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.
I read your reply and figured it out my dog was trying to protect one of his treats turns out my friend touched his treat with his head please also please read my other comments.
Dear shibashake I am very angry right now because within a matter of minutes my dog has been viciously attacked. here’s what happened: I saw a dog looked like a malamute approached my dog. I didn’t suspect anything due to the fact that recently my dog has been behaving very well with other dogs, he sniffs them and then quickly loses interest but today the malamute attacked my dog the owner could not control him due to the fact that the dog was to big. They fought for a few seconds before we could pull them away Timber then coughed and let out something that looked like blood. I took him home immediately instead of risking anything my family then found out while wiping his paws that he had a huge deep cut on his neck we stopped the bleeding and comforted our dog. I had never seen such violence from a dog. Timber of course fought back to the dog because of his never surrender attitude, he used his nasty biting teeth. I hope he did not draw blood from the dog but at the moment I couldn’t care less. I simply wanted to share this and would like to ask what to do if I encounter this situation again.
Hello Winton,
Wow! Any dog fight is a bad situation but I think you handled it very well by separating the dogs and just leaving. If the other dog attacked your Shiba, then the owner should also pay for vet bills, etc.
Shania has gotten alpha rolled a couple of times by loose dogs in the neighborhood that charged us. Usually, after one incident, their owners realize that it is dangerous to leave their dogs running about and more carefully manage them. I have also looked into how to deal with charging dogs. Some options include – dog pepper spray, air horn, and a riding crop. Some people in the neighborhood also carry bats or walking sticks while out on walks.
I am now very careful about letting Sephy or Shania meet new dogs. Some dogs you can tell by their body language that they are friendly – they usually have loose posture, are easy-going (not intense), they play bow, and show good calming signals. I always avoid any dog that is showing dominant posture or stiff posture.
Owners usually say that their dog is “friendly” if the dog is friendly with humans. However, in my experience, they may not necessarily know if the dog will get along with another dog. It is best to observe the dog and make the determination of “friendliness” ourselves.
Also some dogs may have certain quirks during dog-to-dog greetings. Sephy, for example, does not like strange dogs sniffing his butt because it is a dominance move. He will only allow butt sniffing after they have played around for a bit and have gotten to know each other. So I don’t allow other dogs to move into his butt area during greetings.
How is Timber?
Winton,
A biting dog could also be a sick dog: please take him for a thorough check-up with the vet. It is well known that when dogs fall ill, their behaviour changes in one way or another. They can’t tell us what hurts and may try to hide it – but the pain will come out one way or another! Please take your best friend to the vet this week.
Kim
Biting and bleeding of a friend what now?!
a little while ago my dog Timber the shiba inu attacked a friend on the forehead and made him bleed! I have never seen such violent behaviour from my dog yet I don’t o why he is biting down harder and biting most people to! it seems after what happened this dog has been turning more aggressive
Hello Winton,
Probably the best thing to do is to find a good professional trainer. I would get the trainer come over to the house to observe Timber and see what triggers his aggression.
For example, Timber could have been guarding something, and did not want others taking it away from him. Alternatively, he could have seen the person as threat, or felt cornered. One of the best ways of dealing with aggression is to first identify the trigger, and then to help the dog re-associate the bad-trigger with something positive/neutral instead. This is also called the desensitization process.
This article has more on finding a trainer –
http://shibashake.com/dog/finding-a-dog-trainer
Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes with Timber. [Btw. love that name.]
Hi! I’m writing from Italy… my English is not so very well but I love your web site! It’s for me my “shiba bible”!!! I’ve started to read all about shiba inus last winter, your webstite too, and after months and months of thoughts I and my family decided to adopt one. In April she is arrived!! Our Iris! And day after day I continue to read your precious things
we have a very handsome young shiba inu mix although he looks very shiba and has most of the characteristics, but he was in a shelter and not socialized for the first year of his life so he has issues, like overly submissive, a little freaked by some dogs, uncertain how to play, a little goofy. He is probably part basenji too.
we are planning to get a female puppy, 6 months or under, and I am thinking what we wanted might be too overwhelming for our boy: we were looking for a wire-haired terrier mix. Too assertive?
