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.
It seems your page “inspired” another blogger to make a Shiba temperament page. And it looks like they took your page and just slightly altered it so it’s not direct plagiarism.
bunkblog.net/dog-breeds/shiba-inu/shiba-inu-temperament
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, no? 😛
Either way, your blog is wonderful and gives a first hand account of how a Shiba really can be, and how to handle them. I love it! Anyone interested in being owned by a Shiba should see this site in its entirety before bringing one home. Keep up the great work!
“inspired” – I like that. 😀
Yeah, unfortunately, this type of thing happens very frequently for most online content. Even copied content gets copied. Thanks for letting me know.
Scream help! We just adopted a 10 week old Shiba! He is kenneled during the day while we are at work. I have only got a small taste of what the shiba scream is all about (middle of the night, short scream) but after reading article I am nervous that he will be screaming all day and I live in an apartment. What things can I do to eliminate that?
I have him in a kennel with blankets and chew toys. I thought about putting him in the kitchen on tile flooring with his kennel but keeping the kennel open and letting him roam just the kitchen area? Any thoughts?
Putting your little Shiba in the kitchen all by himself wont work at first, trust me I tried it with our female Shiba. If you just got your puppy and he is still adjusting to his new home try to spend as much as your free time with him as possible, and even place his kennel in your bedroom when you are sleeping, it might be hard to sleep for a week or two with the screaming but eventually they will learn that it is bed time and go to sleep to. Our Shiba tended to do better when she had more room to roam so if your kitchen area is small it might not work so much. There isn’t really a way to eliminate a Shiba from screaming unless you get a no bark collar and puppies are too small for most of them. Make sure you close doors to rooms you don’t want your puppy to go into and pick up any wires that your puppy could chew on. Try leaving your puppy a few hours at a time and work up if at all possible, I realize that can be tough also, so if you have anyone that can watch your puppy while you work or even come check on him it might help (just make sure your puppy knows the person first otherwise there will be screaming). Our female now whines when we first leave or get back but seems to be fine while we are gone. She is now about 15 weeks. Since she does better now we have placed her in a second bedroom with pee pads, her kennels, toys, her food and water, and a gate when we are gone and also leave the radio on for her. She has mainly saved her screaming now for things like unknown people, new things to her, and occasionally other dogs; and in rare instances for my fiance and I if we wont wake up to let her out of her kennel. If you have to work long hours consider getting your Shiba a puppy playmate if you can. But remember not to leave them unsupervised together until you know how they will get along, sometimes harmless playing can turn too rough unintentionally with all puppies. Goodluck with your new little Shiba, just remember patience is a virtue when it comes to Shiba’s. Hope this helps. We went through the same worries when we got our Yuzuki since we work graveyard.
Yeah, my experience is similar to Brandi’s.
In the beginning, Sephy really needed to have people around – for company, structured activities, and training. I slept with Sephy the first few days. Then, I slowly crate-trained him, so that he would be relaxed and happy in his crate. Once he was good with being in his crate, I got one for the bedroom, and put it close to our bed so that he could smell and see me during sleep time.
With Sephy, he was Shiba screaming at night because he got stressed from being alone. After we moved his crate into our bedroom, he stopped the behavior. Because the behavior is a result of stress from being alone, it would *not* be effective to use aversive techniques such as bark collars. Pain or other aversive stimuli may cause a puppy to become even more stressed, worsen the anxiety symptoms, and cause other behavioral issues. In general, aversive conditioning is *not* appropriate for young puppies.
In addition to crate training, I also very slowly desensitized him to being alone. I start with a very short period of alone-time (few seconds), and slowly build it up over time. An important thing to training my puppy, I found, is to start small and take small steps. In this way, I set my puppy up for success, he builds confidence, and also learns to trust me.
As Sephy matured and gained confidence through training, socialization, and desensitization exercises, he learned to relax on his own, and to face new challenges with greater certainty.
I also make sure to exercise Sephy well before leaving him alone for any period of time. In the beginning I played structured games with him, socialized him to other puppies in puppy class, and organized play sessions with friendly, healthy, and vaccinated neighborhood dogs that are around his size. After Sephy got fully vaccinated, I also started leash training him, and walking him multiple times daily. Exercise gives him a positive outlet for his stressful and excited puppy energy. Once he drains some energy, he is more able to focus on training, as well as relax and sleep during rest time.
You forgot to mention that they are notorious to running away, given the chance
Yes indeed they are!
Hi there, love your website.
I have a question. Do you know what the flat, mid-length ribbon-like leads are called that some people use with Shibas, and where I could get one? I’d like to work on my 5 year old Shiba’s recall in a safe way, and she just stops with a training or normal lead on, because of the weight.
Thanks,
Titania
Hello Titania,
Nylon leashes are usually more lightweight. However, the collar fastenings for these leashes may not be the most secure, so I would look out for that.
I sometimes use a nylon leash as a drag-lead for my dog, because they are light. I got a bunch from Amazon. However, they can come-off, especially during heavy activity.
Hey ShibaShake, I had a few shiba questions, love all the articals you have on them, by the way.
I used to have a basenji pitbull cross (buddy), he was an epic dog about the size of the shiba you have. Buddy was not a lap dog by any means, he’d follow me around, but was more then content to lay on the floor and watch me or play with toys. i have a horse and do quite a bit of trail riding, buddy would faithfully run with my horse and go on a lot of 8-15 mile rides with us.
I know Shibas were originally bred for hunting and some folks hike with them, but in your opinion, would they make a good horse dog? I’ve been without buddy for about six months and I think it’s time I started looking for another dog. I like the aloof temperament of Shibas are said to have, I have friends with overly friendly dogs like Australian shepards and I really can’t stand all the licking.
Thanks!
Hello Dot,
I am afraid I don’t have any experience in this area, since I have never done any horse training. I love horses, but unfortunately, have not had the opportunity to live with one.
I would try reposting your question on the Shiba Inu forum.
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/discussion/7816/12lb-shiba-vs-1400lb-horse/p1
Hey ShibaShake,
I’m 18 and i’ve had my shiba inu, Kenji for a little over 3 years. I love him to death and I try to do my best to keep as him happy and healthy as possible. I’ve always had dogs ever since I was a baby and I still do to this day but Kenji was the first dog I got that was actually mine and not just the families. I take care of him myself as best I can and my family has been there to help me along the way, but as I said before i’m 18 and have been home schooled since my second year of middle school, and now i’m trying to think about my future. You know collage, a job, my own place to live etc. But I don’t know how to fit Kenji into all my plans. I try to entertain him and play with him when ever I can but there are times when he wants my attention and I just can’t give it to him because I have other things to do. It’s not like he doesn’t have enough things to entertain himself, he has plenty of toys and we have 2 other dogs and a family who are more than happy to play with him but sometimes it seems all he wants is me. I hate ignoring him and it’s not like I have a full schedule but there are times when I just want to sit down and read or study and he just won’t let me. Maybe i’m just being lazy or over exaggerating the whole thing but if you have any tips or such you can give me i’d really appreciate it. – guardianlue
What helps with my dogs is to make sure they have several caretakers whom they trust and have a strong bond with. In this way, if I am sick or have to travel, there will be people around who can take over Sephy’s care temporarily.
