People always say that
the Shiba Inu is a dog that is more like a cat.
Therefore, I thought it would be fun to look at –
- How Shiba Inus got their cat like status, and
- How they are similar to as well as different from cats.
Shiba Neko 1 – Independent, Aloof, and Stubborn
Probably the most important way in which a Shiba Inu resembles a cat is in his independence, aloofness, and stubbornness. Like cats, Shibas enjoy their own company and are usually not interested in too much human attention.
Unlike some of their dog brothers and sisters, a Shiba will pretend not to hear you and may not even deign to look at you, unless you have something he really wants – then Watch Out!
Shiba Inus like playing hard to get, and are not afraid to give you the Shiba Snub.
Shiba Neko 2 – Very Much into Personal Hygiene
Like cats, Shiba Inus are extremely clean and will spend a significant amount of time grooming themselves. Frequently, my Shiba Sephy will not only groom himself, but also help clean my Siberian Husky.
Clearly, Husky Shania does not meet the Shiba standards of cleanliness!
With a Shiba, there will be no slobber, and potty training is often a breeze. Even the way a Shiba drinks water is very dainty and clean; no driblets flying all over the place.
Sephy will also avoid rain puddles and mud. I think he expects me to wear a cape, so that I may drape it upon the ground and protect his dainty Shiba-feet from coming in contact with hideous slimy mud.
However, if there are playful dogs around, the mud puddle rule goes out the window.
Shiba Neko 3 – No Touchy. No Touch!
Like cats, Shiba Inus will only allow human handling when it is done according to their schedule, and according to their rules. The No-Touch rule goes into high gear when a Shiba is in distress, which can make examination and treatment extremely difficult.
I suppose in this, they are more like feral cats.
There is definitely more than a little bit of the Wild in a Shiba Inu, or should I say Shiba Neko.
How Is a Shiba Inu More Like a Dog?
It is also interesting to consider which Shiba traits are more dog-like in nature.
- Good Guard Dog
- A Closet Homebody
- A Loyal Companion
Shiba Inus are good at guarding the house and will always alert you when something is out of place.
Shibas like to put on a show that they are extremely self-sufficient, but in reality, they really like being in the house and somewhat close to their people.
Sephy likes staying in the house with me most of the day, whereas Husky Shania is always out in the backyard doing her own thing.
Sephy gets more anxious when he is alone, whereas Shania is happy to keep herself occupied, and then give us a very wet greeting when we come home.
This seems like a strange property when combined with their apparent independence and aloofness, but Shiba Inus are really quite loyal.
My Siberian Husky is a very friendly dog, who loves to meet people and get affection. However, she will probably go home with the first person who gives her some pieces of sausage.
Sephy on the other hand, will only go home with his family. I have no doubt that he will also do all that he can to protect us if the need ever arose.
Whether more like a cat or a dog, a Shiba Inu has a truly special and indomitable spirit.
We’re picking up our Kobie by the end of this month, and I’m very anxious about this. We visited the breeder when Kobie was only 6 days old to see his parents. The dad is a very calm, gentle, friendly, and well-behaved show dog. The mom is a bit energetic, super friendly, and loves to jump on people. We picked him out that day, then visited him again at 1 month old. He is chubby, smart, and calm. However, he refused to be petted and picked up by us after a couple of times. He did not want to play either after about 5 minutes and tried to get back in with his other siblings. Two of his other siblings, on the other hand, were very energetic and friendly. One of them barked and followed my finance around. I don’t know what to expect from Kobie. Is he going to be a very independent pup, much like a cat? He does not like nibbling like his siblings. Is he going to be an playful pup? The breeder said his personalities will change once he gets older and we really hope he will be attached to us, playful and love hanging out with us.
What should we prepare before having him home? I already bought crate, leash, collar/harness, toys, water&food feeders, and treats. I’m still doing some research about his food. Can you recommend some? Can I fee him vegetable? Thanks
With Sephy, I helped him be more comfortable with other dogs, people, and new things, by doing positive socialization exercises.
ASPCA article on puppy socialization.
More on dog socialization.
My Shiba is very loyal, but he is also more aloof than my other dogs. He will sometimes ask for affection by coming over and rolling onto his back. However, he is much less affectionate compared to my two Huskies.
In terms of food, I am currently using Wellness brand. I usually use puppy food until about 10-12 months, then I switch to adult, grain-free kibble. More on how I pick my dog’s food.
In general, I do not give my dogs table scraps, which may contain ingredients (e.g. onions) or spices that are bad for their digestive system. My Shiba is allergic to wheat and both my Huskies have very sensitive stomachs, so I limit what I give my dogs. If I am thinking of giving them something new, I make sure to research it thoroughly first.
List of people food that are hazardous to dogs.
The Shiba Inu Forum is also a good place to visit, to get insight from other Shiba owners.
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/
Congratulations on your upcoming Shiba puppy! Most of all, remember to have fun and take lots of pictures. 😀
We just adopted a mixed breed last week. I am convinced that a large portion of his genetics is Shiba Inu. The first afternoon we had him, he jumped up on the couch and my husband got up and said, “no” in an angry voice, he then zipped and zapped all over the room, faster than a speeding bullet. I;d never seen anything like it. He’s done that 3 times so far. One of the times my husband tried to tell him to get off the couch, he was just like a kid talking back to a parent, barking back at my husband. His other issue so far is lunging at things on the leash. For the first few days he was pulling like crazy, but he very quickly learned to walk at a heel, with a few correction tugs here and there. But if he sees a cat, or if there’s another dog walking, he about dislocates my arm. I guess a question I have , especially after reading comments of people who’s Shiba Inu’s like being in high places, is it a losing battle to try to keep him off the furniture? My husband is more the stickler about this than I am. I am also concerned about how he’ll do when I have to go back to teaching in the fall and he has to be alone during the day. I wish there was a way to know what you’re getting into before you rescue a mixed breed! In his favor, he is super friendly and treats everyone like they are his best friend.
