The Shiba Inu is a beautiful Spitz dog. You will get many compliments and turn many heads, while walking next to a Shiba.
A Shiba can get you a lot of attention, and open doors to many social encounters. Get used to hearing, “He looks just like a fox!”.
In fact, it is this foxy look that often gets Shibas into trouble.
Many people fall in love with the ‘Shiba look’, but are not equipped to handle his larger than life personality.
If you like the Spitz look, there are many other breeds that fall into this group, that may better suit your lifestyle.
The Good
1. A dog that is more like a cat
A Shiba Inu is independent and very clean.
My Shiba Sephy, spends a fair amount of time not just grooming himself, but also helping to groom my Siberian Husky.
Their inborn cleanliness make them generally easy to potty train.
Sephy only had potty mistakes on the first day that we brought him home (10 weeks old). After that, he has always let me know when he needs to go outside. In fact, he naturally dislikes soiling his living space, and even prefers not to go in our backyard.
Shiba Inus like having their humans around, in the general vicinity. However, they are aloof like cats, and do not need or want human affection, much of the time.
2. A good watch dog
A Shiba Inu is not a noisy dog. However, when there are strange people or strange noises around the house, Sephy will bark to alert me. Once I go and check things out, he stops barking.
Sephy also has a great memory, and will alert me if anything is out of place around the house, or in a familiar neighborhood. One day, he started barking at the fence, because somebody had put a piece of wood on top of it – amazing!
3. Graceful, agile, and high energy
A Shiba Inu is graceful and agile.
He can leap tall fences in a single bound, and can scale walls like Spiderman. If properly directed, his super powers can be used for good. However, when left on his own, the Shiba will likely turn towards the Dark Side.
Sephy is a great hiking buddy, and is always up for a new challenge. He can easily learn and conquer an agility course, but he will only do it, if I make it worth his while.
A Shiba running is a sight to behold, and a Shiba at play is poetry in motion.
4. A doggy Einstein
A Shiba Inu can learn many dog obedience commands, and he can learn them very quickly. He also thinks that he is much smarter than you, and will only obey you when it suits him.
Sephy can quickly solve complex interactive dog toys and puzzles. I am always trying out new ways to deploy his food in toys, because he figures things out so quickly.
A Shiba will challenge us and keep us sharp and on our toes!
5. A larger than life personality
No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness.
~~[ Aristotle ]
A Shiba Inu may be small in body, but he has a ginormous personality. If a Shiba were a person, he would either be an extremely successful egomaniac or in prison!
Sephy always surprises me and makes me laugh; at least when he is not making me cry.
He has this one move, where he puts his head down on the ground, with his butt sticking up in the air – it is just too precious.
The Bad
1. Bold, strong willed, and stubborn
A Shiba Inu has a “Never give up, Never surrender” attitude.
He will not back down from a challenge, and will often fight back when he perceives a threat. Because of this, many Shiba owners face aggression issues with their dog, including food aggression, dog to dog aggression, and people aggression.
To successfully live with a Shiba, we must be extremely patient, and have a good sense of humor.
Turn a Shiba’s annoying habits against him.
For example, a Shiba gets bored easily. If we ignore him and give him nothing to react to, he will quickly lose interest, and move on to something else.
Sephy can also be very competitive. If he sees another dog getting praise and rewards, he will want to strut his stuff and show that he is better.
Work with a Shiba’s innate personality, and use it motivate him in the right direction. Passive resistance and reward obedience training, work best with my Shiba.
A Shiba will hand you many lemons, which is good if you like lemonade. Otherwise, just cut one up and squirt it on his muzzle.
~~[ just kidding! ShibaShake ]
2. A sly, rougish intelligence
A Shiba Inu is super intelligent. He will most often use his brain power to “push your buttons“, and get what he wants.
Sephy is always trying to figure out how he can outsmart me, and all the humans around him. A trainer once told me that Sephy was spending the weekends, “Devising new strategies to defeat her”.
In another life, my Shiba was probably a Catholic priest. He can guilt me into doing almost anything for him.
Beware the Shiba look – it is one of his most powerful weapons, and he will use it to great effect, if he senses any weakness in you. Before you know it, your Shiba will have gotten you trained to fetch, stay, and rub tummy.
- Remember that a Shiba will do whatever he wants, if he can get away with it.
