usually get someone to feed Sephy some really high priority food while I am doing his nails. It is easier when two people are doing it. For ears, I usually use ear cleaning pads. I find that to be sufficient as long as I keep up with it regularly, and especially after my dog has been to areas where dirt and other stuff may have gone in. I have not had to do the liquid stuff with Sephy for a pretty long time now, so I am not sure how he would react.
With Sephy, I always start small, go slowly, and gradually get him used to the process in a positive context. I stay away from aversive techniques, especially for grooming and handling tasks. If the experience is negative, he will start to lose trust in me, and it will be a lot more difficult to get him to do anything in the future.
Sorry, but I don’t have any videos. Doing some sessions with a trainer may be helpful, in terms of getting the general technique of desensitization and counter-conditioning. During Sephy’s puppyhood we did handling desensitization exercises with a trainer at our local SPCA.
My experience with the shiba inu seems alot easier than most. Yes bailey was a challenging puppy, but he was a wonderful dog. He was easily house broke and we socialized him very well. He never was a good leash walker, and he always pulled the leash to the point of him coughing. Most of his excercise was in the fenced in back yard. He was never chained up, and when he was young he was a runner. He would head for any open door, find a way over or under my fence any chance he got. Fixing him helped all of the running and escaping stopped all together. We really did not have any other formal training , we always messed ( petted him stuck our hands in his food bowl, anything that we thought a child might do) while he was eating. He never had a food aggression issue or any other aggression issues for that matter. But he was my dog and he knew that, he would not listen to my wife whatsoever!!!! When our daughter came along he listened to her more than my wife. My wife was very frustrated with bailey for about 2 years, she finally changed her approach to bailey and they were great pals after that, but he still would not listen to her!!! Bailey was by far the best dog i have ever owned, loved to play..loved to talk…and let u know when he was bored. we left him loose in the house when we went to work and he never made messes in the house. He would wake us up at night if he needed or just wanted to go outside. He never meet a stranger, and was most certainly never shy. I never knew him to be the Devil Dog that shibas are sometimes called. Shibas are great dogs as long as u let them be shibas and not try to make them into something they are not. Sadly bailey passed right before Christmas after 16.5 years. We are all still sad and miss him very much.
I have 3 dogs my first is a lab/ pit mix she is a sweetheart & can be dominant but knows if she fights with the other 2 she gets in trouble & she don’t want that .. 2nd is a husky we got her 2 months after the first they were both 9 was old when we got them .. She is stubborn as heck ! She steals everything & hourds them mostly the kids toys . She talks back & dosent listen . No matter what we do .. We than took in what the owner said is a retrever but I think he is part red nose Pitt .. He is very loyal, very guarding personality where he sits on whomever he is guarding & barks you away .. He also growls at the husky for attempting to steal the babies toys .. The husky bite & drew blood on axle the red nose .. As a puppy over food she wouldn’t let him eat .. Thought we fixed that !! Now that they are older the girls are 3 yrs old & he is under 2 .. He started getting very aggressive with the food & water & the girls bow their heads & freeze until he lets them move .. The husky , well she pushes her dominance on him & we have a full blow dog fight with large dogs .. As a family we are fighting because he goes after the kids as well .. The husky mostly provokes him but he starting to just snap all the time .. You can’t break it up either .. He turned to bite me & my son whom dragged him off to his crate to protect the kids whom don’t get out of the way quick enough . We are at the point of getting rid of both dogs & keeping the lab/ Pitt . It’s killing us as to where tonight we were all crying because we love them so much .. He stays by your side & is really afraid of everything . He is good with company , even guest dogs .. It’s between the two dogs & we don’t know what to do before the baby starts walking he is 7 months and this dog protects him .. Every morning he comes over & kisses him & lets the baby pull his ears & stuff I’m just very afraid & feel I can’t trust him . I’d take any advice !! As of now I want them gone in fear of the children he has growled at the older ones in bed when he wants ownership so I started locking him in the crate at night cause as we wake up he. Was in your face growling .. Help please !! I’d love to make it work .. I thought it was a dominant thing . I make the good dog lead cause she is obedient & hoping they follow ..
Since there are 3 dogs involved and young children in the house, I would definitely get help from a good professional trainer. Dog behavior is very context dependent, and the temperament, history, routine, and environment of the dogs will all play a role. The energy of the people around them will also affect their behavior.
