Dog Breed: Shiba Inu Parenting – A Comprehensive Guide

The Shiba Inu is an old, original dog breed from Japan. The name “Shiba Inu” means something like “little dog”, and in fact, the Shiba is the smallest representative of the 6 Japanese Spitz recognized by the FCI.
The breed standard, which has been binding since 1934, is managed by the FCI under No. 257 in Group 5: Spitz and dogs of the original type, Section 5: Asian Spitz and related breeds, without a working test.

Shiba Inu Dog Breed Information

Size: 35-42cm
Weight: 11/07/2017 kg
FCI group: 5: Spitz and archetypal dogs
Section: 5: Asian Spitz and related breeds
Country of origin: Japan
Colors: black-sesame, sesame, black-brown, red-sesame, red
Life expectancy: 12-16 years
Suitable as: Companion, hunting, and guard dog
Sports: –
Personality: Charming, Confident, Fearless, Keen, Alert, Loyal
Leaving requirements: high
Drooling potential: low
The thickness of hair: rather high
Maintenance effort: rather low
Coat Structure: Hard and straight with a soft and dense undercoat
Child friendly: medium
Family dog: rather yes
Social: medium

Origin and breed history

It is believed that the first dogs arrived on the Japanese islands along with the first humans to settle on that land. Excavations seem to show that dogs similar to today’s Shiba were kept by people in Japan as helpers and companions in very early times. Especially in the mountainous regions of central Japan, small, agile dogs were indispensable to their owners as guards and when hunting small game and birds. Due to the geographical isolation of these landscapes, the dogs remained very original for a long time. Only with the opening of the borders of the empire for western traders and explorers did other European dog breeds reach the islands and soon mixed with the dogs there. Targeted crossings with English Setters and Pointers for hunting use ultimately meant that the real, purebred Shiba Inu were hardly ever to be found.

Only in the 1920s did breeders finally try to preserve the old dog breed. With targeted breeding, which made today’s Shiba Inu somewhat taller and stronger than its ancestors, a binding breed standard was established as early as 1934 and the Shiba is now one of the most popular dog breeds in Japan and has also spread worldwide.

History – How did the dog breed Shiba Inu develop?

The Shiba Inu dog breed from Japan can look back on a long history of origin. Your medium-sized four-legged friend is one of the pedigree dogs whose origins did not begin with breeding. Instead, the Shiba Inu is a natural dog breed. Its strong instincts in particular ensure that your pet behaves consciously and independently. The intelligence of the dog plays an important role here, since it has an independent character for this reason. Its history shows that the Shiba Inu forms a team with its owner without completely submitting. This trait sets this man’s best friend apart from other dog breeds.

The Shiba Inu is an ancient breed of dog originally from Japan. The four-legged friend did not develop from a special breed, but the breed developed in a natural way. Due to this development, your companion has a strong yet elegant physique. His character is characterized by a high level of assertiveness, intelligence and leadership.

At the same time, this means that the medium-sized Shiba Inu is only suitable for dog lovers. Beginners find it difficult to keep the independent animal under control, so the dog does not recognize its owner as the alpha. In this case, there is a risk that the independent four-legged friend will act aggressively in order to get his way.

The Japanese dog breed Shiba Inu is characterized by a hard top coat with an unmistakable light brown color. In contrast to the bristly upper coat, the undercoat is particularly soft. In the cold mountain regions of Japan, man’s best friend with a thick undercoat has warming protection. In addition, the pedigree dog developed into a medium-sized representative of its kind. The males reach a height of 40 centimeters at the withers, the female animals are only a few centimeters smaller.

With a life expectancy of twelve to 14 years, the Shiba Inu is a very old dog. The circumstance results from a strong constitution of the four-legged friend. Common diseases that the dog breed suffers from include the bleeding disorder hemophilia A, glaucoma or patellar luxation. In rarer cases, the animals contract the metabolic disease GM1 gangliosidosis. Your companion has a magnificent coat of fur in the colors:

• Red,
• light brown,
• black loh,
• Black Sesame
• and red sesame.

The characteristic of this species is the white color of the underside of the tail. There are also white spots on the head, chest, belly and legs.

If you own a Shiba Inu, you know that your four-legged friend belongs to an ancient breed. As early as 400 years before the birth of Christ, records mention the existence of the special Japanese pedigree dog. In the Asian country there are three original dog breeds, which differ mainly in terms of their body size. Thus, the name Shiba Inu means nothing other than “little dog”.

Another naming theory says that the name of your four-legged friend is derived from its coat color, because the Japanese character Shiba-aka stands for a special red-brown color. There is also the hypothesis that the term Shiba Inu derives from the Japanese region of Shiba-mura. This is a town in Nagano Prefecture. In the first mentions about the dog, it lived in the mountainous regions. Therefore, the breed developed in the mountainous regions of central Japan.

Your Shiba mainly acted as a guard and companion when hunting. Man’s best friend served as a hunter for small game and birds. Due to its size, the four-legged friend has a high jumping power, so that it catches birds without any problems. In addition, old skeleton finds show that the Shiba Inu already existed 8,000 to 10,000 years before Christ. His appearance didn’t change much over the period.

The circumstance results from the fact that no other dog breeds existed in the region. As a result, there were no interbreeding and the breed was preserved in its original form. It was not until 1870 that pointers and setters arrived in Japan on English ships and interbred with the local dog breeds. For this reason, in 1928, a purebred Shiba Inu was already considered a rare sight. In order to preserve the breed, the dog lovers decided on targeted breeding based on binding breed standards. In this way it was possible to protect the original breed from mixing. In 1937, your four-legged friend was designated a Japanese national monument. As a result, breeding celebrated further successes and the breed increasingly established itself outside of Asia. In contrast to the Shiba Inu before the targeted breeding, she has longer legs and a stronger physique.

Nevertheless, your pet is considered one of the most popular dog breeds in Japan. In Europe and the United States of America, the animal functions primarily as a family and exhibition dog. Due to its originality, the Shiba Inu shows a genetic proximity to the wolf. This circumstance explains the independent and often assertive nature of your four-legged friend.