- If he cannot get away with it, he will figure out another way to get what he wants.
- When he gets caught with his nose in the cookie jar, he will give you the innocent, “What did I do?” look, and then come over to lick your hand.
As soon as you turn away, he is back in the cookie jar!
3. Like the evil, black Spiderman
A Shiba Inu is capable of great feats of agility. However, if left untrained, he will use his powers to destroy and cause great havoc in the household.
If bored and lonely, he will escape by jumping over or burrowing under your fence. He can squeeze through small holes, bite through leashes, and achieve amazing great escapes, that will make Houdini proud.
If not properly supervised, Sephy will pull down items from counters, and shred them to pieces. He may even eat some of those pieces. Once, I left him unsupervised for about 10 minutes. In that time, he pulled down a phone headset, dismantled it into little pieces, and arranged them in a strategic pattern all over the floor. Luckily, he did not swallow anything.
A young Shiba Inu has a lot of energy.
It takes a lot to keep him occupied, and away from trouble. Supervised play sessions with friendly dogs can help. Another alternative is to put him in dog daycare, or to employ the services of a dog walker.
4. A Drama Queen
My Shiba will whine, mope, and act like it is the end of the world, when he is unhappy about something (e.g. wearing a harness).
Woe be to you if your Shiba gets hurt, or even just thinks that he is hurt.
Sephy acts like he is close to death’s door, even for small things like getting grass stuck between his teeth.
Woe be to you, woe be to your vet, and woe be to anyone who tries to help.
Shibas are extremely touchy when in this state, and may snap or bite at anyone who comes near them.
In addition, Sephy is extremely sensitive to the energy of the people and dogs around him. If I am scared or stressed-out, he picks up on that immediately, and gets that way too – except with a thousand times more gusto!
5. An accomplished singer
A Shiba Inu does not bark much, but he has a wide range of vocal stylings.
The most well known is the Shiba-scream, which is a high pitched, loud scream, that will make your blood curdle. Your neighbors will think you are torturing your poor little ball of fur.
A Shiba will quickly learn to use his Shiba-scream against you, if you let him.
Do not get embarrassed, and do not give him a reaction during a Shiba-scream. I just ignore Sephy and go about my business. He quickly learned that screaming is not very effective at getting him what he wants, and he stopped doing it. Remember that a Shiba can see your outward appearance, as well as sense your inner energy.
6. Dog royalty
A Shiba Inu does not like being touched or handled.
Cutting nails, bathing, or a vet examination, is never fun for any breed of dog. However, with a Shiba, it can be total hell.
After a lot of desensitization work and management, Sephy still protests to some of these activities. He sometimes throws a fit when I pick him up, and he only likes human contact when the mood suits him.
A Shiba is like dog royalty. He wants his subjects close enough to serve him, but not too close as to sully his royal person.
7. Pretends not to understand ‘Obedience’
Obedience? What’s that?
Shibas Inus think that you should be obedient to them and not the other way around. If you want a Shiba to do something for you, you had better make him a good offer. Sometimes, Sephy bargains with me. He will sit there and wait until I have the acceptable number of dog treats in my hand, before going into his crate.
A Shiba can be a good citizen at home, but he must be properly managed.
Shibas are strong willed, independent, and bred to hunt. Aversive training does not work well on them. Shiba owners need to be creative and flexible when interacting with their dog.
A Shiba is not to be trusted off-leash, unless in a fully enclosed area.
8. Nasty, wicked teeth
For a small dog, a Shiba Inu has very large teeth, and he is not afraid to use them.
Shibas can be very mouthy; more so than many other dog breeds. When I first got Sephy at 10 weeks old, his mouth was all over me. Now, it is in control, but his instinct is still to bite.
Shibas are a primitive breed, and they lose control more easily than other more domesticated dog breeds.
The Quirky
A grass connoisseur
Sephy likes grazing, but he is picky about what grass he will eat. Dogs may sometimes graze when their stomachs are upset, to clear their digestive systems. However, my Shiba just enjoys eating grass, provided it is the right kind of grass.
I recently found an article suggesting that there might be something to this grass connoisseur business after all.
“We at Green Foods believe that dogs and many other carnivores, including cats and bears, eat cereal grasses because cereal grasses contain nutrients not found in meat that are essential for the animals’ good health.”