As you have observed, breaking up a dog fight is dangerous. While in the throes of a fight, a dog may redirect his aggression onto the people who are trying to restrain him. This is redirected aggression, and has nothing to do with dominance. A good trainer can help with management techniques to prevent fights, and also develop a plan for rehabilitation that keeps everyone safe.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
ASPCA article on the different types of dog aggression-
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/aggression-dogs
With my dogs, the most important thing that I do is to manage their environment and routine so as to set them up for success.
– I set up a fixed routine and provide each dog with multiple positive and structured outlets for releasing his energy. I walk each dog daily for at least 1 hour.
– I supervise closely and redirect questionable behaviors as soon as I see them. In this way, things do not escalate into aggression or full-blown fighting. Prevention is best.
– I set up clear dog-to-dog and dog-to-people interaction rules. I supervise to make sure that everyone follows those rules, including the other people in the house. In this way, all my dogs know what to expect from each other, what to expect from the people in the house, and what I expect from them in return.
– I manage my dogs’ environment and set them up for success. I *do not* expose them to situations that I know will trigger an aggressive episode. I want to not only maximize positive learning experiences, but also minimize negative events. The more fighting they do, the more negative associations are formed, and the more likely it will happen again in the future.
– I do not leave my dogs alone together until I am very very sure that there will be no issues. When there are young children about, I keep my dog on-leash, calm, and under my control at all times.
– I use safety equipment such as gates, leashes, muzzles, etc. as necessary to keep things safe.
I had a lot of problems with my Shiba Inu when I first got him, including aggression issues. I considered giving him up, but I knew that it would be very difficult for an aggressive dog to find a good home. Therefore, we visited with several trainers, I read up a lot of dog behavior and dog training, and I put in a lot of time to manage and train him. After I got the proper knowledge and information, things started to improve, and we now have a very good relationship. He also does very well with my two Husky girls. However, I did not get additional dogs until after I had learned to control my Shiba’s behavior.
More on how I help my dogs get along.
More on where I get dog training and dog behavior information.
Given what you describe, I would consult with some good professional trainers as soon as possible. In the meantime, I would manage the dogs’ environment and routine carefully so as to prevent more fights.
I have read a lot of your articles however need some guidance in training our little shiba inu Molly.
We just got her for less than a week but she started to grow so fast I didn’t notice till we bring her home that she wasn’t two months old she just turned two months today.
This week she has gotten used to our house however her sweetness of being calm ang gentle turns aggressive bitting so fast. She’s our first dog and I have no idea how to train her. She still have not recognize her name and wonders off with her own mind. I realized we let her free in the house too early. She started explor like she claim the house now.
All methods that I’ve found in traing her not to bite comes down to she’s simply too young. I want to treat her but I don’t want to mess up her meal schedule she is still eating water soaked dog food. She doesn’t like biscuits.
Pls she will hold her pee when I place her in the fence and wait till we let her out in the house so she do her thing where she pleased.
What should I do? Don’t want to fear her and want her attention and stay calm. But she’s still a baby!!
Please email me back need desperate help
I also had a lot of problems with my Shiba when he was young. Shibas are a difficult breed, because they tend to be independent and extremely stubborn.
More on why Shiba Inus are difficult to train.
Sephy needed structure, a consistent set of house rules, and a fixed routine. I motivate my dogs to follow house rules by following the Nothing in Life is Free program. I also did a lot of reading on dog behavior and dog training, and we got help from several professional trainers.
While training Sephy, I realized that calm energy (controlling my own energy), timing, reading his body language, consistency, repetition, and knowing what to do, are all very important. These are all things that a trainer helped me with. In addition, dog behavior is very context dependent, therefore, each dog and each situation is different. My trainer was able to meet Sephy, evaluate his temperament, and observe his behavior within the context of his regular environment and routine.
More on how I went about finding a trainer.
ASPCA article on how to find professional help.
More on how I train my puppy.
More on how I discourage biting and provide structure for my puppy.
More on how I potty trained my puppy.
More on where I get dog training and dog behavior information.
Sephy needed to be trained to recognize his name and to come when called, he needed to be trained to control the force of his bites, and he needed to be trained on what the people rules are. For the training to be effective, I need to have good timing, I need to learn how to read his body language, I need to learn what to do at the right time, I need to supervise him, and more.
