Guest Entry: Andre Wong on Watch them live! Shiba-Inus and the Puppy Cam

In 2008, the proud owners of six new Shiba-Inu puppies started putting up a 24/7, live feed of their dogs up for streaming on the Internet. What started out as a way to monitor the young pups remotely while the owners were out of the house exploded in online popularity; at its peak, the feed was the most viewed channel on its hosting site, UStream.com (Pickert, 2008). Millions of people all around the globe tuned in to watch these adorable puppies going about their business. The phenomenon was so widespread that it was even catching media attention from massive news outlets like Time, CNN, and The New York Times.

The six puppies were adopted three months after their video went viral. However, the UStream channel was brought back when Kika, the mother of the original litter, gave birth to another litter of puppies early this year (Emamdjomeh, 2010).  Though most of the second litter has also been adopted, the stream is still up for public viewing, which you can find here:

http://www.ustream.tv/sfshiba

Quite prudently, the owners of the dogs used the extra publicity to bring attention to rescue organizations dedicated to the breed, and they have put extra information on the actual streaming site speaking out against puppy mills as well.

The fact that so many millions of people tuned in for such a long time is testament to how adorable the Shiba-Inu breed is. But don’t just take my word for it, see the stream yourself, and be prepared to lose half your work day making baby noises at the computer screen.

Puppy power!

Sources:

Emamdjomeh, A. (2010, January 22). The shiba inu puppy cam: Reassuring squeaks in uncertain times. The New York Times, Retrieved from http://bayarea.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/visual-morphine-can-be-had-watching-shiba-inu-puppy-cam/

Pickert, K. (2008, November 11). Puppycam: For when you're sick of politics. TIME, Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1858007,00.html

Shiba inu puppy cam. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ustream.tv/sfshiba

Shiba Inu Podcast

My mother and I talked about our dog (a shiba Inu) on what we know about it, from our experience from the beging till now. We will explain some of  the things we had trouble and some of the things we love about him. Hope you enjoy our talk about our dog Dante the Shiba Inu.


You can download the podcast from here:




http://chrisalanis.podomatic.com/entry/2011-12-02T19_56_09-08_00

The Shiba Inu Cartoon

Shiba Inu seem to be getting populare, but in many form. They are in movie, tournament, and cartoon. Most of the time they are the main character friend or the main character. Right now the most populare cartoon is the Mameshiba. They are little beans that looks like Shiba Inu. The Mameshiba is a Japanese merchandise franchise created by copywriter and Korean Japanese national Kim Sukwon. The Mameshiba are different varieties of beans (and other legumes) that have dog-like faces and tell trivia. Their name derives from a series of puns. The Japanese word for "bean" is mame, a toy version of the Shiba Inu is a mameshiba, and the Japanese word for "trivia" is mamechishiki (literally "beans of knowledge").


Mameshiba became popular through a series of animated interstitials produced by Dentsu that were sold to Japanese television networks to air instead of commercials. Their popularity in Japan and Asia eventually led to their release in the United States via Viz Media and Hot Topic.


The Mameshiba website discribe them, "What exactly is Mameshiba? They're not quite a bean, nor a dog but rather a hybrid of both. They love to apear out of nowhere and offer random bits of trivia whether you asked for it or not..."


Another short cartoon is Baby Shiba, which is made by Mameshiba. These short cartoon are interesting and funny.


Here a youtube link video:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs6RJ7-6MpQ


Source:


Mameshiba. retrieved http://dogatch.jp/mameshibaworld/?red=mameshibaworld

Adopting One or More

How to Choose a Breeder

Often times, demand exceeds supply with Shibas and out of desperation, you feel compelled to take a chance. Find a breeder with whom you feel comfortable and work with him or her. The wait is worth it.

Be sure you have read all the information available on the Shiba on the our website and the Shiba homepage at www.shibaweb.com.

The following information is useful no matter where you decide to get a Shiba:

People listed on the NSCA and website have signed a Code of Ethics when they joined the Club. Whether they follow that code is primarily up to their own conscience. The best thing you can do is not to be in a hurry and to rely on your own good instincts as to whether you are dealing with a breeder who is right for you. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.