Or do you have a suggestion for a breed to avoid? Or one to look for, to help him have fun and gain confidence.
thanks a million, diana
Hello Diana,
I love the look of Basenji’s as well! Would love to see pictures of your dog.
“we were looking for a wire-haired terrier mix. Too assertive?
Or do you have a suggestion for a breed to avoid? Or one to look for, to help him have fun and gain confidence.”
Based on my experiences with Sephy, I have observed the following –
1. He absolutely does not like dominant dogs because he will not submit to them.
2. Little dogs don’t like Sephy because he plays in the rough and tumble Shiba style.
3. Dogs that are protective over their space don’t like Sephy because Sephy can’t understand why other dogs don’t appreciate his Shiba-ness 😀
4. Sephy likes playing with other goofy dogs that also like to rough and tumble.
Which are the dogs that your Shiba likes to play with most? What are their attributes? Observe him carefully, and he will tell you what his preferences are.
Here are some of the things I did before getting Shania and right after getting Shania –
Second Dog Before
Second Dog After
wow I found you again but I seem to be on the wrong comment pages. I lost your website when my computer crashed earlier this year. You may rememeber my puppy Bear who is now almost a year old! Its been an exciting year of growth for both me and my Shibas lives! Except for the very occasional heart attack he gives me everything is great! He is getting ready to have a birthday party with some of his doggie friends that also have birthdays around the same time as his. Ok call me crazy having 10 or more dogs playing in my backyard and eating doggie birthday cake! Glad I found you again and point me to where I was commenting back the end of 2009 beginning of 2010!
Hi Kathy,
That sounds like a wonderful party. Sephy says he wants to go too! 😀 So make sure to take lots of pictures and share them with us!
What type of birthday cake are they going to have? I usually do peanut butter, honey, and carrot for Sephy and Shania.
Your previous comments were in the Shiba Inu Personality article. Here are some links –
http://shibashake.com/dog/shiba-inu-personality-good-bad-traits/comment-page-1#comment-2753
http://shibashake.com/dog/shiba-inu-personality-good-bad-traits/comment-page-1#comment-3123
http://shibashake.com/dog/shiba-inu-personality-good-bad-traits/comment-page-1#comment-3143
Hi, I like your site. Very informative. I have a question and you seem to be familiar with shiba inus. I have a 10 month old shiba (boy). I got him a playmate, a girl shiba. She is 2 months old. Do you have any suggestions on how I can introduce them? He is very calm. He plays with other dogs at the park but he also doesnt like them to sniff him. I dont know if this is normal behavior for shibas or my dog is just shy. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
Hi Jamie,
That is really interesting. Shiba Sephy is the same way. He does not like strange dogs sniffing his butt. Butt sniffing can sometimes be seen as a dominance move- especially when the dogs don’t know each other well.
http://shibashake.com/dog/the-butt-sniff
When I got my second dog, Siberian Shania, I had Sephy on a lead with me and I had some yummy food that Shania wanted. Shania was a bit shy at first because Sephy was very excited. 😀 She would come over and get some of the food and then move away. She repeated this a few times, and then started playing with Sephy and they have been best friends since.
In the beginning I closely supervised all of their play sessions so that each knew their limits and boundaries. I also set up a routine for puppy so that she didn’t go bug Sephy when he wanted to be alone to sleep. Here are more of my experiences of getting a second dog –
http://shibashake.com/dog/second-dog-introducing-a-second-dog
Congratulations on your new puppy! Sounds like your Shiba is already a very good boy so
My Shiba is about 10 weeks old now, should I start her with deworming meds and frontline plus? should this be given every month from here on out??
Hello Quinn,
I would call up your vet and ask him these good questions. My vet told me that getting the dosage exactly right on HeartGuard is very important.
I did not use tick/flea medication on Sephy until he was older. I only went on short neighborhood walks in safe places with Sephy until he got all of his shots – so that was at least a few months in.
Best to get advice from your vet on these issues.