Shibas especially are very loyal dogs, but they do not trust easily. I make sure to properly socialize Sephy, and have others around the house that feed, interact, and play with him on a daily basis so that he learns to trust them as well. Building trust takes time, so I make sure I am there to help with the process, and we go slowly. For example, I feed him one meal, and others feed him his other meals, we share who takes him out for walks, he gets play time with others, etc.
http://shibashake.com/dog/it-takes-a-family-to-raise-a-dog
I believe anyone who ever owns a Shiba Inu will not regret it, they are very high energy, but extremely smart, and jealous. My Shadow was a Shiba Inu and German Shepherd. Unfortunately about 10 days ago I had to put her down, she was having multiple seizures, which is part of the german shepherd health issues. She was given to me as a gift when she was about 8 wks old, she put the fear of god into me over a rawhide chew. Once she learned that I was the lead dog so to speak, the boundary was set. It took firmness with her in voice commands. She trained relatively easy, and she trained me as well. She taught me every day everything was hers, and every day meant play until the last few months and she still tried. She rarely barked, but would howl at a passing train, and later would howl at the telephone if I was upstairs and it was ringing. She learned to trade objects, rocks for goose eggs. She proved to me an old dog can learn new tricks, we brought African goslings, Shadow thought they were for her to eat, and maimed one to where I had to kill it. It resulted in finally catching her, putting her on a chain, left with food and water and shelter, the only thing she was lacking was me touching her and talking to her, after 2 weeks
I would like to honor our Shiba Inu, Simba. We got him when he was 8 months old and that was almost 15 years ago. No one could ask for a better dog, he slept through the night, we were able to train him (somewhat), never got sick and was always there for me. He would rarely bark, only when our doorbell rang or if he wanted to go outside. Most of the time, he would come up to me and just stare at me and that was his way of telling me it was time to go outside. He would chase his tail, lay on his back to scratch it and then get this look on his face as if to say ‘yes, can I help you?’ He was definitely cat like in the sense that he would come by me when he wanted to get petted. He would eat grass, get into the trash and take things down from the counter. He also got away a few times and I had to go after him. Once he got tired enough, he would just give up and then I’d have to carry him home. As he got older, he slept a lot, but was still fairly active. I’m sorry to say that last night we had to say goodbye to him and had him put to sleep. It turns out that he had a tumor in his brain that caused him to lose all motor function. He couldn’t even stand up, was dizzy and wasn’t eating or drinking. That by far was the hardest thing I had to do and I didn’t want him to go that way. But I look at it this way, at least he’s not suffering anymore. I loved that dog more than anything and I know that he loved me too. Rest in peace Simba, you made my life so much better and I will never forget you.
Beautiful tribute to your dear Simba. My shiba is seven, and I try to
push aside the thoughts of giving him up someday. Do they know
how hard it us for us humans to say good-bye. I can imagine you
have already seen this link, but it is comforting.
best wishes,
Wayne
http://www.petloss.com/rainbowbridge.htm
My shiba is now 10 years old and is the greatest dog ever. He gets along with everyone and is particularly good with young kids. He was very hyper up until around age 6 or 7. He is very quiet, and we have never bathed him. He smells very good and is amazing considering hes never bathed. I love my shiba and advise anyone looking for a dog to get one. You just have to very strict with them at a young age.
I have a 7 year old Shiba Inu/Lab mix named Chloe. She’s a tough cookie! haha. She’s in-between the size of a lab and shiba inu, and she has the coloring of a shiba, but the tail and coat of a lab. Her ears are half-up and half-down so they’re a little floppy and perky. Even though she has a lab tail, she holds her tail up high as if it should be curled. She and her siblings were found as puppies, in a field, living in a cave with their lab mommy.
My parents assumed she was half Jack Russel, but at the time my little sister had the Nintendogs game, and she had a Shiba and I thought Chloe looked too similar. I’m absolutely certain she is. She acts just like one! She’s sweet and loyal and caring like a lab, but she’s very picky with her food (she’ll stare at me like I’m stupid as if she’s saying “do you really think I want to eat THIS? Please!”), she growls at me when I move my feet too close to her and she’ll move away lol (she despises feet), her bark sounds similar to a Shiba Scream but not as high-pitched, she gives me hilarious nasty looks (as if she’s thinking “Was that supposed to be funny?”), she potty-trained herself and NEVER goes inside the house, she is always clean and she lovessss to lick her paws. She’s also very territorial with people/animals she does not know who come to our house. She’s bark away at them and get in their faces, she never bites though, but she’s very protective of her family and does NOT like outsiders. She also tends to fight with our Golden sometimes if he touches her food or a toy of hers. She’s EXTREMELY intelligent. She taught herself to open doors, open crates, she knows the difference between left and right, and she absolutely knows what you’re talking about, especially when you’re talking about her. She’s also pretty independent. I love my Clu-Clu!! 🙂
hi there i was wondering, i got my dog (bentley) 2 weeks ago and was told he was german shepard/akita cross, but i do know akitas and he is too small, i was told that he is probably shiba inu/ german shepard, now he is a year old already and has some training issues, he always pulls the leash, trys to take the leash and walk me, always barks and howls when i am not home, he has great agility loves to jump and he can jump high, just wondering if anyone here has had any type of these problems with a shiba, any tips would help as well
Yeah, Sephy used to leash bite in a very bad way. He would get so crazy he would sometimes jump on me, grab my jacket sleeve, and start shaking his head. It was pretty scary.
Here is more on my leash biting experiences with Sephy. What works best for Sephy is to no-mark, then immediately march him home and end the walk. In this way, he learns that –
Any kind of leash biting = fun walk ends,
Walk nicely on leash = get more freedom to explore and fun walk continues
I trained Sephy not to pull by using the red-light-green-light technique and the 180 turn around technique.
http://shibashake.com/dog/leash-training-your-dog
Hi,
We have a one year old Shiba, and we’ve noticed that her breath smells like a metallic, blood smell. Is this anything we should be concerned about? Thanks.
There can be many reasons for this, so it is best to check with the vet.
Couple of forum discussions on this-
http://www.i-love-dogs.com/forums/dog-questions-answers/34418-puppy-has-metallic-breath.html
http://boxerworld.com/forums/dog-health-issues-questions/49609-4month-old-foul-fishy-metallic-smelling-discharge.html
Probably has some tartar building up. Smelling breath is the one clue that is telling us something is up.
Thank you! We’ve had a few days together and he’s calmed down a lot around me… he’s a sweet little thing, very cheeky but he seems to really want to please us. I have been observing him, and have found out he’s very reward oriented, so have been following the NILIF tips on your site which seem to be getting great results. Let’s see how it goes!
That is great to hear! Big hugs to your Shiba. 😀
Hi there,
On the weekend my husband and I bought a two year old male Shiba Inu. He is a darling around other people, dogs and my husband… everyone apart from me! He has growled at me a few times and stands around staring at me. I figure it’s just him working out the pecking order in a new pack and doesn’t fully trust me yet, and I am going to start taking him to dog school so we can learn some new things together, but I was wondering if you have tips? Is it the sort of thing he will grow out of if I keep up consistent behaviour? I have been alternating between holding my ground when he gets bolshy (we had a stand-off earlier today when he tried to eat a tissue on the ground when walking – I made him sit and drop it before we walked on, and gave him a treat as a reward when it was finally dropped) , ignoring the bad behaviour (I left the room when he growled at me last night) and rewarding good behaviour with treats.
It’s a bit saddening for me that he doesn’t seem to love me the way he does everyone else, but I am doing my best to stay calm and work through it!
I had a similar experience with my Shiba (Sephy) when he was young. He would be calmer and much better behaved with other people, but he would go crazy with me.
The key reason for this, was my energy. I was uncertain when interacting with him, and would get frustrated, angry or disappointed, and ultimately also somewhat fearful of his behavior. Sephy would pick up on my non-calm energy, get uncertain and stressed himself, and act out even more. The truth is, Sephy did not love me less. He was simply reacting to my own emotions and feelings. Since I was uncertain and frustrated, he got uncertain and frustrated as well, and used aggression to deal with his stress.
