He looks just like a fox!
You have probably seen this foxy little dog, walking his little walk around your neighborhood. Or perhaps you saw him at the dog park, strutting his stuff,… or maybe it was at the dog show.
These little foxes are striking. They act like they are on show all of the time, and they stand out wherever they go.
What are they?
Sounds like Sheba Inu, Shibu Inu, Shiba Enu … the one and only Shiba Inu.
The Shiba Inu – What’s That?!
The Shiba Inu is a Japanese dog breed. There are six original distinct breeds of dog from Japan, and the Shiba Inu is the smallest one.
The largest in the group is the Akita. There aren’t many red and white Akitas in the United States, but the few that I have seen, look just like larger versions of the red Shiba Inu. And not in the Schwarzenegger-DeVito sort of way.
Between the Akita Inu and the Shiba Inu, are the medium sized Japanese dog breeds, including the Shikoku, Kai, Ainu, and Kishu. These six Japanese dog breeds have very similar appearance and temperaments. They all belong to the Spitz dog family.
Shiba Inu – What Does It Mean?
The Kanji or Japanese character for ‘dog‘, can be pronounced as ‘Inu‘ or ‘Ken‘. Therefore, Shiba Inu simply means Shiba dog. Sometimes, you will also hear the Shiba dog being referred to as Shiba Ken.
The exact interpretation of ‘Shiba‘, is less clear. It could mean ‘red shrub‘, for the red bushes that grow in the region, where Shibas come from. Alternatively, it could also mean ‘small‘.
The Shiba Inu is certainly a cheeky little red shrub, so both interpretations work out well.
Shiba Inu – What Does It Truly Mean?
I know that discussions of red shrubs are truly riveting, but you probably want to move on to what it truly means to be Shiba, am I right?
Well, you know what they say about red-heads and their fiery temper.
The same is also true of the red-headed Shiba Inu. You may think that you can get around this thorny issue, by getting a Shiba of another color, such as the red-sesame, black and tan, or cream colored versions. However, the Shiba God is indeed one step ahead of you.
Shiba Inus of all colors, have the same fiery red personality.
That is why they are also known as –
- The ‘devil dog’,
- The ‘not for everyone dog’, and
- The ‘honey, why the hell did you get this thing?! dog’.
Indeed, the Shiba Inu is not recommended for first time dog owners.
However, figuring I was smarter than everyone else, or mainly because of lack of research, I decided to get a Shiba as my first dog anyway. It was not an easy first dog experience, but after over a year, Shiba Inu Sephy and I reached a somewhat peaceful state of cohabitation.
My little red shrub still has some thorns, but he is growing some beautiful flowers as well.
Mame Shiba
Standard sized male Shiba Inus tend to range between 20-25 pounds, for an average weight of around 23 pounds. Female Shiba Inus are slightly smaller, and have an average weight of 17 pounds. There are always outliers though.
My male Shiba is a big boy, and comes in at around 30 pounds. He is not an overweight dog, just big-boned.
Recently, some breeders in Japan and the United States have started breeding Mame Shibas, which are essentially smaller sized Shibas. ‘Mame‘ means ‘bean‘ in Japanese, so these are bean-sized Shibas.
Mame Shibas are not recognized by any of the kennel clubs in Japan, or in the United States. As a result, the breeding of Mame Shibas is not regulated, and many of the breeders who sell them, do not breed for health or temperament.
Since the Shiba Inu is already a difficult dog breed to begin with, we want to try and get one that has a balanced temperament. Therefore, it is best to get a Shiba from an accredited club breeder, who has to follow strict breeding guidelines.
Jomon Shiba
The Jomon period is the time in Japanese history from around 14,000 B.C. to 400 B.C. The Jomon inhabitants reared hunting dogs that were a big part of their culture.
Archaeological sites have uncovered well-preserved skeletons of the Jomon dogs, which show that they have prick ears and a sickle tail. Scientists believe these dogs to be the ancient ancestors of the Shiba Inu, and the other five original Japanese dog breeds.
Some breeders in Japan have founded the Shibaho association, to breed dogs with physical characteristics that conform to the Jomon dogs of old.
The Jomon Shiba is a more feral looking Shiba, with a narrower head, and larger teeth. True to their even more primitive roots, Jomon Shibas are more stubborn and less obedient, than their domesticated Shiba Inu brothers.
Given the already high level of stubbornness and willfulness in a regular Shiba, it may be best to stay away from these Jomon dogs.
Shiba Inu – Why Not?
Truthfully, there are many easier and friendlier dog breeds than the Shiba Inu.
The Shiba Inu is independent and aloof. If we want a lap dog who likes to cuddle with us, then the Shiba is not for us.
The Shiba Inu is feisty and active. If we want a calm dog that just lies at the end of our bed, and warms our feet, then the Shiba is not for us.
The Shiba Inu is a dog rebel. If we want an obedient dog that follows our every command, and only lives to please us, then the Shiba is not for us.
Why Do People Get Shiba Inus?
Yeah, they are a bit nuts. Maybe more than a bit nuts. However, once we get beneath that fiery red temper, we will find a rich and deep Shiba soul.
The Shiba Inu is a trickster. He likes to play tricks, and he likes breaking rules. We will never be bored if we live with a Shiba, because he will always be up to something. Sometimes, it is even something good.
The Shiba Inu is a clown. He likes being the center of attention, and he will do much to get to that coveted spot. What he does, will be original, funny, and very entertaining. In fact, Shibas remind me of stand-up comedians. They can easily make others laugh with their crazy hi-jinks, but they have a very sensitive and fragile soul.
The Shiba Inu is a charmer. He can charm birds from the trees, if he wants to. Most of the time, he may not want to, but when he does, look out! It is simply not possible to resist those deep dark eyes, his infectious grin, or roguish charm.
The Shiba Inu is one of a kind. He is not like a regular dog. In fact, many people describe the Shiba as a dog that is more like a cat.
If we want a dog that is a bit different, a dog that will challenge us and grow with us, a dog that will surprise us in both delightful and sometimes non-delightful ways, a trickster, a prankster, and a rogue, but sensitive, deep, and surprising – then the Shiba Inu is the dog for us.
He is like Han Solo and Indiana Jones, except with more fur and without the hat!
Getting a Shiba Inu
Should we get a Shiba Inu puppy?
That would depend on our temperament, lifestyle, and the amount of time we can devote to a new puppy. The Shiba Inu is a challenging dog breed, because he is extremely stubborn, dominant, and smart.
Shiba Inu training is a must, and it can be a very time consuming and frustrating process, especially in the beginning.
Patience and time are two key ingredients, that we will need in abundance.
Shibas are inside dogs, that need the company of their people. A Shiba puppy that is constantly left in his own company, will become stressed, unhappy, destructive, and aggressive.
If you still want a Shiba Inu after all this – then get a puppy from an accredited breeder, or from a Shiba Inu rescue.
hey i would like to know wat should i do about my shiba inu Foxy she was first in a home at the beggining of her dog years but they had to give her up becuase they were moving she was with them since she was about 3weeks old to 7 months old i took her to my house for a weekend after that i gave her to my girl friend for a birthday present but now i have to bring her back to my smaller apartment compared to my girls she has been with my girl exactly a month… oh i have to bring her back because her sister is allergic to dogs but i would like to know if she would be affected coming over here and having me as a owner at 8months please keep in mind this is her third home third owner…oh and she will be mostly in my room but of course i will walk her regularly once i get back home in the afternoon.
Hello Rob,
Hope the move went well.
Some things that helped with Sephy when we moved to a new place –
1. We set up a fixed routine for him right away. Sephy gets stressed when he is unsure what to expect from his people and his environment. Therefore, I set up a very clear schedule so he knows when he goes for his walks, when meal times are, and also when his people will be home. I make sure to keep a consistent schedule myself, so that I am home at fixed times.
2. I make sure to give Sephy enough structured exercise when I am around. Sephy is very creative, so if he does not get enough structured exercise from me, he will figure out his own activities – which are not usually very people or house friendly. 😀
Hi! I have been reading your blog and any training information you post for weeks now. I’ve been debating on which post to comment on, and I think this one is perfect! When my fiance, David, and I began talking about getting a dog, he asked me to move I with him so whatever dog we decided to get would respect both of our authority. We both really wanted a Husky, but with only an apartment, we knew that wouldn’t be possible. We then fellin love with Shibas. We contacted a breeder and have been in touch with her since about February and will have first pick of the two girls from the litter that was born exactly two weeks ago. David has had family dogs, but neither one of us has had our own dog – so we have definitely put a lot of thought into how raising a shiba would go, and we’re still determined as ever. We have both done hours of research through your blog, tv shows, training books, and we really feel prepared for just about anything we could expect from our feisty little puppy, but I was just wondering, do you have any specific advice for our first weekend with her? From when we will bring her home Friday afternoon until I go back to work on Tuesday? Haha, or more specifically – Any advice for a stubborn couple determined to raise a stubborn dog right? 😛
Hello Sarah,
Congratulations on your new Shiba puppy!
When I bring a puppy home, I usually let him go potty as soon as we get there. Then I walk him on leash in the backyard. Then I bring him inside the house and walk him on lead there, and introduce him to each room.
I also make sure to set consistent rules right off and establish a fixed routine.
I start simple obedience training exercises right away (e.g. mark, no-mark, focus exercises). I also start bite inhibition exercises and start to get puppy accustomed to handling. Shibas can be fussy about handling, so that is a good thing to do right away and keep up with.
When I brought Shiba Sephy home, he was kind of reserved the first couple of days. Things were new and he was still unsure of himself. He didn’t start with his Shiba moves until he got used to the environment. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have established rules and some obedience during these first few quiet days. 😀
Hugs to your puppy! Take lots of pictures – they grow up very quickly.
I love this in depth detail about this breed and I am so anxious because I will be purchasing my first pet, let alone a Shiba. I do hope that she will grown to respect me, and vice versa and that we have a warm and loving home together. I hope that I can handle it! Thank you!
Thanks James!
Congratulations on your soon-to-be new Shiba puppy!
Sephy was a big challenge for me – but mostly because I did not do enough research. Seems like you have done a lot of prior investigation, so it should go a lot more smoother.
Let us know how it goes when you get her, and post us some puppy pictures as well. 😀
hmm. my Shiba has developed this awful break in his fur due to his collar and I can’t seem to brush it out or repair it through a regular bath. is there another way to deal with this?
That happened with Shiba Sephy as well. It went away on its own after we removed his collar while at home. Lately, I have put his collar back on for various reasons, but adjusted it to be loose (only when at home). That seems to work well and has not caused any fur issues.
During walks we use the no-slip Martingale collar from Premier. But that has to be removed after the walk.