Unlike the European and Asian Shiba Inus, the American-bred pets are more muscular and stocky. Nevertheless, there are uniform breed standards that have been developed since the beginning of breeding. The shape of the skull plays an important role here. Your companion ideally has a broad forehead and a clear stop, with a slight furrow existing. The dog’s nose is straight, with the muzzle gradually tapering. The lips are taut.

In addition, the breed developed in such a way that the eyes appear small and triangular. As a rule, they have a dark brown color and a slight elevation of the back corner of the eye. The Shiba Inu has a scissor bite and strong teeth. Both factors ensure that the four-legged friend is a good watchdog. In addition to the dog’s broad neck, the upright, forward-leaning ear is a typical feature of the Japanese pedigree dog.

Nature & temperament of the Shiba Inu

A Shiba Inu is a character head! His sharp-witted, independent nature requires a lot of patience and consistency from his owner, because he doesn’t like to subordinate himself unquestioningly, but likes to “question” a command or the ranking within his pack from time to time. Therefore, he is not necessarily recommended as a beginner dog. But once you have earned his respect, you have found a very faithful and loyal companion in your Shiba. With his bright, friendly and calm nature, he is a great family dog ​​and if he gets used to it from an early age, other animals in the household are no problem!

The Shiba Inu is rather reserved towards strangers and its pronounced territorial behavior makes it a reliable and courageous watchdog, but it does not bark or even bark for no reason. He has also retained his passion for hunting from his original use, which combined with his amazing bounce can become a problem if the garden fence is too low! He loves exercise in the fresh air, no matter what the weather, and wants to be kept busy here – then he doesn’t have to take charge of the exercise himself!

Is the Shiba Inu a family dog?

With a good, consistent upbringing, the Shiba Inu is a great family dog that also gets along wonderfully with children. However, the children have to learn from the start that the dog needs its own retreat.

The appearance of the Shiba Inu

As the smallest representative of the six recognized Japanese Spitz breeds, the Shiba Inu reaches a height at the withers of around 35-40 centimeters and weighs around 10-15 kilograms. According to the breed standard, the ratio of the height at the withers to the length of the body is 10:11, which gives it an almost square appearance. The physique is muscular, strong, and well proportioned.

His round face with the alert, attentive dark eyes, the clear stop between the forehead and the muzzle, and the small triangular ears pointing upwards always make him look enterprising. As with all Japanese Spitz, the high set, densely hairy tail is carried curled over the back. The coat of the Shiba Inu is two-layered with a short, straight, and quite hard topcoat and a very dense, soft undercoat. The Shiba is available in the colors red, black and tan, and sesame, the latter being defined in the standard as follows:

“Sesame”: Overall, a good mix of black, red, and white hairs;
“Black Sesame”: More black than white hairs;
“Red Sesame”: Base color red mixed with black hair.
For all color varieties, whitish hair is desired around the muzzle and throat, on the chest and belly, as well as on the tail and the inside of the legs, the so-called “Urajiro”.

How big do Shiba Inu get?

According to the breed standard, males should have a height at the withers of 39.5 and females 36.5 centimeters, deviations of 1.5 cm up or down are allowed.

Training and husbandry of the Shiba Inu – this is important to note

As already mentioned, the Shiba Inu has a strong self-confidence, which is why he does not like to be subordinate. In training, this requires a lot of patience and, above all, loving consistency from the owner right from the start in order to convince him of the meaning of the demands placed on him and to assign him his place in the human-dog pack. Beginners in dog ownership should therefore opt for a different breed of dog or at least seek the support of a professional dog school in good time to prevent disappointment and frustration in the dog and owner. However, once the Shiba has accepted human pack leadership, it is an absolutely devoted and loving family member.

The Shiba Inu is very vigilant about its home and, if necessary, will bravely defend its territory and family against animal and human invaders. In contact with other dogs, he also tends to be dominant, which is why socialization with other dogs is particularly important, even with puppies. The puppy play groups, which almost every professional dog school offers today and in which the first basic educative commands are practiced in a playful way, are ideal for this.

Its strong prey drive can make it difficult to let the Shiba roam free outside of fenced areas. And even on a leash, he sometimes surprises his owner with incredibly quick, skilful reactions when he catches a mouse or a bird that is taking off too slowly. The Shiba Inu feels comfortable in a house with a garden, but the garden fence should be high and sturdy enough to withstand his jumping ability and his need for exercise and hunting adventures. Since he is very active and likes to go for long walks, as a future owner of a Shiba Inu you have to be aware that a lot of time and physical fitness must be invested here in order to keep the dog busy enough. Bad weather is no excuse – the thick undercoat makes the dog insensitive to cold and wet, and masters or mistresses have to adjust their wardrobe accordingly. If he is sufficiently busy, the little Shiba is also satisfied with a city apartment.

How much does a Shiba Inu cost?

A purebred puppy from a reputable breeder costs around $1000 or more.

Diet of the Shiba Inu

Since dogs are carnivores, i.e. meat eaters, the food should always consist primarily of meat. High-quality ready-made food, regardless of whether it is wet or dry food, meets this requirement and can usually also be used to feed a Shiba Inu. Since this is a very original, robust breed, food intolerances are relatively rare. The so-called BARF (=biologically appropriate raw feeding) is usually well tolerated, but requires the owner to strictly adhere to the feed composition in order to prevent deficiency symptoms.

The actual energy requirement naturally depends on many individual factors, such as the dog’s age, state of health and daily exercise. This must always be taken into account in order for the dog to maintain its ideal weight. While puppies and young dogs up to a year old get their food in several portions a day, it is advisable for adult dogs to split the daily ration into two meals to prevent stomach overload. After feeding there should always be a period of rest. Fresh drinking water must be available to the dog at all times.

Health – life expectancy & common diseases

The Shiba Inu generally enjoys robust health. There are practically no breed-specific hereditary diseases, unless close blood relatives are mated during breeding. A characteristic that the Shiba Inu has in common with some other Asian dog breeds is the so-called microcytosis, i.e. the appearance of reduced red blood cells, but in this case it is physiological and not disease-related.

