- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee boards
They don't bark or yap, but they are not the most playful dogs. They are kind of serious and do not like children. I would take that into account if you are going to have young children around, these dogs do not tolerate poking, prodding, fur-pulling antics of young children very well.
Just from my personal experience they are not the most friendliest dogs towards people or other animals. A friend of mine had one and she tried to attack both of my dogs. The do have a thing for going after other dog's eyes and she used to really bite into my lab's ears. I couldn't have the dog around anymore.
This is just my experience, I'm sure others have had better experiences.
i found a pretty accurate (IMHO) run down here:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Shiba-Inu-Temperament---The-Good-and-the-Bad&id=1453712
Oh, we've been thinking of getting a Shiba Inu too! I love that they don't bark and their size. But we really want a playful dog this time (surprisingly, our lab mix isn't up for much play, just petting). So we're also thinking bichon or mini poodle for the size and temperment.
I have a shiba mix (or at least I'm 99% sure that she is), and she is the sweetest thing. I know that mixes don't necessarily have the same traits as purebreds, but when I was researching shibas I found that they are supposed to be very smart, kind of aloof, small animal hunters, and they "scream". My pup is SUPER smart, not at all aloof (in fact she is an attention freak), she likes to play a lot, but wouldn't hurt a fly (at least intentionally), and definitely does the Shiba scream.
I have a friend that has two shibas, and she adores them. I think Shibas are definitely for some people and not for others, but I would recommend trying to find some to interact with before purchasing one.
My brother has one and we say all the time, its more like a cat than a dog. Oh, and the don't bark often, but when they do man is it high-pitched and annoying. I wouldn't recommend them around small children - they're not very into people in general and tend to get over-stimulated around other pets/chidlren/lots of people. And they're very smart and dominant, which can be hard to train.
their history is linked to chinese fighting dogs, but i wouldn't be concerned with that. they can be tempermental to children, but ive heard the same thing with pomeranians (extremely protective with big dog personalities and not real accepting of children or other dogs) but it's all been debunked with my guy. as long as they are socialized WELL from a YOUNG age (start as soon as they have their boosters) they can become well trained and loving dogs.
There was a great Shiba Inu puppy cam going about 6 months ago! It was the cutest thing ever. The puppies were on cam 24/7 unless mom was feeding them. I burned serious time watching them :)
Here is a reliable source about Shiba Inus.
I have a one year old Shiba Inu! :)
Prior to purchasing, we did a lot of research on the breed. Please note, that every dog is different but these dogs are A LOT of work. They are very smart, so house-training was very easy. Our pup was going to the bathroom outside, knew the sit command and was playing fetch by 10 weeks! However, they pick up on other things as well (such as bad habits) so you have to have the time to train them and enforce good behavior. These dogs can not be fully trusted off-leash as they will be inclined to chase just about anything, so if you don't have a fenced in yard you will need to walk them. Also, like JennHasFeet mentioned, they need to be socialized early on (but that is almost every puppy). We introduced our pup to other dogs, kids, and people right away and it made a huge difference. However, if you plan on having children in the next few years I wouldn't recommend this breed as they require a lot of attention and exercise. This is a commitment that you may not be able to make with a newborn.
My pup is actually whining to play as I type! haha. (By the way,I was also told this breed doesn't bark - let me tell you - boy does he bark. It's not your standard bark though, it is very high pitched noise. Google the "Shiba Scream" as they will make this noise anytime they are not pleased.)
Don't get me wrong, my pup can be loving but I wouldn't call him affectionate. Like many have said, they are more like a cat in that department. You mentioned that you want to be maternal, don't buy a shiba if you want a lap dog! My FI and I love to hike, we'll go out for the day on a hike, be tired, and our pup will still be ready to go. They are a big dog, in a little dog body! We LOVE our puppy and couldn't be happier with him, but this is not a breed for everyone. Please, please do your research! If you still think a shiba is the right dog for you, great!! Enjoy your new puppy! :)
Random notes: If either of you have allergies, this dog sheds ALOT. They blow their coat twice a year and require weekly brushing. It would be a good idea to invest in a good vacuum as well! :)
If you need a Shiba fix, you can check out the new puppy cam:http://www.ustream.tv/sfshiba
I echo above posters - I have a friend who is a Shiba owner and knows a lot about them. He says they really aren't well-suited for kids and that they ARE a lot of work to keep them exercised and well-mannered because they tend to have such head-strong personalities. He says the Shiba is definitely an "upper-level" sort of dog that requires a lot of knowledge and attention on the owner's part.
Good luck! I can't wait to get a dog of my own - I have wanted a poodle for years! (They are really smart and loving.)
Oohhh I want a Shiba Inu Also!!
