The Shiba Inu is a very beautiful dog. However, behind that foxy face, is a dominant, stubborn, intelligent, and extremely mischievous personality. This can make them a challenge to care for.
Indeed Shiba Inus are not for the faint-hearted, and they are not recommended for first-time dog owners.
Despite this warning, my heart was already set on a Shiba Inu puppy. I had a lot of free time then, so I thought I would be able to handle one little dog. After all, how difficult can a small puppy be?
Little did I know, a Shiba Inu can be a major pain in the ass!
Even dog veterans have problems with their first Shiba. In fact, many experienced trainers were unable to handle my Shiba Sephy.
Here are the Shiba Inu training secrets that helped me turn my devil dog into a model citizen. Well, maybe not a model citizen, but a fun citizen that I truly enjoy living with.
1. There are No Miracle Cures
When I first got Shiba Sephy, he was a big challenge.
Some of his favorite daily activities include biting my hands, running crazily around the house, biting on curtains, vicious leash biting, jumping on me and others, humping my leg, and much more.
I was desperate to get him under control, and did a lot of research online and off-line. I read a lot of online articles and bulletin boards. I called local dog trainers, watched all the dog training shows on television, and read a lot of dog training books.
During this time, I found something that looked like a miracle … a 10 minute Shiba online training program. According to this advertisement, there were some special “Shiba words” that will magically turn a Shiba into a Lassie. Yeah right!
Luckily, I did not succumb to my desperation, and did not buy this product.
The fact is, there are NO “miracle cures” for training a Shiba Inu.
The secret of Shiba training, is simply to exercise extreme patience, and find humor in our Shiba’s antics. Use reward obedience training, and always be firm but fair.
A Shiba will probably never be a Lassie, or perfect dog. However, if you are looking for a dog with a big personality, who will always make you laugh with his sneaky and roguish ways, then the Shiba Inu is for you.
2. Use Passive Resistance
The best way to deal with Shiba Inu misbehavior is through passive resistance.
Shibas get bored easily and do not like being ignored. They really enjoy their freedom, and also like being close to their human pack. We can control a Shiba best by controlling these most desired resources: our attention, and his freedom.
If we actively try to stop our Shiba either through physical punishment (e.g. alpha rolls, leash jerk) or active restraint, he will fight back. This encourages him to practice rough play, and biting on people.
If we back away, or become fearful of our Shiba, he will learn that he “wins” by showing dog aggression.
If we over-correct our Shiba by exerting too much physical force, or by correcting him too frequently, we will lose his trust, and it is difficult to regain a Shiba Inu’s trust.
What works best with a Shiba is NOT to engage in a physical competition, but rather to engage in a mental one.
There are certain resources that Sephy really enjoys including walks, treats, toys, and his freedom.
When I want to take him on his walk, I go to the door with his lead, and call him to me. Initially, he would dally and not really want to come, because he wants to go walking on his own schedule. I count to three. If he does not come, I leave and go about my own business.
After a short time, Sephy will amble over, and pester me to take him on his walk. This is done through begging, and whining. I ignore all this bad dog behavior. When I have a break in my schedule again, I repeat the above exercise.
A Shiba will quickly learn that to get the resources that he wants most (e.g. go on walks), he has to do it according to our rules, and our schedule. It is important to practice the Nothing in Life is Free (NILIF) program with a Shiba.
Set a Shiba Inu up for success, so that we can reward him frequently, and keep him interested in doing what we want.
Another Shiba favorite is to steal something he is not supposed to, and then run away with it, thereby engaging a fun chase game.
A Shiba Inu is very agile, and it will be difficult for us to catch him. I always try to keep an eye out for my sneaky Shiba, and stop him before he steals an object. I also put a drag lead on him, so that I can easily catch him by stepping on the lead.
Note: Use a regular flat collar with the drag lead, and not an aversive collar. Aversive collars such as prong collars or choke chains, should only be used during supervised training sessions. Cut the loop on the drag-lead, so that it does not catch on anything in the house.
3. Rules, Rules, Rules
Shiba Inus are naturally dominant. If we do not provide them with rules, that we consistently enforce, they will take over the house.
It is best to enforce those rules as early as possible. This ensures that Shiba does not develop any bad habits later on, that will be more difficult to break.
