The Good
1. A Shiba Inu is a dog that is more like a cat
They are independent and very clean.
They are extremely easy to potty train and 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 Shiba Inu is a good watch dog
A Shiba Inu is not a noisy dog. However, when there are strange people or strange noises around the house he will bark to alert you.
Shibas have great memory and will alert you to anything out of place around the house and even in a familiar neighborhood.
3. A Shiba Inu is graceful, agile, and high energy
They 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.
It is a great hiking buddy and is always up for a new challenge. They can easily learn and conquer an agility course but will only do it, if you make it worth his while.
4. A Shiba Inu is a doggy Einstein
A Shiba Inu can learn many dog obedience commands and he can learn them very quickly. They also thinks that he is much smarter than you, and will only obey you when it suits him.
It can quickly figure out complex interactive dog toys and puzzles. A Shiba will challenge you and keep you sharp and on your toes!
5. A Shiba Inu has a larger than life personality
A Shiba Inu may be small in body, but he has a enormous personality. If a Shiba were a person, he would either be an extremely successful egomaniac or in prison!
The Bad
1. A Shiba Inu is bold, strong willed, and stubborn
The Shiba Inu has a “Never give up, Never surrender” attitude. Which will not back down from a challenge and will often fight back when he perceives a threat. Because of this, many owners face aggression issues with their Shiba including food aggression, dog to dog aggression, and people aggression.
To successfully live with a Shiba Inu, you 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 you ignore him and give him nothing to react to, he will quickly lose interest, and move on to something else.
Shibas can be very competitive. If they see another dog getting praise and rewards, they will want to strut their stuff and show that they are 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.
2. A Shiba Inu has a sly, roughish intelligence
A Shiba Inu is super intelligent. He will most often use his brain power to “push your buttons” and get what he wants.
Beware the Shiba look – it is one of their most powerful weapons and will use it to great effect if they 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 Inu will do whatever he wants if he can get away with it. If he can’t get away with it, he will figure out another way to get away with it. 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 and lick your hand. Once you turn away, he is back in the cookie jar!
3. A Shiba Inu is like the Hulk
He is capable of great feats of agility but if untrained, he will use it 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, a Shiba will pull down items from counters and shred them to pieces. He may even eat some of those pieces.
A Shiba Inu, especially a young Shiba Inu has a lot of energy. It takes a lot to keep him occupied and away from trouble. Getting him a dog playmate can help. Another alternative is to put him in dog daycare or to employ the services of a dog walker.
4. A Shiba Inu is a Drama Queen
Woe be to you if your Shiba gets hurt or even just thinks that they are hurt. Woe be to you, woe be to your vet, and woe be to anyone who tries to help. They are extremely touchy when in this state, and may snap and bite at anyone who comes near them.
5. A Shiba Inu is a great singer
A Shiba Inu does not bark much but he has a wide range of vocal styling.
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 dog.
A Shiba Inu 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. Just ignore him and go about your business and he will stop. Remember that he can sense your inner energy, not just your outward appearance.
6. A Shiba Inu knows he is 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, but with a Shiba it can be total hell.
He wants his subjects close enough to serve him but not too close as to sully his royal person.
7. A Shiba Inu 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.
A Shiba Inu 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 Inu is not to be trusted off-leash unless in a fully enclosed area.
8. A Shiba Inu has nasty, wicked teeth
For a small dog, a Shiba Inu has very large teeth, and he is not afraid to use them.
Shiba Inus are a primitive breed and they lose control more easily than other more domesticated dog breeds.
Source:
Your Purebred Puppy. Shiba Inu Temperament What's Good About 'Em, What's Bad About 'Em. Retrieved http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/shibainu.html
I like how you listed out the pros and cons of the dog. It makes it more than just a dog lovers blog saying how great their dog is. This helps people realize that they may or may not want this dog depending on certain factors I also like the casual and sometimes humorous tone, it makes your connection with your readers stronger.
ReplyDeleteThe Shiba Inu seems like a fun and interesting breed. I am interested in hearing more about the cat analogy at the beginning of the post, as I don't think I hav e ever heard a dog breed compared to a cat before.
ReplyDeleteWhat sorts of dog puzzles can this breed solve? I dont think I've ever heard of something like this before, so it would be interesting to hear more about this.
This dog breed sounds quite interesting, but as someone who doesn't know much about dogs, I am curious as to how the Shiba Inu compares to other dogs.