Here are some things that I did with Sephy. Here is a bit more on my experiences with Sephy.
I also set up a very consistent set of rules and a very consistent routine. Consistency is very important with Sephy, and I make sure to always respond in a very consistent way to his behaviors, so that he learns what are desirable behaviors and what are undesirable behaviors. Here is more on how I train a new dog.
Dog training is also very context dependent. Ignoring may work well in certain circumstances, and may have the opposite effect in others. For example, my dog may try jumping on counters to get whatever is on top. I could walk away and ignore him, but he would still keep jumping on counters. Every time he jumps, he may get rewarded with something fun from the counter, e.g. paper, food, etc, which would encourage him to jump even more. Similarly, “holding our ground” is the same way.
What helped most for me is to observe Sephy carefully, and try to understand things from his point of view. Once I understand what motivates a certain behavior, I can redirect it or reorganize the surrounding motivators to get a different behavior. Here is a bit more on how dogs learn.
With Sephy, group classes were mostly useful for socialization purposes. However, they are not as helpful for dealing with specific behavioral issues. For those, private lessons were much better.
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
Need Help!!! I am dog sitting my friend’s female shiba. She is 5 years old. I had a problem on the first day walking. While we were in the parking walking and accidentally she slipped out from her harness to chase after a small dog. I was able to grab and hold her on my arm. When I tried to put the harness back on, she growled and showed teeth at me. I tried different methods, being nice, being mean (having a rod on my hand! She got scared actually) But when I put the harness closer to her every time, she just growled again. Now I don’t know what to do. I live in an apartment so I need to take her out. I was told that no one could put the harness on her except her owner who is on a cursie and the owner won’t be back in a week. She is fine with me but I when tried to put the harness on, she got angry again. I used to have a penkingnese and a Sheltie. They are not like that. Any suggestion??
Sephy (my Shiba) is also very sensitive about wearing anything on his body. I had to spend a lot of time getting him comfortable with putting on and wearing a collar. I did this *slowly* by associating the collar with positive events (e.g. fun games) and food rewards. Here is a bit more on the collar desensitization process that I used with Sephy.
Shiba Inus are loyal, and they do not give their trust easily. It was something that I had to earn over time through consistency, repetition, and positive experiences. My energy is also very important when interacting with Sephy. If I am fearful, frustrated, angry, or otherwise not-calm, Sephy would pick up on my energy, get stressed himself, and his behavior would worsen.
Do you have a way of contacting her owner? She knows her dog best and would know the best way to deal with this. Is the Shiba ok with wearing a collar for the short term?
Hi there. Thanks for all the fantastic pics and great info. I recently lost my beloved Akita, Toshi, to cancer. I have approximately 20 years’ experience with the breed. I am thinking that it might be time to explore smaller breeds. My Akitas were all rescues and health-wise proved sad and expensive, to a one. I am shy to get another, especially one that originates in No. CA due to the overwhelming health problems they seem to have. Can anyone point me to reputable breeders of the Shiba Inu? I am up for a breather regarding serious and costly health problems. The oldest Akita I was blessed with died, also from cancer, three months shy of her 9th birthday. Very sad. I’d appreciate any help anyone can offer. Thanks so much. P.S. I love, love, love the Akita personality and know the Shiba shares many of the same attributes, hence my interest. Thanks again. Rannie
For Shiba Inu breeders, I go to the National Shiba Club of America-
http://www.shibas.org/breeders.html
There is also some great information on the site in terms of common Shiba health issues and more.
Hey, it’s me again… I wanted to ask about a problem… I have my dog (the all mighty Cork, lol) but i also have 2 cats… the cats hide from Cork, and Cork chases the cats… do you have any pointers on how to get them to get along?
Hello Jade,
I don’t have any cats, but here is a thread from the Shiba Inu Forum about Shibas and cats-
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/discussion/7120/problem-with-cats/p1#Comment_125511
Here is an article from the ASPCA on introducing a cat to a new dog-
http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-articles/introducing-your-cat-to-a-new-dog
HI , would it be hard to keep a Shiba in an apartment ? I really like this dog but since i dont live in a house i have my doubts
http://shibashake.com/dog/shiba-inu-personality-good-bad-traits/comment-page-5#comment-63240
http://shibashake.com/dog/shiba-inu-personality-good-bad-traits/comment-page-5#comment-71181
http://www.dogster.com/forums/Shiba_inu/thread/561213
We’ve raised our 8 month Shiba named Stella in a townhome and an apartment. Stella was fine in both. We crate trained her, but quickly realized that she has no intention of getting into any trouble when left home alone and the house to herself. She’s very well behaved, but we might have just gotten lucky. We did exercise her very much on the weekends. We’d take her to puppy parks, on hikes, etc. During the week, we’d just exercise her on a quick 20-45 min walk. I’ve just moved in to a larger house with a yard, so I’m happy to be able to give Stella some room to run around!
Shibas are good for apts. Just take for regular walks and give attention. I live in a condo and it works good
Should I get a boy shiba inu puppy or a girl shiba inu puppy? Which one has the best qualities?
I belive that both have great qualities. but if i was to pick one i’d say a male would be better… or that could just be because my Shiba, Cork, is a male and he’s just the best dog ever!!!! JadeCorkus OUT!!!! Peace
Hi! I really want a shiba inu but I feel like they are too mean and stubborn. Are they really mean all their life or are they loving and playful?
I’ve honestly never met a “mean” Shiba. However, all of the Shibas that I met were socialized very thoroughly. If you take the time to do your research and socialize your puppy as appropriate I doubt you’ll run into any issues.
Shibas aren’t mean, it is just the ancient breed trait coming out. My shiba growls at people or other dogs and its her way of saying back off but even after growls you can pet her or comb her and even a stranger can let her sniff. She loves her people and usually doesn’t want to be far from me and she loves to cuddle
Hey! I am hoping to get a shiba inu puppy in a few months but I am really worried that they are mean and stubborn and hate affection from humans! Are they this way and are they good dogs to have?
What makes a good dog depends on our lifestyle and what we want in a dog.
I got Sephy mostly for his looks, and because of that, we both had a very difficult beginning. Shibas are usually independent and stubborn, and I had to put in a lot of effort, time, and patience to properly train Sephy. Shibas also tend to be aloof, and like having their own space. Sephy is a lot less affectionate than my other dogs. A Shiba is definitely *NOT* a lap-dog.
Here is an article where several Shiba owners weigh in on why a Shiba is difficult to train.
The Shiba Inu forum can also be a good source of information on Shibas-
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/
They are awesome dogs! Mine is 7 and I got her when she was 5 weeks old, she potty trained the first day! She is stubborn but does well with other dogs and cats but is very food aggressive. To me that is minor and I’d get another Shiba in a heartbeat, great with kids as well.
I have a red Shiba named Cork (and he looks just like Sephy!) and he loves to eat grass and run around (thanks for the infi on the “shiba-Scream”)
He sounds like a lot of fun. 😀 Big hugs to your Shiba!
I want this dog, i have a good space for him, time and love, but i have a cat, my cat is 14 years old, he is active and very intelligent but he is kind of spoiled so he doesnt accept to have other cats in my house and he has always been scared of dogs. Is there a chance that a shiba can get along with a cat?
I don’t have any house cats, so I do not have much experience in this area.
Here is a good discussion on Shibas and cats on the Shiba Inu Forum-
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/discussion/7120/problem-with-cats/p1#Comment_125511
Here is an article on how to introduce a cat to a new dog-
http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-articles/introducing-your-cat-to-a-new-dog
Hi! I am getting an 8 week old shiba inu puppy. I was wondering if they are all agressive? Mainly because I was bit by a big dog 2 years back, and since then I’ve been a little afraid of being bit again. I have always been facinated by the Shiba Breed 🙂 I’m just very nervous! Thanks!