Some of Shiba Sephy’s rules:
1. No Biting
The most important rule that I place on Sephy, is no biting on people. Shiba Inus are a very mouthy breed. Their instinct is to use their mouth in a wide variety of situations, including when they are excited, frustrated, and fearful.
They also have large teeth, and can accidentally hurt children and seniors. If Sephy starts biting on me or on others, I no-mark the behavior (Ack, ack). If he continues, I put him on a time-out.
It is also important to teach a Shiba bite inhibition. In this way, when he loses control of himself and does bite, he will not cause much harm.
2. No Food Aggression or Resource Guarding
Prevent our Shiba Inu from guarding resources. Shibas have a don’t back down, don’t surrender attitude. Therefore, the best way to teach them not to guard resources, is to use reward training techniques.
Show them that people and other dogs coming near them, while they are eating or playing with their toys, is a good thing. Prevent stealing, and practice exchanging objects. This teaches them that giving up something, does not mean it is gone forever.
If we use physical force to grab a toy away from our Shiba, he will likely become more possessive over his objects. He will also lose trust in us, and may use aggression to protect himself, and his belongings.
3. No Rough Play
I do not play rough with Sephy. He gets to wrestle with my other dogs, but no wrestling is allowed with humans.
I also do not play any dominance games with him, for example, no Tug-of-War. The few times that I did play Tug with Shiba Sephy, he followed very strict rules during the game. However, when I took him out for walks, he would start playing tug with the leash (leash biting).
4. Socialize Our Shiba Inu
Shiba Inus can get aggressive to unfamiliar things including objects, dogs, people, and environments.
They are also naturally stubborn, and may become aggressive when forced to do things that they do not like.
Socialize our young Shiba to many sights, sounds, and smells, and he will be ready to handle new things as a confident, and well-balanced adult. Make sure that new experiences are always positive, and at worst, neutral.
Some things to consider while socializing our Shiba Inu:
1. Shiba Inus have an extreme play style, that many dogs may not like.
When he was young, I used to take Sephy to enclosed dog parks. During this time, his favorite play partners were larger dogs, and young Pit Bulls. Shibas like doing wrestling and rough play, which can easily overwhelm other small dogs.
Choose our Shiba’s play-mates carefully, so that a fun time can be had by all.
2. Shiba Inus dislike handling.
Socialize a Shiba to touching and grooming, as early as possible. Pair the touch and groom sessions with very good treats, so that he will associate handling with positive experiences.
Do not use physical force to do any grooming. This will make it into an unpleasant experience, and our Shiba will fight us every step of the way.
Instead, groom gently, and make it short, fun, and rewarding.
3. Shiba Inus do not generally like people petting them from above.
Petting from above can be seen as a dominance move by dogs, and Shibas may see this as a threat.
We can slowly desensitize our Shiba to this move, by pairing head petting with good food rewards. At the same time, instruct people to approach from under our dog’s head, and scratch his chest.
5. Control Our Own Energy
An important thing to remember while interacting with our Shiba, is to control our own energy.
Shiba Inus are especially sensitive to the energy of their owners, and the people around them.
When I first got puppy Sephy, he was extremely mouthy. In particular, he would resort to biting when I stopped him from doing something unacceptable.
This made me become afraid of him.
The more afraid I became, the worse Sephy behaved. As soon as I got fearful, he would start to hump my leg, grab my clothes, jump on me, or bite my hands, arms, and legs.
Anger and frustration will also elicit extreme Shiba behaviors.
In the early days, I had a dog walker take Sephy out for group walks at the park. When the walker tried to stop Sephy from doing something disruptive, he would object, and try out one of his Shiba moves, including alligator rolls, leash biting, hand biting, and of course the Shiba scream.
The dog walker naturally got embarrassed when Sephy screamed like he was about to die. There were other people around, and some of them thought that she was mistreating the poor dog. Sephy easily sensed her embarrassment and frustration. From then on, the Shiba scream was his favorite weapon to use against her.
With a Shiba Inu, it is important to stay calm at all times.
If we lose our cool, Shiba will sense it and continue to use this weakness against us.