Helloo from Greece.. i have a Shetland sheepdog wich is also a wonderful dog 🙂
but i want a dog for my sister and she loves shiba inu..where can i find a good breeder for this dog? thank ty very much and i am waiting forward hearing from you!!
mimis 🙂
The best way that I know of to find a good breeder is through the country Kennel Club. For example, here, I looked for a breeder from the American Kennel Club (AKC). Each breed usually has a breed specific club and each club has a list of registered breeders. These breeders have to follow club guidelines when it comes to breeding, and they also show their dogs. They will usually breed for both health and temperament. For example, here is the breeder referral clubs from the AKC.
http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm
Here is the breeder list from the National Shiba Club of America.
http://www.shibas.org/breeders.html
Some breeders do sometimes ship their pups so that is one possiblity.
Since you are in Greece, it may be better to go through The Kennel Club in the UK-
http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/acbr/Default.aspx?breed=Japanese+Shiba+Inu
Here is more on the different puppy purchasing options-
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-get-a-dog-cheap-dog-cheap-puppy
Hi there! I’m so excited to have come upon your blog! When I read your socializing the shiba to other dogs section, I couldn’t believe how many of the behaviours described my shiba Yuki to a tee. She’s now 2 years old and has been through puppy socialization and continiued dog training to this day.We’re part of a dog club and go to training every Sunday. She also doesn’t like strange dogs bounding up to her or trying to sniff her butt, she seems to expect a certain amount of respect from them. She has doggy friends and some dogs she doesn’t like, today she had a screaming fit at a big airdale who dared approach me when I was holding a treat! She kept lunging at him and “shouting” but she didn’t really attack him. I felt quite bad as it sounded worse than it was and some of the other dog handlers got a bit of a fright. I often feel I have to explain her behaviour so I printed out your socialization article for written backup proof!
Natasha
Hello Natasha,
Heh, yeah Shibas definitely are definitely “characters”! 😀
There was this one class that I went to with Sephy. Usually the sessions are conducted outside where there is more space, and he is ok in that situation. Plus he gets to play with the other dogs before class. However, one time it was raining so we had to move inside, into a room. Sephy spent the whole time making a fuss, and all he wanted to do was get to the other dogs. The instructor barricaded us behind a wall of crates! LOL!
That still didn’t help though, so I took him out for a walk in a rain. He was better after that. Usually I find that removing Sephy from the “excitement stimulus” helps to calm him down. Here is another fun Sephy story …
http://shibashake.com/dog/embarrassed-by-my-dog
Hugs to Yuki, although I think she would prefer cheese a lot more! 😀
Hello. I have a 10 month old female Shiba Inu and about two weeks ago she started to lose her hair like crazy. No matter how much I brush her it just keeps coming off and is even just floating off as she walks about and if she shakes, actual tuffts will fall off of her. And then starting today, her undercoat is falling off like pine needles off of a dead christmas tree? I have done alot of research and I know that they “blow” their coats, but I’m not sure if this is the normal shedding or something abnormal and her vet is unsure also since ours is the only Shiba Inu he has ever had contact with. For comparison reasons, I can brush her for about 7 minutes and fill an entire quart size bag with her hair and then I can put her in our dining room to run around (wood floors) and even though I just vacuumed, I can come back after her playing with a toy for ten minutes and there will be hairs all over the floor… Our Shiba Inu is adored by 4 kids ranging from ages 8-3 and they love her so much, but every time they are petting her or cuddling her, they literally have to completely change their outfits because they will be covered in hair. I greatly appreciate any suggestions or help. Her food is a high quality Holistic Brand Healthy Extensions food which she has been on since we brought her home. The only other thing that I can think of is that she was treated for fleas for the first time since the end of summer a couple weeks ago with Frontline plus because she had been near another dog and I felt nervous that the other dog may have had fleas and she had acted rather strange for 2 days after receiving the correct dosage for her weight. Besides for that, we live in upstate NY where it is still very very cold weather with no indication of spring, another reason why I question that it may not be the seasonal blowing of the coat. She is inside 99% of the time where it is normally about 70 degrees though with nighttime going down to 55 degrees. Thank you again for any help!!! ~ Kristie
Hello Kristie,
My Shiba Sephy sheds a lot when he blows his coat. In fact, he is in the middle of his coat blow currently, and I brushed him for about 15 minutes today. There was a lot of hair! We always joke that we can make another Shiba from all the hair. 😀
I use The Furminator
to remove Sephy’s undercoat. It is very effective at getting the stuff out.
When I furminate Sephy, his undercoat comes out but his outer coat is still intact. How is the coat of your Shiba girl? Is her outer coat quality normal?
Is your Shiba girl doing well on other fronts? Is she energetic, drinking well, eating well, and has healthy stool?
What you describe doesn’t sound unusual to me, unless there is something else that is causing concern.
Hi again Shibashake!
Shiva’s had an interesting week so far. About five day’s ago I noticed a very strange bump appear on shiva’s face just below her left eye. I hadn’t noticed it before, and to me it just looked strange. I pressed on it lightly to see if it felt hard or fatty (like a tumor growth might), and it felt hard underneath my fingertips and her fur. I wasn’t too concerned until the next morning when the bump seemed to have gotten bigger.
I then remembered my friend had told me that she had needed some minor dental work, but that her teeth looked fine and it could be addressed later. I checked her teeth and sure enough both her back-most premolars had funny looking marks on them. I started researching what to do for cracked teeth, then learned that abcesses can form in these teeth. I then realized that the mark on her face that I thought was just a flea bite she picked at too much was actually a mini rupture.
This scared me a lot because I’ve never dealt with this in a dog before, and I wasn’t sure how bad the infection could get. It scared me to think I might lose my baby pretty much as soon as I got her. Shiva had been eating and drinking normally, lazing about normally, and playing with me as well. But I am also prone to overreacting when it comes to the care of my animals because I view them almost the way I would if they were my child, so needless to say as soon as the vet reopened after the weekend I was there with her to get the issue assessed.
Turns out she did have abcesses, but both of them have seemed to drain on their own. The vet went ahead and cleaned her teeth for me and gave me a list of some dental chews and toys to use to further remove her tartar buildup. He also gave me antibiotics to give her in the mean time while i monitor the spots on her face.
I’m so happy that she didn’t immediately have to go into surgery to remove any teeth. Those funny spots I saw were actually large chunks of tartar that had embedded themselves into the sides of those teeth causing minor damage and gum recession. The vet said as long as I do something to help her reduce her tartar build up, things should be fine.
Moral of the story: Sometimes spots on dog’s faces below their eyes are indicitave of abcessed teeth, or abcesses due to tartar buildup and irritation. They don’t heal normally like a scratch or other mark might, they stay for much longer.
When I still thought it was just a flea bite, I did clean to wound with some hydrogen peroxide to keep it from infection, and then put a thin layer of neosporin over the spot. I don’t really know how much good that did since it was an abcess and not what originally thought, but it at least prevented a nasty infection from rooting itself into the wound on her face.
The chews the vet recommended were C.E.T. dental chews, and a nylabone (which i already have at home thankfully!). So hopefully soon shiva will be completely healed up and happy!
Also, I was wondering, I know that while sifting through the many wonderful articles you have on this site about dog care and behavior, do you have any advice for brushing a doggie’s teeth??? I’m thinking I might start doing this since her teeth have so much tartar buildup.
As for the art, no I haven’t tried 3D yet, but I do sculpt and paint. I’ll post more links to pictures in the future!
Thanks again!
Hi Sarah,
That is very interesting with the face bumps. It is not something I have encountered before, and it is very good information to know.
In terms of Nylabones, make sure not to get the super-heavy duty versions. I have read some reviews that those have a risk of causing cracks in teeth if the dog bites too hard. I have regular Nylabones and have not encountered any problems with them so far.
Some time ago I got some processed deer antlers for Sephy and he cracked one of his pre-molars chewing on those. The dental specialist we went to told us to stay away from really hard chews such as hooves, and other chew-toys with similar properties.
I brush Sephy’s teeth 3 times a week. He accumulates more tartar than my Sibes for some reason.
Sephy does not really like handling or getting his teeth brushed so I use his favorite melted cheese+chicken meal during teeth brushing. I do not give him this food anywhere else so the only way he gets it is by letting me brush his teeth. Here is the process I use to brush Sephy’s teeth-
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-clean-a-dogs-teeth
Hugs to Shiva!
I recently read that too, about the the non-edible nylabones causing fractures and cracks in teeth. I replaced shiva’s with the edible kind last night. Thanks so much for the advice on brushing her teeth! =)
Hello! I have always wanted a Shiba Inu and I know people say they are independant, but my music teacher has one and she is very sweet. Anyway, I was just wondering how long it took you to socialize your Shiba, if he is already socialized.
Hello Kaitlyn,
I am not sure how to answer this question. I guess it depends on what you mean by “socialize”. My Shiba Sephy is pretty good today about encountering new situations. However, there are certain behaviors that he considers to be rude, for example butt sniffing. He also does not like dogs that try to dominate him.
Also, socialization is a life-long process. If we do a lot with puppy when he is young and then stop taking him out when he grows up, he will likely become unused to new situations. Here are a couple of articles on my experience with dog socialization-
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-socialization-what-why-how
http://shibashake.com/dog/is-dog-socialization-a-good-thing
http://s1102.photobucket.com/albums/g446/felixLeo/?action=view¤t=322233_2676453714542_1352196244_33003958_1118185953_o.jpg
Here’s my pup~ Shiva
Hi! I just recently adopted my first shiba baby! I’m already in love with her.
She has some allergies and skin issues I have been trying to resolve since I adopted her last month. She’s extremely sensitive to flea bites, and due to information I received from when she was rescued, has the capacity to bite off all her fur and leave sores just to alleviate the pain/itch. Granted she was bald and covered in sores when she was first surrendered, she has now regrown about 95% of her fur. Although, I think her double-coat is still coming in, there are some areas that are uneven due to minor scars, and a few areas she still bites at on rare occasions. She’s been to the vet and is up to date on rabies and flea meds, and will be going back for her yearly visit and to get heart worm meds in a week. She was also checked for demo due to severity of her skin condition when she was brought in, and came up negative. THANK GOD!!! However I was wondering if you could give me some advice on a couple of different things.
First, I was wondering what kind of heart worm prevention you would recommend. Comfortis is the only medication that she is currently on, besides a small dosage of wild salmon oil I picked up to help with her skin issues, and the occasional allergy pill (half a 25mg tablet, Pro-Pet brand, Diphenhydramine HCl) I give her when her itching seems to be excessive. I don’t want to give her anything that would conflict with these.
Second, she has the tendency to sit down after she eats, lick the fur on her paws and bite her nails. I have changed her food twice, and she is currently on a no-grain high quality food. Could it be that this is just a habit of hers, like a nervous tick or compulsion? I have tried to make her stop and she just gets up, walks around, then sits and does it more until I reprimand her again.
I’d appreciate any help or advice! THANKS!
Hello Sarah,
Congratulations on your new Shiba! She is absolutely beautiful. I really like her long legs and body proportions. 4 paws up for rescuing her!