Puppies, especially Shiba puppies need to be taught what things are ok to chew on and play with, and what things are not appropriate to chew on. It was also important to train my Shiba puppy to control the force of his bites when interacting with people.
A bit more on puppy biting.
A bit more on how I trained my puppy.
Be aware though that Shibas tend to be aloof and stubborn. They can be mouthy and be much more difficult to train than many other breeds.
Why Shiba Inus are difficult to train.
I have a 6 year old female shiba Inu named Starbrite. My daughter picked her out and getting passed the dogs infant year and a half growing years I can’t imagine never having this dog. We love. She shows her affection as well. She is very loyal and will show she wants only to be with us as well. Smart they are but in a very good way as they get older. I feel the older they get the better.
Yeah, that has certainly been my experience with Sephy. We definitely had difficulties at the start, but it got better and keeps getting better with time – like cheese. 😀
Hello Shiba Shake,
It has been a long time since I have posted!! I am the owner of a 4 year old black and tan shiba named Moksha. I must say that I was not sure if I would survive Moksha’s puppyhood, but I must say that after all the chewing, stealing, and shiba crazy runs that constantly knocked over my lamp, Moksha has become the most wonderful dog in the whole world. He comes with me everywhere and about once every 6 months he spends the a whole day acting as if he has never had any training at all. On that day, I know that I can’t leave anything of value out where he can chew or steal it:) Then the next day he goes right back to being a very well mannered shiba. Of course, as we all know, a well-mannered shiba and a well-mannered dog are two very different things…LOL. All of his little idiosyncrasies are absolutely amazing and to be honest, I wouldn’t know what to do with a dog that did what I told him to without complaining. Anyway, sorry for rambling but I wanted to give an update on Moksha. Let me know how to and I will send some pics…he has grown into a very dapper dog.
Hey Meg,
It is great to hear from you and to get an update on Moksha! I think the last picture I got was when he went river rafting with you. 😀
Is Moksha on Facebook? Would love to see more of his pictures.
No unfortunately moksha and I don’t have much experience with social media, but I can give you an email address! I don’t want to put it on the main forum, so how would I get it to you? If I put my email in the comment section does it show up on the main forum? I am so glad to reconnect your sephy looks like he’s doing well and keeping you on your toes 🙂 and your huskies are absolutely gorgeous! I have to admit I am jealous. If I had more room I would have had a Siberian years ago, but I just felt it would be cruel to have one since I don’t have a fenced in yard. Anyway! Let me know how to get my email to you because Moksha has grown and has, believe it or not, been able to make friends!!! One is another shiba that moved into our area and the other is a Rottweiler!! The two of them together are hilarious! I hope to hear from you soon!
Haha, Moksha is such a lucky boy! I am definitely looking forward to seeing his pictures.
The email information is private so it *won’t* show up on the page. You can also send me a message from here.
Hello,
I have two wonderful Shiba Inu’s. One is a 6 yr old Black and Tan female named Kiko and the other is my 10 month old red male named Kenji. The problem recently is that Kenji all of a sudden (like this last week) has developed an obession with the wood chips we have out in their potty area. He grabs them, wants to play with it and chew it. Our other female will play for hours with the ball and he used to until now with this wood obsession. How can I break him of this? I’m so affraid he will chew it, get a spinter or choak on a piece. Please, any help will be appreicated. My male Akita (Kosan) passed away August 17, 2012 and I was so heartbroken (he was 14 yrs old), so the breeder of Kiko called us and said he just had a litter, so yeah, Kenji was an inpulse buy. He has a super sweet personality and we play with all his toys inside the house, but he has now lost interest with his outside toys. Should I buy him new outside toys??
Yeah, Sephy also had a wood-chip phase. I tried stopping him, but that only made him want to play with wood-chips even more, because it became a fun game where he gets a lot of attention.
What works best with Sephy is to engage him in some other game that he likes when we are outside. For example, he likes playing the flirt pole game and the water hose game, so I can use those to distract him. I play those with him as soon as we go outside, and *not* in response to wood-chip chewing. Otherwise, he will learn to associate wood-chips to the games, and perform the behavior even more. Instead, I stop playing and interacting with him if he decides to go after wood chips.
I also enhanced his chew toys with food. New toys don’t really help with Sephy because they become “old toys” very quickly and he would lose interest in them. I also tried cycling through his toys, but that stopped having an effect after a short time.
Another method I considered is to bring Sephy inside whenever he starts to play with wood chips, but unless I already had him on-leash, it would quickly turn into a catch-me-if-you-can game. I could have walked him outside on-lead, but that seemed overly constraining.
Happily, he got bored of wood chips after a short time because the other games were more interesting. Different dogs are motivated by different things though, so it would also depend a lot on Kenji and what gets him excited. 😀
Big hugs to Kiko and Kenji! They are very lucky Shibas.
Let us know how things go with Kenji, and what works best with him.
In the future, I would like to own 2 dogs. One definitely a shiba inu, and the other, maybe a basset hound. Do you know how these breeds would get along? Would they, due to their stubbornness?
Do shiba’s “initiate” playtime? The basset hounds I’ve had enjoyed playing, but only if a person or dog would approach and show that they would like to play.
I can assume that a shiba would give a basset personal space, because a basset likes to be left be as well.
Yeah, Sephy will sometimes initiate play. However, Huskies are very high energy, so my Sibes are usually the ones who do the play-invites. I also give my Huskies longer daily walks, and I play various chasing games with them, so that they get engaged doing alternative activities. A Shiba will probably be higher energy than a Basset, and will need more exercise.
As for getting along, I think a big part of that depends on supervision and setting up consistent interaction rules. I supervise my dogs a lot when I bring in a new puppy, and I also set up clear rules (especially for meal-time and play-time). In this way, my dogs know exactly what to expect from the new dog and vice versa. Here are some of the things that I do to help my dogs get along.
The other part of getting along will depend on the individual dog’s temperament. I waited for about 1 year before getting a second dog. In this way, I had time to observe Sephy, understand his personality, and pick a second dog that is compatible with him, would play well with him, and would do well with our current routine/lifestyle.
My shiba always initiates play with our pom esk cross. Shiba is sometimes too rough and can be a bully at play time though. Often she is ignored until she settles down
Hi, your site is interesting and the comments are even more helpful! Anyway, I was wondering if a shiba is suitable to live with Siberian husky? I have a beautiful playful Siberian husky and a cute pomeranian, will they be getting along fine? If we have a house with tall fense, will the shiba be ok living within the fense outside the house? Of course we will have a house for them out in the garden area. Also will shiba be fine with a warm weather ?
I think that would depend on the temperament of the dogs, their training and routine, amount of supervision and structured exercise, the environment, etc. I currently have two Huskies and a Shiba. With supervision, rules, and daily walks, they get along quite well.
My Shiba, Sephy prefers to be inside the house most of the time. He will go out from time to time, especially when it is sunny, but generally he likes being in the house. My Sibes like being outside a lot more. I make sure that my fence-line is not only secure on the upper parts, but also below ground. Dogs can dig under the fence and get out that way.
It is also important whether there is grass in the backyard or whether it is fully concrete. Staying on a concrete floor for prolonged periods of time, can have negative effects on joints, feet pads, etc, especially when it is very cold or hot outside.