~~[ Green Foods web site ]
Thanks to all the posters at Shibatalk and ShibaInuInfo for their many humorous Shiba stories that inspired this article.
thank you ! were into our 2nd month with our Shiba and i was soooo happy and relieved to find your site . i seriously thought we made a mistake in agreeing to take in my new daughter in laws Shiba , not knowing his quirky traits , the cat like stand offish behavior , the shaking , the constant rumbling like talking, the eating grass : ) , the yelping in pain were there was none seen . thinking maybe he had rabies when we visited the vet and he lunged and howled , and yelped in unforeseen pain , what a night mare ! we hung in there , and I’m so very glad. this little 20 lb wonder has become so much a part of our family in just 6 weeks . now that i know what to expect from him , and can read his body language , every day is a new learning experience , i wouldn’t trade for anything. hes loving and affectionate , when hes ready , hes calm and sweet , and so very smart , and i swear he has a sense of humor . your site has taught me so much , and i thank you !
Haha, I am so glad to hear this. Sounds like things are working out very nicely. Yeah, I definitely love a Shiba’s sense of humor. Sephy does way out things that my Sibes would never do. He is a big clown and always has something new up his sleeve. Big hugs to your boy. 😀 If you have online photos, please share some links with us.
I have a 3 yo shiba/German Shepard mix who displays more shiba traits than GS ones. She is generally very friendly with people and usually obeys commands indoors (always obeys if there is something more than a “good girl” in it for her) – once we are outside all bets are off and she becomes a little she-devil! I was hoping someone might have advice on the best way to handle an upcoming situation. I am having surgery in five weeks and will not be able to care for her for approximately two-three months. I have found her a great home with two women she already knows and seems to like. Any advice on how to make this transition as easy as possible for her? She is the happiest dog I have ever owned and seems to adapt well to new situations but I am worried. Would it be better to not see her at all during those 8-10 weeks? It would make me feel much better to see her, but I worry that it would be too hard/confusing for her to have to leave me again. Any advice/thought would be greatly appreciated!!!
Ditto.
Great article! Really gives one a feel for this unique dogs. Thank you!
I LOVE shibas. They have great spunk an attitude while being playful, loyal and loving at the same time. This is my favorite video showing how curious shibas can be lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnY1ubrCJXs
My parent friend give to us when she was 2 years old and she is 7 year old now. Her full name is Queen Sheeba but she is queen of the house. We name her Shiba or either Sheeba almost sound same. We love her. She is smart and playful and run a lot too in my backyard.
Last time I was in Tokyo I saw a Shiba sitting outside a little ways away from grocery store, without a leash. It struck me as the most obedient dog imaginable, like it would sooner die than move one single INCH away from where it’s owner told it to stay.
I’m almost startled to read your description regarding their lack of obedience, it sounds almost opposite of what I saw.
I’m also surprised at things in reading! Pretty is sweet,loves her kids and takes plenty from them; yes when baby new she was protective and felt she should watch! But she plays,interacts with no aggression at all! She loves to be loved! Pet,kissed her walks! She is an escape artist though and must have secure yard, and careful about not letting her sneak out, she’s always come back though.even though we went nuts looking for her.doesnt bark a lot, but alerts us to door.she is clean, not major shedding except in season.she loves to play with her toys,tug of war and confused baby stuffies for hers; biggest problem is she’s handst, and her nails scratch, no matter how clipped they are.its her trait, haven’t been able to stop that behavior.she brings toys and shakes goes to bring her toys to u and reaches.all in all, a lovely,sweet breed for our perspective!
We bought a Shiba 6 yrs. ago from a breeder. She was two at the time. I just love her but she is not typical of the Shiba breed….she LOOKS like the one pictured but does not act like any other Shiba I’ve read about. It fools people into thinking that the breed is very mellow & gentle. Kids come up to her in the store & pet her, people comment on her gentle nature, & she looks absolutely stunning…BUT I always tell them she is the exception. She is very laid back–I have to get her up & moving otherwise she would spend the day napping!! She is great w/ cats & other dogs, & just wants to snuggle w/ her humans. The breeder said this dog needed a special home because she was very sensitive. She is easily upset by noises which results in quivering & burrowing under my arms so I will hold her. I love her personality but know that there would probably not be another one like her.