A healthy, species-appropriately fed Shiba Inu who is allowed to exercise sufficiently can live to be 13-15 years old.

What healthy dog nutrition looks like – simple tips for everyday life

Big, small, old, young – every dog has a different energy requirement. But how much food does a dog need? Learn all about the ideal amount of food for dogs.

Does your dog eat reluctantly or even refuse food? Maybe it’s not the right one! Of course you want your four-legged friend to stay fit for as long as possible, so his diet is the key. But what constitutes healthy dog nutrition? What should be considered when it comes to puppy food and adult dogs? How much food does a dog actually need? You will find answers to all these questions in the following text:

What constitutes healthy dog food

New dog owners in particular often do not yet know which food to buy. The market is huge, and you’ve heard of things like vegan dog nutrition or BARF. What is actually healthy for dogs? A few basic rules:

1. An unencrypted ingredients list

The dog food packaging always promises you the best for your four-legged friend. But what does it really contain? Reading the ingredients is certainly a challenge for dog beginners. Ideally, high-quality ingredients should be named precisely, e.g. not “grain” but wheat or oats. The term “animal by-products” mostly hides slaughterhouse waste such as cartilage or tendons. If you are unsure, ask the manufacturer. If he refuses to provide information, this dog food is not recommended.

2. The right mix

Dogs need proteins, but also vitamins, trace elements and a small amount of carbohydrates. A good source of protein is usually muscle meat, egg or liver. Trace elements can also be found in meat, for example, but also in certain types of grain, legumes, yeast or nuts. The stomach draws vitamins mainly from plant products, carbohydrates, for example, from boiled potatoes or raw fruit.

3. The Grain Question

For a long time, grains in dog food were generally regarded as bad or disease-causing. Today we know that it depends on the right proportion. This should always be well below the meat so that your dog can digest the food well. Some four-legged friends have allergies to certain types of grain, which then need to be found out and avoided in the future.

4. The vegan or vegetarian diet as an option

Some dog owners swear by this type of dog nutrition, which is not necessarily obvious at first. In fact, your four-legged friend can also get all the vital ingredients from fruit, grains and vegetables. But you have to know it very well and have dealt extensively with meatless nutrition. It is important that it does not lack any nutrients.

5. The smallest possible amount of additives

If you buy the dog food yourself, a clear sign of quality is how many additives it contains. As with finished human products, manufacturers sometimes use flavor enhancers, preservatives and colorings to make the food more attractive to our eyes. Avoid these ingredients if possible!

6. Your dog’s well-being

Food can be very individual. Therefore, good observation is essential to figuring out what your dog should be eating. In the case of intolerances, he develops diarrhoea, coat problems or allergies, for example. Also make sure he eats regularly and enjoys it.

7. A healthy dog ​​poop

Ideally, your dog’s stool should not be conspicuous in terms of consistency, smell or color. If this is the case, he may not tolerate the current food so well.

High-quality ingredients reduce the stench, for example

8. BARFing as an option

With BARFing, you rely on a mostly meat-based dog diet made from raw ingredients. The important thing is that you have dealt with it in detail. This type of feeding is not possible without prior knowledge. Here, too, it is important to avoid deficiency symptoms. Food allergies, such as to bovine protein, can also become problematic. It is therefore a question of practice and the level of knowledge whether BARFing is healthy for your animal.

9. Avoiding certain foods

Some foods are dangerous or unhealthy for dogs:

• sugar
• chocolate
• onions
• grapes or raisins
• potatoes (raw)
• avocado
• Stone fruit pits
• bones of poultry
• pork (raw)

10. The variety

Dogs should not always eat the same food. Your body is just as happy about new vitamin, protein, and carbohydrate sources as well as trace elements. If you cook dog food yourself, the variety is easier to incorporate. When you buy dog food, you should always try new things, but not wildly switch back and forth between suppliers or wet and dry food. This confuses your four-legged friend’s digestion. However, a middle course between buying and doing it yourself can make sense.

The right puppy food

Initially, puppies feed on their mother’s milk. But from the 5th week they start to be interested in dog food.

How long and how much to feed puppy food?

From the 9th week of life, the supply of healthy breast milk ends for all breeds. After that, small dogs should be fed puppy food for 9 months, medium-sized or large four-legged friends for up to 24 months.

It is best to discuss the feeding with your veterinarian and check regularly whether your dog’s growth and weight gain are in line with the standard curve. Some puppy food packaging states the recommended amount of food exactly.

What is healthy puppy food?

When it comes to feeding young dogs, it is important to meet their energy needs for growth. That is why puppy food contains a lot of raw protein and raw fat as well as minerals and vitamins. Puppies usually try wet food first because it is easier to chew. It goes without saying that the puppy food available in stores has a high meat content. Some breeds require additional protein and therefore special puppy food. These include, for example, Saint Bernards and Great Danes.

How much food does an adult dog need?

It is not for nothing that dog food makes up a share of up to 20-150 euros in maintenance costs. With small dog breeds you switch to the adult diet after 6 months, with medium-sized dogs at around 12 months, with large dogs only after 24. The right amount of food depends on the following factors:

• old
• health status
• size
• activity

If your dog is healthy and exercising normally, he will typically eat about 2.5% of his body weight per day. Older animals eat less, if you have a particularly active or large animal, the optimal amount of food can be up to 5%. Check from time to time whether your dog has enough “on the ribs”. To do this, you simply stroke his back. If the spine or individual ribs are clearly protruding, your animal may be underweight. If you can no longer feel these bones, then he is overweight. A healthy dog ​​diet shouldn’t produce one extreme or the other.

When is it time for an age-appropriate change in diet?

Older dogs eat less. Due to age problems, they also need a correspondingly different feed, which helps against tartar, for example. You can support your four-legged friend with the right nutrition. You’ll notice for yourself when your dog gets older.