My Shiba, Sephy does better in warm weather compared to my Siberians. My Huskies have much thicker coats. During hot summer days, they spend most of their time inside the house, on the tile floor, and under a fan.
http://shibashake.com/dog/cool-dog-keep-your-dog-cool-in-the-summer
My son Nick bought our Shiba (Rocky) at age 11 months. He had prior owners who moved out of the country and could not take him, so they returned him to the Kennel he was purchased from. Nick bought him 11/11/2012. We learned early on that he would run if given the slightest opportunity. Nick had him neutered on 12/03/2012 and on 12/04 he ran and was gone for three hours. We live in a sub-division which is surrounded by wood and Rocky wouldn’t let me or anyone else close to him, so I just left the front door opened and Rocky sauntered in exhausted. A few days later Rocky was very sick and we found out he had whipworm and had it for a while which caused bacteria to grow in his intestinal track along with an ear infection. He was treated and seemed well after that. I was always worried about his skittishness around others and his lack of affection toward me, but your article has helped with those concerns. Just yesterday, 3/31/2013 my husband left the door cracked and Rocky was out again but this time only for 30 minutes. While out there he rubbed his neck in another dog’s poop which was something he did when we first got him that’s why Nick had him neutered because he was told that would stop him from wanting to sniff so much and from rubbing in it. The poop was all in his fur so I gave him a bath. I am a bit ashamed to say, but I only had Head and Shoulders and used that to bath him and get the entire poop out his fur. Today, I have noticed that he is not walking around with his tail curled but he’s not scratching more than usual and he is eating, drinking and playing as he normally does. So what does it mean when he is not curling his tail, does it have anything to do with the shampoo I used? Just one more thing, Rocky likes to eat deer pellets if given the chance and I am sure he ate some yesterday, deer roam in our sub-division every night so there are a lot of deer pellets piles around. I am having his pooped checked in a few days to make sure he didn’t pick anything up. Why do you think he is not curling his tail and what do you think I should do if this continues? Thank You, Victoria L. Davis (new owner)
Based on what I have read, using adult human shampoo on a dog can cause skin irritation for the dog. This is because human shampoo may contain chemicals that are not appropriate for a dog’s skin.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/grooming-faq.aspx#humanshampoo
http://www.animalloversforum.com/content/it-safe-use-human-shampoo-dogs
As for the tail curling, I have noticed that Sephy leaves his tail uncurled and droopy when he is not feeling himself. In particular, he does this after he gets his teeth cleaned, while he is still groggy from the anesthesia. However, in addition to the uncurled tail, there are also clear changes in his behavior, and he does not eat until he feels better.
Is Rocky’s tail drooping down as well, or is it just uncurled? Given that Rocky was outside eating poop, it could be something from that, it may be irritation from the shampoo, or something else. Probably safest to check with his vet.
I loved reading all about Shiba’s here. You hit the nail right on the head. We have a 7 year old white/cream shiba named Alex. We just found out he has torn his ACL and has a luxating patella in the same leg. My heart hurts, we will do what we have to do to fix him back up but the stresses of the financial aspect of this all is taking a toll on me. I love my little guy, I can’t wait til he’s back to himself! I love Shiba’s!
Yeah, I know what you mean about the stress – both financial and emotional. Shania hurt one of her back legs a few weeks ago, and it was very stressful keeping her level of activity down, and worrying about her recovery.
When we really love someone, it is difficult not to worry.
Big hugs to Alex! Shania also sends some super Husky kisses.
Our shiba inu is 13 years old and since we came back from vacation he is howling usually for no reason that we are aware of. He was left alone most days for 10-12 hours while we were gone. Our son would stop by to feed him and let me out on the run. We purchased a device that is supposed to stop barking, but so far it hasn’t seemed to help. We brought him to the vet and she said he is in perfect health. I am thinking that his hearing, sight and senses are dimished due to his age. And possibly he is afraid that he will be left alone again. When I walk out of the room for any exteneded time he starts howling. We are at are wits end. Love the little guy, but he is driving us crazy. Any suggestions?
It sounds like it could be separation anxiety. I know my Shiba gets stressed when there are changes to his routine, even though they may seem like small changes to me. When we moved, I quickly set up a fixed routine for Sephy in the new place. It helped to recreate routine and certainty for him again, and he was able to relax soon after. I also gave him more structured exercise after we moved, so that he had an outlet for his stress.
Here is more on dog anxiety and stress.
Hmmm, what device are you using to stop the barking? There is very little regulation in the dog equipment field. Often times, the risks of certain devices, such as bark collars, are swept under the rug, in order to promote more sales. If a dog is vocalizing because of stress, shock collars or other types of bark collars can further increase anxiety, and worsen the dog’s stress symptoms and behaviors.
Here is more on how to deal with separation anxiety from the RSPCA.
well, it’s beem decided! I’m going to acquire a Shiba Inu of my own! (Finding a breeder in SoCal/Arizona is proving to be beyond impossoble though). I have read many of your amazing articles, the shibainuforum.org discussions, two cesar milan books, one housetraining book, one trick book for dummies, and one specifically about the shiba inu. This leaves me just a few questions id like to ask! A) is it extremely rare that shiba inus are cuddly? I dont need to smother the dog with affection, but someone to chill on the couch and watch a movie with would be nice, and B) are there any extra books or websites you may recommend? It will be my first personal dog (had family dogs growing up) AND itll be a Shiba, so im preparing ;). Thanks!
James
Congratulations James! Sounds like you are more than prepared to be owned by a Shiba!
Sephy will often chill out with us when we are watching t.v. He likes being around us, just not too much of the touchy-feely stuff. 😀
In terms of dog training information, there is a lot of conflicting advice out there in net-town, so I try to stick to-
1. Scientific studies.
2. Behavioral articles from top veterinary schools, especially the ones with good animal behavior programs, e.g. UPenn, UCDavis.
3. Well established dog advocate sites, such as the RSPCA and ASPCA.
When I first started with Sephy, I really enjoyed Bones Would Rain from the Sky
by Suzanne Clothier. It is not a dog training book though – but more of a dog relationship book. Instead of blaming everything on Sephy or on dominance, I started to listen to him, see where he is coming from, and try to be a better pack leader. It made me view things in a different way and turned things around for Sephy and me. However, the book’s message may not appeal to everyone.
She has a bunch of great articles on her site. Definitely have a look at her articles first to see if you like her style of writing.
Dr Sophia Yin (from UCDavis) also has a lot of useful information on her blog.
Truly enjoying your “Shiba Shake” and you are 100% accurate! Also enjoying all of the comments. You forgot one warning, though–you forgot to tell everyone how ADDICTING Shibas are! I started with a puppy mill rescue in 2007 and now have three–one rescued at 10 years of age from a high kill shelter and my girl came along two years ago when the local shelter called to tell me they had a Shiba who had been adopted out twice and kept escaping. I can’t imagine having any other breed of dog. Even with all the “quirks” (and there are many!), my Shibas are the most loving, sensitive, funny, and fun-loving dogs ever! They have never been and never will be off leash, and my Sammy (puppy mill dog) nipped my best friend and my aunt when I first had him. Honestly, he was a handful until I adopted Saki, the 10 year old, who proceeded to calm Sammy down. Of course, that all changed when Abbey joined the pack, because she is completely in charge of the boys. There were PLENTY of fights at first, still can be over food, but, for the most part, Sammy is in love with Abbey and Abbey is in love with Saki. Quite the love triangle! Thanks for all the info and your love of the breed!
I cannot believe Raiden is going to be 6 months next week time flys when you have a Shiba puppy!
I’ve noticed a couple more people asking about whether a Shiba is a good apartment dog. We live in a one bedroom apartment with no yard and it was a big concern of mine. Raiden is doing just fine in the apartment. We make sure he is well excercised and my Mom puppy sits while I am at work. He gets to play with a Collie all day and is well socialized with other dogs.