Hi, my Shiba is acting totally different. Her name is Makita and all of a sudden she wants to be a lap dog. She is scared of everything and I don’t know what happened or what is wrong with her. Makita has always slept on my bed and kept to herself but now she wants to be on my lap every second and when I go to bed she hides in the bathroom and she never goes in there. Please any advice you can give me would be great. Thank you
Hello Pam,
Sounds like something really spooked her. Did something happen recently that Makita reacted strongly to? Loud noises? Change in environment?
One way to help her with something like this is to identify the cause/trigger of her stress and then slowly desensitize her to that trigger. If it is a particular noise – then you can record it. Then start playing it back really soft, while doing commands with her and getting her to focus on you. This teaches her to ignore the sound, and rewards her for focusing on you.
My Sibe used to be really afraid of the garbage truck. Every time we saw the truck, she would go into a panic and want to rush home. Therefore, every garbage day, I would sit and do commands with her – first inside the house. Once she was ok with that we slowly moved closer and closer to the door, then we did it with the door open, outside the door, etc. Nowadays she has learned that the garbage truck isn’t so scary after all 😀
Hugs to Makita.
Our Basenji is a mix. We never had her tested, but sometimes it looks like she has some pit in her, but as she ages I suspect she looks more like she’s mixed with a lab. She’s around 50 lbs. She learned to bark from our old dog, so she’s not barkless like a typical basenji.
We had our first class last week and I brought our Shiba alone. He was much better behaved than the Basenji was, and my only real complaint is he didn’t want to sit on command. Once seated, however, he stayed seated until told to do otherwise. I want to attend another class or two alone with him before I bring Trixie in, and I can tell right now that she needs a lot of review and brushing up.
Trixie is also wary of barking, aggressive dogs, but Rocky, the 21 lb. shiba, wants to jump in with both feet first. There’s a beautiful full size German Shepard in class that barks a lot and appears aggressive. Rocky isn’t afraid of him at all, but I keep him away for now as I don’t want him to get hurt. After a few classes we’ll see what happens.
Both dogs play very well together without any real dominance issues. If Trixie brings a toy for me to play with, Rocky will get involved, and sometimes she will put him in his place at the sidelines and he obeys for a short time. Also, Trixie is virtually silent when they play, while Rocky is constantly snarling and making really weird noises. My daughter pointed out that he sounds like a monkey, and she’s right. Both dogs always want whatever the other is playing with, but Trixie will wait until he’s distracted and take it, where Rocky will lay on his back, wave his paws around, and make monkey noises to try and draw Trixie to play with him and ignore the toy, which he’ll then steal. This only worked once or twice, but he keeps trying it and it’s hilarious.
Hello Mari,
They now have dog DNA testing so that may help with determining your dog’s breed. I have never done that myself though, so I am not sure how accurate it is, especially when differentiating two breeds that are so close in ancestry.
Definitely call up several places and ask them a lot of questions. Let us know what the results are 🙂
Hi Eric,
Yeah I like the Basenji breed as well. They have a very nice sleek look to them – kindda like a cross between a Shiba and a Greyhound. I was thinking of getting a Basenji as a second dog, but finally went with the Siberian instead.
How did obedience class go? Should be interesting with a Shiba and a Basenji 🙂
Based on your experience, what are the key differences between your Shiba and Basenji? Both breeds seem very similar in temperament on paper, but I imagine things are quite different in practice.
I have 2 Shiba Inus. The female is 6yrs. and the male is 2yrs. My female ranges between 17 and 20lbs. My male is 40lbs which is big for a Shiba Inu. I have been doing a bit of research on the japanese breeds and also when I was walking the male a japanese woman asked if I knew what breed he was. when I replied Shiba Inu she said no he is a Shikoku. The breeder I bought him from is Alvin and Patsy Ann Zimmerman and have him registered as a Shiba Inu is this due to the fact that the Shikoku is not recognized in the ACA. If any one could help me out thanks.
I just wanted to say that I enjoy your site very much. We adopted a young shiba just over a month ago, and I have found some good information here. Our other dog is a 2 year old Basenji mix, also a stubborn and free thinking dog, but she has calmed with age and has learned just enough obedience to keep us both happy. Our shiba has learned a lot from her and is basically a very good dog, but he’s also the trickster as you described. We start obedience class next week, so we’ll see how this unfolds. I will probably take both dogs to brush up the older one and give our shiba something of a role model.