The right time to change your diet is usually after about three-quarters of your expected lifespan. This is usually later in small dogs than in large ones: Ideally, your four-legged friend should be eating “normally” for 7-10 dog years, after that senior nutrition is the order of the day.

How do I feed my dog ​​healthy?

First of all, you ensure regularity: for adult animals it is sufficient if you provide them with food once a day. The dog’s body gradually gets used to a certain daily and digestive routine. Fresh water is also part of the diet – especially if you decide to eat pure dry food. If you can, feed your four-legged friend when you are eating, e.g. at lunchtime. This is how you avoid begging.

Healthy food is at room temperature and does not come straight from the fridge. In addition, it should not be stored for too long to give bacteria or germs no chance. The amount should always be individually tailored to your dog according to the above factors. If he leaves anything, empty his bowl. After eating, the organism needs rest, so wait until your dog has digested the food before playing or going for a walk. Is something wrong, is your four-legged friend refusing food?

Then you should always consult a veterinarian. Fasting once a week, which you set as the owner, corresponds to the nature of your dog. This routine is healthy for him, since he uses up unnecessary reserves during this time.

When dog digestion causes trouble…

Your four-legged friend hasn’t tolerated his food and is throwing up on your friends’ new sofa? He has diarrhea and leaves a mark in your colleague’s car? Such annoyances, which occur with improper nutrition or in the event of illness, can be expensive for owners.

How Long Live Shiba Inu?

This breed of dog is very robust and not very susceptible to diseases, so that a Shiba Inu can live up to 13-15 years.

Care of the Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu does not have any special requirements when it comes to grooming. Its hard, straight top coat does not tangle, so occasional brushing is sufficient. However, when they change their fur in spring and autumn, they lose large numbers of their dense, soft undercoat. The brush should be used every day to protect carpets, upholstery and the car. In order for the dog to undergo this procedure willingly, it is advisable to get the puppy used to regular grooming.

After long walks in fields, forests and meadows, it is usually sufficient to rub the dog down with a dry towel. Constant bathing or showering is not necessary and, on the contrary, is more likely to damage the coat, especially if soap or shampoo is used frequently. The Shiba is a nature boy and prefers to take care of his own cleanliness.

Shiba Inu Activities and Training

Even if the Shiba Inu is a rather small dog, it still makes great demands when it comes to its daily exercise! He wants to get out into nature, no matter what the weather is like. Long, long walks, regular jogging rounds through the park or, once you get used to it, bike tours are a must for this breed. Since the deeper meaning of retrieving balls or sticks doesn’t really open up for him, unfortunately you can’t trick him that way either. He would like his master or mistress to walk with him and not just stand at the edge of the field and move his arm! And because of his great desire to hunt, it is hardly possible to let him run free.

Only a few representatives of this breed enjoy dog ​​sports. Agility, obedience and the like are not necessarily compatible with the stubbornness and Asian grandeur of a Shiba Inu. But as always in life, exceptions prove the rule, so at least an attempt should be made to get the Shiba interested in sports as well, in order to satisfy his need for exercise and activity in this way. If it doesn’t work – there are countless exciting hiking trails that can be explored with the Shiba Inu and exercise is known to do no harm!

Good to know: Peculiarities of the Shiba Inu

The Japanese are very proud to have preserved their ancient dog breeds, some of which almost became extinct. Therefore, the Shiba Inu was declared a “Japanese natural monument” as early as 1937 and placed under government protection.

Today, the Shiba Inu is the most common breed of dog in Japan, and the breed has also found a relatively large distribution worldwide. Nevertheless, it is still original and has been spared from overbreeding.

The Shiba Inu bred in the USA differ from the European and Japanese representatives of this breed: they are usually more muscular and long-legged and thus appear a little more elegant.

Guide to proper care of the Shiba Inu

The medium-sized Shiba Inu originally comes from Japan. He has a thick coat with a fluffy undercoat. To prevent your dog’s coat from becoming matted, brush it several times a day. For this reason, grooming the Shiba Inu takes a lot of time. The animal prefers cooler temperatures. To keep it from sweating on hot summer days, trimming the Shina Inu is given a high priority. This will remove dead hair from the fur. Your Shiba enjoys this attention.

What is skincare?

Grooming of the Shiba Inu is very important when it comes to keeping them. Regular brushing with different dog brushes plays a major role. The fur of the dog breed is thick and hard-wearing. Under the wiry top coat is the soft undercoat.

A matted coat will cause the Shiba Inu to sweat more quickly. Little air gets to the skin, so bacteria collect here. In the worst case, inflammation and eczema develop. Occasional bathing is also part of the Shiba Inu’s grooming routine. At least once a month you clean your four-legged friend in this way. This best friend of man moves in nature in wind and weather. Therefore, dirt particles get into the fur. If the animal scratches itself more frequently for this reason, skin irritations develop in the same case.

Apart from regular brushing, grooming your pet is undemanding. The harder top coat repels water so that hardly any moisture reaches the undercoat.

The Shiba Inu is a very clean dog. He takes great care of his fur and cleans it almost like a cat. Another benefit of caring for this dog is its low odor.

This distinguishes the four-legged friend from other dog breeds. Even when wet, your pet does not give off an unpleasant odor.

The Shiba Inu has a shiny coat

The coat of the Shiba Inu is a special eye-catcher. According to the established breed standards, it shows the colors: red, red-sesame, black-sesame, sesame and black loh. Without exception, the animals have white spots on the head, chest and abdomen. In addition, the lighter areas in the fur can be seen on the underside of the tail and the legs. In any case, the dense fur of the Japanese pedigree dog shines. Brushing gives you that shine. At the same time, it gives you the opportunity to examine your dog for parasites or wounds. To easily get through the dense undercoat, use a dog brush with hard teeth. This combs even the smallest knots out of the fur.

In addition, brushing has health benefits for four-legged friends. The hard teeth of the brush have a massage effect on the skin. Thus, with grooming, you stimulate the blood circulation of the dog at the same time. The metabolism of the skin improves. As a result, new hair grows back healthily and forms a dense, shiny coat. In addition to brushing, trimming the Shina Inu plays an essential role in grooming.