The Shiba Inu forum is also a great resource-
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/
Hi. I have a 6 1/2 month old male husky. I got him when he was 2 months old and he is the love of my life!!! I’m 29 but have alway been an animal person and have rescued many animals like dogs/cats/birds and even a tree squirrel. I was finally able to get a dog of the breed I wanted and I read a lot about huskies and how difficult they can be which is kinda why I wanted one. It sounded like a challenge but a fun one. And one I definatley have time for. My husky’s name is Sterling and he is the perfect dog. I found this website Shibashake and It really did help me understand what to expect so thanks so much. Sterling is well manored but kinda bossy. (He knows im the boss but he also knows I love to spoil him.) Like he will follow me around bumping into me and wining when he wants me to take him out for a walk or run which he gets every day. He loves tug of war and playing catch in the yard. He’s does so good on a leash. He is so smart and friendly. He is friends with our cats too. I trained him myself with help from Shibashake. I have trained dogs but never a husky. He use to play bite a lot but I would give him a toy to redirect his biting and now he goes and gets a toy if he wants to play with me. He walks next to me when I tell him to and I make sure he gets some freedom to sniff around on our walks by using a long retractable leash. He can sit/lay down/crawl/weave through my legs/ catch what I throw in the air/and lots of other fun tricks. He is with me 100% of every day and I tried kennel training him when I first got him but I realized he just wasn’t a kennel dog. He liked to hang out on top of things so he sleeps on a really big Ottoman at the end of my bed next to the open window. He has cooling mats which I learned from Shibashake also! He loves them and I use the fan when he needs it and always keep ice bottled waters in the freezer. One thing I’m still working on with him is his jumping. He doesn’t do it much but when someone pets him and talks baby talk to him he gets excited and jumps on them. He also jumps on other dogs trying to play with them when I’m just trying to let him meet them first. He is a big puppy. He weighs 58 pounds. I feed him Blue Wilderness large breed puppy dry food and wet food. And I always keep some good treats in my pocket on our walks. I Dont know if its because I got one of “the good ones” that no matter what is just a good dog or if its all the good attention and praise I give him for listening and lots of good husky tricks I learned here. I dunno but in my opinion these guys are the best. I took him camping a few times at a place near my house and the ranger there said he has spent so much money on trying to train his husky and it doesn’t work. He said the only reason he keeps the dog is because of his wife. I think they are very loyal and loving dogs as long as they just get the attention they crave and the leadership and patience they sometimes need. When my boy does something wrong I ignore him or stop playing and he hates it. And when I have to say “nooooooooo” in a low disappointed voice he puts his ears down and stays where he is for a quick moment and then slowly makes his way over to me to smother me in kisses and hugs to say sorry. I love it. He doesn’t howl too much. He barks sometimes but not often and every once in a while he will howl. I love the howling so I howl to try to get him to and sometimes he will. I think he may just be a bit young still so hopefully he will be more vocal. I want him to sing all the time. Thank you so much for all the information you have written about! It has really helped both me and Sterling so much. I Dont think he would be as happy as he is if I never knew all these things about the breed that you wrote about. It has made things so much easier because I understand why he does things and how to teach him in ways he understands. He really is my best bud and wherever i go he goes.We understand each other so good now and I can only imagine how he will be in another year or so. Thanks again for all the help.
Thank you Rose.
I love hearing happy dog stories and your comment put a big smile on my face. Thank you very much and very big hugs to Sterling! 😀
I have been excessively reading your blog. Two weeks ago we rescued a one year old Siberian Husky; we named Nala. She definitely has some puppy baggage about the crate, absolute fear and terror. We’ve been leaving the crate door open and throwing treats in it to try and associate it with a good thing. She’s potty trained and over all very well behaved when we’re around. When we leave the house it’s a different story. We have 2 roommates at our house who were around when we first got her. But, this last week was her first week alone. We have a sun room that’s 18′ x 12′ that we thought would be a very nice room to dog proof and set it up for her. (pretty much the only room in the house we have that option) Her kennel is in there with the door open and all of her toys and bones. We give her, her kong only when we leave which she seemed to enjoy. On Monday while we were at work, I got a call that she’d been found. Apparently she had ripped the screen off, used her teeth to pull the metal grate off the door, gotten into the backyard, and jumped or unlatched the back gate. So with no back door we had to bring her to work for three days, which she was SO WELL BEHAVED. But, we can’t take our dog to work everyday. And, we have to have some sort of alone time – we can’t haul her in the car every time we need to go somewhere. I am at my wits end. We installed a new door yesterday and left her alone while going to a friends party for two hours. When we got home she hadn’t touched any of her toys and was going ballistic. I’m sure she tried taking down the new door. We tried again this morning and she whined, howled-ish, and dug at the hard wood floor for twenty minutes before we let her out. She won’t touch her toys. She won’t take any distraction. We got her a thunder vest, which we don’t know if it’s doing any good or not. We take her on three walks a day morning, noon, and night. We try taking her to the dog park almost every day. I don’t know what she wants to make her calm? I am so frustrated and exhausted. Any sort of help would be so appreciated.