Wow – now I’m very envious! 🙂
I am a big fan of video games (mostly RPGs) and anime. Blizzard, I think, would be an awesome video game company to work for, although I hear that the people there work super crazy hours.
Good luck! Sounds like you are heading for much fun and excitement.
Help!!!! My shiba inu, Kibo, (1 year old) has a yeast infection in her left ear. We are having THE hardest time figuring out how to administer the ear and treat it. Kibo is so squirmy and strong. She can’t hold her right or get her to sit still. We use a muzzle and two people, but still have the no luck. Any suggestions on the best way to hold her down, calming her so we can put the drops in or any advice at all to letting us treat her? The infection is getting worse, and the poor thing is constantly shaking her head. Thank you so much!!!!
Hello Kate,
This is a tough one. I have had the same issues with my Shiba, with very similar results.
The thing that has worked best for him in this situation is to make him an offer that is too good to refuse and to go very slowly. I basically used the same desensitization exercises that I do for his teeth and nail grinding.
One person gets some really good stuff – and I mean really good that he usually does not get anywhere else. I use mackerel for nail grinding, cream cheese for muzzle training etc, and Sephy Surprise (plain microwave chicken, melted cheese and a little bit of bacon) for teeth brushing.
Then let her come to you – which she probably will because it smells so good. Get her to do a down-side, reward a small bit. Touch ear briefly, reward a small bit. Repeat until she is comfortable.
Then you can slowly progress to just dripping a bit around the ear area. My vet told me that I had to put the drops right into the ear and then massage the base of the ear, but I started with just trying to drop in the general ear vicinity. Then slowly worked my way towards my end goal.
I only did very short sessions, and usually waited until Sephy was on the more hungry side. This keeps him very interested in what I have to offer and he is usually willing to let me do the handling that needs to be done.
Make sure to go very slowly, especially in the beginning, because she is probably somewhat wary about the ear drops.
Let us know what works out. I think this is a common issue faced by most Shiba owners.
Hugs to Kibo and hope she feels better soon.
Thank you so much for your suggestions. I am a bit nervous that we have totally tainted the situation because we are perhaps being too forceful — holding her tight and using a muzzle. I think your approach is a good one, and definitely something we are going to try. Adding the muzzle to the ear drops I think heightens her anxiety, so we are going to start with no muzzle. Also, those are great treat ideas. Maybe I will use your Sephy Surprise. 🙂 Thanks again!
Kate
I had a few ideas, both involve Video Game Development. My original thought was to study in Japan, though I don’t know Japanese, so I’m thinking of studying at Digipen (which I hear is one of the best) then when I get a job in the field, oh lets say like Nintendo or Microsoft (I’m keeping my hopes high lol) then I see if I cant transfer to japan.
That sounds like a great idea! Let me know if you have any questions.
Also, best of luck with college. I am a bit envious of you – college is a fun time. What are you planning to study?
Thank you that was a very helpful answer. I think I will keep doing research for when I am ready to get a Shiba (maybe in a few yeas), and hopefully by that time I will be able to give my Shiba the time he/she needs.
Thanks again!
Hello Dillon,
It is great that you are doing so much research and thinking carefully about this.
As you already know, Shibas can be very difficult dogs and they need a lot of attention. I spent a lot of time with Sephy and did a lot of training with him but did not notice a big change until after over 1 year. Shiba Sephy just turned 3, and I noticed another big mellowing out around this time. I think it takes time for a Shiba to learn, bond, and mature.
Personally, I think you can enjoy the college experience a lot more without having to worry about a dog at the same time. I had a great time in college, and don’t think I would have had the same types of freedoms and experiences if I had to be responsible for a dog. A dog can place a lot of constraints on your time and schedule, and they can also be very expensive with their yearly shots, teeth cleaning, and sometimes unexpected vet visits.
