Thank you Adrianna.

I don’t think it is an either-or thing. If I had to do it all over again, I would probably get a more trainable, less stubborn, and much more affectionate dog to start with. In this way, I can learn the basics of training, socialization, etc., and slowly ease into the process. Then, I can revisit getting a Shiba when considering a second dog or later.

I had a very difficult time with Sephy, and it was tough for the both of us especially in the first 6 months. I made lots of mistakes, and it was not a very good time. Not only did I have to go through some very painful times, but so did poor Sephy. I didn’t really start to enjoy the Sephy-experience until after about 1 year. On the other hand, I learned a lot in a fairly short amount of time, because I had to.
My Shiba Inu Story.

However, each person, each dog, and each situation are different. So keep in mind that what may be right for me, may not be so for someone else.

Good luck on your puppy search! Whatever happens, having a puppy is going to be an exciting and interesting journey. 😀

I love your blog. I am so happy I stumbled on it in my research. We have picked out a breeder here in BC,Canada. I have done a lot of research on the breed, I am mostly aware (I think) of their behavioural issues. The only thing is, Shiba will be our first dog. Either of us have had cats our whole lives (part of the attraction to a shiba). I’m feeling a little fearful reading all the comments about the Shiba being a “terror”, I suppose most dogs are until they are trained well. Anyways. I’ve heard many times that a Shiba isn’t recommended for a first time dog owner. I’ve loved the breed since 2008, my heart is set on them.

Help!!! What would be the best to do here? Abandon my love for the breed, or put in the hours of work?

they won’t listen or will shoot you a Shiba-tude look to kill and relaunch their assault

LOL! “Shiba-tude look to kill” — love it!

Very good advice about setting a Shiba up for success and giving commands at the appropriate time. In this way, they get into the habit of following commands.

We are very lucky Shiba HuDads. Except for my 3 4-legged kids acting like royalty they obey their commands in English & Japanese (95% of the time), they only tear up their own toys (except for 1 duvet cover during training), and they know/respect what the word no means. Mind you, I have spent huge amounts of time with my “kids” working on training and I believe the holistic massage techniques and approach I use make a huge difference in our Shibas.

My #1 “son” Frodo-San (m,red/cream, 11 1/2 y/o) and I are so in-tune and emotionally enter-twined it’s scary…we read each other very well and very rarely do I even have to put him on a leash.

In late spring we added the boyfriend/girlfriend couple Cerberus (m, black/tan, 5 y/o)and Kitsune (f, red/cream, 6 y/o) to our family. Kitsune originally was exactly the way you described in your poem and was a bully when she first came into our lives…but in a few short months she has done a 1000% turn-around and now act more like a mother to our boys. Cerberus was evidently bullied by Kitsune for years, always kept his head down, and was very skittish. We have taught him to be a proud Shiba Inu, keep his head up, and he is much better about being so skittish (though getting him past the automatic air fresheners was a huge hurdle – LOL).

The Shiba 500…3 of them doing that and their spins together in unison is a hoot but we’ve had to make some “track” furniture adjustments. You also have to get used to your feet, and other body parts, having claw skid-marks because when Shibas decide to play psycho doggies there is no stopping them! NOTE: When it comes to the Shiba 500 and squirrels, all bets are off and don’t dare try to issue a command because they won’t listen or will shoot you a Shiba-tude look to kill and relaunch their assault – PMSL.

I’ve always said; the love and loyalty given by a Shiba Inu to their Hu-panions is like no other…it is very special, very unique, and priceless.

Hello Meredith,

The thing with Shibas is that they are aloof, less tolerant, and more mouthy than many other breeds. This makes them more likely to mouth on people, especially when they are frustrated, over-excited, or fearful.

However, there are many well-trained Shibas out there who get along with other dogs and with well-behaved children. The dog can be trained to be more tolerant, but children should also be taught how to interact successfully with dogs. If we startle a dog while he is sleeping, pull or step on his tail, or otherwise cause him sudden and unexpected pain, the dog may instinctually respond with aggression. I only let my dog meet calm, older kids who know how to conduct polite greetings. Even then, I make sure to supervise closely and I also have my dog on-lead.

My Shiba is less tolerant than my other dogs, and more apt to use his mouth. Therefore I carefully manage him and train him so that he is safe and enjoys a happy life. In this way, he does not feel the need to use aggression to constantly protect himself from perceived threats.

How exciting! Puppies are a lot of work but they are also quite fabulous. Puppies smell great and they follow you around everywhere. They also love to cuddle and look at everything with such wonder. Gotta love puppies!

My Sibe puppy Lara is growing up so fast – I wish she would slow down just a little. One blink of an eye and they are all grown up and ready to take over the World.

Definitely take lots of puppy pictures and share them with us. I was too busy trying to survive when I first got Sephy and now I hardly have any puppy pictures of him. I wish I had taken more. You can never have too many puppy pictures. 😀

What are you going to call your Shiba?