1. In terms of heart-worm all my dogs are on Heartgard. According to my vet it is very important to get dosing right, and as you say, it is also important that it does not conflict with other medications. It is definitely a good thing to discuss with your vet. My vet is the one that recommended Heartgard so that was what we went with. I haven’t done any in-depth research into it myself, so I can’t say if it is the best. However, I have not encountered any problems with it so far.
2. In terms of paw licking, Sephy does a fair amount of that as well. Sephy is pretty fastidious and spends a fair amount of time grooming. I think it is a common Shiba trait. They are very clean dogs, which is one of the reasons many people liken them to cats.
How often does she do it per day? How does her paw look and feel? Does she allow you to touch her paw? Is her paw sensitive? Does she walk comfortably? Depending on frequency, it could just be a grooming thing. To be safe though, it is best to get the vet to check her paws when you go back.
I am sorry I can’t be of more help, but with health issues it is best to consult with the vet. I usually just call them up and chat with the vet tech. They are pretty good about giving advice on what it could be, what to look out for, and whether it is an emergency situation.
Btw. did you make the drawing on the photobucket gallery? It looks very good, very anime-ish.
Hugs to Shiva. Great name – is she named after Final Fantasy Shiva?
Shiva’s name is actually from the Sanskrit word (and the Hindu god). I picked it cause it means “kind” & “pure” in some translations, and because she’s pure white, except for little red tips on her ears!!! I Also have a bit of a thing for anything Indian. The friend I adopted her from introduced me to Indian food, which then inspired me to really learn about their culture, instead of just eating their amazing food, so it seemed appropriate!
I’m taking Shiva to the vet for her yearly checkup in a week when I get paid again, so I will definitely bring up my concerns then. I think there’s a good possibility I am just being an anxious mommy because Shiva is the first dog I’ve had since I moved out of my parents home back in ’08. I really want to do what’s best for her.
Her paw pads look fine thankfully. I was worried that maybe it was a grass allergy, but I discovered she does this even if she’s off the grass. She ‘grooms’ herself in excess of thirty minutes most times and one one of her paws has done it enough to thin the fur causing pink to show through. Any who, I will definitely bring it up to the vet.
Also, I tried that treat thing you mentioned on part of your blog on new years – where you stuff a kong with wet dog food and freeze it. Shiva looooved it! I didn’t expect such a great reaction from her, but i was very pleased.
Shiva also did something that she’s never really done before yesterday. It kind of melted my heart into a puddle. When I was petting her after i got home from work, she snuggled against me as close as she could get and leaned into my hands. I can’t even describe how good it feels to have her do that. It was like a doggie hug!
As for the other picture on my photobucket, yes i did draw it. Art’s kind of a thing of mine. I used to draw in a more anime-style but after I went to an art program at SCAD a few times I incorporated a few of the realistic tricks I learned into my character drawings. =)
Thank you for getting back to me! I really appreciate the advice.
Let us know how it goes. Would love to learn more about heart worm medications, and the paw thing.
That sounds awesome. Shiva sounds like a big time sweetie! My Sibe Shania does something similar, and it is the best thing ever. Shania also senses when I am upset and she will come over and give me hugs and licks. Dogs are the best! 😀
Have you tried 3D art? There are some really fun things that can be done with the 3d tools available nowadays. Anyway, would love to see more of your art. Please share a link with us when you have the time.
Bigs hugs to Shiva!
Hello, my name is Kassie and i am about to be the proud owner of a shiba inu min pin mix and i had a few questions about the wonderful breed. First i wanted to know about how old is a shiba when their tail curls? Second my puppy (Kuma) is a very calm and relaxed puppy, does this mean he will grow up and be just as calm? Third i want to know what toys the breed loves the most. I bought him a wide variety of toys but i would like to know their favorite. Now i understand all dogs are their own but im inquiring about the generalities of the breed. Here is some information about my puppy Kuma. As of right now he is 4 weeks old, he is half shiba inu on his dads side and minature pinscher on his moms side. Both parents are full blodded. He, as a puppy, looks exactly like a black and tan shiba pup and looks nothing like a min pin. his behavior is very calm and relaxed he rarely cries or wines and is a major cuddler. He sleeps ALOT! Hope to hear soon so i am better equiped to handle his home coming!!! Thank you!
Hello Kassie,
Congratulations on your new puppy.
Hmmm, I don’t remember for sure. I think Sephy’s tail was curly from the beginning. Sephy has a double curl in his tail, so it looks like a bob tail.
Puppies and even dogs are usually more calm and quiet when we first get them. They are in a new environment, so they spend some time learning the ropes and figuring out their new environment. Many people refer to this as a honeymoon period. Sephy got all feisty after a couple of days though. He is a very bold dog, so it took him about two days to figure out that we were harmless. 😀
Also, young puppies sleep a lot when they are young. A 4 week old puppy would likely spend a good amount of time sleeping. In terms of temperament, this is something that the breeder can observe over multiple puppy play sessions. With my Sibes, Shania and Lara, I specifically asked my breeder to pick a puppy that is more submissive.
In terms of games, Sephy really likes chasing games. He likes playing flirt-pole and also the water-hose game. Some Shibas really do not like water though, so this is also based on individual temperament. Here are a couple of articles on my experiences with dog toys.
http://shibashake.com/dog/best-dog-toys
http://shibashake.com/dog/fun-dog-toys
Good luck with Kuma and take lots of puppy pictures! 😀
Thank you so much for your reply. Sadly i dont think Kuma will have a curlly tail 🙁 i went and visited him today and his tail only slightly curls:(and only when he is happy or excited, but thats ok i love him just the way he is. Today he was more playful and high spirited than previous meetings but he started to attack my furry boots( ah habit i will have to break early) he seems more happy gnawing on my finger than any toy ive showed him so we will see how that changes as he grows. Again thank you for your help!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=298291080214179&set=a.288850274491593.64827.100000998670578&type=1&theater here is one picture of him!
Hello Kassie,
Thanks for sharing Kuma’s picture. I love looking at puppies. I was unable to access it though. It says “This content is currently unavailable”. Perhaps it is not publicly shared?
Oh yeah thats probably why try again i made sure that album is public not private go ahead and look at all his pictures from birth to recent.
Awww, he is such a cute little thing! His siblings are also adorable.
Love the bath pictures. Do they enjoy the water? Shiba Sephy generally dislikes water unless it is in service of play.
Given that was his first bath his sisters complained more than he did. as long as i was holding him or talking to him he was alright. He absolutely hated the blow dryer though so we had to stop. other than that he didn’t seem to mind it.
hello again, just an update i got kuma on the 8th and let me tell you its been a whorl wind of an adventure. the first night was the longest night of my life lol the second was so much better! he is only six weeks and he already understands that outside is the place i want him to do his business:) he is such a sweet little boy:)
That is awesome Kassie! He sounds like a really clever and good boy. Definitely put up more pictures, they grow up really quickly. 😀
He is way to clever for only six weeks. I started kennel training him the first night to get him use to being in it while im away and at first he didnt want anything to do with it but after about 2 days he realized it was harmless and recently i would place him in there after he had fallen asleep but leave the door open so he would know he is in there because he wants to be instead of him having to be. Now when he falls asleep on me i pick him up and put him by the door and he walks in and falls back to sleep. its only a mater of time before he goes in it to sleep on his own:) he certainly has the cunning of a shiba inu thats for sure 🙂
That is a great way to crate train a puppy!
Go slowly, always make crate experiences positive, get them used to a routine of sleeping in the crate, and very quickly they will be doing it themselves. I should post something about this.
Kuma is a very lucky puppy! 😀
Thank you :)kuma is now 9 weeks going on 10 and im having a few problems. Kuma gets bored with his food very easily. to begin we had him on just plain old dry food but he would only eat little bites a lot through out the day and night but i was worried he wasn’t getting what he needed so i found a lamb flavored wet food and mixed it with the dry and at first he couldn’t get enough of it. After a few days he went back to eating just little amounts. So i started mixing baked shredded chicken and steamed chopped baby carrots(his favorite treats) and he would eat it but we went back to dry food after he ate too many carrots one night and got sick. now we are mixing chicken and beef wet food with shredded chicken with broth and mixed in dry food and for now he is loving it but i can tell he is getting bored. I dont know how to please him so he can eat as much as he should. Any suggestions? My vet said that when he reaches 6 pounds to start a plan to feed him 3 times a day and to only allow a specific amount of time to let him eat it and it should correct it but im not so sure… he is stubborn like a shiba :)speaking of which another one of my problems is his stubbornness. he is a great boy… when he wants to be and when something is in it for him. i will tell him not do do something and i know he understands but he goes back and does it again. ive even removed him from a situation and even a room and he goes right back and does it again. for example i have plants in my living room that he wants to eat and ill tell him no and ill try to get him to chew his toy instead or take him out of the room and the next time he is in it he goes back to chewing them. i dont know how to stop him do you?
LOL! I went through the same thing with Sephy! I also mixed in wet with dry, at which point Sephy would just lick up the wet food and not want to eat the kibble. Then I ground up the dry food and mixed it in with the wet, at which point Sephy would only eat little bits of it. Then I started mixing in boiled chicken, bacon, cheese, etc.
Finally, I decided that he could stand to lose some weight, so if he did want to eat, that is fine. I only gave him his food at very fixed times, and only for a fixed duration, just as your vet suggested. He skipped a few meals, but after some time, he got hungry and started eating plain kibble. 😀
Now, I also make him work for all of his food, including his kibble. He does commands, grooming, etc. and whatever is left over he gets through interactive food toys.
Sephy used to love chewing up my books. I would no-mark him (ack-ack) and body block him away. Then as you say, I get him to do something else. If he keeps coming back to chew books though, he goes to timeout. I start with very short timeouts, maybe 30 seconds to 1 minute. If he chews books again when he gets out of timeout, then he goes back in for a slightly longer period of time.
He stopped doing it once he realized that trying to chew books means he loses his freedom in the house.
Hugs to Kuma! Let us know how it goes. 😀
Thank you i will try that. Just an update kumas tail does curl but not as much as a shiba 🙂
Hey its me again 🙂 so kuma eats fine now thankfully… but he will eat everything in my front and back yard 🙁 like twigs leafs he will even try to eat rocks… what do i do? he also barks at everyone and as hard as i try to hush him i cant get him to stop. another problem i have is him letting me clip his nails. as a younger pup he loved it when i played with his paws now he wont even let me get close???? help please?
Hello Kassie,
In terms of the barking at people, doing people desensitization exercises may be helpful. Make sure to go slowly, be calm, and set the dog up for success.
In terms of handling exercises, I find that it is something that I have to keep up with throughout Sephy’s life. For example, in the early days, I got Sephy used to us putting on his collar. After he got used to it, I just left on his flat collar and didn’t do any collar exercises for a while. After some time, Sephy got sensitive to collar handling again. Now, we do collar exercises with him every day.
