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 have a 7 month old shiba and a 2 year old shiba. They are completely opposite. My 7 month old shiba is such a love and overall a good dog. However, he is very aggressive towards other dogs, he especially goes for the face of other dogs. Because of this I have to put him in the dog run by himself. This can be difficult because finding a time when the dog run is empty is a challenge. He is very good with his “pack” (meaning my other shiba and my other little dog). But other dogs he wants to fight, bark at, and chase. I have tried scolding him, being the dominant one and nothing seems to work. Is there anything you would suggest? Thanks! Amanda
Heh, yeah. At first I thought you could just pick any breed you want and it’d all work out well, but now I know better. You have to take compatibility in consideration, just not what you think is the cutest. That’s probably a mistake a lot of owners still make, and sometimes unfortunately that leads to a dog being disowned or abused.
I honestly don’t think I could handle a Shiba Inu, then. I have this strange fear, yet love, for dogs. I have yet to make myself completely comfortable with them up in person with me. So I’d be at my wits end if my puppy was creating a disaster. I’m still young though, so it’ll be a while before I will get a dog.
I have a question though. Do you know anything about the Finnish_Spitz? They look a lot like the Shiba Inu (and dare I say more fox-like, too). I know they are a hunting breed, so they’ll need a lot of stimulation. Is it easier than the Shiba Inu, though? Temperament and behavior wise, that is.
Nevertheless, I don’t believe any dog can do well with a passive or meek owner, right? At least that’s what I have heard. You have to step up to the plate if you have a dog, so it’ll obey you.
Anyways, thank you for the quick reply and I hope your two cute dogs are doing well. What’s the name of your husky? :] I’m considering that breed, too.
“Do you know anything about the Finnish_Spitz? ”
Yeah I love the look of the Finnish Spitz as well. I don’t have any experience with one – they are a pretty rare breed I think. Temperament wise, based on what I have read, they are not an easy breed either. Seems like you really like ‘spitz’ type dogs – *me too* 🙂 – which based on my readings tend to be more primitive breeds, and as a result, generally have more challenging temperaments.
“Nevertheless, I don’t believe any dog can do well with a passive or meek owner, right?”
All dogs need structure, routine, and discipline, so as you say it is important as an owner to set boundaries for your dog. However, I strongly believe that teaching a dog these boundaries are best done using reward based training. Here is my article on dog psychology if you are interested.
Also, there is a great dog show on the National Geographic Channel called DogTown. Check it out if you have the time – it is my favorite.
“What’s the name of your husky? :] I’m considering that breed, too.”
My husky’s name is Shania. She is a major sweetheart and much much easier than my Shiba Inu. She has more energy than my Shiba, so she needs more exercise, but temperament wise she is just great. She loves being with people, she likes being petted, hugged, and whatever else. And she is well behaved at the vet. 🙂
I think Shiba Inus are incredibly cute looking and I ever since I read ‘Hachiko Waits’, they have been one of the top on my list of favorite dog species. However judging from your experiences and others’ comments, they are not a easy species. Of course every individual dog’s personality and behavior differs from one another, but there are general similarities I’m sure.
I will be a first-time owner whenever my family can afford a place that allows pets. lol It seems all the dog species I really like are rather difficult, especially for first timers (A German Sheperd is my second choice). I mean, any puppy can seem perfectly well behaved and lovable at first, until they start to grow older and then their personality truly develops. And as their owner, don’t we have to help them grow a personality in which we approve of?
So, from one to ten (ten being the worst), how difficult would you say the general Shiba Inu species is? Also, do you know any really good and reliable dog quizzes that see what species is most compatible for your lifestyle/expertise? I tried one before but I didn’t like any of the results lol.
Hello Son Tuyen,
“And as their owner, don’t we have to help them grow a personality in which we approve of?”