Raiden wanted nothing to do with his crate. He would scream, wine and carry on. Since I am in an apartment, with thin walls, that wasnt going to work. Needless to say, we slept on the couch together. We had many a cold nights in November and December running outside every two hours to pee pee. I certainly dont miss that. Note: Always get a puppy in the Spring or Summer! After about two weeks Raiden understood where to relieve himself. That isn’t to say he hasn’t had a couple accidents. Mostly my fault though, getting all bundled up with boots and scarves and gloves sometimes takes too long for his liking! He did, however, jump up in bed two nights ago and precede to pee in the bed. Not fun!
One of my favorite parts of being a Shiba mom is hearing his cute yawns waking me up in the morning. I swear sometimes the noises he makes are unreal! Raiden is definitely not a big barker, but a screamer he is. All the Vets call him the biggest baby. Heaven forbid they need to check his temperature, if you know what I mean.
Good luck everyone!
My neighbor knows some people who lost their home, and needed someone to keep their dog until they are on their feet again. I had been considering getting a dog for a long time (about 10 years, actually), so I agreed to take him. I enjoy dogs, and a dog is a dog, right? Wrong !! He turns out to be a 18 month old Sheba, and is the stubbornest bunch of fur that I have ever encountered. We had a couple of “fights” where I wanted to go to bed, but he did not agree to come in from the garden area until about 2am. I moved his crate/bed into the washroom where there is a dog door, and he has agreed that sleeping in there is acceptable, also he is not allowed out in the big back garden after about 5:30 pm. His hair started falling out in handfulls this week and I thought maybe he was sick but from what I have seen online, it seems as if this is normal for Shebas. Our walks consist of a mad dash from one good smell to the next, and I think my arm is 6 inches longer now than it was a few weeks ago. I made the mistake of letting the neighbor’s dog into my yard to play, and that turned into a fight – also I tried getting rid of some of his energy at a local dog park, which worked for a while but then also ended in a fight.
He has gotten out of the yard a couple of times, and darted off to investigate the neighbor’s chickens.
I thought exactly the same thing when I got Sephy. I mean, how bad could a dog be, right? 😀
Shiba says, “Silly human.”
Hello hello!
I got my first Shiba Inu back in September 2012. My fiance and I were just browsing a pet store admiring all the cute puppies. We’d duscussed getting a dog but decided to wait until after our wedding. Then we saw Kira while in the pet store. It was the first time I’d ever seen or even heard of a Shiba Inu and I thought “We have to have her!!!”
Being smart, I asked the pet store for books on the breed while we played with her in their little playpins. The first three words we read about Shiba’s were “Smart, energetic, and stubborn”. My fiance looked right at me and said “Hey Kay! That sounds like you!” It was a done deal after that.
After bringing her home I continued my research on the breed. I wanted to ensure she was getting the best upbringing to help her personality thrive. This website has helped out so much and has been a great resource.
We’ve had Kira for 6 months now and she has turned into quite the mommy’s girl. Having read (more specifically from this site) that bad side of the shiba personality, I was truely prepared for the worst. I’ll be honest that raising Kira so far has been a blast though. She is extremely comical, and you’re right, you need to have a sense of humor with them.
LOL! I really love this part.
Kira sounds like a very happy and very lucky girl! Thanks for sharing her story with us. Is she going to be the flower girl at your wedding? 😉
Big hugs!
Hi, We got a shiba inu/american eskimo mix her name is Hermione and she is 1 1/2, she has all the traits most shibas have like, very energenic, tempermental with our other dogs, ect. My question is we have a pretty good size yard, take her for walks and she went thru puppy training. She seems to remember some of the training but refuses to come when called. when she gets out of the yard by sneaking past someone coming in the gate the chase is on, we had to chase her down for over an hour and finally caught her when someone else was walking there dog,
Also she is very people shy when she is out in public, but when she is at home and someone comes to visit she barks the whole time they are there and she will run up to them like she is going to bite them, but never does. We have tried a spray bottle and pet corrector, but nothing seems to stop her.
Any help would be great. Love this sight.
Hello Shawna,
In terms of training, I find that practice is very important with my dogs. Even though we are no longer doing classes, we still do commands every day to keep the lessons fresh. I follow the Nothing in Life is Free program, so it just happens naturally in the course of the day.
This article from the ASPCA has a very good list of recall training techniques (training a dog to come when called).
Recall training can be more challenging for some dogs, especially the more stubborn and aloof breeds. For example, my Huskies are a lot better with recall than my Shiba. 😀
In term of sneaking out of doorways, what helps with my dogs is teaching them door manners.
To get my Shiba more comfortable around people, I did people desensitization training. With Sephy, it was really important to start from a far distance away and to get the person to totally ignore him (no talking, no touching, and no eye-contact). Eye-contact is often seen as a desire to interact and can sometimes also be seen as a threat.
In this way, I start off with a very weak version of the problem stimulus. Then, I slowly help Sephy to associate positive experiences with being around new people, so that he is less uncertain or anxious about them. As he gains confidence, I slowly increase the challenge of the exercise.
Big hugs to Hermione!
Hey there! Love your dog, seems like a sweet, little and funny devil! :p My family are thinking about getting a Shiba puppy (if I can convince them..). We already have a cat, he’s not used to be close to dogs, but I have seen him cuddling with one. Do you have any experience regarding cats and Shibas? I was planning on giving him/her about 40 minutes of exercise (walks) every day + some play time and probably some obedience training, would you think that that is enough for a Shiba? And are Shibas allergy friendly? This isn’t our main priority, but a few people in our family (none of whom are living in our house) are allergic to dogs. I have been thinking about the Japanese Spitz as well (really love the Spitz breeds), but I really fell in love with the Shiba! They seem like amazing dogs, you’re lucky! 😀 Thanks in advance!
Hello Carmen,
No, I don’t have any cats so I don’t have much experience in this area. Here are a couple of articles that I like on cat training-
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/discussion/7120/problem-with-cats/p1#Comment_125511
http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-articles/introducing-your-dog-to-a-new-cat
The first link is to the Shiba Inu Forum which is a great place to get input from other Shiba owners.
It would depend on the individual dog and on the surrounding context. Sephy needed a lot of activity, exercise, and training when he was young. After he was fully vaccinated, I took him out 4-5 times every day. A couple of the walks were about 40 mins or more, and the rest were about 20 mins. We didn’t have a backyard then, and he was an only dog, so we were more limited in our exercise options.
Later on, I cleaned out one of the rooms in the house and made it into a play-room. Then I was able to invite friendly dogs over to play with Sephy (under supervision). He really liked playing with other dogs so it was a good way to direct his Shiba-energy. He also liked going for hikes so we would do that as well.
I also made him work for all of his food, set up a consistent routine, and a fixed set of rules. Shibas are a lot of work, and a big time commitment, especially when they are young.
Sephy is now over 6 years old, so he needs much less supervision and exercise. Currently, he is good with daily walks of about 1 hour. He also plays with my two Huskies, works for all of his food, and happily lays about in the sun. 😀
Shibas shed a lot so they are not very allergy friendly. They have a soft undercoat which they blow once or twice a year. During coat blow season, there will be a lot of hair and a lot of grooming.
Good luck with your puppy search! Let us know what you decide. 😀
Hi All! We are from Argentina and we would really like to have a Shiba Inu 🙂 We are doing some reasearch about that since we live in an apartament and work the whole day. I know that it is an independant dog, but i´m afraid that the dog could be a bit deppresive or bored and destroy all the things around him…
What do you think about that? It could be possible to have a Shiba in an apartment?