The best way to handle a misbehaving Shiba, is to stay calm, and remove him to a quiet, lower stimulus area, as soon as possible. If he continues with his bad behavior, he gets his freedoms revoked with a time-out. Remember that fear, anger, frustration, and other extreme emotions will only make the problem worse.
Once I was able to control my fear and remain calm, things improved significantly with my Shiba.
Sephy will never be a model-citizen, but nowadays, he is actually very fun to be with. He is goofy, he is funny, and he usually stays out of serious trouble.
Shibas can be a big challenge to live with, but they are well worth the effort. They have a great personality, and they are always up to something that will make us laugh.
I love my Shiba Inu.
He is one of my best buddies, and whenever I see him, I just have to smile.
I love your website and have found it to be VERY helpful!
I bought my first Shiba 2 weeks ago and though stubborn at times is an overall absolute DOLL! She loves meeting new people, loves playing with other dogs and her energy level is just endless. (Which is great because mine is too! I needed a dog to keep up with ME!)
I was wondering if you actually had any Shiba Inu Owners book(s) that you’d recommend? I absolutely believe that the more I understand about Shiba’s overall the better time I’ll have training her.
Hello Kay,
Congratulations on your Shiba pup!
In terms of Shiba specific books, I haven’t really found any that are truly outstanding. I read a few of the popular ones that I found on Amazon, but most of the useful information I got on Shibas I found from visiting online forums and other online sites by Shiba fans. I also learned a lot from Sephy. 😀
My favorite general dog-book is Bones Would Rain from the Sky
by Suzanne Clothier. It is *NOT* a training book, but more of a dog relationship book. It really changed the way that I thought about Sephy during our difficult time.
Big hugs to your little furry girl!
Hey! I have a 7-month old female Shiba named Cali. She is very sweet, loving, and everything inbetween. I have read countless times that they are extremely easy to potty train, but I’m having a small problem. Everytime a bedroom door is open in our house besides mine, she immediately jumps on their beds and goes to the bathroom! She is very good about going to the bathroom outside and waiting by the door, but for some reason she will not stop with the beds. I got her in April and only had two roomates at the time, now there are six more people and two other dogs in the house. Is it possibly a “I was here first and everything is mine!” type of deal? I feel like I’ve tried so much, but it’s just not going to work. Other than that, she is the most amazing dog in the world. Any suggestions?
Hmmm, that is interesting.
Sephy marked on a soft dog-bed and a cushion soon after we got a second dog. In Sephy’s case, I think the behavior arose from the stress and uncertainty of big changes to his routine and environment.
I stopped him both times and sent him outside, but I also quickly re-established a very consistent routine for him, and very consistent rules. I think the consistent routine, more than anything else, helped him to calm down and adjust to the new changes. He has not repeated the behavior, and did not do any marking when we got a puppy last year. However, this time, we made sure to keep him on a fixed routine and only slowly introduced puppy to him.
I think Sephy really likes knowing what to expect from the people and dogs around him, and also what is expected of him in return.
Also, during Lara’s puppyhood, I would sometimes tether her to me when I was working in the kitchen. That way, I am there to supervise and she cannot run-off to pee in the corner when I am not looking.
Big hugs to Cali!
I have a 5 year old male shiba. He was very easy to house break had no real issues until first we moved and he barks all the time to the point he goes hourse. If that wasn’t bad enough I had a baby things have been fine until now. My son is 3 and is no longer in my dogs eyes beneath him. My son is older and more vocal telling him to come or trying to play etc. he is now poopong and peeing in every place my son has toys or his bedroom. I thought it was isolated to just my son but now it’s moved to my husbands office and the walls. What in the world do I do?! I have had to either keep him outside or when he barks to much move him into the garage. So he is no longer in the house. I hate doing that but I’m sick of cleaning it up. My female shiba has changes since I started separating him from her and us. She is much happier without him around. I almost want to give him away. Although only to someone I know. I don’t know what to do please please help me or give me some idea. He’s ruining my house. My other shiba is awesome very obidiant sweet. He wants to be a lap dog and be pet every minute of his life. He’s not aggressive just annoying at this moment. Thanks for any help you can provide. I’m at my wits end and I’m expecting a baby soon. So per in the floor is a no go.