It sounds like it could be separation anxiety. Dogs who suffer from separation anxiety may panic and experience extreme stress when left alone. I help my dog cope with separation anxiety, by starting small, with extremely short periods of alone time, and then slowly build up from there.
More on how I deal with separation anxiety.
Article from the ASPCA with a lot of good information on separation anxiety.
Hi!
I have been reading a lot of your articles and they have been really helpful. My boyfriend and I recently got a shiba inu after doing research on them. He will be turning 3 months in a few days. We had him for about a week now and I’m worried that he has picked up some bad habits, unfortunately, do to my lack of knowledge on him. We are currently crate training him and so far he’s been doing pretty well. He sleeps in his crate at night in our room (he doesn’t cry or whine anymore, he actually goes to bed too), we give him treats when he does good things to condition him, and we constantly play with him since he is a very active dog. I’m having a few concerns or questions about him and hoping you could help. In regards to his potty training. How long does it take a shiba inu to be potty train when you don’t have constant supervision over them? Oscar, my puppy name, doesn’t seem to use the pee pad, he just pees on the carpet. We currently put a bell on the door for when he needs to use the potty. He has been ringing the bell lately to use the bathroom however, certain times, he’ll ring the bell just to play outside, especially at night when its almost bed time, which is a habit we are also trying to break. He also has a tendency to eat his poop after pottying and I constant pull him away. How can I stop this trend? Oscar will also once in a while just nip at me while I’m walking. I don’t know if he just wants to play or if its a dominant thing. He doesn’t normally get aggressive with my bf and I unless we’re playing with him using his toy and we do feed him off of our hands with no biting. He has also been biting and chewing everything in site such as card board boxes, sometimes shoes until we tell him no, plastic hangers, bottom of the dresser, etc… We have bought him multiple chew toys and the only one he’ll chew/eat are the edible flavored kind. Please let me know what I can do to break his habits and any pointers on shiba’s. THANK YOU!
In terms of potty training, I find that consistency and supervision are both very important. I didn’t have to potty train my Shiba (he was already trained when we got him), but I did have to potty train both my Huskies.
During puppyhood, I supervised my Husky closely every time she is roaming about. If I cannot supervise, I put her in her enclosure with puppy pads. With potty training, I find that it is important not only to maximize successes, but also to minimize unsupervised mistakes in the house.
More on how I potty trained my puppy.
When Sephy was a puppy, I took him out on-leash at night when he needed to potty. I don’t let him roam around or play, I just take him to a good potty spot and ask him to go. I wait for a bit for him to go, but if he doesn’t then we come back in and he goes back into his crate. Since he doesn’t get the opportunity to explore around or play, he learned to only alert me when he needed to go potty.
A leash is also very helpful for controlling my dog and preventing him from eating poop.
More on what I do to stop my dog from eating poop.
In terms of biting on various objects, in the beginning, Sephy also wanted to bite on everything. My Huskies were also like that. It is a puppy curiosity thing. Therefore, I try to teach each puppy what things are ok to bite on (her toys) and what things are not. When she bites on something bad, I no-mark, and offer her something good to bite on. As soon as she redirects, I mark the behavior and then reward her with a fun game, affection, food and more. In this way, she learns that some things are very rewarding to bite on, and some things are not. As with other training tasks, timing, consistency and repetition are key.
I make my dog’s toys more fun to interact with by adding food to it, getting safe interactive food toys, adding smell to it, etc. Dogs like chewing on our shoes or socks because they smell a lot like us and are more interesting. Therefore, I try to make their toys interesting and fun – but in a safe way.