I also do not do nail clipping with Sephy because we had some bad experiences with that early on and I hit the quick of his nail while clipping. Now, I only do nail grinding with Sephy about once every week. I get someone to feed him his favorite fish treat, and I grind his nails while he eats.
Here is more on what I did to grind Shiba Sephy’s nails.
Heh, yeah Sephy was like that as well. Puppies like to examine everything with their mouth. Sephy ate a used rubber one time – YUCK! – and got sick from it. Luckily he puked the whole thing out. I find that what works best with Sephy is to watch him like a hawk when out on walks. I make sure to prevent him from going after any street trash, and also do not let him go under bushes, which was where he got the rubber.
Sometimes he will shred twigs and sticks. He doesn’t eat the wood, but just likes shredding it, so I let him play with it. Otherwise, I bring some toys along and get him to redirect on the toy. Making the walk interesting by playing the “Find-It” game and doing footwork exercises can also help.
For the barking at people part i walk him almost every day and i try to keep him calm when i see a person coming and when he doesnt bark i reward him heavily with affection and that seems to start to be having an effect. Kuma doesnt like having his nails grinded either :/its hard to have anyone help me with him but when i get the chance ill try it.
Glad to hear that things are getting better.
My Sibe puppy Lara can also get vocal people, especially when they talk to her. I find that using distance can help, and also telling the person to ignore her. Usually, I will move into a driveway and get Lara to do focus exercises with me. If she stays calm, I let her watch. If she gets too excited, I move a certain distance away and try again.
Hugs to Kuma!
Great article as always! I really love your blog and feel like I’m getting a little bit on the stalker-ish side with how much I read all of your articles, lol. I am getting a two year old Shiba and I’m excited that I won’t have to deal with the training, but I’m a little sad that I am missing out on the puppy years. Anyway, I know Sephy is 5 years old now, but I was wondering what he was like at 2 years old? Was he still playful and energetic like a puppy at times? Am I missing a lot by getting a 2 years old?
Thanks for in advance for answering my questions! 😀
Hello Rin,
Sephy is still playful and energetic at 5. He is more calm than he was as a puppy, but he plays a lot with the Sibes, and when we least expect it, he will pull-out one of his “Shiba moves”.
Truthfully, I would have been very happy to skip Sephy’s first year of terror. 😀
Congratulations on your new Shiba. Let us know how it goes when you get him and share some pictures with us.
Can you please tell me the average length of a Shiba Inu from the tip of it’s nose to the rump (base of tail) – cannot find info anywhere. Thank you.
Sorry, no idea. I could measure Sephy but he is a large Shiba so he wouldn’t be average.
The more I read your postings, the more I fall in love with this dog. We must have gotten the exception with ours. He is mostly obedient, loves to “bring” stuff that you throw for him. He initiates play all the time and becomes very indignant when we don’t have time when he wants it.
He will sit, down, roll over, high five, give paw, play dead, stay (mostly) and loves visitors.
We recently took him to a town celebration where the people were passing by in droves. This was a training session for him to learn to be calm in that sort of setting. He was touchy at first, but with good treats, encouragement from us and a calm firm hand, it was a great sucess.
He is excitable with other dogs, whining and crying to see them. Once he is calm, he will greet, but then turn in an instant. This is my only complaint. He is so crazy when other dogs are around. Any suggestions?
Yeah, Sephy is pretty reactive to other dogs at all. What has worked really well for Sephy is to create neutral experiences and just move along. I also did a fair amount of desensitization exercises with him when he was young.
Here are more on our experiences with other dogs.
We’re on our 3rd shiba. Love them but I can’t remember when they learn the shiba smile. I remember that the previous puppy took a while to smile and then never stopped. Ideas?
BTW, great site esp. for newbies.
What an interesting question! I am not sure when Sephy ‘grinned’ for the first time.
I was pretty clueless about Shibas in the beginning, so there was not much grinning in our household for the first few months. But Shiba Sephy is a great teacher, and got me in shape in no time. 😀
Nowadays, the thing that is sure to get Sephy grinning is scratching him on the right spots. He really likes being scratched under his rear leg, right at the part where it connects to his body. Often, he will roll over, ask for scratches, and start grinning!
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-scratch-zones
Any tips for nail trimming? My little sheebs used to never have a problem with it and for some reason has decided in his little shiba brain that nail trimming is the ultimate torture. I’ve never cut his nails too short and try to make the process as calm as possible (treats, baby talk, etc), so I’m not sure why he’s decided to throw a fit every time the trimmers come out. Screaming, squirming, the works. It takes at least two people to get the job done.
He’s also started obsessively rubbing his face on the carpet. Morning ritual consists of stretching, running out of his crate, commence rubbing his face on the rug for the next five minutes. I’m sure it must feel good, but he’s gotten to the point where he’s rubbed the fur and whiskers off from his snout.
Thanks in advanced for any advice you have to offer!
Hello Vanessa,
Sounds like it could be some sort of allergy. I would consider calling up the vet and seeing what they say.
Shiba Sephy gets easily irritated when he is not feeling in tip-top shape. If he is not feeling well, I think he starts to feel vulnerable, and will generally not let people handle him. It could be that the nail trimming issue is a mood or vulnerability thing that is related to the allergy issue.
With Shiba Sephy, I use a nail grinder to groom his nails.
http://www.squidoo.com/groom-shiba-inu
I will be more than honest, my shiba ( Charlie) is an absolute love, he has all of the listed traits, some more than others LOL! patience is key, as well as calmness in handling, Charlie, was easily housebroken, trained to sit, give paw, as well as Fetch!!!..which we routinely do daily, Socialization of this breed with larger dogs, I find is key for friendly manner developement, he is an ALPHA by far, wit the smaller breeds, and that I find bothersome, but that is their personality, Charlie is the celebrity in my neigborhood, and is a total creature of habit, as we do the exact same hour long walk, so he can do his neighborly visiting of both my friends, as well as their dogs!!, and yes, he whimpers if I try to go in a different direction, so continuity is key with them….also the sound effects from him are quite Hilarious, especially when he wants a nibble of my dinner, all in all, it is true owning a Shba Inu, is not like owning your ordinary dog, they are different all in themselves, and I wouldn’t change a thing about him, and am proud to say, I am a Shiba Inu owner…..he brings so much character and happiness into my life, if you are up to it, then by all means get one….but they are not your standard house breed, they need stimulation, and lots of lots of exercise…the constant long and ENJOYABLE walks, have not only help me get back into shape, but have also helped me to decompress after a long day as well…
Charlie sounds like a wonderful Shiba!
Sephy will maybe fetch one or two balls, if he is in the mood, but most of the time he just gives me the Shiba-look. 😀
That is so very true, and what a positive way to see things. The walks also help me decompress, and to think of things in new ways. Usually I will be struggling with some programming issue, and when I get back from the walk, I have figured out several new ways to attack it.
Hugs to Charlie!
Hi
ThisI kuala I love the info you talked about
I walk dogs and one of the dogs I walk is a shiba inu
.I agree they are soo cute and I get alot of comments like
“omg it looks like a little fox”.personly I love dogs that’s why I started walking them.
Does shiba inus like clothes ?
Thank you Kuala.
Heh, I think that generally, they don’t. Sephy will not let me put anything on him, not even a bandanna! Other Shibas are probably more tolerant, but they still just tolerate. 😀
Good luck with your dog walking business.
Just got mine from a friend recently he’s a year and a half old. He’s stubborn as hell but cowardly. He’s been great though, not a barker, does like attention and being around people, fairly active dog but doesn’t mind lounging for hours as well. He loves the Kong toys I’ve bought him, so perhaps this helps maintain their interest? I don’t know but he’s been smooth sailing so far…knock on wood!
Hello Franco,
Congratulations on your Shiba! It is good to hear that he is doing so well.
As you say, I think as long as they get enough of the right attention and exercise, they are actually fairly low maintenance (except maybe when going to the vet). Also, I noticed my Shiba calming down a lot after he turned 1, so maturity is probably also part of the equation. Good early training also helps. 😀
When Sephy was young, one of the most difficult areas to deal with was his mouthiness. But he has gotten a whole lot better about that.
Hugs to your Shiba!
I’m trying to convince my family that shiba’s are the way to go but the thing that holds them back is the shedding. Could you do a blog post about what you do about shedding since you have a husky and a shiba?
Hello Andrew,
Shibas do shed a fair amount but not as much as Siberians. They blow their coat about twice a year, but there is probably some shedding all year round.
When my Shiba is blowing his coat, I Furminate him almost every day. Other than that, his coat doesn’t really need much upkeep.
In my opinion, coat grooming is probably one of the least problematic areas with a Shiba. It is their independence, boldness, and crazy stubbornness that will drive you nuts. 😀
I just wanted to say that this is the best Shiba Inu website I have found! I have a 2 year old shiba and I always love reading new things and reading other people’s opinion on living with a Shiba. Your website is perfect and very helpful. Thanks so much!
Thanks for your kind words Elizabeth.
I had a lot of tough times about my Shiba, but he is also such a funny, endearing, and lovable little guy. It is difficult not to love a Shiba. 😀
Hey. Your site is very informative and the articles are very well written as well. I have gotten my first Shiba last Saturday, his name is Ace and he’s 2 months old/. Including Ace, my house now has 3 dogs. One Alaskan Malamute(Rei) and a Japanese Spitz(Husky). Both Rei and Husky are pretty chill dogs who aren’t really interested in play and prefer cuddles but Ace?
Hoo Boy… He’s a crazy little furry shark. Attempts to bite/chew everything and is almost always constantly on the go and up to mischief. I have read several of your articles prior to getting Ace and I thought “Alright! totally ready for this!” I was proven oh so very wrong. He prefers to chew on the furniture and other things rather than his toys most of the time. Also, he makes mistakes around the house and refuses to go on the wee wee pads set up for him in the toilet. He’s also pretty excited when we give him treats and handfeed him though he doesn’t bite the hands rather jumps and scratches us before being given the treat. As for the excitement, I have tried playing with him till he tires out but more often than so, he just loses interest in the toy and starts biting us or anything around him. I have tried saying ouch or yelping and even saying a firm no but he continues the biting and it is starting to leave marks as his teeth are very sharp. I cannot let him socialise with my other 2 dogs because they are pretty wary of him at the moment. Husky is pretty old and doesn’t really accept new dogs and Rei has a pretty low tolerance with dogs(he’s absolutely lovely with people though).
Do you have any advice on the biting, potty training and excitement? So sorry if this has already been addressed in the articles D:
Also, I cannot take him out for walks yet as he has not gotten his final puppy shot at the vets and we plan to start with his obedience training classes next month as we’ll be away for a week from the 31st.
Here’s a little picture of Ace too (:
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj115/Kitsuneoftherose/IMG_0681.jpg
LOL! I love that description!