There will be plenty of time to get a Shiba later on, but now is the time to enjoy college, enjoy new people, and enjoy new experiences. This time in college only comes around once 🙂
HI, I think shiba are are really cute and for the past couple weeks I am really considering getting one. I have contacted most of the local kennels for their opinion and now I am asking yours.
Here is the thing, I am a college student. I would assume by me saying this your first reaction is no, but I have read on many sites, including yours, so I know what I will be getting into. I guess the hardest part would be when I go to school, though If I get one over the summer and push and get as much training in before school starts is there some chance that it will work out?
When I first saw them I wanted one (based on looks), then I thought, that If I got one he/she will force me to play and even get out side, be a better person, and even keeping me away from things that I shouldn’t be doing (i.e. video games).
Even though everyone says shiba are hard to train, I have seen videos on youtube of shibas even off collar! Im going to be very optimistic and shoot for this (thought they are expensive so I most likely not do this).
I study traditional martial arts so I know patients and all of that. PLEASE if you still think this would be a bad Idea let me know I want an honest answer, even If that means I end up not getting one 🙁
Thank you very much!
Hi,
I have a 3 year old shiba inu who has lived with us since he was 8 weeks old. Now I am thinking about adopting a 6 year old female shiba, who has recently been retired from breeding. I really like the idea of giving this older dog a new home, and a new life. My only concern is that she won’t bond with our dog, who is the current lord and master of our house. Any advice or suggestions would really be appreciated!
Thanks,
Hi Mina,
Kudos to you for adopting an older dog.
Some things that may help –
1. First let them meet on neutral ground (e.g. a quiet park or school field)
2. Go for a walk in the park and see how they act while walking with each other.
3. Female Shibas tend to be a lot more dominant than the males, so it is important to supervise all their interactions in the beginning to make sure that nobody is getting bullied. It is best when both dogs learn that it is the humans who set the rules, and do the disciplining.
4. Consistency and fairness are key. Usually when I reward my dogs I reward them both. I also do obedience with them together so they learn to work together. They get better rewarded when they work together 🙂
5. I also make sure that each dog gets quiet time when they want it. My Siberian is a ball of energy, so I will stop her from bothering my Shiba when he has had enough and just wants to rest.
Hope this helps. Congratulations on your new Shiba! Let us know how it goes.
Greetings!
I have been looking forward to getting a shiba for a long time but I’m not sure what is the right timing to get one. I’m moving into a new apartment in June and then starting a new job in July, so I’ll have a good month of free time. Would this be a good time to get a puppy so I can train and bond with it before I start work or would it be better to be settled in the working routine (8am-4pm) first?
Thanks!
Hello Andrew,
Sounds exciting! Congratulations and good luck on your new job.
Personally, I would wait until things have settled down to a regular routine. If you spend a lot of time with the puppy initially, and then suddenly change to a different routine, the puppy may get stressed and anxious because of the big change.
My Shiba really wants to have a fixed routine or he starts to worry and becomes unhappy.
You deserve a holiday first anyway – once you get your Shiba there will be little time left for yourself 🙂
Mine was a holy terror for the first 6 months, and a regular terror for the 6 months after that. 😉
Hi there. We have a rabbit problem in our backyard and Reptar goes crazy eating the rabbit poop. I would like to use some sort of deterrent to try to get the rabbits out of our yard however am having a hard time finding something that is safe for my Shiba in case he ingests it as he loves to put everything in his mouth. Blood meal is often used to deter rabbits and is also safe for the gardens. I have read mixed reviews on if it is safe for household pets. Do you have any information on Blood meal or any recommendations to get rid of the rabbits.
Hi Colleen,
We had some problems with earth critters (voles and their other rodent friends) when we moved in. After we just put in a new lawn, it looked like it was about to get eaten 🙂
We tried Shake Away – which only had natural ingredients. Supposedly the smell will keep away the critters – but it didn’t really work very well. They would stay away from one hole for a small bit, but then another hole would sprout out close to it.
It really looked kindda bleak, but then – suddenly – they all disappeared. It was because my Siberian started spending a lot of time outside and she would keep the critters out, as well as mark all over the lawn. She is great at keeping the backyard clear. Shiba Sephy is pretty lame because he doesn’t like marking at all in the backyard, is to lazy to chase after the critters, and even if he did magically find one, he wouldn’t really want to touch it.