Congratulations on your Shiba pup! Big hugs to Oscar. 😀
Hello, I have a 8 month old french bulldog. She’s s the cutest thing but can be terror. We got her when she was 3 months old and within a week, she needed surgery for cherry eye. We are new to owning a dog and wound up spoiling her. Now she wants to show dominance and like to bit me at night, especially my hands. We tried different methods, saying ouch or no but it doesn’t work. She bits the leash as when we are walking and tugging everywhere. What do you suggest?
Here are some things that I do with my dog for biting-
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-i-trained-my-husky-puppy#bite-training
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-biting-tips-solutions
I also do bite inhibition training to teach my dog to control the force of her bites.
What I do for leash biting.
I used to think our rescue, Marvin, was super high maintenance and difficult to manage. A year later I think that had much more to do with my inexperience with his peculiarities. Now that we’ve settled into a routine that involves morning and afternoon walks, with puzzle toys during the day, he’s an angel. I feel really lucky. I also sympathize with new dog owners who are initially overwhelmed. Especially if their dog’s behavior is impacting others around them (like condo neighbors).
We just adopted an Australian shepherd mix two days ago. He’s 4 years old and was let to be a little hellion in his previous life – very little socialization, only knows very basic commands (“sit” and “NO” are the only two semi-reliable ones), does NOT walk well on a leash, and he’s our first dog. He’s getting better with every hour (we’ve already eliminated counter-surfing, stealing my breakfast, inhaling HIS breakfast, a lot of barking, leash-biting, peeing on the couch, jumping on the bed, eating out of the dishwasher. . . ) and I’m exhausted! New dogs are really, really hard, and I’m definitely a little overwhelmed – but I also know how rewarding it is to see all the work pay off!
I’m thinking about getting a Shiba for a long time but did also get a lot of warnings as this breed being labeled as “pain in the ass”. My parents used to have a Shiba mix, named Kuro, but they gave it away after a year because it became too violent. I simply think it’s because they don’t know how to train/raise a dog at all. They got that dog from a friend during the time when I was in the boarding school. The first time I went home for weekend, Kuro thought I was just a guest. I like him a lot though I didn’t spend much time with him. I felt so sorry for him that every time my mom beat it when he bite the furniture. After he was given away to a friend of theirs, I’ve heard he run away from that family after three months. I wish he could have a loving family. Now I have my own family, and wanting my own dog. But I don’t see Shiba Inu popular in this region. I mean, I couldn’t find it in the pet store around here(I’m living in Kansas). I’m curious how did you adopt your Shiba? like search through craigslist or some kind of Shiba-lover’s club? I have no clue where to start.
For adopting, I find petfinder.com to be a really great resource. It lets me search of rescue dogs based on breed and location, and as far as I can tell, most of the rescue places in my area have lists on there. There are also a bunch of Shiba Inu rescues –
Here is a list of Shiba Inu rescues.
For finding breeders and general Shiba information, the national breed club website is a great resource. Here is a list of club registered breeders-
http://www.shibas.org/breeders.html
They also have an article on things to look out for while finding a breeder-
http://www.shibas.org/newstand/how_to_choose_breeder.html
In general, I would *not* recommend getting a puppy from a pet store. Most puppies offered for sale from pet stores are from puppy mills.
More of my experiences in getting a new puppy.
Thank you so much!
We have a year old Shiba Inu and we adore her! I think she was bred for temperament. She’s challenging and can be a bit aloof, but she is intelligent, entertaining, and loving in her own way.