Also sorry for bad grammar I wrote this on my iPhone
Hello Briana,
It sounds like it could be from stress. When we moved several years ago, Sephy’s behavior also changed. Everything around him was new, the moving schedule was new, there were just many changes in a short time. He did not know what to expect, and became stressed.
Some things that helped with Sephy-
1. I re-established a very fixed routine right away. Sephy likes his routine so I planned things out for him and stuck to the same routine every day.
2. I gave him many positive outlets to relieve his stress. I took him on long daily walks (in a quiet place in the neighborhood). We had play sessions every day, in particular his favorite chasing games. Sometimes, we also had supervised play sessions with a friendly dog.
3. I set him up for success. I made sure he had nice place to rest and have some peace and quiet when he needed it. I don’t force him into situations that I know that he cannot handle. I start small, and slowly build up his confidence to the new surroundings.
As for pottying in the house, whenever there is any regression, I just go back to potty training basics – reintroduce supervision and a fixed routine.
Hello!
I have a 2 year old male, fixed Shiba named Warren. He is pretty good, but he sure knows how to push my buttons! The thing that is bothering me the most about him is that he barks at my neighbours all the time if he is alone outside. He has met them, he has seen me talking to them but that doesn’t seem to help. He only does this if he is alone outside. What should I do? He has always been like this and I feel I have tried everything. Thanks for the website, it is really great!
What I do with Sephy depends on why he is barking.
Sephy will sometimes bark to alert me of the unusual. If there is unusual activity in my neighbor’s house, or if people walk by with dogs, he will alert me. That is a good thing, so I go and check things out, and thank him for doing his guard duties well. He usually stops barking as soon as I get there.
One time there was a mouse in my garage, and Sephy barked at the garage door to alert me. In this case, he did not stop barking until we went into the garage together to check things out – which was also a good thing because that was when I heard the mouse.
Other times, Sephy may vocalize when he wants to get attention or to get me to do something for him. This is not behavior that I want to encourage, so I no-mark the behavior. If he stops, then I reward him by giving him attention, or opening the door for him. If not, I ignore him and he doesn’t get what he wants.
Here is more on my dog barking experiences.
Is Warren barking to alert you of possible threats? Or is he barking because he wants to go meet and play with your neighbor? Or is he barking because there is something interesting going on and he wants to check things out? Or is he barking because he is fearful?
Hello, thank you so much for the website! Loads of great info here! We have a 9 month young male shiba (Kuma) and we’ll be picking up a female in about 7 weeks when she turns 8 weeks. I was able to teach Kuma to sit, lay down, and shake hands when he was only 3 months old and it only took a few days for him to learn all 3 commands. However, I’ve had bad luck with getting Kuma to go out on walks. I originally used a harness but he would just sit down and not budge. Now I’m still trying but with a collar instead and with the same results. Also, I made the mistake of rough housing with Kuma so now he’s used to it. My question is, since I haven’t been diligent in properly “training” Kuma, is 9 months old too late to get back on track? I have a feeling it’s never too late but with the stubborn nature of these breeds you never know. Thanks in advance for your time and keep up the good work!!
Congratulations on your upcoming Shiba puppy!
In terms of retraining, I made a lot of mistakes with Sephy in the beginning. I didn’t get my act together until about 5 months in, when I switched away from using aversive techniques. By that time, things were pretty dysfunctional and our relationship was not a good one.
Luckily, Shibas are very resilient. 😀
I changed my way of training, did a lot more research into a wide range of training techniques, observed Sephy carefully to identify his motivators, and put a lot of effort into timing, patience, and consistency. After that, things improved significantly.
Sephy will still throw in a few Shiba-moves now and then, but he is quite a fun fella to be with.
In terms of walking, Sephy also likes to sit around, look at people, and sniff the wind. I usually let him do that during our walks. When it is time to move on, I tell him to get moving. Sometimes, he will try one of his moves and not want to go.
Some things that I do to get Sephy moving-
1. I scrape my shoe on the concrete sidewalk. It makes a noise that he does not like and will frequently get him up.
2. I lift him up by his chest into a sitting position, and then start moving at a brisk pace.
3. Initially in our training, I would prevent him from lying down when we stop. It is easier to get him moving from a sitting position.
4. I play the Find-It game with him, which is fun and usually gets him engaged and moving.
Hugs to Kuma!