I really liked what you said here and definitely agree with you. I think it is our responsibility to teach our dogs how to live well in our very human world which must seem very foreign to them. I think that many people mistake ‘bad dog behavior’ to have bad intent behind it as well. This is not true. Dogs often misbehave simply because they do not understand what are appropriate behaviors and what are not. We must teach them our human manners in a language that they can understand.
“So, from one to ten (ten being the worst), how difficult would you say the general Shiba Inu species is?”
Personally, I would rate a Shiba to be about a 7 or 8. You can see from the poll above though, that not everyone agrees with me 🙂 I love my Shiba very much, but he is totally in a different class when it comes to handling, training, and everything else. This is in contrast to my Siberian, who also has an independent nature, but is just a lot easier to care for.
“Also, do you know any really good and reliable dog quizzes”
I haven’t done any of those although I probably should have 🙂 I think the most important thing is the time consideration. I had a lot of difficulties with my Shiba at first but was able to solve a lot of issues simply by putting in the time to train, exercise, and teach him, as well as teach myself. It was *a lot* of time though. If you have a busy lifestyle with less time to spend with the dog then it is much better to get a low energy breed with an easier temperament. Also note that the Shiba is not a lap dog. Shibas are usually aloof, and will not often come asking for attention. But when they do, it is very special 🙂
Noted: Dremel minimite grinder. I was going to get the one in the commercial. AY! ..Teeth brushing… it’s more like brush eating for Haruki! Oh well, at least there were still some brush action. I think it’s the tooth paste that he goes crazy for.
I totally understand. Sometimes I get confused after getting advice from friends and others and looses track. Lets hope that this guy I got to train me can put some fun into Haruki and my daily lives! I’ll be starting training next week and I’m really excited. I hope it works out!
I’ll keep you posted about the progress for sure!
Thank you for your quick respond!
I will be looking into the grinder at the local pet store. I hope it works, Haruki doesn’t like anything done to his nails… it was my fault. I took him to the vet and the helper was not gentle with him at all. By the time she had done with Haruki’s 10th nail, I stopped her and saw at least two were bleeding. For a puppy, it really freaked him out. I was trying to be nice…but in heart, I was cursing her for eternity… (sorry to be evil).
Thank you and sorry to trouble you in researching for me! I’m so greatful! Well, I signed up for a 2 hour private class with one of his team member and see what he would practice with Haruki. Furthering with him would really depend on what kind of method he would use.
I really take in to consideration on the advices and articales that you had written. I would love to be able to know how to train him properly so that would could have a great time. I want a good friend/family/pet and not a police dog. But it’s really hard to find a trainer who has effective possitive training method along with experience in training a Shiba. Mind if you fly over here and I provide air fair, food and lodge?
Haruki needs some classes… actually, I’m the one who needs training class so that I can have fun and also practice safety. I would hate to loose him because it was my mistake for not teaching him manners.
Thanks for the link, I’ll post my concerns there later and would be excited to see some feedback!
^_^ Thanks for your help like always!
How are you?
Haruki is now five months and he’s been quite good. He still does nib a little but he doesn’t bite/teeth on people anymore. My slippers are finally safe! But he still jumps on people and now that he’s tall enough, he tries to reach for our food. -_-” Even though he’s not aggressive about it, his nails are just too sharp. We will have to work on his manners much more. I’m only affraid that when my sister’s baby comes over Haruki might accidently scratch him by jumping up.
Hum, I’m not sure. I think your suggestions are great and I would like to know if you think it’s good to bring Haruki in for a CET style of training. It’s the method that Brad Pattison uses, it’s his team of people. I heard great things about him, and they get to have a lot of fun while training both owners and dogs. Since I think it would benefit me and Haruki in going to some classes.
Hello Tsuki,
Just wanted to let you know that Animal Planet has just started airing Brad Pattison’s dog training show. It is called “In the Doghouse” and I just caught it on Saturday at 5pm Pacific time.
I am thinking of writing something about it, so I would love to know what you think – about the show and training class 🙂 Thanks!
Now I’m excited for you too 🙂 Hope things go well – good luck!