Why does trimming gain relevance?

You don’t use clippers to trim the Shina Inu. These devices only cut off the fur just above the skin. When you trim, however, you’re plucking dead hair out of your dog’s skin. This is given priority to keep the coat healthy and dense. If the dead hair remains, it may grow into the skin of the four-legged friend. This leads to itching. This also causes inflammation. Since the heat builds up under the fur, it only heals slowly.

Furthermore, by trimming you are thinning your pet’s fur. In this way, the clean substance gets to the dog’s skin. In addition, regrowing hairs get more space. Trimming stops the Shiba Inu from sweating. Increased perspiration also leads to irritation of the epidermis. Furthermore, bacteria collect under the fur. To avoid this, thinning the dog’s hair is a necessity.

You decide for yourself when to trim your Shiba Inu. You can tell the best time by his behavior. If he scratches more often, you first examine your dog for dead hair or parasites in the fur. In addition, the hairs fall out at a certain point in time. This is when there is too much dead hair in the skin. The resulting itching leads to impaired well-being of your pet.

To trim the Shiba Inu, you use a trimming knife. You pull this through your dog’s dense coat of fur. The hair of the four-legged friend gets caught in the knife. Dead hairs are easier to remove from the skin and get stuck in the device. In order to only remove a few healthy dog ​​hairs, guide the trimming knife with light, even pressure. This treatment does not cause pain to the dog. Rather, he enjoys your attention.

You trim the dog after shedding

In many long-haired dogs, the coat change shows clearly. During this period, the animal loses numerous hairs. Due to its dense undercoat, the Shiba Inu has a fluffy coat. At the end of winter, the Japanese pedigree dog sweats more. This is where the strongest coat change takes place. The hair begins to fall out in clumps. You have no reason to worry about this. Notice when the hair loss ends. At this point you trim the Shiba Inu.

The technical term for trimming is stripping. After changing the coat, it acquires relevance to remove dead tissue. This is necessary so that the thinner summer coat can grow back without any problems. Without the treatment, the hair becomes matted. In the long run, your dog’s coat loses its shine in this way. In the worst case, there are also light spots. The coat is the external sign of health in animals. Therefore, you make sure that it is cared for regularly and in a species-appropriate manner.

Furthermore, you brush the Shiba Inu more often at the time of the change of fur. With this you care for your dog and at the same time protect the apartment from flying hair. The dense undercoat otherwise gets caught on textiles and furniture. There are useful tricks to ensure optimal fur care for your four-legged friend. For example, you give your dog flaxseed oil from time to time. You trickle this over the pet’s food. The oil makes the coat of the pedigree dog supple and shiny.

Regular brushing is a priority when grooming the Shiba Inu. The four-legged friend has dense fur with a thick undercoat. Without the necessary care, the dog’s coat becomes matted. This causes itching and inflammation. Trimming also plays an essential role in grooming the Japanese pedigree dog. Use a trimming knife to remove dead hair from the skin. New hairs grow back healthy and strong.

The Shiba Inu needs consistent training

The Shiba Inu is not a dog prone to blind obedience. The animal has remarkable intelligence. In addition, the strong character of the Shiba Inu enables your pet to act independently. In order to bring your four-legged friend under control, you absolutely need consistency. The upbringing of the Shiba Inu is characterized by strictness and loving hardness. The dog will not accept a one-off ban. Instead, you constantly make his boundaries clear to him. This is how the Japanese pedigree dog recognizes you as the pack leader.

The Shiba Inu does not obey blindly

Training a Shiba Inu is a demanding undertaking. Only dog ​​owners with sufficient experience can bring strong-willed four-legged friend under their control. The pedigree dog, originally from Japan, does not appear stupid or malicious towards you. Rather, the animal has an extraordinary strength of character. The Shiba Inu relies on its own leadership skills. Therefore, only a person with assertiveness can lead the animal.

In order to educate the pedigree dog with the characteristic appearance, you need patience and the necessary leadership strength. The Shiba Inu does not trust its owner blindly. Instead, you earn the dog’s respect to get your way. The medium-sized four-legged friend has a loyal character. He is unconditionally protective of his family and always tries to take control of a situation. This mostly happens when you show weakness in a moment.

The intelligent Shiba Inu watches you closely at all times. If he gets the feeling that you are not in control of the situation, he takes over the management. Thus, this dog presents itself as an idiosyncratic being. Training the Shiba Inu requires a lot of patience. A single command impresses the pedigree dog little. Instead, he repeatedly tries to get his way. You prevent this behavior by treating your pet with consistency.

The pedigree dog needs loving strictness

Consistent training does not mean that you loudly blame your dog for misbehavior. Yelling will not lead to success when training the Shiba Inu. This man’s best friend is clever and sensitive. Therefore, he remembers an unjust treatment. If you lose the trust of your four-legged friend, it will be difficult for you to win it back. Therefore, you train your pet consistently and lovingly.

Fair treatment is of great relevance for the well-being of the Shiba Inu. The human-related animal seeks contact with its owner. For this reason, close family ties are given high priority. If the Shiba Inu feels neglected or ignored, it will no longer accept you as the pack leader. Your animal friend doesn’t like to share their home with other animals and prefers to avoid small children.

If you are thinking about purchasing a Shiba Inu, you should consider several factors. Training a dog takes a lot of time. Only constant and continuous training ensures that the four-legged friend accepts commands and carries them out. You try to explain this to the dog in a meaningful way. It is important for the Shiba Inu to understand a command. If he thinks it’s pointless, he doesn’t do it.

Bans apply 100 percent

Strictness plays an important role in the upbringing of the Shiba Inu. If you try to break a behavior in your dog, you are acting with the necessary authority. You carry out prohibitions consistently. If you make an exception, the upbringing will fail. Your four-legged friend remembers the weakness and takes advantage of it. For example, he tries to get the food on the table repeatedly if you give him some of it.