Hi, I’m adopting a 3yr.old male shiba already neutered.I was told by the guy showing him to me that he was loyal, affectionate, and easily trained,but from what i’ve read it’s complete oppsite. Everyone’s stories are wonderful, but some kind of scare about potty training. I have never own this type of dog before, or even crated before. I work night shift 1130pm-730am Sun-Thurs. I really don’t want to give this little up, but I don’t want to make a real big mistake by getting him.Please help
Hello Jodi,
There are always exceptions to the rule, but in general, I would not characterize a Shiba as “easily trained”. 😀 Here is an article with some great input from other Shiba owners, about why Shibas are difficult to train-
http://shibashake.com/dog/why-are-shiba-inus-one-of-the-most-difficult-breeds-to-train
In terms of potty training, this is actually one area where Shibas are generally quite good at. Sephy was already potty trained when I got him at 10 weeks old. He is very clean and very particular about not doing his business in the house. He usually prefers to do his business during walks, and will only go in the backyard when he really has to. Is the 3 year old Shiba already potty trained? It would be unusual if he wasn’t.
There are of course exceptions to this. For example, Shiba puppies that are from puppy mills or pet stores may be used to soiling their sleeping area because they are kept for long periods of time in crates or cages. In these cases, extra work will have to be put into retraining the behavior.
Another thing that took some getting used to with Sephy is his aloofness. Shibas are loyal, but they are usually aloof. For example, Sephy is a lot less affectionate than my Sibes. He is frequently happy to be off by himself doing his Shiba things. In contrast, Lara, my younger Sibe loves to sleep by our feet and Shania loves getting tummy rubs. Sephy will sometimes request tummy rubs, but *a lot* less frequently when compared to my two Sibes.
http://shibashake.com/dog/shiba-vs-siberian
Did you interact for long with the Shiba? Who was showing him to you – the owner? a foster parent? What is his history? What is his routine? Have you seen him interact with other dogs? children? What kind of training has he had? How did he act around his owner/foster parent? Why is the owner putting him up for adoption? Usually, rescue places are very willing to take a dog back if things don’t work out, is this the case here as well? Does he have any problem behaviors?
No dog is perfect. If someone is trying to sell me a perfect dog, especially a perfect Shiba, I would have a lot of questions and concerns.
Hello,
Our 4 and a half month old shiba puppy has a way of playing that we call ‘boxing’ when she raises her two little paws and repeatedly hits the other dog. It always causes the other dog to bite her. We try to stop this behavior, but she always does it when she sees another dog. Is there anything we should do?
Thanks.
Heh, yeah I noticed my Sibe puppy Lara doing that as well when she was small.
In general, if Shiba Sephy does something that I do not like during play (e.g. humping), I no-mark the behavior, and stop play briefly. In this way, he associates the behavior with “no-play”, which will discourage him from doing it in the future.
Hi, Thank goodness for your website. It’s God sent.
I have just adopted an under 2 months old Shiba Inu. Even though I had pet dogs almost all my life this is one that beats it all. At the early age of only 50 days, when I got her, Creamy Deli, She was very mouthy. The mouth would go for everything and anything. I am still trying to get her to stop biting altogether but I doubt that is possible. So next option would be bite inhibition.
Before finding your wonderful site, I tried smacking her, which obviously did not work. With your technique of isolation, it worked. she still nibbles my fingers and opens her mouth on my arm but does not apply hard pressure. It scares the wits out of my 2 sons. How can I make her totally stop that? Or is it possible to stop that?
Will be writing more as the following days and months as we all learn to get used to her and she to us. Like a growing process.
Thanks one again for this lovely site.
Congratulations on your new Shiba puppy!
Yeah they can be very mouthy. Sephy was like that as well. He was a holy terror. 😀
I usually start by redirecting puppy onto a toy. Puppies often mouth in play so I try to teach them it is ok to mouth on toys, but not so much on people. If he redirects, then I reward him by playing with him. If he does not then I withdraw my attention (fold up my arms, stand up, and ignore him).
If he stops biting, then I give him a simple command, e.g. Sit. If he does that, then I go back to playing with him. If he escalates his behavior and bites at my clothing then he goes to timeout.
