Inka3095 Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 My partner and I are slowly looking into getting a Pure Bred dog in the future. We're in no hurry and we're waiting until our finances and living situation are suitable, but doing some research now so there's no need to rush into anything when the time is right. I've done a bit of fostering for the last few years as we rent and I'm at uni full-time so we have not been a perfect forever home previously. If things work out as planned, we'll be in a better situation to own a dog within the next year or so. My bf has his heart set on a Shiba Inu. A good friend of mine has a young boy and he's such a lovely dog that my bf has decided that's the breed for him. I, however, have my doubts and where else to turn but the DOL world eh? =D I have a feeling my friend's Shiba is an exception rather than the rule, as he is super laid back, relaxed, easy to train, affectionate but not clingy and never barks/screams/howls etc unless he's being asked to, or playing around. He is also left alone in a backyard for 10 hours a day with no issues. However, after doing some reading, I've learned that they're more known for their - stubbornness - their noise (barking/screaming) - dislike of being alone for a long period - dislike of leads/restraints - difficulty to train - close to impossible perfect recall ability - etc Does anyone have any experience with these dogs? Regarding availability, as far as I can see, there's not even a 'Dogs 101' thread for them yet, which isn't a good sign! There are 19 breeders listed in Australia and at least one in Victoria I really like the look of, but as I have never purchased a purebred before, I know little about how it all works. We would have a medium backyard, and the dog would get a walk every day, would live inside with us when we're home and sleep inside/outside depending on whatever the dog wanted, but we are both out of the house for at least 7-8 hours each day and during this time, the dog would be alone. I'm more than willing to put in time with puppy socialisation, on-going training etc, but I am just concerned that these aren't 'easy-going' dogs who can handle keeping themselves occupied during the week. I've fostered a beagle who disliked being alone intensely and destroyed whatever she could when we were out; would prefer to avoid such things in the future lol. Additionally, we live in a suburban house with close neighbours.. a distressed, bored, barking dog isn't going to be a popular member of the community, and I don't really want to add a dog to my family just to see it become miserable. I am aware it's impossible to say a dog will/won't be ok with the above scenario based 100% on the breed, however, some breeds are known for certain behaviours and my reading is giving me conflicting advice. Some articles say they are independent and don't mind being alone, others say they can't cope. Some say they're impossible to train and others say they're smart and quick to learn. Any advice would be greatly appreciated - thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Someone in our town has one ..admittedly the dog is oldish now ..as is his owner .. but they both are always out & about .. dog happily on lead, and very relaxed At a local eating place, they are usually found out on the deck ..dog lies in the sun, and enjoys when people come & talk to him ... No idea what he was like when young, or is like at home ... but he impresses me every time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 I only see the ones that are shown and they all appear to sweet dogs that are rather layed back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Regarding availability, as far as I can see, there's not even a 'Dogs 101' thread for them yet, which isn't a good sign! I wouldn't base any decision on this factor at all.The fact there isn't a page doesn't mean anything at all. All the Shiba's i have seen at the shows have been very well behaved, a popular breed for junior handlers to borrow . Yes they are a spitz breed so will have the spitz characteristics but that doesn't equate to issues you need to understand tthe breed . People we now breed them here & also do obedience . We have boarded quite a few with no issues at all ,very laid back & adaptable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koalathebear Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 (edited) I don't have a Shiba but I love them and considered getting one before. If I wasn't a permanent Kelpie-convert, I'd definitely consider a Shiba Inu for the family in the future :D One of my friends owns a Shiba and she adores her. The only caveat is that my friend owned Siberian Huskies before so is very familiar with the Spitz temperament, which might come into it. My friend's Shiba Kaiya was very well-socialised as a puppy and has done well in obedience, is currently doing agility (and doing well) and has also received her Delta therapy dog registration - definitely extremely trainable. I have heard about the dislike of leads/restraints but my friend trained Kaiya from a young age to accept the collar/lead and there are some gorgeous photos of her in doggy boots and doggy coats as well. She gets along beautifully with adults and children alike, regularly goes to doggy day care and gets along very well with other dogs. My friend sometimes describes Kaiya as a little dog who thinks she's a big dog, so she runs and rumbles with the big dogs. Out of the possible 'negatives' that you