When I was a little younger my parents got a dog and named him Rex (I know it’s generic but he was one of a kind). We found him dropped off as an adult by a neglectful owner. It had been wild for so long that its skin had grown around its collar. I wish I could show a picture of him because he was the most beautiful dog I have ever seen in my life. He was like a Siberian Husky but with long white hair and bright blue eyes. He had a black patch on his back and was so nice. My parents never had enough time for anything so he didn’t get much training but my sister and I as small children would play with this huge wild dog and he would jump on us until we became too scared to play with him. After a while he just quit though. He knew it scared us and it hurt him so he no longer jumped on us and instead he would just run up to you and flop his big body over so you could rub his stomach. He still was a wild dog and I spent alot of time with him trying to teach him tricks, feeding, watering and cutting his hair in the summer time. When my sister and I got off from school my mom and dad were never home and they would keep the door locked so we were locked outside but we would play with our dog when we were bored and keep close to him in the winter for warmth. He had a problem with running and checking out new places though but he would never go far and would always come back when I yelled for him. My parents stopped liking him because he would always wander off and never come back to them when they called only when I did so they bought a chocolate lab we named Mocha. Mocha was mean. Mocha would always eat all of her food and then Rex’s and then dump over his water bowl so he couldn’t have any and Rex wouldn’t do anything to her so I told my mom that Mocha needed to go and she didn’t belong there. She didn’t though and Mocha kept on bullying Rex even though she was much much smaller Rex would never hurt her but Mocha hated Rex for no reason. Eventually my mom sold Mocha after she saw what I was talking about and she got a Boston Terrier named Annie to live inside. I loved Annie and we would run around the house and play different games. Sometimes when she had to use the restroom I would take her outside and Annie and Rex would run around as fast as they could and I would try to keep up but couldn’t and Rex would always slow down and let me catch up while Annie would bug the shit out of him by nipping at his fur around his face lol. Well one night my neighbor shot him because he said he thought Rex was a wolf and he was going to eat his goats but I know it isn’t true. I thought he was going to die but we took him to the vet to get him checked out and he survived. He was shot in the arm and from that day forward he couldn’t run with Annie anymore he just walked around me. He eventually went deaf and got very old around the time I was fourteen where he would just lay there and wait for me to sit with him outside under the tree. He didn’t feel like running away anymore and he didn’t even howl anymore 🙁 He was the best dog ever and I still cry to this day when I think about him.
Thanks for sharing Rex’s story with us. It was very touching.
He sounds like a truly awesome friend and a very loyal companion.
I don’t think people should be allowed to have aggressive dogs. Not saying that they should take the dog away, I just think you should be forced to get your dog into training. They should evaluate people’s dogs every couple of years or so, and after the training evaluate them again. I’ve seen so many little dogs that have emence problems, sometimes even dangerous. I mean think, if a little dog who’s aggressive runs up to a dog much bigger than them and starts a fight, and the bigger dog seriously hurts the little dog, who gets the blame? The big dog/owner, of course, because “oh, fluffy can’t defend herself, that big dog is just evil.” But if a big dog is aggressive, they can be put down for just for acting aggressive, especially if it’s a pit bull/ rottweiler/ german shepherd, etc.
People just want to blame one breed for all dog aggerssion, like they are the only “bad” ones. Like getting rid of those few breeds will somehow cure injuries sustained by dogs. People will just keep banning more and more breeds, and before long there will only be a few breeds you can pick from, and hundreds of loving pets will be destroyed. People are too ignorant to see that the humans are the problem.
I believe in “all dogs go to heaven.” Whether it’s a pit, a rottie, a cane corso, a german shepherd, blood hound, shi tzu, or the aggressive mutt down the street. The breed and the dog is not at fault, but the people that are in contact with said dogs.
I’m sorry, but this strikes a raw nerve with me. My uncle thinks that pit bulls and rottweilers (basically any big, tough-looking dog, though) are the bad dogs. He thinks that they somehow have conscious thought, like they choose to harm or kill a human or another animal. (He also believes the myth of the locking jaw, if that tells you anything.) And when I bring up a story of a police officer going into somebody’s fenced yard, unannounced, and shot their pit because she was greeting him (the neighbor even yelled [when he took out his gun] ‘no! don’t shoot! she’s nice!’) he looked at the neighbor, and shot her anyway. The cop then gave them a ticket for an expired sticker on a car parked in their property and a ticket for having a uncontained animal(in their yard!). When I brought this up, he twisted the story and said “Well, cops need access to your property, what if the house was on fire and there was a pit on the lawn raging around?” So I guess he was saying that it’s okay that he shot that pit bull because there might be a fire sometime? He’s completely deluded. But anyway, I just wanted to add this to my comment earlier.
Hey Alex, Yeah I agree with you. To me it is really simple – if we do not have time to spend training and bonding with a dog, then it is best not to get a dog. If the owner never taught the dog how to behave based on our human rules – how should the dog know?!
As you say – nothing to do with breed.
Exactly. Humans not only bring out behavior we don’t find appropriate, we also bring out behavior that isn’t appropriate for dogs, like dog aggression! Dogs are naturally social, so for them to just try and hurt another of their kind before they even smell them or greet them is very, very bad. Just think, what if another human started a fight with every other human they came across without any provokation? You would naturally think there was something really wrong with that person, because there is. Same with very fearfull dogs.