I have not tried blood meal so I don’t know much about it.
Try posting on the nihonken forum, maybe other Shiba owners have tried it and can give you more information.
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/
Hello again,
Seem like our puppy is growing out of her crate .. She has doubled her weight at the 4 months mark . she is now 8 lbs and doesn’t seem to fit her crate very well. Does anyone know what the best size crate will be at adult age ?
Hi Eric,
I have the medium sized crate (36 inches long) for my Shiba. But he is a big Shiba and weighs about 32 pounds. Females will probably be smaller than that.
Most Shiba owners that I know of go with 30 or 36, and use dividers if necessary.
Shibas grow really fast in the first few months as you have noticed, but things really trailed off for Sephy after about 5-6 months. Just to be sure – you mean 18 pounds right? 🙂
My male shiba, Kai, is 4 years old, and had been well behaved till about 3 months ago when he became more resistance to our command. he does not want to go for a walk, he sleeps all day, and he relieve himself in the house for no good reasons. you website is very educational and i learned a lot. But I wonder if you have dealt problems like these. Thanks,
Hello Shuan,
I would take him to the vet as soon as possible. Shibas generally hate relieving themselves in their living space – so it could be something physical. A vet will be able to tell and give you peace of mind.
Hope your Shiba is ok- let us know what the vet says.
I really want a shiba inu, but I don’t know where to buy/adopt one! I want it to be healthy, a orangeor red female puppy,not named, 11 weeks or under and not a SCAM! I have no clue where to get one in New York! Please HELP ME!!!
Hello Angelina,
If you are looking to adopt a Shiba Inu, here is a list of Shiba Rescue organizations. There is a great Shiba rescue in NYC –
http://nycshibarescue.org/
You can get a lot of information from the people who run Shiba rescues. They all have great love for the Shiba breed, and have had a lot of experience with Shiba Inus.
If you are looking to buy a Shiba puppy I would only get one from an accredited AKC breeder. Here is the breeder list –
http://www.shibas.org/breeders.html
They also have a useful article on how to choose a breeder.
Here is an article I wrote on where to get a puppy.
Please let me know if you have more questions.
I have a black and tan shiba inu. she is one year old,very friendly, and well trained. although, when I leave her alone at home she always ends up chewing somthing up, shoes,rolls and rolls of toilet paper,the legs of chairs. I have tried locking her up in a kennel,i have bought her chew toys, she just doesnt want to listen. any suggestions on what i can do?
Hello ShibaGirl,
What you describe sounds like separation anxiety. My Shiba really likes routine, and can get very stressed when I leave him alone unexpectedly, or for longer periods than expected. When my Shiba gets stressed, he starts chewing on things to relieve stress.
Do you only leave your Shiba alone when you go to work? Is it always at the same time? Is it always for the same period of time? When did this behavior start, or has it always been that way?
If it is separation anxiety, then you want to try and desensitize your Shiba to being alone for short periods of time at first, and then slowly lengthen the duration. Hiring a dog walker or doing dog daycare may also help.
Hello Toni, Yeah Shibas are great fun to live with. Never a dull moment because they have so much personality and are always doing something new and unexpected. 😀 I always tell people – depends on what you want from your dog. If you want an obedient type, then don’t get a Shiba! lol
PARTY ON, DUDES!!! 😉
SHIBA’S ROCK HARD CORE MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have always wanted a shiba inu since i was about 5 years old. I am 11, going on 12, would absoulutly recommend the shiba inu. They’re lovable, cute, and a bit stubburn, but you gotta love them, right?
Yoshi sounds wonderful! 🙂 I think the great thing about Shibas is that they are always doing unexpected crazy things to surprise you. Never a dull moment – lol.
“the only way to do it is by playing and rewarding him, this is not a dog to be harsh with otherwise he will lose confidence in you”
I totally agree with you on this. I really lost a lot of my Shiba’s trust initially when I was using aversive training. His behavior improved significantly once I switched to reward training and everyone is having a much better time 🙂
Yoshi is a lucky Shiba to have found you.