Yeah, words, pictures, and videos cannot capture the true pain of the real Shiba experience. 😀
In terms of the biting and excitement what worked best with Shiba Sephy is to stay very calm. When he bites, I do the yelp thing but in a more calm, low-pitched voice. Like your little fur shark, Sephy got excited really easily when he was a puppy and high pitched sounds got him going.
The calm Oww usually startles him for a bit and he stops. At that point I put a toy near his mouth and redirect him to bite on something acceptable.
Sometimes he will redirect, but often he will just continue biting my hands. At that point I non-mark him, Ack-Ack, stand up, fold up my arms, stop playing with him., and ignore him.
But Shibas are usually pretty stubborn so they may continue to try and get attention by biting on clothes or feet. Sephy didn’t do that but he would go over to the bookcases and start chewing on books because he knows that this will get my attention.
At that point I just calmly say time-out and remove him to a boring time-out area (usually the laundry room). He stays in there for about 30 seconds, then I ask him for a simple command (e.g. Sit) before letting him out.
Here are a few articles on my early experiences with Sephy –
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-obedience-training
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-biting-how-to-stop-puppy-biting
As for potty training, Sephy really does not like going in the house. When he has to go, he will whine and go to the door. If possible, I would train puppy to go outside rather than on puppy pads.
Some puppies, like my Sibe puppies are less picky and they will go wherever. For them, I made sure to always watch them very closely when they are in the house. As soon as it looks like they are about to go potty, I take then outside. If I miss their potty cue and they start to go, I interrupt them and take them outside.
During puppyhood, I would bring Sephy out on-leash to a fixed place in the yard. Then I gave him the go potty command. I usually wait about 10 minutes for him to do his potty and I don’t let him play or roam about during that time. If he does his potty, I would praise him a lot and reward him really well with food and a fun game. In this way he learns that potty outside = lots of praise, rewards, and play.
Here is more on my potty training experiences.
Thanks for that awesome picture of Ace! Love that expression on his face and those ears! 😀
Hi thanks for your advice! Yeah, he is a handful haha. Regarding the time-out thing, I’ was wondering whether to let him out even if he starts screaming and crying during that duration or leave him till he calms down and then let him out? I’ve heard that releasing them while they yelp/scream/cry will teach him to continually use that to get out. He’s very smart and has learned to sit already too (: Ace was also very well behaved for his first time at the vet’s yesterday. He didn’t make a really big fuss about microchipping and nail trimming (much less than my malamute who needs about 4/5 people holding him down for temperature/shots)
We did find out yesterday that he has started attempting to hump and all (I was surprised as he is still very young and my other/previous dogs only did it after a year old. They eventually stopped when we refused to play and ignore them but Ace us very persistent ). Any advice on that? since you did mention that Sephy had the same problem too.
I also notice that you have quite a collection of toys that use/contain food. Does this affect Sephy/your other dogs’ meal times? or do you use it as a substitute for dog bowls?
Taking care of Ace is actually quite a different experience for me compared to training my other dogs as they are usually compliant and are pretty much manageable.
As for potty training, I’m now taking him up to the garden on my roof (we didn’t have enough space for a backyard and my parents were afraid that the other two dogs would soil it) every now and then for potty and some outdoor space. Is this advisable or should I just use the garden for potty? He won’t be going outside to parks and the sort till he gets his jab for parvo and distemper in 2 weeks time.
Thanks for your help (:
Sorry to add in, but he also does bite his leash. I was thinking of playing the “Find-It” game as suggested. Is the objective of the game ultimately to focus on the treat and not the leash and does it effectively stop leash biting?
Yeah they are very smart and as you say, will learn to use their patented Shiba Scream to get out if they can. I usually don’t let Sephy out until he has calmed down and is not whining. In the beginning, I waited for a very brief pause in his whining and then asked for a sit. As he got older, I slowly lengthened his necessary quiet time.
Wow that is really impressive! I wish Sephy was better at the vet. He is very sensitive to pain and is very fearful of vet visits.
I am not a big fan of humping so if Sephy does that to people he goes immediately to timeout. Nowadays, he doesn’t do that to people anymore but he will sometimes try to hump the other dogs during play. I stop that as well and if he keeps trying to hump, he goes to timeout and loses out on the play session.
Yeah, all the dogs have to work for their food. They get some of their food from doing commands, some from Find-It, and some from interactive toys. I think they enjoy working for their food and it helps to give them some mental exercise. It also makes them eat more slowly which is better for their digestion.
I supervise them very closely during meal-times to make sure there is no stealing.
As for potty training, it sounds like you are doing the right thing. I think it is easier to teach a puppy to go somewhere outside the house because then it is clear that in the house there is no potty whatsoever. However, dogs can also be trained to go on potty pads, in the same way that we train them to go outside. It may just take a bit more supervision and repetition because they may not know initially whether it is ok to potty in a particular room, or whether it is just in the corners of rooms, or whether it is only on the puppy pads.
Hugs to Ace!
For leash biting, it depends to some degree on why the dog is showing that behavior.
With many dogs, especially a puppy, it may simply be a play behavior.
In Sephy’s case though, he was mostly leash biting out of frustration. For example, he used to be very reactive to dogs and would sometimes go into a crazy leash biting dance when he did not get to go over to meet them. In these instances, it was a lot more effective to just quickly remove him from the area and take him home. If he continued to leash bite, he goes to timeout.
Here is a bit more on my experiences with leash biting –
http://shibashake.com/dog/train-your-dog-to-stop-biting-on-the-leash
I have my first Sheba and as a former dog trainer, I definitely feel like she is much more difficult than any other breed. But SO smart! She is six months old and rings the bell when she needs to go out (though she is starting to do the multi-times out and I’ve been using time out for that, I plan to modify her outside visits to limit her movement as suggested above, but she definitely knows “go potty” command lol). she watched my daughter’s Yorkie Pinm Einstein, and learned how to go “up” (sitting on her butt and raising front up for treat) on her own and now does it on command. I’m amazed by her intelligence every day and surprised how she now likes to lay not just near me but often touching me while she sleeps (one night she even came up and butted her forehead against mine and slept that way). I look forward to your page for insight in the future!
Hello Debra,
Your little Shiba girl sounds adorable! 😀
Yeah Shibas are very smart – and not just book smart, they are also extremely street smart. Sephy is very good at figuring out all of my buttons and he knows which one to push to get what he wants.
He can sometimes be a big pain in the ass, but he makes up for it by doing really funny and surprising things that make everyone laugh.
Congratulations on your Shiba puppy and big hugs!
Hi I have a Shiba Inu puppy her name is Akira she is going to be a year in november. She is unique in the sense that she still retains some of her black mask and has black eyebrows where the white should be. Anyway the problem I’m having with her is the biting and getting her to do her commands. She did not give me trouble and people even were astonished at her temprement so much that they said that she could not be a Shiba Inu. We took her to training as soon as she was a week old. I had a life threatening situation where I was in the hospital for 3 days and I was in the hospital so I left he with my sister and her kids. She is very close to me and is still close to me and will come lay down with me if I take a nap but ever since I got back it has been like something snapped in her. Whenever the doorbell rings now she gets anxious and howls and when anyone comes in the door she jumps on them and bites them in play. At first when we played with her before the incident she did not bite but squeezed but now she is biting. She does not listen to me sometimes when I call her and now she seems like she has made it her mission to get into anything she can get her mouth on. Akira’s favorite pastime is to tear paper and she seems to do it just to spite me. I read that she just wants attention and not to give it to her but none of the methods that I learned from her training class seems to work. When she bites I do the ack and turn away but instead of calming down and turning away she either goes around or bites on the back of the leg. It’s to the point now that she’s becoming destructive biting up paper and on chair legs. She will be a year in November will it be to late to change her behavior? I use her crate as her time-out zone and she knows the word Kennel which is her time-out zone and usually gets her to stop what she is doing. Is this a just wait it out thing or do I need to take furthur measures to get her to stop biting and jumping because the ack isn’t really working and I’m tired of her jumping on my friends and family members. She is almost never alone and when she is she is alone for 3 hours tuesday and thursday because those days I am in school. I try not to reward her bad behavior with attention but she finds a diffrent angle on how to bite or get hold of something she isn’t supposed to have.
Sorry I meant a week after we got her
Hello Elias,
Shiba Sephy is very similar in that he really likes his routine. He is also very sensitive to the energy of the people around him. So big changes in his environment cause a lot of stress for him.
As for the biting, timeouts work really well with Shiba Sephy because he really values his freedom. If Sephy does not respond to the yelp, I stand up, fold up my arms, and turn away from him. If he continues to bite, I calmly say timeout and take him directly to timeout.
In general, it is best not to use a crate as the timeout area because we want the dog to view the crate as something positive. This makes it easier to crate puppy when she is sleeping or home alone. I use the laundry room as my timeout area for Sephy and make sure there is nothing in there that he can chew, eat, or would be dangerous to him.
Here are some additional things I tried with Shiba Sephy in terms of biting –
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-biting-how-to-stop-puppy-biting
Other things that helped when Shiba Sephy was a puppy –
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-obedience-training
Another thing I did with Sephy when he was young was take him to the SPCA to play with other friendly dogs there (under supervision). He really needed a fair amount of off-leash time and I didn’t have a backyard then, so the SPCA play sessions really helped a lot.
A tired Shiba is a good Shiba. 😀
Hugs to Akira. Let us know how it goes.
I totally stumbled upon your site, but loved reading some of your articles. I have a 4 yr old male Shiba named Suntori. He’s his own man. And just like your article, he comes around when he wants something, but is usually lounging around on his bed, or snout out under the sofa.
I have always wanted a German Shepherd,Lab, Husky, Golden Retriever, or Samoyed a dog a bit more loving and affectionate, just to give things a bit of a balance. I am in the process of researching what is the best fit for us but my main concern is Suntori. He doesn’t really care to socialize with other dogs and just like you said somewhere, as far as he’s concerned, he’s royalty.
I really want another dog and am really interested to see how you invited your new dog into your home and how your Shiba responded. Any words on which of the breeds I mentioned would be best? I do like a spitz, but that is not my sole deal maker/breaker.
Thanks and I look forward to reading more of your articles.
My Shiba Inu Sephy does not trust very easily. He was pretty stand-offish when we brought puppy Lara home. He did not want puppy messing with him, sniffing his butt, and he did not play with puppy. He did sniff her, examine her, and then he kept his distance.
During the first week I made sure to supervise them very closely so that puppy does not bother Sephy and so that they did not have any negative experiences together.
I also made sure that they had many positive experiences. I had many short training sessions with puppy and during this time, Sephy would come over to beg for food. I made sure to praise and reward both dogs really well when they were calm and peaceful together. After a bit, Sephy would always come over whenever I started training sessions with puppy.
It is also very important to be fair and consistent with all the dogs. Puppy has to follow the same rules as the other dogs. In fact, puppy has more rules.
