Shiba Inu
Learn about the temperament and personality of the Shiba Inu. Discover what he's like to live with, his traits and characteristics and how he generally behaves. And look at lots of Shiba Inu photos.
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| Watchdog |  |
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Shiba Inu Temperament
The Shiba Inu is a unique breed. Intelligent, active, energetic, they think pretty highly of themselves. They are famous for their spirited boldness and independent nature. If you are not careful, they will train you. Early obedience training is important, but even then, Shibas don't really enjoy being obedient. Off leash work is especially challenging and the recall might require a miracle. They love to run and they love to run away. They are escape artists and owners must be careful every single time they open a door because they will bolt. Some can even climb chain link fences. Shibas have been known to disappear for days at a time. They will hunt mice, squirrels, and other small animals if they can. Shibas need regular exercise but a spirited 30 minute walk each day should suffice. They are good watchdogs and only bark when there is a reason. They are reserved toward strangers. They tend to be aggressive toward other dogs, and can coexist peacefully with cats, but if a cat runs away, there's a good chance the Shiba will chase it. Shibas will do well with older, well-behaved children, but some are afraid of young children and alarmed by their squeals and quick movements. Many Shibas will run and hide from toddlers. If the toddler pursues the dog, it could easily result in a fear-biting incident. While a Shiba can be sweet, you will earn whatever affection you get. They are not lapdogs and prefer to sit beside you, not on you. They are not particularly cuddly and don't really like to be held. They spend a lot of time on their own, enjoying some quiet solitude. Because they don't really like to be touched or handled, grooming can be a real challenge. They are generally quiet, but do possess the Shiba scream -- a high-pitched banshee call. They let this scream go whenever they are unhappy, and it can be a bit embarrassing. They can be a bit of a drama queen. But despite all of the breed's idiosyncrasies, Shiba owners will tell you they are the best breed in the world: funny, loyal, playful and fast to housetrain. So if you want a dog who thinks he's smarter than you, and will try to push your buttons, then you might consider the beautiful, athletic, energetic Shiba.
Shiba Inu Training
The Shiba Inu is moderately easy to train. He learns new commands at the average rate. He is neither difficult nor easy to train.
Shiba Inu Shedding
The Shiba Inu is a very heavy shedder. He sheds an awful lot of hair! You'll find hair all over your home, stuck to everything! You'll probably even find it in the butter!
Shiba Inu Grooming
The Shiba Inu only requires an occasional brushing. But because he sheds excessively you may find yourself brushing him daily to remove loose hair. (What you get out with a brush doesn't fall out in your home!)
Adopt a Shiba Inu
Shiba Inu Photos
Rating: Ease of training
Tells you how easy or difficult a breed is to train.
A higher rating means the breed is easier to train, a lower rating means the breed is harder to train.
An easy to train breed require less time and patience to train.
Rating: Intelligence
Tells you how intelligent a breed is in terms of how quickly it can learn commands from humans. A higher rating means the breed will learn your commands faster (and is therefore generally considered to be more intelligent), while a lower rating means the breed will learn your commands more slowly (and is therefore generally considered to be less intelligent).
Keep in mind that this is only one way to measure a dog's intelligence and a low rating might still mean the breed is highly intelligent in other ways.
Rating: Shedding
Tells you how much hair the breed sheds. The higher the rating the more hair the breed sheds.
Rating: Watchdog
Tells you how good the breed is at being a watchdog and raising the alarm when a stranger approaches. A higher rating means the breed will bark vigorously to warn you of a stranger's presence on your property. A low rating means the breed probably won't bark much if a stranger enters your property.
Rating: Guard dog
Tells you how good the breed is at being a guard dog due to the appearance, size, and strength of the breed. A breed with a high guard dog rating will make an intruder think twice before stepping foot on your property.
Rating: Popularity
Tells you how popular the breed is in terms of ownership. A higher rating means that more people own the breed. The more popular a breed is the easier it is to find and purchase one because there are more breeders breeding it.
Rating: Size
Tells you how large or small the breed is. A lower rating means the breed is smaller and a higher rating means the breed is larger. It gives you a quick idea of how physically large or small the breed is compared with all the other breeds.
Rating: Agility
Tells you how agile the breed is. A higher rating means the breed is fast and nimble on its feet while a lower rating means the breed is heavier and slower on its feet.
Rating: Good with kids
Tells you how good the breed is with children. A higher rating means the breed is good with children. Note: all breeds are generally good with kids when they're raised with them.