In order for the dog to accept boundaries, you set them early on. You train your pet as soon as it arrives. Even as a puppy you will recognize the cleverness of the Japanese purebred dog. He is always trying to expand the limits set for him. You notice that your dog is testing you. There’s no point trying to trick the Shiba Inu. As a rule, the animal sees through the experiment quickly.

Shiba Inu need sufficient exercise

With the Shiba Inu, you own a sharp-witted and willing four-legged friend. Without a constant challenge, he gets bored. In this case, the animal tends to hyperactive behavior, ignoring prohibitions. To avoid this, you challenge the pedigree dog in a species-appropriate manner. Your pet has a strong sense of responsibility. Despite his attachment, he shows himself to be independent. This trait allows the dog to make its own decisions.

The Shiba Inu prefers to do regular work. As a watchdog, for example, he does his job reliably and with enthusiasm. In addition, the fulfillment of his needs is part of the education of the Shiba Inu. This four-legged friend has a high urge to move. In wind, rain and storms, he is drawn outside to let off steam. You also pay attention to this peculiarity when you bring the Japanese pedigree dog into your home.

The Shiba Inu prefers long walks. Because of his condition, he keeps up with jogging. The dog’s wiry and lithe body makes it an athletic companion. Nevertheless, the four-legged friend finds little pleasure in dog sports. To keep your pet busy, challenge it with:

• nose playing,
• Hidden Objects
• and twitch training.

Relationship work is of great importance for the upbringing of the Shiba Inu. So that your pet trusts you, you spend enough time with your four-legged friend. You give him your full attention. If you establish yourself as the pack leader, this makes it easier for you to train the pedigree dog. Be aware that you cannot drill him without exception. This is mainly due to the fact that the Shiba Inu belongs to an old breed and its instincts are more original.

In addition, the Shiba Inu has a strong hunting instinct. He regards smaller dogs and cats primarily as prey. Especially in the city you bring your four-legged friend’s hunting instinct under control. Otherwise, an untrained Shiba Inu will start acting out his urges at the wrong time and in the wrong place. Due to its protective instinct, the pedigree dog poses a danger to passers-by in this case.

The education of the Japanese pedigree dog summarized

Strictness and consistency are very important when training the Shiba Inu. The idiosyncratic four-legged friend has extraordinary intelligence. He uses this to test boundaries. To educate your pet, you remain 100 percent consistent and enforce bans at all times. If you show weakness, he will not accept you as the pack leader. Nevertheless, the Shiba Inu needs a close family connection. Treat your dog with love. This is how you gain his respect.

Disadvantages of the Shiba Inu

Like the other Japanese Spitz, the Shiba Inu is characterized by its strong stubbornness. Anyone who chooses this breed should therefore have sufficient experience in dog training and bring a good deal of patience and consistency.

Its strong hunting instinct also requires special attention and, above all, an escape-proof property to protect wild animals, birds and the neighbour’s cat. In order to meet his great need for exercise, you have to be prepared to go for long walks every day, no matter how uncomfortable the weather may be.

The mysterious nature of the Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu is a Japanese dog and is one of the smallest dog breeds in Japan. In its homeland, the popular Shiba is considered a national natural landmark. Its special features include its pointed and erect triangular ears. Due to the diverse characteristics of the Shina Inu, this is perfect as a family dog, but it is not suitable for beginners. Today’s Shiba is descended from hunting dogs that lived in the mountainous regions bordering the Sea of Japan, which greatly influences its character.

Breeding of the Shiba Inu, which is popular today, did not begin until 1928, since at that time the pure breed was endangered by English hunting dogs. The modern Shiba Inu is very different from the original dog that lived in Japan over 100 years ago.

In the past, the Shiba had a rounder shape and shorter legs. This resulted in the species we know today. Firstly, the Shiba Inu from the USA, which breeders made bigger and bigger.

On the other hand the Shiba, which is mainly found in Europe and Japan. This is taller, stronger and looks more elegant than the original Shiba. In the past, the dog was more like a smaller wolf.

The viewer of the Shiba Inus is struck by its friendly-looking face, which ends with prominent, pointed ears that protrude forward. His nose is black and his eyes are dark brown. His eyes appear rather small and triangular. Other characteristics of the Shina Inu are a high set tail and a well proportioned body. The Shiba carries its thick tail either curled up or stretched out in a sickle shape. The Japanese dog is quite muscular with a broad head. The dog breed is known for its light and agile gait. His overall appearance is reminiscent of a fox.

One of the special characteristics of the Shina Inu is the Shiba’s fur, which is white as “Urajiro”. This extends from the cheeks down to the belly and down to the feet. Only if the animal has the “Urajiro” does it belong to this breed of dog. A coat of red sesame color usually covers the rest of its body. The Shiba also comes in black tan, sesame, black sesame, and red. “Sesame” means an even mix of black and red hairs. In black-sesame fur, the black part of the hair predominates. The Shiba has a hard and straight top coat. The undercoat, on the other hand, is soft and dense. It protects against wet and cold.

The character of the Shiba Inu is unique. Independent, clever and playful, he conquers the hearts of his owners. At the same time, he convinces with his graceful and at the same time alert nature. Properly trained, the Shiba is a lovable family dog. However, a dog of this breed is not for beginners. The character of the Shiba Inu shows a strong willfulness and a pronounced stubbornness. The dog never completely bends its will to that of the owner, which the family and the dog owner learn to deal with.

The Shiba Inu places great demands on the leadership qualities of the owner. He doesn’t need his constant attention. He likes to live independently. Its independence is noticeable by the fact that the dog eats its own food at regular intervals. It is advisable to educate the Shiba Inu consistently and sensitively from the puppy age.

Keeping the Shiba Inu purely as a companion dog is a difficult task. It needs sufficient exercise in the fresh air and loves nature. In addition, many creative and varied activities are an advantage. Constantly repetitive processes lead to boredom in the dog and thus to behavioral disorders. Unfortunately, it requires very good training so that the Shiba can walk freely without a leash. Otherwise, he goes his own way and stays away for a long time, possibly causing the dog to get lost.