Wow! You just described my shiba! We received our shiba when he was 9wks old. He’s now 5yrs.
He also looks exactly like all shibas and has the very independent & stubborn personality. He is mellow but I did ask the breeder to select the non-alpha shiba from the litter. I joke that I’ve overly domesticated him or it’s just part of his personality. He won’t jump our 3ft gate to escape from our backyard. Which he easily could do and did jump when younger. He doesn’t chase rabbits, lizards, birds but occasional snaps at flies. He still does his daily shiba inu crazies and runs through out the house at random times.
We have a doggie door he begrudgingly uses. Prior to that, he trained us to open the back door when he tapped on it to go outside.
Our shiba loves to snuggle and get petted by us. He will paw us when he wants attention which is often. He is raised in a household with two young children so he is also great with kids. I made sure to always touch is ears so other kids could pet him. People who know shiba’s say ours is the friendliest one they’ve ever meet. I walk him in very public places and he loves loves attention from people and usually ignores other dogs. I take him to doggie day camp to “play” and socialize with other dogs. He does great with smaller dogs or very mellow larger dogs. I stopped taking him to dog parks because he started marking some dogs and elderly dog owners – yikes!
Our puppy must also be an exception and likes being pet, picked up and sits on our lap when he gets tired. “Tiki” is 7 months old, dangerously intelligent and very well behaved. It is a wonderful bread for those who want not just a pet, but a friend who appears to truly understand what your saying when you talk to him, but independent and not requiring contact attention.
An amazing breed.
My brother and sister-in-law have this same personality Shiba and he also fools unsuspecting people into thinking they are and easy breed to have. He has fits of nervous shaking that can only be handled by cuddling and snuggling too.
We have another sweet, mellow,loving shiba! Yes, escape artist if not watched, smart,loves her kids, her toys, and to be walked played with and loved! Have never seen any aggression at all! Sleeps with the kids! So, I’m thinking there may be many sweetly bred shiba out there! Spend time with one you’re choosing to adopt!
We have had a sheba for nearly 14 years. We have a runtish female (SHEBA). They are independent dogs and don’t require a lot of attention. She loves to lay out on the back deck and “keep watch”. I’m also the only one who can pick her up but, I do it carefully. She grew up along side a poodle/jack russel terrier mix(Chester). …that dog has since passed on…and sheba waited a good 3 months on the deck waiting for Chester to come home. Kinda sad. Those 2 dogs got along pretty well….and Sheba also gets along with our current 4 year old poodle named Charlie. Those 2 like to play together…and Sheba also gets along great with our cat MEOW-MEOW. We got meow meow as a stray kitten and her and Sheba were instant buds…..Sheba would act like her mother and the 2 would curl up together….my sheeba does pretty well with other animals. She also knows from early on that we would not tolerate aggressive behavior for no reason…..and the dog caught on quick. The older these dogs get…the better they get…..and to you’re surprise the most excited when picked up from the kennel. The do love their owners but are shy about showing it…..sometimes I have to go over and rub her belly…to let her know. Shebas are great dogs and I hope mine stays around for as long as possible…I love my SHEEEEEB!
So cute
Thank you for the excellent advice about Shiba Inus! Your advice about putting a Shiba in time out has been very important and helpful in training our female Shiba puppy. They CANNOT be dominated/made submissive like other dogs, including my Airedale Terriers who are clearly way more domesticated! Your advice about making it worth her while to go outside has helped- she’s fully housetrained, but meh, it’s easier to do it in the room farthest from where she sleeps. My great big Airedale is an excellent alpha- gentle, ultra playful and ready to snap her back in line when needed. The airedale found an injured bird and sniffed it- the Shiba charged in and killed it immediately. These are not lightweights.
You are so right! They are fearless, nothing phases them.
i watched mine go after a 10″ wood rat. Methodical kill, she’d jump on it, bite, then step back, over and over till it was dead. And no trace of blood on her face or coat. Amazing!
Hmmm…I found this website because I searched “shiba inu aggression.” In my neighbourhood, there are at least 4 of these dogs. One is sort of okay, for now–but she’s young and might change. Another would’ve killed my Havanese at the dog park, if I hadn’t interceded. A third wanted to attack my previous dog, when she was dying. This dog’s owner was embarrassed by her dog’s violence. A fourth didn’t like me walking on the road in front of his house. His owner made excuses (I had my walking poles, which I don’t use around any dog, and which I hold down so they don’t look like weapons).