Good Signs:

• The breeder is willing to let you visit and see all the dogs, even if there are no puppies available at the time.
• The breeder allows you to interact with his dogs and puppies except for the shy ones.
• The breeder sometimes uses males other than his own because he feels they may be a better match for some of his females.
• The breeder does not have an excessive amount of litters per year.
• The breeder has a good contract that protects you as well as himself, guarantees health, and expresses a willingness to take the puppy back if you are not satisfied. For the latter, he may or may not be willing to make restitution.
• The breeder raises his puppies in the house or in an area where they can be easily socialized.
• The breeder does all his health checks as listed in the NSCA Breeder Referral introduction.
• The breeder responds to your emails or phone calls (as long as you don't go overboard).

Bad Signs:

• Filthy conditions
• Reluctance to invite you indoors or into the kennel.
• Selling puppies under 7 to 8 weeks of age.
• Excessive bad-mouthing of other breeders.
• A breeder who says he only breeds for pets, not show dogs.
• A breeder who says his dogs don't need the health checks or refuses to show you any health certification.
• A breeder who says puppies are one price without papers and cost more if you want the papers. (Note that show prospects are more expensive than pets, but registration applications should go with all. Pets should be sold only on a spay/neuter contract and the "limited" registration should be checked on all registration applications for pets. A few breeders still withhold registration applications until proof of spaying or neutering is given. This may be done because the breeder has been "burned" by a puppy buyer who bred the dog that was sold as a pet. A limited registration does not prevent a person from physically breeding a dog, it only prevents the offspring from being registered).
• Pedigrees without some champions in the first few generations unless the dogs are direct Japanese imports.
• Breeders who have puppies in several different breeds.
• Breeders who breed "designer dogs" such a Labradoodles or peek-a-poos. These are mutts and anyone who buys them is really being taken to the cleaners.
• Puppies listed on websites that promise instant gratification and treat live puppies as casual commodities.
• A breeder who intentionally breeds FOR cream, mismarked, long-coated or "Mame" (very small) Shibas. Creams and long-coats occasionally occur in well-bred litters and are as healthy as the rest of the puppies. Mame Shibas are more prone to the health problems that plague tiny dogs such as patellar luxation and poor dentition.
• Guarantees that seem very good but state that you must feed a particular brand of dog food or give a certain supplement or the contract becomes void, because you can never prove you followed those criteria. Read a contract carefully and be sure you can fulfill all stipulations if something goes wrong with a puppy. Can you prove you followed everything?
• Even if all the good criteria have been met, you may still feel uncomfortable. Remember, if it doesn't feel right TO you, it is probably not right FOR you.

Source:
The National Shiba Inu Club  of America (1992). How to Choose a Breeder. Retrieved http://www.shibas.org/newstand/how_to_choose_breeder.html

Training Time

The Shiba Inu is a very beautiful dog. However, behind that foxy face, is a dominant, stubborn, intelligent, and extremely mischievous Shiba Inu personality. This makes them extremely challenging 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 a little Shiba. After all, how difficult can a little dog be?

Even dog veterans have problems with their first Shiba.

Here are the Shiba Inu training secrets that helped me turn my little Shiba into a model citizen. Well maybe not a model citizen, but a fun citizen that I truly enjoy living with.

Shiba Inu Secret 1

There are No Miracle Cures.

Some of my Shiba 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.

Sadly, there are NO “miracle cures” for training a Shiba Inu.

The secret to training a Shiba Inu is to practice extreme patience, and find humor in your Shiba’s antics. Use reward obedience training, and always be firm but fair.

A Shiba will probably never be a model citizen. 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.

Shiba Inu Secret 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 like their freedom, and they like being close to their human pack. You can control a Shiba best by controlling these most desired resources: your attention, and his freedom.

If you actively try to stop your Shiba either through physical punishment (alpha rolls. leash jerk) or active restraint, he will fight back. This encourages him to practice rough play, and biting on people.

If you back away, or become fearful of your Shiba, he will learn that he “wins” by showing dog aggression.

If you over-correct your Shiba, by exerting too much physical force or by correcting him too frequently, you 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.