Thanks a lot for your comments! LOL
I have two Shiba’s. I don’t see a problem with them as apartment dogs but your working all day is a real problem. These little guys require a lot of exercise, training and attention. Unless you take them to daycare or have a dog walker I doubt you will be happy. Just as an FYI, most puppy’s do a lot of damage…
Hello Florencia,
I think Shibas can do fine in an apartment as long as they get enough exercise, structure and supervision.
My Shiba, Sephy, needed a fair amount of structured activity, especially when he was young. He also needed a fair amount of training and supervision during puppyhood. As you say, Shibas are independent and also very stubborn. Sephy does best when he has a fixed routine and a consistent set of rules.
Why are Shiba Inus difficult to train.
Here is another comment about Shibas and apartment living.
Here are some of my early experiences with Sephy.
We adopted our Shiba ‘Yoshi’ at 12 weeks old, and she is a handful to say the least. A charmer, extremely intelligent and strong-willed. She has taken to our family quite well and has acquired some pretty interesting habits not all too common with Shiba’s – she sleeps in our bed at night (but eventually ends up in hers by the morning). I have been told they house train quickly – this has NOT been our experience and it’s getting pretty frustrating. We take her out constantly and most of the time she does her business, but many times will come right back in and relieve herself almost immediately, sometimes right in front of us. Anyone with any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Two things that work well while potty training my Sibes –
1. I reward them very well for doing potty outside. I give them attention, special treats, and play their favorite game with them after a successful potty.
2. When they potty inside, I no-mark the behavior, interrupt them, and take them outside. If they continue going outside, I reward them very well for it.
This teaches them that –
potty outside = lots of rewards, attention, and games
potty inside = get interrupted and no rewards
Here is more on what I did while potty training my puppies.
I know this was posted a month ago, but I had a similar experience with my shiba Alice. When she was a baby puppy (what I call it) she would do the same thing, go out and pee then come in to pee! Or just randomly pee no matter how many times she’d allready been out. I took her to the vet, turns out she had a urinary infection. After some antibiotics, it cleared up within days and I never had that problem again. You might get her checked out. I was so frustrated because I thought she just wasn’t learning or I was a bad teacher! Silly human.
Hello,
I adopted my black and tan Shiba Inu when she was 6 years old through a local breeder surrender. She was born and bred in a puppy mill setting and the whole story is very sad. She was worked and had many litters of pups. When I first took her home her hind quarters were almost completely bald and her tail looked like it could belong on a hairless rat, not the beautiful Shiba plume that I had always seen. Her breath was bad enough to fill the car if the windows were up and she was extremely overweight. For one whole month I could not get her to eat anything more than a few bites of soft food. She would sit in the same room as me but didn’t like to be petted and when we went for a walk it was more of a drag and ended in me walking carrying my plump little Shiba a few blocks back home.
We had a few incidents of her pulling herself out of her harness and going for a nice run… They can REALLY run. Overweight or not.
She was extremely frightened of humans, men in particular. There were a lot of frustrating, crying evenings and a few points where I thought I’d made a big mistake. I’m glad I am as stubborn as she was and that I did not throw in the towel. After treating her for Hypothyroidism and having a whopping seven teeth removed she finally started to eat and that led to her finally starting to trust and to blossom.
Sheena Easton (when I was told her breed I misunderstood Shiba Inu and made a joke that the breed was Sheena Easton and the name stuck) has been a part of my home and family for two years now and I cannot imagine life without her. I love this dog and understand the expression man’s best friend. She is extremely loving with me and friendly to friends that come over and even to their dogs (Best friend works with a chihuahua rescue group and brings new small dogs over all of the time) and I have even caught her trying to snuggle up to our cat Emma. She is a bit bashful. She is so beautiful now, her fur thick all over and even her tail is somewhat filled out and we are asked on our daily walks if she is a Husky puppy quite frequently. She greets me at the door and runs and jumps into my lap and a few close friends but no longer looks at everyone as a threat or as someone that will cause her harm. i have had no issues with her as a destructive force and she even plays with her squeaky toys gently and loves her bones but makes them last.
There is one issue that we cannot seem to work though and I’m hoping there might be someone that can offer advice. Throughout the entire time I have had Sheena, she has been afraid of my boyfriend. He is tall and has a deep booming voice but is an animal lover and has been desperately trying to get Sheena to not be afraid of him. She becomes a totally different dog when he is around. We do not live together but he comes over about 3 nights of the week and she still paces and hides from him. If he enters a room, she will run around the room that is closest in almost a panic. If he makes a sudden movement or really just any movement she cowers and jumps and has even made an accident on the floor due to jumping so hard (we call those scare poos). She licks hot spots on her paws that swell when she is nervous and we have had to treat these infections frequently. Matt tries the sideways approach, he has tried bringing her real meat treats. He speaks to her like I do, and has even tried getting on all fours but that almost made things worse. When he comes over I put on her Thunder Shirt and that has helped enough that she can stay in the same room as him, as long as he sits still but that is not a real solution. Anyone ever seen this type of behavior in their Shiba Inu or any adopted dog really? I love her so much and I also love him so much so I really would like to find a middle ground. I want him to see her actual personality and not the flighty paranoid dog she becomes when he is around. I’m sure there is something more we can do and I’m sure I’m not doing something correctly. I should also mention this is my first dog ever.
I appreciate any feedback, be it constructive criticism or anything.
Cheers to the best little big dog around!
Thank you,
Heather
Wow, that is an amazing story. Four paws up to you, and a good helping of licks! 😀
In terms of dealing with a dog’s “fear of men”, desensitization and counter conditioning methods may help. The idea is to first present the dog with a very weak version of the stimulus, and then slowly build up from there.
With a fear of people, we can use distance to weaken the strength of the stimulus. It is also important that the person stays relatively still, does not talk, and does not initiate any kind of eye contact. When I do this, I usually get the other person to just read a book or work on his computer. In the beginning, it is important for the person to totally ignore the dog and not try to interact in any way.
Here is more on what I do during people-desensitization training.
During the training period, I make sure that my dog is *only* exposed to the “scary person” in a structured and controlled setting. We want to set the dog up for success and teach her to only associate the person with positive, or at worst, neutral experiences.
I usually go very slowly with my dog, and slowly build up her confidence. I make sessions short, fun, and very very rewarding. As my dog gains confidence, I slowly increase the strength of the stimulus.
Hope this helps and big hugs to Sheena! Love the name! 😀
She is only reacting to what she had to endure when she was a canine puppy making factory. She was probably feed and sheltered by a male and associates your boyfriend as the ass that had her. God bless you for taking her and giving her a better life. You have no idea what those poor dogs endure in that environment.
As a vet tech I see some of this in my work place. All you can do is keep trying and give lots of encouragement when your boyfriend is around that he is ok. Try having her sit in your lap and he sit next to you and don’t touch her but be there. This will take awhile as they are a stubborn dog. She survived that mill, please give her time. Puppy mills and HSUSA are the shit!!!
Hi, I just stumbled over this while trying to do some research on my shiba inu, Nova. We adopted him from a friend when he was only a couple of months old because he did not get along with her other dogs. Since then we have noticed many of the things you have mentioned in this article. However, I am doing my research because Nova is beyond aggressive. Anyone who walks into my house who is a stranger to Nova, will be welcomed with aggressive barks. He will then calm down until the person is leaving our house and will proceed to chase after them and bite them.
This evening, we found out that Nova actually escaped from our backyard when we innocently let him out (our backyard is securely enclosed), chased our neighbor and his dog down the block, gave the dog two puncture wounds and then came back home. We had no idea this even occurred until our neighbor texted my mom saying he was at the animal hospital. Nova must have been out for a total of 7 minutes maximum. We never let him out for too long unless he is supervised because we are afraid he may get out.