The nice thing about toy redirection and giving an alternative command is that it gives the puppy something else to do that is positive. In this way, puppy learns alternative more “people friendly” behaviors.
When I give my young Sibe (Lara) tummy rubs, she usually gets excited and wants to start playing. Often, she will grab a nearby toy on her own, because she is now used to that behavior and knows that she will get rewarded for it. If there are no toys nearby, I make sure to get one for her.
Big hugs to Creamy Deli!
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-biting-how-to-stop-puppy-biting
Hi I was directed to this website by doing some online research on shibas. A couple months ago I moved to Japan with my husband, who has been stationed here with the military. Being in a foreign country unable to speak much of the language, I am unable to have a job so I figured this would be a great time to offer to help with a rescue dog – something I had always wanted to do previously but with my extremely busy work schedule, had no time for a dog. The opportunity came rather quickly. A member of the Navy, who also gives a great deal of his time to German Shepherd rescue, was alerted to some dogs in need. A Japanese breeder, who is suspected to have owned a puppy mill, was hospitalized with advanced cancer. She had paid people to care for, and feed her dogs, but no one ever came to care for the dogs. The Navy guy came and saved as many dogs as he could – but by the time he made the 6 hour trip there, only two dogs were left – a shepherd and a shiba. The Shiba was fostered for a day by a lady willing to help, but she soon contacted me requesting my help because her two dogs disliked the shiba. I, having waited for this moment of dog rescue for years, readily agreed to take in the shiba, not really knowing what I might be getting into. On that Sunday, about a week ago, into my home walked a timid, malnourished black and tan shiba who immediately lifted a leg and peed on my wall. I remember thinking “Oh crap…” as I looked at the dog and then at the desperate look in the lady’s eyes who explained hopefully “I think he just did that because he’s really nervous. That should go away as he gets comfortable” So I’ve taken on this unfortunate shiba, that we have named Kitsune (means fox in Japanese), who is a 6 year old male, never neutered since he was a “stud dog” at the puppy mill, and never trained. We even tried commands in Japanese just to make sure he had no training and he gives no response. He has made quite a few improvements – initially he cowered and trembled at all hand movements, held his tall low instead of the cute shiba curl, and he looked emaciated, his coat dull and dry from lack of food. Kitsune now holds his head high, prances around, his tail is back to its curl, he happily welcomes head scratches from all, and his coat and weight are starting to improve a bit. He has very few shiba characteristics – isn’t aggressive, doesn’t bite, is not overly dramatic. He tolerates the abuse of my cat who will walk up and swat him with her paw (that fact that he doesn’t even bark at her is close to saintly). Kitsune loves the children in the neighborhood even though they come up to him with a lot of noise and excitement – he seems to have a certain affinity towards them. He is gentle, and generally calm, and didn’t even flinch when getting shots and micro-chipped at the vet. He has learned to sit (by rewarding with treats) and has learned to come, although he still needs practice. So you are probably wondering, what on earth could be my issue? Well whenever any male is in his presence – human, dog or other he marks his territory. Inside it is lifting his leg on whatever he fancies. Outside, he has peed on my leg, on other dogs, and obsessively on every vertical object he passes. At the dog park, while all the other dogs are having fun chasing balls, playing tug of war and obediently sitting, staying and coming on their owners commands where is Kitsune? Prancing about on his own, pooping, peeing, scratching – spreading his scent everywhere, indicating that the dog park is HIS. Generally he shows no aggression towards other dogs – in fact, after a minute of interest he becomes completely bored with the other dogs. But there are cases where specific male dogs will turn this generally docile shiba into an absolute maniac! I don’t know what it is about these particular male dogs, but for example, the other day it was a young boxer male in my neighborhood who Kitsune chased about the dog park, peeding on him, trying to hump him. The poor boxer had to hide under a bench to get away from Kitsune, and I had to take my incredibly rude dog home. Then again, at the vets office in the waiting room he peed lifted a leg and peed on a fairly geriatric looking male dog, who did nothing to instigate things with Kitsune. When male dogs approach us while out on a walk, he’ll pee on my leg. I’ve tried crate training but he has figured out how to lift his leg and angle it in such a way that it gets all over the floor and barely in his crate. Then while I’m cleaning one spot, he goes and pees in another. He is so quick I can’t catch him in the act, so I can’t discipline him. He is getting neutered tomorrow but several people have told me that Kitsune is too old for that to make any difference now. I think this dog is so wonderful in every other way but I can’t continue with the urinating and dominance behavior he is showing. Its causing stress between my husband and I, lack of attention for my cat Cleo and a messy chaotic home. My patience is coming to its end. Other dog owners have told me to use a shock collar but I think that with Kitsune’s background, which probably included some abuse, a shock collar would be a horrible training device. Things have to change or I will have to find another home for Kitsune. Am I right to find a more shiba-ready home, or is there a solution?? Please help, I feel very guilty considering giving up on this rescue dog!