His character is also characterized by lifelong loyalty. The Japanese dog is completely unsuitable for being kept in a kennel. He needs enough exercise and lots of social contact. Shibas used to live in groups, but today he is content with at least one dog owner who takes good care of him. Therefore, he is quite suitable as a family dog, but it is clear that he does not classify himself as the lowest member of the family.

The nature of the Shina Inu is strongly influenced by its original instincts. This is characterized by its great independence and tendency to dominate. The Shiba likes to pursue his hunting instinct, which works well with a distinctive nose. Even today, hunters take their dogs with them when hunting birds and small game. Due to the nature of the Shina Inu, this dog is ideal as a guard dog. The Shiba owes this to its territorial behavior. The Shiba is skeptical of strangers and reacts in the same way as the dog owner, but rarely aggressively.

This dog breed is very popular because they are basically calm and even-tempered. Consistent dog training is necessary with such an intelligent dog. He learns quickly and likes to integrate into a group. Socializing the Shiba is a difficult task for the owner as the dog is prone to dominant power struggles.

The Shiba does not like to submit to the will of humans. His nature is suitable as a family dog ​​because he is always alert and ready to move. The Shiba is by no means one of the little “barkers”. He is in tune with himself, so he doesn’t need the attention of barking.

Problems when several residents live together only arise under certain circumstances. If there are other people in the household in addition to the Shiba and the “master”, correct socialization of the Shiba is necessary. Properly integrated, dog and children play peacefully together. If the hierarchy is clearly recognizable for the dog, living with other pets such as cats and birds is not a problem. The Shiba needs strict boundaries to know where its hunting ground begins and where it ends.

The Shiba Inu is very active due to its robust and compact physique. He is well suited for dog sports and therefore needs a lot of exercise. Depending on the individual, the Shiba is a good companion when jogging or cycling. Other dogs of this breed enjoy various canine sports such as agility and dog racing. Encouraging physical and mental activity is necessary for the Shiba to prevent boredom on its part. With some tasks or tricks, the dog owner keeps the spirit of the Japanese dog active.

An adult Shiba sleeps a lot, but always keeps an eye on its owner. In inattentive moments, the Shiba dares a power struggle to show its dominance.

The Shiba Inu convinces with its independent character, its bright nature and its diverse characteristics. He is brave, territorial and extremely loyal. In addition, creative tasks stimulate the intelligent dog mentally. With its diverse properties and visual features, the Shiba appears like a fox. Swift and clever, he moves through the forests to pursue his hunt.

The Shiba likes to live out its strong hunting instinct. If the Japanese dog experiences sufficient behavior through consistent training, the Shiba is ideally suited as a family dog. However, a minimum of experience of the dog owner is necessary.

What does a Shiba Inu need?

Since this breed is very stubborn and self-confident, the Shiba Inu needs above all an owner with dog experience who has the necessary consistency, patience and love to train him to be an obedient and sociable companion dog.

When Shiba Inu scratch and shake their ears

Shaking ears, scratching, ear diseases, parasites, fungi, foreign bodies, tumor

When the ears itch, our dogs show:
frequent scratching in the pinna and around the ear, intense shaking and bagging of the ears, with head sliding on the floor
The causes are varied, from foreign bodies to parasites to a tumour
The ear is one of your dog’s most important organs of orientation. So always go straight to the vet
After the nose, the ear is the dog’s most important sensory organ, much more important than in humans. That is why diseases should be recognized and treated early. An overview of the most common diseases of the dog ear:

• hematoma
• foreign body
• otitis media
• otitis externa
• ear mites
• malassezia otitis
• sebadenitis
• tumors

Hematoma

Occurs more frequently in dog breeds with lop ears.

Causes: is caused by ear infections or injuries. Shaking and scratching tear the small blood vessels in the auricle, blood collects between the cartilage layer and the skin of the ear.

Symptoms: The ear swells, the surface can be pressed in with a finger.

Prevention: regular checking of the ears for inflammation, cleaning

Why go to the vet: if a bloody ear is left untreated, scars can form which lead to a deformation of the auricle.

Foreign body

Causes: Mouse barley awns (flowering period May to October) get caught in the dogs’ fur with barbs. From there they penetrate the skin or body openings (eyes, ears).

Symptoms: If an awn has gotten into the ear, the dog shakes its head, scratches its ear or tilts its head because the awn irritates the auditory canal.

Why go to the vet: If the awn stays in the ear for too long, there is a risk that the eardrum will be damaged or a bloody, purulent infection will develop.

Otitis media

Causes: Usually occurs as a result of an inflammation of the external auditory canal or after injury to the eardrum.

Symptoms: The dogs scratch, express pain (sensitive to touch), rub their heads on the ground, tilt their heads.

Why go to the vet: If a middle ear infection is left untreated, it can damage the inner ear or the facial nerves. This is shown by watery eyes, pain when eating, paralysis of the eyelid, fever, fatigue.

ATTENTION: If no treatment is carried out, this can lead to a complete hearing loss.

Otitis externa

Causes:

narrow ear canal ( Shar Pei),
kinked ear canal (English bulldog),
very hairy ear canal (Schnauzer, Airdale Terrier, Poodle),
heavy, hanging auricles (basset),
excessive sebum production (cocker spaniel)
Water remains in the ear after swimming
Wrong care
Foreign bodies
parasites (mites)
Allergies to pollen or feed
Infection after bite wounds
Leishmaniasis
thyroid problems
Autoimmune diseases: lupus erythematosus
tumors (rare)

The proliferation of yeast or bacteria causes a painful, itchy swelling of the ear canal.
Symptoms: The dog is constantly scratching its ears, rubbing its ear on the floor or continuously shaking its head or holding it to one side. He can react sensitively to touches on his head. The inflamed ear can hurt. The skin in the external ear canal is flaking. Many affected dogs show restlessness, run up and down all the time, hardly get any rest even when sleeping, appear alien and almost foolish. Some dogs become aggressive. Loss of appetite, fever and, in the advanced stage, fatigue and exhaustion can occur.