This blog does show me why an owner might want to keep her shibu inu rather than euthanize it. But for me to write this–and I’m a dog lover–shows to what extent I’ve become leery of these animals.
I urge any owner to keep her dog muzzled if necessary, and always on a leash. This dog doesn’t belong in a dog park with smaller dogs. Nor does this dog belong unchained in its front yard.
Cuteness doesn’t count in a court case.
I think Shibas can really surprise people- so very cute, so very intense. Most people are prepared to understand that a Pittie requires excellent training to be the sweetheart they can be- its a big, tough looking dog. Many people who would get a Shiba would never get a Pittie- so as you say, they are surprised when their untrained little ball of fluff has a serious aggressive streak.
Correct Carol. These dogs must be leashed at all times…..unless you have a very tall fence….and not the chainlink type. I show my Sheeba affection everyday and always have. My Sheeba is also a VERY good walker and loves to go for walks with her brother Charlie (poodle). Charlie is the trouble maker on the walks and barks at most other dogs…..Sheeba seems to sophisticated to do any of that. Sheeba has 1 toy that she plays with…a small moose head…Charlie has 10 toys he plays with. Sheeba is the mellow one…lol Charlie sleeps under the covers with us….and Sheeba is alond side the bed on the floor……Charlie is actually the better watchdog……and barks way more. sheebas only bark when necessary.
I do agree with your comment only, don’t let those other Shibas scare you away from the breed. Shibas need to be trained right and most owners are lazy and don’t take enough time to train them. A Shiba is a great dog after it is properly trained. (By the way I do own a Shiba so I’m not just randomly writing this)
You must of meet bad owners cause my shiba loves other dogs, if a dog acts aggressive she’ll put them in thier place, or protect another dog,.. before you judge on shibas you should know your information or rather yet every dog can act that way regardless, I’m assuming you think pits are aggressive too.. no matter what breed it is it can be aggressive or passive, I believe it’s all on the trainer.
That’s completely the owners fault and not the shiba. Her dogs have not been trained well or socialized. Mine lives with 3 other non shibas and gets along with strange dogs as long as they too are polite. This breed can have a really amazing and loving personality if they are raised and trained correctly.
Carol
I have to disagree with you in all your points. We have had our shiba Inu for 8 years. We have 2 children and let her run in our yard unchain all the time (supervised). Our neighbors are not afraid of her nor anyone!! She had never been aggressive with anyone. I believe it is how they are raised.
If you read and understand; Shiba’s are protective, and do not shrink from anyone, or any dog. They closest genetically to a wolf, along with the Akita, (largest Shiba)….think about it…don’t blame the dog for its genetics…get over it. What cat do you know will come play with a strange cat walking the neighborhood? They run them off their territory. These are cats in dog’s clothing… Shiba’s aren’t for everyone. Jasmine would take on the biggest dog, she kills everything that moves, including mice. She is fearless.
She has never snapped, and loves people and attention. The best dog
I have ever had.
Carol,
They say that if you don’t train your dog, it will train you. This is especially true of Shibas. I’ve had my Shiba for 7+ years and got him when he was just 8 weeks old. A lot of people don’t realize that Shibas are a handful. If you put in the time from the start, are consistent with them, and ensure they get enough exercise, then you’ll most likely have a great experience.
As you mentioned, Shibas shouldn’t be off leash, and they can be aggressive towards other dogs. Most Shiba owners should know this.
I agree, I’ve just inherited my parents Shiba she is 7yrs old now. She’s been at my home since December and I am so ready to take her to the pound. I didn’t want to take her as I know how she is with other pets..and I was right. I have a stray cat that hangs out on my back deck and every time I go to feed the cat Reba goes aggressively crazy to the point of snipping at me. I’ve been wanting a puppy of my own for years just hasn’t been the right time…but I know if I was to get a puppy now it would not go well if she’s acting this way towards a cat only makes me think what she would do to a puppy. I do know that she gets very aggressive with other dogs but loves strangers. She’s very stubborn, and does not listen well…and good luck trying to clean her paws after a muddy walk. As cute as they are I don’t recommend this breed.