Hello Erin,
I do not have much experience in this area. Sephy only marked twice in the house. This happened soon after we got Shania (Siberian Husky puppy). Both times he marked on soft bedding material that Shania had been on.
I supervise very closely during the new-puppy-period, so I was there both times for his marking behavior. I no-marked him (ack-ack) and banished him outside. During transition periods, I usually put a drag-lead on Sephy (only with a flat collar and *not* an aversive collar). If he runs, I just step on the lead, and then take him outside right away.
Sephy likes being in the house most of the time – especially then, since he got to play and have fun with Shania. He did not like losing his in-house privileges, so he stopped marking inside the house. He gets to mark when we go on our daily neighborhood walks, so he has an outlet for his marking instinct.
Several things helped with stopping Sephy’s marking behavior-
1. He quickly learned that he cannot get away with marking in the house. I will always catch him.
2. He always got a negative consequence from marking in the house – he lost his in-house privileges and had to stay outside while everyone else had fun inside.
3. He has an outlet for his marking behavior when we go out on our daily walks.
I also supervise Sephy closely during play sessions with other dogs. I have strict play rules with Sephy and he is not allowed to hump other dogs, or bully them. If he humps, play stops and he has to do a short obedience session with me. If he keeps humping, play stops and he goes on a short timeout.
I also follow the NILIF program with all of my dogs.
I have noticed my shiba Stuart will use the bathroom in the house if I’m not paying attention to him. We have lots of playtime during the day but when I am doing chores he we pee right in front of me. He is only 12 weeks old but he has learned so much. He sleeps in a crate and doesn’t ever use the bathroom in there. I just don’t get it. It takes a village to raise and train a shiba
Hey I’m going to get a shiba inu in the upcoming months.Just like you I’ve set my mind on getting it, and it will be my first dog. Can I get some advices on how to raise it, and how will the experience be,thankfully I have alot of spare time as I am only out of the house for about 2 hours and when I’m out somebody else is here. By the way I live in an apartment but I must say that it is bigger than many of the houses I have seen, we have two and a half rooms and a humongous living room, any advices on what to do once we get our puppies.
Thanks
Hello Jeffry,
Congratulations on your soon to be new family addition!
One of the biggest things I had to readjust my expectations on is the Shiba aloofness. I had dogs while I was growing up and expected Sephy to be similar in terms of wanting to be with people – but that was really not the case. Most of the time he likes doing his own Shiba-things. 😀 He will sometimes ask for tummy rubs, but a lot less often than my Sibes.
In terms of early training, Sephy was already potty trained so I didn’t have to do any of that.
However, he was very mouthy and enjoyed getting into trouble. Here are some things that were helpful when Sephy was a puppy-
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-obedience-training
Bite inhibition training and short timeouts worked well to control his mouthiness-
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-biting-how-to-stop-puppy-biting#timeout
http://shibashake.com/dog/bite-inhibition
Sephy was also very sensitive to handling, so starting handling exercises early was helpful. Now he is very good about being furminated and I also brush his teeth 3 times a week.
http://shibashake.com/dog/hug-dog-teach-your-dog-to-enjoy-hugging
For leash training, I used the start-stop technique and turn-around technique. They seemed to work well on Sephy and now he walks like a champ. I also used a harness during early leash training, or he would constantly be choking himself with pulling – part of the Shiba stubbornness.
http://shibashake.com/dog/leash-training-your-dog
Finally have lots of patience and learn to laugh at your Shiba’s antics. And take lots of pictures. I regret not taking more puppy pictures of Sephy and he grew up really fast.