It took about 1 week before Sephy warmed up to puppy Lara. Once he included Lara into his circle of trust though, he became very tolerant of her and lets her sniff, jump over him, step on him, etc. Still, I supervise them so that Lara doesn’t bother Sephy too much and overly stress his patience. 😀
Here are more of my experiences with getting a second dog.
NOTE: Sorry for repost. I just noticed that my previous message was posted as a reply to my own comment so I didn’t know if it would be noticed by anyone down there.
Original Message:
Hi everyone!
We just got our new Shiba puppy this Sunday! Here are some pictures of her: http://front–row.tumblr.com/post/8029982727
Her name is Kumiko (Kumi for short)and so far she has brought the expected mix of terror and delight. Certainly a full blown Shiba scream is something that needs to be experienced to be appreciated.
This is our first day leaving Kumi at home while we both work. We’ve kept her confined to the hallway by closing all the doors, but I’m still paranoid that she’ll have found a way to destroy everything or summon the police by screaming.
We have a crate and a decently sized exercise pen for her for longer term confinement. However she seems to absolutely hate these two things and will start screaming and crying within two minutes of being placed in one of them. Obviously this is not ideal. We’d like to be able to leave our Kumi unattended for a few hours without here sounding the alarm constantly.
Does anyone have any tips about how to get her acclimated to being confined to her crate or pen?
Also, often she whines to be taken outside to do her business, but when I get her out there she just meanders about eating grass and sometimes just sitting in the grass without doing anything. Then when I take her back inside she’ll start whining again and if you ignore it she’ll just go poop in the corner somewhere. It’s a bit frustrating to take her out 3 times in an hour only to have her poop in the house!
Thanks for any help anyone can provide!
Congratulations on your new Shiba puppy! Thanks for sharing all your great pictures – Kumi looks absolutely adorable!
In terms of crating, what seems to have worked pretty well for my Sibe puppy is to go very slowly. Currently, she is tethered with a very short lead to the crate at night. She will sometimes go in there to sleep but the door is open so she can come out for a short distance if she wants to. Initially we put her on a longer tether and we have slowly shortened it as she slowly gets used to her routine.
Another possibility, is to train puppy to go in there for very short periods of time initially and then slowly lengthen the time. For example, the first few days, give the crate command, throw a treat in, puppy goes in, Good!, treat, and let puppy out again. Don’t even close the door. Then once puppy is comfortable doing that, close the door and then open it back right away, and so on.
In terms of the potty, what I did with Sephy (when he was a puppy) is always bring him out on lead. I take him to his potty spot and say “go potty”. Then I wait for a few minutes. In that time I do not let him go exploring etc. – which is where the lead comes in very handy. If he does go potty, then I praise him a lot, reward him really well, and then he gets to go off-leash and explore in the backyard. We also play some fun games. If he does not go potty, then we come back in.
Usually, I have a black-out period after we come in, where I don’t take him out even if he whines. But I do watch him for potty signals. If I see him heading to the corner (that is usually his tell that he is about to go potty) then I take him out and repeat the process above.
In this way, he does not get rewarded for whining because he doesn’t get to go exploring when we first go outside. However, if he actually does his potty, then he gets rewarded really well.
Also try posting your questions on the Shiba Inu Forum –
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/
There are many Shiba veterans there with a lot of good information. Let us know how it goes!
My husband and I adopted a Shibu about 4 months ago…raised in a kennel…7 yrs old, we had her spayed and now she is very nervous and jumpy. We are trying the kindness/reward training. Scolding/yelling/jerking leash only made situation much worse…loves goose meat treats…long walks with her catching small birds when possible, are her favorite. Does not know how to play…yet…We are hoping she can be off lease in a few months and run the 320 acres we have and come back to kennel up at night— using a leash for the rest of her life is not our vision of fun!
Does anyone notice their Shiba is neurotic about their tails or is it just my dog? If a fly lands on her back or tail she’ll literally go into a tail spin seeing if it’s still there minutes later. Sometimes she sprints to her bed or couch and lays down like she’s been punished.
Sephy used to be very neurotic about his tail and actually about his entire posterior region. We started handling him a lot in the back areas and tying that to rewards. That has helped him get more comfortable with unexpected touches or insects on his tail.
He is still pretty neurotic about flies though. If one gets in the house he will not rest until the fly is dead. 😀
Help! This is my first dog and I finally convinced my parents to get one. I picked a shiba bcuz it was so CA-YOOT! Then yea- trouble began and u guys capture the personality in the articles. can u teach me how to make my shiba lose his ‘i want this so too bad i’m gonna do it and ya cant stop me’ behavior.
thx so much if u can help!
p.s- don’t u luv it when ur shiba rolls over and lets u scratch its tummy and licks u(well until u realize they were just covering up the bad thing they did)
Hi ShibaShake! Thanks for responding, I’m putting another ‘question’ up as I can’t reply to yours for some reason.
Anywho, about my two other dogs. They are literally just hams. They love to be loved and they like to snuggle and just be touched.
The Papillon is an extremely calm dog, only barks when the front door is opened, and the Poodle I sometimes forget is there. He’s that quiet.
After a few days with Max (We’re seriously thinking about calling him Taz now). I’ve discovered that he does the shriek when I pull at his collar when he’s under the table/goes somewhere he doesn’t want to go. He shrieks when I have his food taken away as well.
In a day it seems he’s learned that when I say “no” to him eating at the other dog’s bowl (They like to share), he understands. But he keeps running away to under the table. And when I try to get him out of the table, the Scream commences.
So I put him in time-out, which is at the patio of our apartment. I don’t know how long it appropriate for a Shiba to be put in time out, but I find that I keep him out there from 15-20 minutes on average. When he comes inside. He’s sweet. Until he goes under the table and I have to pull him out and then he screams all over again.
Then I have to put him in time-out it seems for shrieking like that.
It’s a cycle that I don’t know how to fix! With me alone, and with my girlfriend, he’s great. He’s loving. He likes to (for some reason) sit under my legs whenever I’m standing/sitting in a chair and he likes to be touched.
But is the shrieking something that I can mitigate, is it something I can show Max that I don’t appreciate it and like it?
LOL – I like that name. It would suit a Shiba very well.
The under the table thing sounds like he is hiding rather than anything else. I would carefully observe what are all the triggers that cause him to run under the table – is it when there are loud noises? when the other dogs stare at him? when voices are raised? Then he can be slowly desensitized to that trigger so that he no longer sees it as something scary that he needs to run away from.
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-deal-with-bad-dog-behavior#desensitize
Also, what happens if you just leave him under the table? If it is a fear response, going in after him may trigger even more fear, which causes the screaming, etc. In general, I have found that it is most effective to deal with the root of the issue – which is what is triggering the run-under-table behavior in the first place.
Hi, ShibaShake.
My fiancee and I just got a Shiba Inu 2 days ago. Neither of us had read about the Shiba, and its various characteristics (trust me, I wish I had). It’s only Day 2, and I’m so stressed out. I’ve never owned any kind of pets before. Luckily, our work schedule works out fine, and the Shiba is alone during the day for 3 hours, 3 days of the week. Yesterday, while I was driving to work, I wanted to turn back around and just stay home with her lol.
I guess I have a few questions. What’s your method for when she does something bad? (Like biting, which she does mostly in the mornings) Right now I’m starting to say “No!” sternly and grabbing her face so she looks at me when she does it (my fiancee says to grab her by the back of the neck.. what would you suggest). I’m trying not to smack her.
Also, we live in an apartment on the second floor, and when we take her out to potty, she will not go up or down the stairs (she’s 12 weeks old). At what age should I start trying to get her to go up and down the stairs?
And what’s your opinion on the Bark Off?
Thank you so much. Of course, I haven’t gotten much sleep the past 2 nights, and I read in one of your articles that that’ll happen for the next couple weeks. Right now, my fiancee lays down on the floor next to her crate when she’s fussy till she calms down a bit.
Well, I’m not Shiba Shake of course, but I just wanted to comment. I can’t say I’m an experienced Shiba owner yet, I just put a deposit toward a 2 wk old shiba female though…after MASSIVE amounts of research and interviewing shiba owners via email. If you haven’t started on that, trust me you will want to now because there is a LOT to know. Until I did my own research I had no idea how different shibas are from most other breeds, caring for them is -very specific-. The good thing is your puppy is young so you can apply what you learn right away. Just some things I was able to gather: most websites will tell you they are headstrong and difficult to train, so be aware of that. You have to be consistant with your training, and establish your dominance. They also need to be socialized with other dogs and humans at an early age, as well as leash trained. Like I said though, I’m not personally experienced since my puppy hasn’t arrived yet 🙂 but you definitely need to start reading -everything- you can about shibas now. It will help a lot in reducing your stress, I’m sure. Also, everywhere I’ve read says that if you give the puppy an article of clothing of yours to sleep with (anything that smells like you) your scent will soothe them and make them feel more comfortable when they are alone in their crate. One last tip I read: a gentle dominance training trick to use on puppies is holding them in cradled in your arms like you would a baby. They will struggle and whine, but don’t set them down until they have relaxed and given in to being held…this shows them your dominance (or so I read…sounds logical to me though.) Good luck and hope things go well for you!
Yeah, my fiance read about the holding them like a baby thing too.
I read that you don’t wanna put any blankets or clothes in the crate when they’re too young cause that’ll encourage them to eliminate in the crate. Who knows. My fiance and I are both learning. It’s only been two days, but we swear, she’s already gotten a little bigger.
Good luck with your Shiba when you get it! They are so adorable! (Especially when they’re playing with their toys or sleeping next to you)
Keep me posted when you get your Shiba! My email is mishu09 at the site hotmail -dot- com.
** From ShibaShake – Michelle, I edited the email so that it can’t be extracted by web scrappers. In general, it is best not to post your email in a public page. If you want your email totally removed, let me know.
Hello Michelle,
Congratulations on your new Shiba puppy!
When I first got puppy Lara the first two things I taught her were a mark (Yes or Good Girl) and a non-mark (No or Ack-Ack). A mark indicates to her that she is doing something good and it usually followed by a reward. A non-mark indicates to her that she is doing something not-good and is usually followed by an alternate command (and a reward), or a “punishment” which usually means she loses one of her freedoms or does not get something that she really wants.
For biting, I have found that bite inhibition training is very useful for my dogs. Bite inhibition training teaches the dog to have a soft mouth when it comes to people. This is great because even if an accident occurs, and the dog bites on a person, it will likely not cause much if any harm. I mostly do bite inhibition training through hand-feeding.
Here are a couple of articles on dog biting and bite inhibition –
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-biting-how-to-stop-puppy-biting
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-biting-tips-solutions
Sometimes a Shiba can be stubborn though and will not stop biting even after I non-mark and redirect him. In these cases a time-out works best for Shiba Sephy.
Once I have good bite inhibition then I switch to a No-Bite policy, but I still keep up with hand-feeding.