Inu = Dog (In Japanese)
Its a dog originating from Japan. :) My hubby is from Japan and he loves them too!
I don't remember where I found this picture, but this is a good example of the shiba personality! :)
MHShiba2.jpg (37.7 KB, 37 downloads) 2 years old 
My sister and her husband have 2 Shibas, and I've spent a lot of time with the little guys. They are cute but definitely headstrong; these two guys love to run away... they see an open door or gate, and they're off running. They think it's a game, and if you chase them, they only run faster and farther away. :(
I love Shibas! The "Shiba scream" cracks me up, but I don't have to live with it, as I don't have one myself. I'm a bigger fan of their relative, the Shikoku...will be a Shikoku mommy this fall!
@ZoeKat - I love the Shikoku! While researching the Shiba Inu we came the Shikoku. My FI really wanted one but due to the size of our apartment and a few other factors, the Shiba Inu better suited our lifestyle. Congrats on becoming a future Shikoku mom!! :)
If you want a dog that will come to you when you call, you can't always count on a shibu. My sister and I had one. He was the great escape artist. He would get out of the house, and run and run and run. He was very head strong and could be very loving at times. We were his third owner because of living situations, but he was a great dog all in all and got along really well with my sisters other dog, and my dog. My sister has an Austrlian Cattle Dog (Blue Heeler) and I have a Cavalier King Charles Spanilel. The Cattle Dog and the Shibu Inu were friends from the start as both were older, but the shibu took quite a while to warm up to my puppy. By the time my puppy learned not to mess with the shibu they became friends. My cousin currently has one she got from Japan and we lovingly call it the "devil dog". He runs around like crazy, but doesn't want to play. he wants to get a stuffed toy and rip all teh stuffing out of it. they are definately much more like cats than dogs. if you have the time to put into training one and making sure that he is well socialized, I say go for it. But they're stubborn.
One of my friends has a shiba inu. His dog is very active, but not affectionate. Like someone else said, if you want a lap dog, a shiba inu isn't it. My friend's Shiba is really rough with some of my other friends' dogs, so I won't bring my mini poodle around it.
I've had a Shiba for over 5 yrs now. When I got her she was a stray dog and about 9 months old according to the vet. She was trained very easily and has gotten along well with other dogs. She hasn't been around many children so I can't really speak for that. She barks on occassion but definitely isn't a yapper. She's a pretty low key dog and doesn't require much extra attention and loves to lay right against us if we're in bed or by our feet when we sit at the desk. As far as the people they say their sneaky and like to get out, I think that just depends on the individual dog. We had a accident where our gate was left open the other night and as I was running around looking for the dog she was standing inside the fenced in yard just staring at me like I was crazy. Overall even though she wasn't exactly what I wanted at the time (was looking for a shih tzu or beagle puppy) I wouldn't trade her for the world.
Wow! So much information! Thanks bees! Admittedly, Shibas are not my first pick, I fell in love with Afghan hounds when I first laid eyes on one and they are a ton of work but my soul pup! Shiba is our comprimise dog but we might keep looking. We'd have to move to have room for an Afghan though. Does anyone have one of those beautys?!
I see that this is an old post - but my experience with shibas are NOTHING like what some of the PP's have.
I now have two shiba inu's - and in our process of looking and checking out breeders, ive been to many places and met many of the mommas & puppies. Each and every one were SO friendly!
In May we got Lambeau. then we decided to get another one and in September got Lucy. Both from the same breeder, but they each have different sets of parents.
Lambeau - our male. he is so incredibly stinkin loyal it cracks us up. he was trained super fast. hes always been a big baby. loves loves loves people. is so good with kids. he is now 10 months old and still such a big baby. loves to be near mom and dad. loooves to play with his blanket and lucy. we babysit our friends son (8 months) and lambeau has to be near him at all times. sniffing him on the floor, laying at the end of the boys blanket, rolling balls over to the boy. hes never barked. he has the "shiba scream" and talks to us a lot. he even says "i love you!"
Lucy - our girl. she is a little stinker. she is now 7 months old. she has such a funny "i dont care because im cute" personality. she will bark and back up with some people like "lets play lets play" and crouches down and runs in a circle. she plays with lambeau all day long. shes a snuggler, but only when she wants to be.
both the puppies let us do ANYTHING to them. trim their nails, pull their tail, blow in their faces, roll them around, lay on them, trap them in between in our legs or blankets. we took lambeau to puppy classes - but not lucy. and both of them were socialized with kids right away.
You must log in to post.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
Anyone have one of these tiny orange guys? We finally decided to get one, or two or three, in the fall, apre wedding and right around when my MOH is having a baby and I know I'm going to want to be all maternal.
What sort of personality do Shiba's have? Do they bark or yap? Cute as puppies?