Nova really is an amazing dog, with the people he knows and is familiar with. He is loving and cuddly, and is always willing to play. However, whenever he hears an unexpected noise or senses a neighborhood dog walking past, he freaks out and runs rampid.
Do you have any advice on how we can go about further training Nova?? We do not want to lose him, we love him so much. We have had him for over two years now, and no matter what we try to do, it just does not seem to work!
Hmmm, what have you tried with Nova? How did he respond? How does Nova react to other people and other dogs during walks?
Sephy used to be very reactive towards other dogs when he was young. With Sephy, I did a lot of dog-to-dog desensitization exercises. We practiced with friendly dogs at our nearby SPCA under the direction of a trainer there. It took time, but desensitization helped Sephy to be more comfortable around other dogs and taught him to use alternate behaviors to deal with his stress.
Desensitization and counter-conditioning training can also help with reactivity towards people.
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-calm-a-fearful-reactive-dog#people
Always love reading ShibaShake. Posted last year, right after adopting father (Sebastian), son (Copper), from a local family , and how I have grown to love them. They are 7 and 6 years of age, and luckily the family socialized them very well. They go with me everywhere, and they are no more trouble than any other breed of dog, actually, I get along with them better because they are in their own world!
All of the traits mentioned here are in my two Shibas, but probably the worse one is the issue with dog aggression. I take them walking in many various places, and have to have my dog antenna up looking out for loose or other dogs. They do well until some one let’s their dog run up to us, then it’s my Shibas protecting their space. But, I have never seen them go on the offensive, mostly their aggression is a defensive behavior.
I have 8 Siberian Huskies also, Sebastian and Copper get along with some, and some they do not, however that applies to my Siberians only too. I believe Shibas are much smarter in many ways than Siberians. Shiba’s size the situation up before proceeding, where Siberians just rush in and then try to figure out what the heck to do now!
Copper looks like Shephy, Sebastian is much smaller, more foxy. They do need to walk every day or they pout, but I love walking them, so that is not a problem. I could write a book, but in closing, I was very lucky for them to come into my life.
LOL! Very well said and very accurate. I must include this in my Shiba vs. Siberian article.
Glad to hear that everyone is doing so well and Happy New Year!
HI! Loved this site. Most adorable-looking dog breed ever.
You spoke of how shibas like grass, well did you see this video? omgeez they’re cute
http://www.wimp.com/eatcabbage/
That is some extreme cuteness! I love it that the adult Shiba is eating the cabbage with such gusto and the puppy just wants to be like momma (or is it papa)! Too adorable. Thank you very much for posting it.
Hi again,
I need some answers here! I adopted 2 Shiba brothers. one is white the other black.
They are now 4months old.
The white one is a bit bigger in size. He is now whining a lot, protecting food, ext. We are trying to split the brothers up a bit so they get more dependent on us humans. lol. We now have 2 cages and they sleep seperate but the cages are next to each other. Does anyone have ideas as to why the white dog (Mooschu) is whining more? the Black/tan (Scout) does not make these sounds. Should i keep trying to separate? We now walk them separately as well.
Some dogs naturally vocalize more than others. For example, Shania is a very quiet dog. On the other hand, Lara (Shania’s niece) is very talkative. She vocalizes when she gets excited, when she gets afraid, when she is playing, etc.
Sometimes, dogs will vocalize more if we inadvertently reward/reinforce the behavior. For example, we tend to pay more attention to loud noises. Therefore, when a dog vocalizes, it is our instinct to give him attention. This attention rewards the vocalizing behavior, which will encourage the dog to repeat it in the future.
In terms of food guarding, I try to train my dogs not to guard their food or toys. Here is a bit more on my experiences on food and resource guarding. Here is a bit more on what I do to keep the peace at home between my dogs.
Since they are so young, it may be a good idea to get help from a professional trainer. Best to nip aggression issues in the bud.
I had considered having a Shiba, but after much research, I decided that I had way too many children coming and going through our home. I would not be able to have enough structure and routine for the Shiba at this point in my life. I was pretty down about it when I discovered the Alaskan Klee Kai. They are kind of a Shiba light lol. They have a cry and are certainly drama queens when ill or even a little hurt, and they have huge separation anxiety. My baby Tank has never slept a night alone and until he was two was never left alone for more than 15 minutes, which was the amount of time it took him to eat my new couch *ouch*. Now he can tolerate being alone with the tv on for about 3 hours, but never over night. People have gotten used to me being the crazy dog lady and just expect him to be with me, so I am invited places at their own risk. Tank does ok in social settings as long as he is a barnacle on me and if he gets over whelmed he asked to be picked up and I calm him a bit and his anxiety level goes way down. We always visit a day before to acclimate. SO I guess I am recommending the Alaskan Klee Kai to all who would not be a good fit for a Shiba Inu.
Shibas sound sooooo adorable! everything ive read about them makes me want one so bad, except for the prey drive. But sadly when im older i want to foster for my local shelter and a shiba inu has a good chance of being unhappy with such an arrangment. so at the moment im debating over whether to get my favorite breed and maybe foster when im older or foster ealier and get a shiba later. never getting one is such a sad unthinkable fate.
Rightio. Question time:
Do you think a shiba would do okay in an apartment? when i started seriously considering a shiba inu, i realized the way i am, i would currently not be able to provide enough exercise for most dogs, so i’m trying to work my way to being capable of providing a medium sized dog with enough mental and physical stimulation to be okay in an apartment,
Would a. adult shiba inu be able to learn to live with kids? If socalized to them throughtout their life?
I very much appreciate your site and will keep reading so i hope you keep going for a long time!! Have a happy new year!!!1
When I first got Sephy, we were living in a house with no backyard. Sephy was able to do ok, as long as he got good daily exercise. We did frequent daily walks, a couple of hikes in the park per week, and we took him to play at a nearby SPCA. They had a nice enclosed yard, and we sometimes did training sessions with the friendly dogs there.
From what I hear, Shibas can do well in an apartment as long as they get enough exercise. Here is a comment from someone with Shiba-apartment experience-
http://shibashake.com/dog/shiba-inu-personality-good-bad-traits/comment-page-5#comment-48643
I don’t have much experience with this, but there are some good threads in the Shiba Inu forum about Shiba and kids-
http://www.shibainuforum.org/forum/discussion/10752/tell-me-about-your-shiba-with-your-kids/p1
Sephy does pretty well with older, more calm kids during walks. I make sure to supervise him very well when he is with kids. I only let him meet with kids that I know, and who are good with dogs.
Happy New Year!
Hi,
It’s been fun reading all the comments from other Shiba “owners” (I say this with a serious grain of salt since Kimo owns us!!). We did not choose our boy, but came to us through our daughter. She had gotten him thinking he would make a great condo dog. After choosing the “grunt” not runt of a litter from registered Shibas. So low and behold he became a Dogzilla!!! Imagine all that quirky Shiba personality in a 65 pound body!! Everything about him is Shiba ( the scream, the stubbornness, the tricky ness, the coat, the strange eating of certain plants and everything else you have mentioned above) and we have finally adjusted our lives to him now that he is 5. Even starting to look for a second one! He and our 14 year old cat are friends now and he is very good with other dogs even ones that come to our house. He goes nutty over the opossum and squirrels that come in the yard! Ultimately we are very happy to have our bright eyed, devoted when he wants to be and furry headed big buddy happily greeting us when we get home.
Happy Shiba thoughts to you all! Phyllis
Thanks for sharing Kimo’s story with us. He sounds absolutely adorable!
ACK! 😀
Bigs hugs and Happy Holidays!