In terms of physical forms of discipline, I tried that with Shiba Sephy when he was young and that did not work out well for us at all. This is the story of my early days with Shiba Sephy –
http://shibashake.com/dog/my-shiba-inu-story
We had a lot of challenges, but things worked out in the end. 😀
With puppy Lara she started going up stairs first. I think that is easier and less scary for them. It was something that I just let her do by herself and when she was ready, she just did it. She probably started doing that after being with us for a couple of weeks – but that would depend on the puppy. It took another couple of more weeks before she tried going down stairs.
I did sometimes play games with her on the stairs – just going up one or two steps with a toy and she would come after me to get it. While playing, she is focused on doing something else, so she doesn’t think about how scary the stairs are. 😀
I have never used Bark Off before. From reading the reviews though, it seems that this method of sound aversion is not very effective with many dogs. Shibas are usually more stubborn than most breeds so I am not sure how well this would work.
Another sound aversion training technique that I did try on Sephy when he was a puppy is to put a bunch of coins in a soda can, tape up the open tab, and then shake the can. Sephy definitely did not like that sound and it worked for more minor types of rule breaking.
However, for more serious things I use a time-out which has been the most effective thing for Shiba Sephy. It also worked very well on Siberian puppy Lara. I only do that for serious things though, like continued biting, leash biting and humping.
This article on puppy training may also be helpful –
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-obedience-training
Good luck! Let us know how it goes!
It can definitely work on many dogs, but I think the most important thing is to be flexible and tailor the techniques to suit the individual dog and their own unique personality.
For example, I have seen many people do the baby-cradling move very effectively with their dogs. On Sephy however, it did not work out well. When my other half tried to do that to him, he just got really fearful and had to get away no matter what. Holding a dog like that is taking away his freedom to run away and at the same time putting him in a very vulnerable position (with his belly exposed). If I stranger did that to me – I would be freaking out too. 😀
When Sephy was forced to stay in that position until he was calm, he got so scared that he pooped all over the place.
This taught me to always listen to Sephy and to be flexible about the training techniques that I use.
Hi Shib.
First, I want to say that your blog is simply astounding. You’re a fountain of knowledge and help.
My problem:
I’ve wanted a Shiba since I was a younger boy playing Nintendogs. I saw the wolf-esque looking animal and since then have fell in love with the breed.
I posted an ad on Criagslist saying that I was looking for a Shiba to either buy, or rehome. I was hoping for a female, but instead I got an e-mail saying that a couple was offering a male. The Shiba (Who is named Max, apparently) was just ‘dropped’ on them by a family member and they couldn’t keep it because the girl was allergic to him.
I saw him, and he’s a great guy. He works really well with people it seems and is pretty nice when it comes to us.
However, when any of our other two dogs gets near his toys, or a place that he’s ate, he starts to growl at a worrying rate. I had put food in my papillons bowl to feed him, and Max went in for himself. I tried to take the food away from Max and he started to bare his teeth and growl.
When we brought him home, he immediately ran under a table. I tried to get him out, but he started to make this high pitch shrieking noise (Which I think is what is called the “Shiba Scream”), and I have NO idea how to respond to it.
Was it a mistaking taking in a Shiba under the conditions that we have two other dogs (soon to be one other, my mother is taking our poodle), or should I keep trying?
And if so, could you help in *anyway* possible, with some tips, tricks, some way to establish *myself* as the pack leader?
You’d be saving myself so much time, and heartache. Thank you!
-Michael
(P.S., do male dogs just gravitate towards women more, or is that something that’s a myth?)
Any help at all T_T?
Hello Michael,
Sounds like Max has some resource guarding and food aggression issues. These issues usually arise because every time someone or another dog comes near them, they get their stuff stolen from them – so they feel that they must start guarding. Shibas have a pretty high protection drive, so they are also more likely to guard than the average breed.
There are a variety of ways to reduce this guarding behavior, but food aggression training requires a fair amount of time, supervision, and careful management. It also depends on how often and how long the dog has already been practicing this behavior. Here are a couple of articles on my experiences with food aggression issues –
http://shibashake.com/dog/stop-food-aggression-stop-resource-guarding
http://shibashake.com/dog/resource-guarding-shiba-inu
I would also consider going to see a professional trainer about it. Food aggression issues can be dangerous to people, so it is best to start off on the right foot.
LOL, yeah Shibas do the Shiba Scream when they find themselves in a situation that is really not to their liking. Shiba Sephy used to do that with my dog walker when she tried to force him to walk in a heel position.
The running under the table thing sounds like he is just unsure about his new surroundings. Shiba Sephy actually did that at the breeder’s house when we tried to put a collar on him.
The way I deal with the Shiba Scream depends on why Shiba is doing it. For things that he is fearful about (e.g. running under the table because of the collar), I make sure to desensitize him to it when we are home, in a quiet place, and when I have a good amount of time for training.
If Sephy is just whining or screaming because he wants something, like for me to open the door for him then I totally ignore him until he stops and is calm. Once he shows the behavior that I want, then I open the door for him.
If he is outside and whining then he loses his outside freedom and has to come in the house. If he continues to scream he either just gets ignored or he gets put in time-out.
I have found that with the Shiba Scream, the worst thing to do is to give Shiba a strong reaction because that is what Shiba is usually looking for. However, if he gets no reaction or just a calm time-out, then it is no fun for Shiba and he will stop and try something else.
That is very difficult to say. It would depend on the temperaments of the dogs, the people, the amount of time, etc. It certainly does sound like a challenge though. It would of course be much easier to get a dog that does not already have food aggression and guarding issues.
Heh, not in my experience. I think dogs gravitate towards the people who spend the most time with them, and give them the most resources (food, play, etc.). Actually there was a study that indicated that both wolves and dogs can pick out people who are in a more attentive state and these are the people they will beg from. 😀
Hello Shiba Shake,
I love your website is has so much great advice about the shiba inu’s. I was walking today in the pack when I fell in love with a dog went to the owner and asked few questions about him that’s when he told me its a japanese breed called shiba inu, he gave me the breeders number and everything but I have never owned a pet before and I am more of a cat person than a dog but from what he told me that they behave similar to cats. From reading your website its seems to be a challenge to train and maintain a shiba inu this is my very first time what advice do you have for me what should I where and where do I start? Thank you very much I appreciate all your help!
Love you website,
Othman
Hello Othman,
I got a Shiba as my first dog and it was definitely a big challenge for me. 😀 It is doable – but will require more time and effort than many other breeds. Also, unlike most other dogs, Shibas tend to be a lot more aloof (this is one of their more cat-like characteristics.)
Shibas also have pretty high prey drive, so they have to be trained to get along with house cats.
Looking back, I think I would have started with a different breed and then get the Shiba as a second dog. In this way, I would already know a lot of the general dog stuff from my first dog, and can focus on the Shiba specific stuff with my second dog.
However, I am also a big believer in getting the dog that we want most. Dogs are a lot of work, a lot of money, and can sometimes be a big pain in the ass, so it is important not to have any regrets over the look, breed, and temperament of the dog that we choose to share our lives with.
If you are interested in getting a Shiba Inu, check out the breeder list on the National Shiba Club of America –
http://www.shibas.org/breeders.html
When I was looking for my second dog, a Siberian Husky, this is what I did –
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-buy-a-siberian-husky-puppy#how
Here is what to look out for in terms of finding a good breeder –
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-buy-a-siberian-husky-puppy#breeder
Let me know if you have more questions.
Hello Shibashake
What email can I send the photos to?
Thanks
Doug
I have a dog that looks very much like a Shiba but I am unsure. How can I tell?
Is it possible to send a photo to you?
Many thanks
Doug
Hello Doug,
I love looking at Shiba pictures so please feel free to post a link or send a photo to me. However, I would only be guessing as to his breed. You would probably know better than me because you have first hand knowledge of his temperament and quirks.
A more accurate way of identifying a dog’s breed is to do DNA testing. There are now a variety of places that offer dog DNA testing and they range in price from about $50-$100.
Unfortunately I have also forgotten what email address I should send the photos to.
Dear Shibashake,
I am very sorry that I have not sent you my dog birthday photos I have been extremely busy, I will send them as soon as I can.
No worries Winton. I will send you an email.
Hi ShibaShake!
I’m in a bit of a dilemma. I love Shiba Inu’s and have wanted one for a few years and a few weeks ago I found one on craiglist for only $600 and she’s 8-9 months old with the most interesting markings I have ever seen on a Shiba Inu, so I was ecstatic and asked my mom if she could call Inuki’s (the Shiba Inu) owner and see if we could meet her. So we met her a few days ago and she’s a beautiful dog, but she did almost everything that you said in your blog wasn’t good to let a Shiba Inu do. She tugged and chewed on her leash, did the ‘alligator-roll’, ate leaves, sticks, etc. and she got so bored and frustrated that she started grabbing the tips of my hair and ripping it! The owner didn’t see her rip my hair, but everything else he did see and he just chuckled at them. He told us that at home, when he’s working she’ll take his dirty clothes and scatter them or put her paw on his hand and force it off of the desk and when he’s walking around she’ll snap at the air in front of his feet. He thinks it’s funny and cute and I did too (except for the snapping at the air part) until I read your blog. We told the owner that we needed a few days to think about it and after we left my mom said that we shouldn’t get her since the owner let’s her do all that stuff and it’ll be too hard to teach her not to do that stuff since she’s almost 1 year old.
So that’s my dilemma, ha ha. What do you think or suggest I should do? I’d really love to get Inuki, but I’m worried about her little ‘habits’.
Hello Jennifer,
Heh, when I first got my Shiba I didn’t do much research so he developed a lot of bad habits. Then I used aversive techniques on him which didn’t work out well at all. After about 6 months, we finally started on the right track with careful management and reward training. It took me another 6 months to reverse most of my earlier mistakes, but lucky for me it is always possible to retrain undesirable dog behaviors.
Shibas are stubborn though, so retraining will be more of a challenge than with many other dog breeds.
If this is your first Shiba, it may be best to go with a puppy or well-trained adult. Check out the breeder list on The National Shiba Club of America for AKC registered breeders in your area.
http://www.shibas.org/breeders.html
Many of them will have websites. Then give some of them a call to see if they have upcoming litters or even trained adults that they want to place. AKC breeders have strict breeding guidelines and they usually breed healthy dogs with good temperament.
Do you already have other dogs? If so, it is probably easier to get a puppy.
This article is about getting Siberian Husky puppies but many of the things apply to Shiba puppies as well. It may be an interesting read –
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-buy-a-siberian-husky-puppy
Hello Shibashake,
Just been surfing and found your site. I have a couple questions i hope some one can answer for me. I adopted my Shiba 2 years ago, Bella will be 5 in June. I just LOVE this lil girl to bits. However, just recently she has been getting a little nippy in the past few days. Bella put on a few pounds this past winter. No more bread and butter from the table, I swear! But now she hasn’t been eating much. We have been doing major spring cleaning. Could this be the reason? She normally has the run of the house but since the cleaning,washing carpets and walls etc., her space is limited. Bella ran down the stairs and strained her back paw. Could this contribute to the “nipping”. Also, this year she hates to walk. Last year as soon as i put the dinner dishes in the dishwasher she was at the door. Now I have to chase her around the house. Shut doors, block off the stairs.Bella just runs and hides. But once i get her lease on she is ready to go. She will “trot” the whole time, for spite i think. I must admit after 15 minutes of running around the house and i don’t lasso her. i just give up. How can I get her out the door?