point out, I'm aware of the following: stubbornness/independence. Sometimes my friend envies me the eager to please temperament of my two dogs. recall is unreliable and Shiba Inu are usually not safe to have off lead. they can be very able escape artists and seem to have an amazing ability to dig, climb, jump and just generally extricate themselves from the yard. the Shiba Scream can be quite challenging :D The dislike of being alone for a long period of time is something shared by many breeds so it's a matter of finding something to entertain her during the day or arrange for a doggy walker or doggy day care. The downside about having a Shiba in Australia seems to be that they're not that common so if the dog gets lost, it could be mistaken for a fox or a dingo. One of the women at Dog School told me she always makes sure her Shiba is wearing 'gear' when they go out to the country so that if it bolts, it won't be mistaken for a fox or a dingo. Good luck with it all. Shibas are absolutely gorgeous and the Shiba smile is very cute. Edited August 9, 2011 by koalathebear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cannibalgoldfish Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 (edited) *Insert dramatic music here* Yup. I have two of them, Both boys. - their noise (barking/screaming)They will bark if something is there, like a cat ect. They do scream/yodel when I get home but it's only for a couple of seconds. Apart from that they aren't a yappy dog. - dislike of being alone for a long period Dont all dogs? My solution, get them a friend! Or lots of things to do. Looooooooooots of things..... - dislike of leads/restraints Mine love the lead! It means walks! However I cant tie mine up on the lead for more than a minute because one chews through it in a heartbeat. Hence I now have a chain lead... - difficulty to train No, this is a myth! (snort)They are easy to train. Very smart dogs, and learn very quickly... however, they learn just as quickly to ignore you if you dont have a treat, and to get around doing what you want them to do.. They think for themselves. - close to impossible perfect recall ability One of mine is really good at recall, the other goes mysteriously deaf... But I dont take the chance and let them off lead. Sure one is fine but all it takes is something he wants more and I suspect he would say bye bye... They will kill small birds and rodents if they can. Plus you cant spoil them or they will milk it and manipulate you in strange and annoying ways... They can be dominant with other dogs. Oh, and you will need a secure yard! One of mine discovered after 8 years that he can jump a six foot fence... But all the negatives are found in other breeds as well. Shiba are no worse than that. Ask the breeder which puppy has less of the traits you dont want. One of mine is a soft sooky mummys boy because thats who the breeder picked for me as my first shiba. :D They are wonderful little critters and worth it! Ifd you are prepared for the worst you will be fine. Will this help? :D - etc Edited August 9, 2011 by Che Guava Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inka3095 Posted August 9, 2011 Author Share Posted August 9, 2011 (edited) Thank you all so much for the replies I was expecting worse stories than this! *getting a little bit excited* So onto the next stage of questions.... What should I do now? I'd love to see/meet a few dogs and owners/breeders at a show, but wouldn't know where on earth to start. I turned up to a dog show at KCC park a few years ago to have a look around (no specific breeds were in mind then) but really didn't find it a friendly environment. No one really wanted to chat, even the ones who weren't busy. Is there a secret?! I can't find a breed club for Shibas in Victoria, I think there may have been one, once upon a time, but it no longer exists? I have never been involved in the show world as I've always been into Rescue/fostering, so despite being on this forum for longer than I can remember, this is all new >_< Again, all help gratefully received ps: your boys are beautiful Che! Edited August 9, 2011 by Inka3095 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdie Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 (edited) . Edited September 17, 2011 by Purdie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cannibalgoldfish Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 I was expecting worse stories than this! *getting a little bit excited* Its funny, I keep hearing people say "oh, I couldn't get a shiba, they are too much" but all the "bad" things about them can be found in other breeds. Poor recall? So do other Spitz breeds. Dominant with other dogs? So are some bull breeds. High energy/prey drive? So do some terriers, ect. They are evil though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 I don't believe it. They are soooooo cute! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutterfly Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 My husband's brother and his family have two shibas. The eldest, a white boy - is good. Fairly well behaved, self-sufficient, confident dog. The youngest, a red girl - is so silly! Even at 2 years of age, she is such a puppy. Naughty and slightly dumb, according to her family. Totally adorable, though They like to kill small animals too. Leaving them on their owner's doormat. I knew them both as puppies, and to be honest they have retained pretty much the temperament they had at a few months old. Two very different personalities, from the same breed - and in fact they came from the same breeder! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