Hmmm that is interesting. I am not sure – if we consider wolves for example, they are very territorial and will usually fight with and chase out other wolves that are not from their pack. Very rarely do they accept an outsider into their pack.
The wolf that is chasing them away is probably the pack leader, and if the leader determines that this dog isn’t good for the pack, the rest of the pack will join in. Most of the time they’ll at least check the wolf out before running them off. But with balanced follower dogs, they do want to meet the other dogs, or at least give a curious sniff it they’re timid. They can’t determine whether the dog is friend or foe without meeting them, but most dogs I see while walking wont even want to meet, they just want to fight.
Now that’s not right.
Actually wolves are highly territorial and they do not socialize with wolves from other packs. They tend to mark their territories well and that is an indication to other packs not to enter. If caught, there will usually be a fight. Wolves must protect their territory because their livelihood depends on it – no poaching allowed 🙂
Domestic dogs are less that way because they have been domesticated by us. However, I think it is a fallacy to expect all dogs to like or even tolerate all other dogs. Sure we want to socialize our dogs and have them be friendly, but if we consider their wolf ancestry, that is against their nature.
There is a great article called “He Just Wants to Say Hi” by Suzanne Clothier. Check it out when you have the time and let me know what you think.
I don’t really know all the legistics of it because I’m no expert, but almost everytime I see a dog practically trying to kill another dog on the street it’s not on their territory. It’s on the street. (unless you’re considering humans territory, then yes) I’ve walked many dog-agressive dogs with Lupin and had no fights once the human was removed. Humans are the problem in every situation, not the dogs themselves. I don’t think that all dogs have to tolerate all other dogs, just don’t be violent and agressive about it. Dogs have varying energy levels and temperments that might or might not compete, so we can’t expect them all to love each other. That doesn’t mean they have to start a fight with every dog they “don’t like”, though. There are much better ways to not interact with that dog than agression, which is still an interaction. If a dog has a strong pack leader that it feels comfortable and safe with, there shouldn’t be any reason for it to feel the need to protect it’s territory or itself. The dogs can learn to just ignore an energy level or temperment they don’t like.
I’ll look into it. 🙂
I just read a few pages of the post you told me about and have a pretty good idea of what she’s getting at. This lady seems very knowledgable about dog posture and behavior. The only thing I have to comment on is the part where the lady said her golden has been attacked by dogs many times before. While I’m not actually there to witness these attacks, and it may just be a coincidence, it seems odd that that one dog has been attacked a number of times. This may be because of that dog’s energy/body language/state at those moments. Other dogs will sometimes hone in on weak or unstable energy. This is why agressive dogs and very insecure and fearfull dogs are more likely to be attacked than stable dogs. Not saying that the other dog/owner wasn’t at fault, just that there are other factors that come into play. With the puppy thing, though, she is right. Older dogs just don’t want to be with puppies, because older dogs arn’t supposed to take care of puppies. Young adults and adolecents take care of them. Their energies are just too different. I think that in the situation with the puppies, the owner should show the golden that they will be the ones to fend off the pups, so that she doesn’t have to.
I’ll continue reading later and add if needed. 🙂
Yeah I definitely agree with you. Some people expect their dogs to be friendly with everyone and everything which I think is really very unrealistic.
That is true, we definitely want to teach our dog not resort to violence. But I think that we should also protect our dogs from rude, intrusive dogs, not punish our dog for telling the rude dogs to back-off. Many people think it is cute when their little dogs go up and harass a big dog – I think it is just plain irresponsible. And frequently it is the big dog that gets punished for really not doing anything wrong at all.
Ultimately, if a little pint sized guy keeps harassing me and I keep getting punished for it – even I would be driven to violence.
I believe that every dog is a good dog. No matter their breed, size, or temperment, they are still the same species. Only when, like you said, the human doesn’t make the correct choice in a dog or doesn’t have the time or knowledge to train it correctly do problems occur. I’ve seen Goldens that run around terrorising neighbors, and I’ve also seen Pitbulls that show you the utmost respect, and who are very, very sweet.
People should inform themselves before they go to adopt a dog. They should be ready and willing to make the right choice, because the dog will have to suffer for it if they don’t.
Hello Alex,
What you say is exactly true. All too often, people get dogs based on looks rather than temperament and how well the dog will fit into their lifestyle.
I feel that there needs to be more control at the point of sale.