I must visit Portugal someday. Such a beautiful country.
Hi there! I’m from Europe (Portugal) and I have a Shiba Inu (and 2 cat’s :-), he’s name is Yoshi and he’s 6 months old, until now we are getting along really good, he’s really crazy and… I love it! I was able to teach him to sit, lay down, stay and only to eat in my comand (after lot’s of reading in the internet from blogs like yours so thanks for it!) and the only way to do it is by playing and rewarding him, this is not a dog to be harsh with otherwise he will lose confidence in you. In Europe this is not a common breed so everyone is always asking if it’s a real Fox and most of the people never heard of Shiba’s.
Hello Shiba Owner,
Yeah I love Shibas of all colors. Sephy, my Shiba is red in color so those are the pictures that I have. Would love to see your Shiba, so send us a link to some pictures.
And it is great that you are socializing your Shiba to other dogs. My Shiba really loves playful, younger dogs. The more dominant dogs though generally don’t get along well with him 🙂
I own a shiba & shes beutiful. shes black & tan…. u mite wanna put up some more pics of tht color. i luv her 2 death & shes sometimes ok w/ other dogs. shs kind iffy. but we inspired my friend 2 get 1 2. htey luv her!
I’ve had 2 sheba’s for about 7 years now, they were inherited & not my 1st choice. They’ve grown to be the most loving wonderful family dogs! From standofish snobs to loving kids attention!! though still dog aggressive we can’t imagine our home w/out them!!
Hi Missy,
You are so right! Shibas really *do* grow on you. I think mine has me pretty well-trained now 😀
My Shiba is also iffy with other dogs. He really does not like new dogs coming up to him and sniffing his butt. He prefers to get to know them first before he will allow butt sniffing. I suppose I can understand that – I wouldn’t want some stranger sniffing my butt either until I have gotten to know them better – lol.
Great Hub! And, my bet is that Shiba Inu has the same personality as its mom, Shibashake! 🙂
Thanks chicamom – Beauty always has its price 🙂
lol frogdropping – Nah stay away from em – they are no good. Plus I don’t think Shiba Inu will get along with Kevin. Both want to be Ruler of the Universe 😀
RVilleneuve – “so beautiful and so impossible” – that pretty much sums up a Shiba Inu 😀
rchicaferro – LOL! Sadly, it is true 😀 We are both very high maintenance, but I haven’t caused any bite wounds … yet!
lol Janetta – knee deep in dog poop – story of my life 🙂 Things are actually going well. Almost done – then I just have to fix all the other non-dog ones, my squidoo articles, and my website. Gotta eke out that extra 10 cents of AdSense cash! 😀
Hey Shiba! As always, loved looking at the pics of pretty puppy Sephy!! Great job on the hub– how are the reconstructions going?? Still knee deep in dog hubs ?? lol
Yes, I had one of these dogs. He was so beautiful and so impossible. He even chewed his way through a crate.
Shiba – I’d love one. I like challenging animals. Even my horses have been harder work than they had busines being … I spent more time on the floor than actually on their backs.
Probably my biggest challenge, pet-wise, was my Shepherd. He took hours and hours, months and months – of dedication. But he was worth every second. And I’d do it all again.
Great article Shiba 🙂
Nice hub, the pictures are awesome, what a beautiful dog.
Good to see you Rochelle. Actually I started off with very little patience, so my Shiba Inu has really helped me grow quite a lot as a person 🙂
lol – Good choice Gypsy. I am not sure if I will get another Shiba Inu. I love my Siberian Husky and am very interested in trying out other dog breeds. Shiba Inus really do kindda grow on you though 🙂
I think I’ll stick with my Lab. Interesting hub, thanks
I can see why you are enthralled with this attractive breed. You obviously must have a lot of patience and energy. Beautiful dog.
Hello!
We have a shiba and are contemplating getting her a husky friend. How do your shiba and husky get along? Are they compatible? The husky we would be getting is a very laid back and docile pup, and our shiba is little miss alpha female, so we would need a more submissive dog. Is this sort of the dynamic yours have?