Again I love my very much dog!
Hello Dakota,
It could be. When Sephy is in pain he gets more mouthy than usual. I guess he feels more vulnerable and views more things as threats. Might want to consider taking her to the vet just in case.
Hmmm, Sephy will try to do this sometimes. A game of chase before a fun walk is always better than just a fun walk. 😀
If he runs away, I go about my business and then go out to put on my shoes. Then I come in again and count to 3. If he does not come, I take off my shoes and he does not get to go walk. I try again after a couple of hours.
Usually, when I go out to put on my shoes, he will come to the door and be ready for his walk.
Hugs to Bella. Let us know how it goes.
hi there. came across your site and just love it. you hit the shiba inu on the spot. Anyways i have a 8 month old shiba. his name is Dag. we think he might be a little of a runt. because of his size, he only weighs 20 pounds. he isnt fixed. and hes really cocky. King Dag. the only problems iv had with him is when he gets loose. and i play the chasing game… rain or shine. anyways does your shiba constantly whine? and holy heck does he cry when i touch his paws. like i was chopping them off lol.
LOL – yeah Shiba Sephy is a big whiner. The most annoying is when he wakes up early in the morning and whines to come out of his crate. He pretty much whines any time he wants something and isn’t getting it. 😀
Yeah Sephy is sensitive about being touched as well. After a lot of desensitization work, he is a lot better. Now, he even lets us grind his nails, wipe his paws, and brush his teeth.
Hi Shibashake!
I came across your site a while back just when I got my shiba puppy, Taiga and your information is super helpful =) I know you’re not a vet, but I just wanted some suggestions if you have any. Taiga is 19 weeks and is showing signs of humping and my breeder did mention maybe consider neutering him earlier at 5 months old. I was considering going to a vet for a checkup first to make sure he was ready. I was wondering if you knew how long it would take for a shiba to recover for a neuter surgery? He has several obedience classes scheduled for the next few weeks, so I was wondering if I should delay the neuter until he is done his classes? Any help would be great, thank you so much!!
Hello Shirley,
Sephy also got neutered at around 5 months. They did one of those dissolvable stitches thing. On the first night there was some leakage, then it was good after that. Sephy was a big biter though, so he had to have the Cone of Shame (the e-cone) on the whole time.
The most challenging part was keeping a young Shiba occupied for those 2 weeks with no running and no jumping. Frozen Kongs were awesome during that time. I am also using them now on my hyper Sibe puppy. 😀
Let us know how it goes with Taiga.
Help! Advice for Ziva and her never ending shedding needed!! Her winter shed started in February but the coat blowing I expected has never completed the cycle. She has a few tufts here and there–then it stops blowing but keeps “dribbling off”. We bathe her and she sheds lots…but then it slows down. We brush…we Furminate….we undercoat rake….but still, it’s never ending. Don’t get me wrong, the shedding never really stops, but I was expecting a two week blow out–instead we’re getting a gradual avelance of hair. Any advice for getting this on and over with? Shiba Ziva and I would greatly appreciate it, as both of us are tired of having Shiba Undercoat in our eyes! We live in the Deep South, and temps are getting into the 70s and 80s and she’s about to be miserable if she doesn’t get rid of this winter coat.
Hi Brett,
Sounds like you are already doing all the right things so I am not sure what more I can add. My Shiba breeder told me that a bath and a blow-dry afterward gets the most hair out.
I have also noticed with Sephy that when I do more regular brushing during the year, he has a lighter coat blow. Last year I was less regular with his brushing, and his most recent coat blow was quite heavy and a big hair fashion emergency.
Try asking this question in the Shiba nihonken forum. Somebody there will probably have some good suggestions.
Your site has been incredibly helpful and is quite thorough and well made. Thank you for sharing all your advice with the rest of us.
One question, I am about to inherit a well behaved, if a tad cowardly, Imo-Inu from a friend. Do you have any experience with this hybrid? She’s supposed to be a 50-50 but seems to look and act much like a shiba
Hello Britton,
I don’t have any experience with the Imo-Inu.
However, like the Shiba Inu, the American Eskimo dog is also from the Spitz family, so the combination would likely be independent and stubborn. 🙂
I really love this breed, been eyeing it for years now, it’s just my work schedule that prevent me from getting one.
I’m usually off work from 7am to 5.30pm weekdays. Would that be fair for a shiba to have no access to human care for that long? If i get one, how do i make up for the time loss? would that even possible?
Hello Michael,
A possibility is to put Shiba in a dog daycare some days of the week or to hire a dog walker. I tried daycare and group dog walking with Shiba Sephy when he was young and both activities really tired him out.
However, it can be a challenge to find people who can properly handle a Shiba. Also, such services can end up being somewhat expensive.
I wouldn’t advocate it – but our Shiba is frequently home the whole day by himself. He is surprisingly nonchalant about it and doesn’t have any noticeable ill-affects. However, he is also a fairly mellow guy. We keep him in a play pen so he doesn’t eat the whole house with some toys, food and water.
When we get home, he is super happy and jumpy for about 20 minutes, we play a game to work off some of the excess energy (fetch or the kibble game), take him for a walk, and then he’s fine the rest of the night.
We do put him in doggy day care once a week for dog socialization and I take him in to work with me periodically to help keep him from getting too lonely. (He just sleeps under my desk – he’s kind of lazy).
I would talk to your breeder when you get the puppy. They can usually help determine if the dogs they are raising are going to be mellow or neurotic based on the parents (though it’s not an exact science!) and tell you if they may adjust to being alone or if they will go bonkers.
Hi Shibashake, my name is Tara. I just came across your website while researching shock colloars for my dog. I have a one year old male black and tan Shiba Inu named Kelsey – he’s my baby and I love him, but we have reached a scary crossroad. Last night at a family birthday party he attacked a guest and drew blood in several places on the guests hand. Kelsey, just like all of the descriptions I’ve seen on your site, is sneaky, wild, aloof at times, and listens only when he knows it will be to his benefit. He is enrolled in obdedience traning with a well-respected trainer, but he’s smarter than the system – he performs in class and then thinks he’s the boss at home. This is not the first time he has drawn blood – he has a serious collar phobia (which he’s had since I brought him home at eight weeks). My dad was Kelsey-sitting for me while I was out of town and Kelsey slipped out of his collar; while trying to get the collar back on, Kelsey, who is terrified/hates the action, bit my dad and caused deep enough wounds to need stitches. My dad was broken-hearted and put the dog in his kennel without the collar on. After this experience my dad took Kelsey to see a dog behavior specialist, who deemed Kelsey “fear aggressive”. Not only is he aggressive, but he’s every inch the typical Shiba – steals food off the table, hides my laundry, barks at all other dogs, hates strangers, and trusts very few people. I don’t know what to do – I love my dog and don’t want to give up on him because underneath his bad behavior he is still a sweetheart… even though the sweetheart shows a little less lately than the werewolf. I don’t believe in shock collars and I swore I’d never use one on my dog (Kelsey is my first dog), but after what happened last night my family is scared of Kelsey and even I cannot trust him – my family is urging me to take a more aggressive appraoch if I want Kelsey to be welcome anymore. I desperately need wisdom from other Shiba owners, because Shiba’s are unlike any other dog. This experience is exhausting – please let me know if there’s anything I can do/try to save my dog from a life of isolation. Thanks, Tara
Hello Tara,
I had many similar experiences with my Shiba Sephy. When I went to pick him up from the breeder (10 weeks old), we tried to put a collar on him, and he ran away to hide. We cornered him under the table, and he bit us when we tried to put on a collar (so that we could take him home). He did not break skin, but he was really afraid of people handling him, especially strangers.
I started out with the “more aggressive approach” because Sephy’s breeder and our first vet tech recommended the more aggressive approach. I later realized that that only *deepened* his fear aggression and it made things worse. Every time he did something wrong, he got some kind of pain/dominance correction which included strong leash corrections, alpha rolls, or finger jabs. While these pain based techniques seemed to work for me initially, Sephy got quickly habituated to the pain, and he would fight back even more because he had started to associate people with pain.
Here is the story of Shiba Sephy and me –
http://shibashake.com/dog/my-shiba-inu-story
At the end, the “more aggressive approach” worked out poorly for Sephy. He became even more aggressive, even more aloof, and he did not trust us at all. At this time, I did consider using the shock collar because I was very afraid of Sephy and did not want to go near him. After doing some research on shock collars, however, I decided against it.
Here are some of the things I found on shock collars –
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-shock-collar-good-bad
What ultimately worked out best for Sephy was to institute a lot of rules within the household as well as a fixed routine. However, I would enforce those rules simply by controlling his resources – I did not get physical with him at all. I made him work for everything – including his food, his freedom, and even my affection.
As for the collar, I desensitized him to it so that instead of seeing it as a negative object that gets forced on him, he started to see it as a positive thing that we put on before a fun walk outside. Here is what I did with Sephy –
http://shibashake.com/dog/train-your-puppy-to-walk-on-a-leash#collar-desensitize
Here is an article about the difficult period I went through with Sephy and some of the techniques that worked well with him –
http://shibashake.com/dog/pack-leader-to-an-aggressive-dog
Here are some other things that helped with Sephy at home –
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-obedience-training
Feel free to drop a comment anytime if you want to chat. The Shiba Inu forum can also be a great place to hook up with other Shiba owners.
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/
Dear shibashake could I please have your email to share the photos? Thanks.
Sure, I will send you an e-mail.
Timber is having his third birthday soon! Do you have any suggestions of what I could do for him on that one special day?
I usually make a cake with dog safe ingredients for Sephy. His favorite is the peanut butter, carrot, and honey cake.
http://www.dogbirthdaysandparties.com/dogbirthdaycakerecipe.htm
I only give him a very small piece per day so his tummy doesn’t get upset.
Here are a bunch of other possible dog birthday activities.
Make sure to take lots of pictures and share them with us! 😀
awww cute dogs 🙂
Shiba shake thank you! Your advice helped me a lot I carry and air horn with me now when I take Timber out it keeps unfriendly dogs away. I chose the air horn because I feared if I used the riding crop or the dog pepper spray I might actually hurt the dog or at least provoke the owner. Your advice has helped me a lot, and Timber gets better everyday.
Thanks Winton.
Glad to hear that Timber is doing well. You bring up some great points with the air horn vs. pepper spray and riding crop. I will probably write an article about this at some point.
A big Merry Christmas to you, Timber, and your family! Have a wonderful holiday!