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, and if he does not come by then, I leave and go about my own business.

After a short time, he will come over and pester me to take him on his walk. This is done through begging, and whining. Ignore all this bad dog behavior. When you have a break in your schedule again, repeat the above exercise.

Your Shiba will quickly learn that to get the resources that he wants most (go on walks), he has to do it according to your rules and your schedule. It is important to practice the Nothing in Life is Free (NILIF) program with a Shiba.

Set your Shiba Inu up for success so that you can reward him frequently, and keep him interested in doing what you 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 you to catch him. Always try to keep an eye out for sneaky Shiba and stop him before he steals something. Also put a drag lead on him so that you can easily catch him by stepping on the lead.

Note: Use a regular flat collar with the drag lead, not a training collar. Training 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.

Shiba Inu Secret 3

Rules, Rules, Rules.

Shiba Inus are naturally dominant. If you do not provide them with rules that you consistently enforce, they will take over the house.

It is best to enforce those rules as early as possible so that your Shiba does not develop any bad habits later on, that will be more difficult to break.

Some of Shiba's rules:

1. No Biting

The most important rule that I place on my Shiba 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 your Shiba starts biting on you or on others, non-mark him. If he continues, put him on a time-out.

It is also important to teach a Shiba bite inhibition so that when he loses control of himself, and does bite, he will not cause much harm.

Shiba Inu Training Secrets - No food aggression.

Shiba Inu Training Secrets - No food aggression.

Shiba Inu Training Secrets - No rough play with people.

Shiba Inu Training Secrets - No rough play with people.

2. No Food Aggression or Resource Guarding

Prevent your 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 purely positive techniques.

Show them that people and other dogs coming near them while they are eating or playing with their toys is a good thing. Exchange objects with them so that they learn that giving up something does not mean that it is gone forever.

If you use physical force to grab a toy away from a Shiba, he will likely become more possessive over his objects. He will also lose trust in you and may use aggression to protect himself and his belongings.

3. No Rough Play

I do not play rough with my Shiba. He gets to wrestle with my other dog, but no wrestling allowed with humans.

I also do not play any dominance games with him, (Tug-of-War). The few times that I did play Tug with Shiba, he followed very strict rules during the game. However, when I took him out for dog walks, he would start playing tug with the leash (leash biting).

Shiba Inu Secret 4

Socialize Your 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 your 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 your Shiba Inu:

1. Shiba Inus have an extreme play style that many other dogs may not like.

When I used to take my Shiba to a dog parks, 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 your Shiba’s play-mates carefully, so that a fun time can be had by all.

2. Shiba Inus dislike handling.

Socialize your Shiba to touching, and grooming as early as possible. Pair the touching and grooming with very good treats so that he will associate handling with positive things.

Do not use physical force to do any grooming. This will make it into an unpleasant experience and your Shiba will fight you every step of the way.

Groom gently, and stop after short sessions.

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.

You can slowly desensitize your Shiba to this by pairing petting from above with good food rewards. At the same time, instruct people to approach from under your dog’s head and scratch his chest, instead of the top of his head.

Shiba Inu Secret 5

Control Your Own Energy.

The most important thing to remember while interacting with your Shiba is to control your own energy.

Shiba Inus are especially sensitive to the energy of their owners.

When I first got Shiba puppy, he was extremely mouthy. He would bite all over my hands and arms. He would also resort to biting when I stopped him from doing something unacceptable.

This made me become afraid of him.

Things quickly degenerated from there. 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.

I used to have my parents walk our at the park. When the they tried to stop him from doing something, he would object, and try out one of his patented Shiba Inu moves, including alligator rolls, leash biting, hand biting, and of course the Shiba scream.

My parents naturally got embarrassed when he screamed like he was about to die. There were other people around, and some of them thought that they was mistreating the poor dog. Our Shiba easily sensed their embarrassment and frustration. From then on, the Shiba scream was his favorite weapon to use against them.

With a Shiba Inu, it is important to stay calm at all times.

If you lose your cool, your Shiba will sense it and he will continue to use this weakness against you.

The best way to handle a misbehaving Shiba, is to stay calm, and remove him from the area as soon as he starts to act out. If he persists, 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.