experiencedfun Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 they are great little dogs. I have been told by people who have them that they are escape artists. there are three shows at kcc park this weekend. Fri, Sat and Sun...come on down and take a look. There are quite a lot of DOLer's there and seriously dog people dont bite...well only a little nibble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cannibalgoldfish Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I have been told by people who have them that they are escape artists.I think they get through walls using osmosis.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inka3095 Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 Blah, escape artists are the worst! Do you know what their motivation is? Boredom, separation anxiety, enjoy the challenge, etc? I thought my beagle was bad enough...! EF, does KCC park have a schedule of shows that's available to non-showie people? I would love to come down and have a look, but do you have any tips beside just staying out the way of people who are looking stressed or about to step out with their dog? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ons Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 ahhh I was mixing up the shiba with the akita sorry! glad photo was posted of them. Inka, I often go to dog shows just to have a look, now I have a show dog that is about to change. All I used to do is wander around, have a friendly smile on my face, say hello to the dogs and then if the owner started to talk I would talk to them. Some would stand there all day talking about their dogs, some look so busy that it's best to say a quick hello and move on. Of course never pat a dog without asking its owner first. I've met the most interesting people and heard fascinating stories from just initially saying hello to the dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cannibalgoldfish Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Do you know what their motivation is? Boredom, separation anxiety, enjoy the challenge, etc? I thought my beagle was bad enough...! I cant really answer that question. Loki didn't escape for years and only started because he has apparently got a few anxiety issues in his old age and he panics over some situations (thunder, ect) and tries to escape. I wouldn't say it is a shiba thing in his case. Wylie has never gotten out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyeeraaahz Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 in a similar situation to inka3095 except i am living/renting in the city (sydney) in an apartment. i've heard shibas make great apartment dogs and i am willing to put in the time to exercise them. just wondering about leaving them alone the for ~8hrs. i guess this would be dependant on the dog? would it be better to get an adult dog or to train up a puppy? my last dog was a 4yr old mixed breed from a shelter who was completely fine with being at home by herself (but maybe thats got to do with her previous family?). im still in the researching phase at the moment. any advice would be great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 I have looked after friends shiba's many times (6 of them) have found them easy going, hard to get off the bed of a morning usually around midday unless order out to toilet. Very keen to get back in to jump back on the bed for a well earned snooze after being out in the garden for 5 minutes. Just lovely to live with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odin-Genie Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 *Insert dramatic music here* Yup. I have two of them, Both boys. - their noise (barking/screaming)They will bark if something is there, like a cat ect. They do scream/yodel when I get home but it's only for a couple of seconds. Apart from that they aren't a yappy dog. - dislike of being alone for a long period Dont all dogs? My solution, get them a friend! Or lots of things to do. Looooooooooots of things..... - dislike of leads/restraints Mine love the lead! It means walks! However I cant tie mine up on the lead for more than a minute because one chews through it in a heartbeat. Hence I now have a chain lead... - difficulty to train No, this is a myth! (snort)They are easy to train. Very smart dogs, and learn very quickly... however, they learn just as quickly to ignore you if you dont have a treat, and to get around doing what you want them to do.. They think for themselves. - close to impossible perfect recall ability One of mine is really good at recall, the other goes mysteriously deaf... But I dont take the chance and let them off lead. Sure one is fine but all it takes is something he wants more and I suspect he would say bye bye... That sounds like my elkhound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esky the husky Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 I know some shows can be intimidating. Do you have any showie friends, or know any DOLers that might be able to introduce you to some people? Another option might be to email some breeders and ask if they were going to be at xxx show . That might make you feel a little bit more comforatble as you could walk up and say " hi I'm so and so, we spoke through email" Shibas are soo cute! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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