Brown, crumbly, smelly secretion is noticed at the beginning of the auditory canal.

Prevention: Regular cleaning and care of the ears with medical rinsing solutions. These maintain the natural, acidic environment and thus reduce the risk of ear mites or germs settling. Do not use irritating cotton swabs.

Veterinarians show you how to properly care for your dog’s ears.

Ear mites

Ear mites are parasites that live in the pinna and external ear canal of dogs. The most common mange mite is the Otodectes cynotis, which is found worldwide.

Young dogs are often infected with ear mites.

Causes: Transmission occurs through direct contact, e.g. B. between mother animal and puppies.

The ear mites settle in the pinna and in the outer ear canals of the dog and feed on skin cells, blood and tissue fluid. Ear mites have mouthparts that damage the skin inside the dog’s ear, causing inflammation.

Symptoms: the dog scratches its ears, constantly shakes its head. The ear is red and swollen, brown-black crusts collect in the external auditory canal.

Why see the vet: Severe, untreated infestations can lead to rupture of the eardrum and loss of balance due to an otitis media.

Malassezia otitis

Malassezia are also found in healthy dogs and other mammals as part of the natural skin flora. It is a yeast fungus, which is normally not a problem. If the immune system is disturbed, they multiply excessively and cause itching.

Cause: Due to a disturbance in the balance of the flora in the area of the external auditory canal (e.g. due to antibiotics, water in the auditory canal, increased sebum production), the Malassezia multiply rapidly.

Symptoms: scratchy ears, shaking ears, hair loss, brown discharge at the beginning of the ear canal. The ear smells strongly of yeast.

Not only the ears but also other parts of the body such as the spaces between the toes, soft areas such as under the armpits etc. can be affected.

Why the Vet: Molasses needs to be treated. Your dog suffers from severe itching and the skin is inflamed.

Sebadenitis

Inflammation destroys the sebaceous glands in the auricle and the external auditory canal.

Causes: Hair in the outer auditory canal, increased sebum production, bacterial growth due to the absence of air. Genetic disposition: Poodles, Hovawarth and Akita Inu are particularly affected.

Symptoms: The skin is thickened and dry, scales form. The hair falls out. Purulent, bad-smelling inflammation develops. The sebaceous glands are enlarged. The external auditory canal is clogged with earwax, cell debris and inflammatory secretions.

Why go to the vet: If the inflammation is left untreated, ceruminal tumors will form. The inflammation can spread to the inner ear.

Tumors

Tumors in the ear canal can lead to therapy-resistant inflammation because they change the environment in the ear and bacteria overgrow. Without treating the tumor, no cure can be achieved.

Tumors in the canine ear canal have a cautious to unfavorable prognosis. These are usually the so-called cerumen gland tumors. About 50% of these tumors are malignant and tend to recur. The therapy is a complete removal of the auditory canal including the middle ear.

Is the Shiba Inu right for me?

Before you decide to get a dog, no matter what breed, you should always ask yourself a few basic questions:

Do I have enough time to take care of my Shiba Inu, to take him for long walks several times a day, and to keep him busy?
Do all family members agree to a new roommate moving in?
Are there health reasons (e.g. allergies) against keeping a dog?
Who takes care of the dog if I can’t?
Am I ready to organize my holiday with the dog?
Are dogs allowed in my apartment?
Can I live with dog hair on carpets, clothing and upholstery?
Do I have sufficient financial resources to cover not only the purchase price for the puppy and the initial equipment with a leash, collar, dog bowl and dog bed, but also the running costs for high-quality food, necessary visits to the vet, vaccinations and medication, dog school, dog tax and liability insurance to pay insurance? After all, a dog costs about the same as a small car over the course of its lifetime!

If you have finally thought about everything and decided to bring a Shiba Inu as a new family member, you should first look for a reputable breeder. Important criteria for the fact that the breeder is really serious about breeding dogs are, for example, a manageable number of breeding animals and litters and the keeping of bitches and puppies within the family and with close contact to reference persons. A good and responsible breeder will ask questions of the prospect about how and where their puppies will be kept and, if necessary, will refuse to sell a dog if the prospect’s answers are not satisfactory. The price for a puppy from such a breed is a good 1000€ and more. Recommendations for feeding, information about veterinary treatments such as initial vaccinations and deworming, and the offer to contact you after the purchase should be a matter of course for a good breeder. It is best to visit the breeder before you finally buy the puppy and take a look around. But be careful: Shiba Inu puppies are extremely cute and easily tempted to make rash decisions! So only take your children with you when you are sure that this breeder and this breed are the right ones!

You should never buy a puppy from a pet market or from the trunk of a shady dog ​​dealer! Although these dogs are usually cheaper than from a reputable breeder, there is almost always unscrupulous and cruel animal cruelty behind them! The mother animals are kept under terrible conditions as pure “litter machines”, the puppies are neither vaccinated nor otherwise veterinary treated, often suffer from acute, in the worst case fatal illnesses soon after purchase or remain a lifelong case for the vet – and that is under much more expensive than the puppy from a reputable and responsible breeder!

In addition to purchasing from a breeder, it may also be worth going to an animal shelter – here, purebred dogs are always waiting to find a new and beautiful home. Various animal welfare organizations have also dedicated themselves specifically to helping Shiba Inu or Japanese Spitz in need and are looking for suitable, loving owners for such dogs. Just ask.

As already mentioned several times, the Shiba Inu is not necessarily suitable for beginners in dog ownership. Due to his strong will and his passion for hunting, consistency, patience and experience are required here. In order to take the Shiba Inu’s great need for exercise into account, the future Shiba owner must be prepared to run long and varied laps every day for the next 10-15 years, which the breed does not necessarily recommend for seniors. On the other hand, the Shiba is quite suitable as a family dog, as long as the children living in the household also respect that the dog needs its own retreat and must be left alone there. Under these conditions, you will find a loyal, affectionate, and lovable companion in a Shiba Inu, who will accompany you through thick and thin.