He 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 you laugh.

I love my Shiba Inu.

He is one of my best buddies, and whenever I see him, I just have to smile.

Source:
shibashake. Shiba Inu Training Secrets. Retrieved http://shibashake.com/dog/shiba-inu-training-secrets

Exercise Your Shiba Inu

Shiba Inus are agile and active dogs. They need to have plenty of exercise each day in order to keep them healthy. Shibas range in size but are typically compact and muscular dogs that weigh up to about 25 pounds. A certain amount of daily exercise is paramount to good health and good temperament.


Starting when your Shiba is a puppy you will need to train him. Training is important to giving your Shiba the exercise he needs. He must be able to walk on a leash and most importantly be able to socialize with other dogs or people that he may encounter. Since the Shiba's temperament in somewhat protective and can be demanding it is important to socialize your puppy from an early age. This will allow you to be able to exercise your Shiba more freely.


Shibas need lots of room to run and play. Ideally they need a fenced yard where they can play and run without a leash. The Shiba is very family oriented, however, and craves time spent with his people. You'll want to spend some time each day taking your dog for a walk. Since Shibas were originally bred as hunting dogs they love a good game of fetch.


Shibas are smart dogs and learn quickly. They thrive on routines so it's best to set up a daily routine that you can stick to. This includes daily exercise. Make sure that you establish daily walks with your Shiba from an early age. Shibas are sturdy and have a lot of stamina. They like to play catch, sometimes for long periods of time. They enjoy playing in the outdoors but should not be left outside. Shibas love to be part of the family. In fact they sometimes think that they own the family!


A regular exercise routine should be established even as a puppy. When playing with your Shiba avoid games where they bite. Shibas love to chew things and they like to play with people's hands. Don't play games that encourage this behavior such as tug of war. Children should be taught the proper way to play with a puppy. Never approach a dog in a mean way or as if to hit the dog and of course never strike a dog. This can cause a dog to become more aggressive.


If you have children your Shiba will want to be right in the middle of all the action. Training is important and should start at an early age. Shibas can be somewhat aggressive and want their own way. It is important to understand these tendencies and to train the puppy to obey commands and to walk on a leash as early as possible. Keeping your Shiba exercised will help to curb some of the aggressive behavior that can sometimes happen. Shibas are very territorial and make good guard dogs. You'll want to ensure that they listen especially when you have guests.


Always provide plenty of fresh water for your pet especially after exercising. If you take the dog on long walks be sure to bring along a portable dog water kit so you can provide water quickly.

Shiba Inu Food

Before bringing home your Shiba it is best to have a supply of food on hand. Several boxes of granola, some oranges (for vitamin C) and a few sandwiches should give you enough energy to keep up with the little guy. Even though the Shiba would prefer to share your dinner, it is best to buy him a top quality dog food, one containing about 30% protein and 15 - 18% fat. Do not think in terms of a human diet when feeding a puppy. An 8 week old Shiba will eat approximately 1/3 Cup of puppy food three times daily. He may be given this moistened in separate feedings, or, if he is not too greedy, he may have dry kibble available at all times. If he is being fed three times a day, gradually increase the food as he grows and his appetite increases. He may be cut to twice a day at about 4 months of age or if he loses interest in a meal. A healthy puppy is neither too fat or too thin.

You should be able to feel his ribs, backbone and hip bones, but not see them. An adult Shiba will eat from 1 to 1.5 cups of kibble per day depending on his size and energy level.

The best dog food brand I been to by veterinary, pet store owner, and dogs owners.

Dog Food Brand:

• Orijen Dog Food
• Horizon Legacy Dog Food
• Acana Dog Food
• Artemis Dog Food
• Merrick Dog Food
• Taste of the Wild Dog Food
• Wellness Core Dog Food
• Instinct Dog Food
• GO Dog Food
• Fromm Dog Food

These brands may be healthie for you Shiba Inu, but they may be not like it  and not eat it. I recomend just buying the small bags first, to see if your Shiba likes it.

Source: 
Dog Training Central. The Best Dog Food What Are Your Options?. Retrieved http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/best-dog-food.html