Hi Cassie,
My Siberian and Shiba get along really well. They really enjoy each other’s company and play a lot together. In fact, I chose a Siberian because they have a play-style that suits my Shiba well – energetic, rough play, full of wrestling and tumbling.
As you already noted, Shibas tend to be more dominant so I was very careful to find a Siberian Husky that is very submissive. I got her as a puppy (8 weeks old). I had her on trial-run for 1 week to make sure that she would fit in well with my Shiba. I was a bit concerned that my Shiba would bully her because she is so submissive, but it turned out that my Shiba loved her so much that he let her have her way most of the time.
Couple of things that was a bit surprising:
1. Siberian Huskies shed A LOT. Even though they have the same double coat as a Shiba, they shed a whole lot more. Be ready for hair all over the house, all the time.
2. Siberian Huskies are extremely energetic. My Sibe easily tires out my Shiba even though she is a three legged dog. After an active play session, my Shiba will be totally tired out while my Siberian is still hopping around looking for adventure.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have further questions.
Why is the cream color Shiba not allowed to be shown?
I have one and she is gorgeous. She is the best dog and was trained easily. Very loving.
thankyou
Hello Jamie, Thanks for coming by.
I do not show my dogs, so I am not really “hooked-in” to the show circuit. As I understand it, the cream colored Shibas cannot be shown because their white markings cannot be seen. Apparently, the white markings are an important part of the breed standard.
Conformation dog shows, as I understand it, have less to do with good looks and more to do with how the physical characteristics of a dog conforms or comes close to the “breed standard”. This breed standard is often determined by well-respected breeders in each particular breed.
I also read somewhere that cream Shibas may have mixed ancestry with the Jindo, and this may be where the white coloring comes from. This could be another reason why they are not allowed in conformation shows.
Personally, I love Shibas of all colors and I believe that the temperament of a dog is much more important than his/her looks.
I have a Shiba (Rusty) 3 yrs old-he rubs his eyes and face on the snow and ice also inside on rugs. He has such sore places around his eyes (looks like a racoon eyes). I do not think it is food allgeries as have tried that theory-have had him to vet 3 times wants to give him shots again but can’t keep from going inside while I’m at work. Normally he is kept in kitchen when I’m gone & does not seem to have any anxiety when I leave or come home. We have gotten so very close & he trained to come upon command but I want to help him out with the terrible itching by his eyes & on his face.
Hi Paula. Rusty sounds like an awesome boy. Send him over so my Shiba can take some lessons from him 🙂
It can be difficult to pinpoint the source of an allergic reaction, and sometimes, there can be multiple sources.
Usually with food allergies, the itching is also accompanied by loose or watery stool. My Shiba is allergic to wheat, and he used to get really itchy from it. I started giving him really plain meals (boiled chicken and rice) to see if he got better, and he did. Note that it may take a few days before things get better and the allergians clear out of his system. Some dogs may be allergic to poultry, so if the boiled chicken doesn’t help, then switch to an alternate meat source e.g. duck, venison or rabbit. Then I slowly introduced his normal food back into his diet one by one until I found the problem food. Usually you want to use kibble that is grain free, and has good protein sources.
http://shibashake.com/dog/feeding-your-dog-a-healthy-diet
The itching can also be from skin allergies to plants, pollen, or other chemicals. My dogs often stick their muzzle into all kinds of holes, bushes, etc. The best way to deal with this is to keep the dog away from the offending chemical(s). Try keeping your Shiba inside only during the weekends or try to get someone to shiba-sit for you, and see if the itching improves if he doesn’t explore outside. One time, I visited a Shiba breeder with a very handsome, long-haired Shiba. Unfortunately, she told me that the handsome Shiba is allergic to grass.
The itching can also be from mites, fleas, etc. My Siberian just recently got a mite attack and started losing hair around her mouth and eyes. This can be easily diagnosed by the vet with a skin scraping.
These are the three main reasons that come to mind, although I am sure there could be other causes. Try to find a vet who is willing to come up with a program to help you identify the source of the allergy rather than just treat the symptoms with shots.
Hope this helps. Let me know how it goes.