With my Shiba Inu, I teach him the “Off” command so that I put the behavior under command control. One easy way to teach my dog the Off command is by using hand targeting exercises.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/teaching-your-dog-hand-target
Some other things that really help with my Shiba Inu-
1. I set up a fixed daily routine, with positive and structured daily exercise (walks, structured play, etc.)
2. I set up a consistent set of house rules, and I enforce the rules in a consistent way.
3. I teach my Shiba self-control.
More on how I set up structure and teach self-control.
More on how I train my puppy.
More on what my Shiba puppy responds to.
As for over-excitement or reactivity to other dogs, I help my Shiba with that by doing dog-to-dog desensitization exercises.
I also do desensitization exercises to slowly get my dog used to alone time. With desensitization, I start small, with very very short periods of alone time (seconds) and then slowly build up from there. The key is to always set my dog up for success, so that he builds confidence and learns to relax when he is by himself.
http://shibashake.com/dog/separation-anxiety-dog-why-how-reduce-dog-stress#desensitize
I work at a doggie daycare and got to see shiba inus up close for the first time. Neat and cat-like sums them up perfectly.
This one female shiba would not drink water that other dogs got their drool in, so whenever I changed the water bowl she would get excited and call dibs on drinking first. When I let her into the outside area (she thought it was time to go home, I thought she had to do her business), she stepped into a puddle and jerked her paw up and shook it in obvious disgust and horror. I couldn’t help laughing out loud and saying, “You’re such a cat!”
This other shiba was a male who would jump on me, but then run away whenever I tried to pet him. He seemed content just being next to a human, and maybe he just wanted to be the one petting me.
This is the second time having Shebas. My first beloved Keoshi passes away two years ago of cancer. I still miss him so. We got our second sheba- Kuma a year ago and his Kennel sister shortly After. I thought people were crazy to have two dogs but I have since changed my tune. I don’t regret one day with Kuma and Dandelion, they are like Bonnie and Clyde most days and are I separable.
One issue that has just started.. Or I have just noticed is Kuma starting to pee in the house. They have a doggie door so being left in the house is not the issue. I have taken the last week off for Christmas vacation and have been organizing the house and decorating. I first noticed he started to pee on a bag I had in the basement, second time was he was getting ready to pee on the corner of my duvet then he owed on a Garland I had just prepares to put up.
Is this his way of saying he is not liking the change up in the house or could there be something deeper?
Sephy showed similar behavior when we got a second dog. He started pee-ing on bedding and also on a chair cushion. I think the changes in his environment and routine made him a bit anxious/unsure and he started to mark on certain objects.
Sephy really likes certainty and routine, so when I introduce new things, I now try to do it gradually. The more certainty I can re-establish in a time of change, the better Sephy handles things.
Big hugs to your two and Happy Holidays! 😀
hi…i loved your website so so much i got a sibe husky and a shiba inu…we rehomed the shiba inu from a breeder a lovely lovely dog but no longer withus…thats how my obession started..and i will never regret it…we are now rehoming anogher sibe husky and may be getting a puppy shiba…thank you for the inspiration…michele surrey UK
Haha, yeah Shibas and Sibes are awesome! I am certainly hooked! 😀
This article is hilarious. I got to know about the Shiba Inu on Animal Planet’s Dogs 101. While watching the segment, I thought to myself…”hmmm this dog behaves like a cat!”. I am a big cat fan.
On a completely different note I was goggling “are cats more stubborn than dogs” when I came across your article. Lo and behold, Shiba Inu – a dog that is more like a cat ^-^
LOL!
Your comment inspired me to search for “cats that are more like dogs”. I found this –
Very beautiful looking too. 😀
LOL – that is too funny. My Shiba used to so that as well, sometimes he would even sleep on the top edge of the couch.
He also likes playing king of the chair where he will jump onto the garden bench and my other dog tries to pull him off – rinse and repeat. It is fun to watch.
As you say, Shibas like elevated surfaces just like cats.
Lucky you – to have a non-aloof Shiba. Sephy is better now that he is older but he is still quite aloof by dog standards.
This made me smile. My Shiba mix puppy sleeps on the top edge of the couch all the time!
Having a cat in the house, I can easily compare my shiba to a cat. He is smart and clean like a cat, but I don’t experience much of the aloofness others describe, but that may be coming. It may be because of our other dog, but he likes to follow me around and be right there in whatever I’m doing, or have me in sight if we’re outside. If we’re playing they will compete for my attention, so I usually have to have 2 toys to play with.
It does drive him crazy that the cat can go places he can’t, so this week he decided he could go where the cat goes. I walked into the living room to find him sitting on the top edge of the couch, quite pleased with himself. He’s started climbing around on the furniture like the cat, and that will have to end.
The first time I noticed the shiba inu I was watching an anime. That’s when I started searching and learning about them. While reading your article, your shiba reminded me so much of my cat “Dusk” he follows me everywhere in the house too even the bathroom.
I would like to ask you for help regarding owning a shiba while having a cat at home. Recently my husband and I are discussing the idea of adding a dog to our family. so I was wondering would a shiba inu get along with my cat or not, keep in mind that my cat is a 2 years old timid one, his first reaction when he sees a stranger is to hide.
I know that it depends on the first introduction and how well I’ll handle it, but all I need to if it’s doable or not.
In terms of introducing a puppy to a cat, here is a good article from the ASPCA –
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/introducing-your-cat-new-dog
Here are a couple of threads from the Shiba Inu forum on introducing a Shiba to a cat-
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/discussion/9406
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/discussion/8146