Shiba Inus

Shiba Inus are small, beautiful, Japanese dogs.

Young Shiba Inu

Adult Shiba Inu

 Shibas are small, extremely quiet and are fairly intelligent. They also need minimal grooming.

A lot of people say bad things about Shiba Inus. They may even rank second after pit bulls in this regard. Yesterday, we visited some people with a Shiba and I got to play with their dog (Harley) for a long time.  In this post, I'll be writing good and bad things I observed or heard about her.

Good things.

• Harley is not technically a lap dog, but when Harley was tired, she was more than willing to be held and cuddled. I like that quality in a dog - they are energetic, but you can also pet them.
• Harley was friendly towards people: Some might not be, but not Harley! She ran up when we came in the door, her tail wagging. She did not show one single sign of aggression, even when she was picked up.
• Harley was quiet. Very quiet! During the entire 4 hours we were at her house, Harley did not bark one single time! Her owner says that she won't back unless she is really startled of sees another dog.
• Harley is good with the cat. Again, it may be different depending on the individual dog, but Harley's owners also own a cat (Sophie). I did not see any aggression between Harley and Sophie. A lot of the time they ignored each other.
• Harley was energetic, but not wild. I have seen some dogs that run around barking, jumping on people and nipping. Harley did none of these things.
• Harley loves being outdoors, and since they are related to sled dogs, they have a coat that is perfect for hot and cold weather.

  Bad Things

• Harley does not get along very well with other dogs. Shibas can learn to accept another dog in 'their' house, but just meeting a dog on a walk can make a Shiba fight. Socializing these dogs as puppies does help somewhat.
• Harley cannot be trusted outside of the house and yard without a leash. She runs away and won't return when she is called. She does, however, stay in the neighborhood, and she has never really gotten lost.
• Harley has escaped from the yard. A Shiba needs a securly fenced yard, and any holes must be filled in quickly.
• Harley sheds a lot, but that can be expected from almost any dog. I did notice that there was no dog hair in the house at all, thought it wasn't the peak shedding season.

So are Shiba Inus good dogs? Based on my experience, I would say yes, but not for everyone. They are probably best for a one dog household, and are best pets for an owner that has time to train a somewhat dominant, though small, dog.