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The
Shiba Inu is used to
hunt small game although in the past he was bred for hunting large game. Today, his fox-like cunning, and alert, watchful attitude
make him an effective guardian of home and family.
The Shiba
Inu stands just 16 inches tall at the
shoulder. He has a short, straight, waterproof coat that comes in red,
sesame, red sesame, black sesame, black and tan, and sometimes cream. All
colours except cream have "urajiro" which is a cream coloured
marking around the face, chest, and underside of the body. With his all-weather
coat, the Shiba can withstand a wide range of temperatures. Like all
members of the Spitz family, the Shiba carries his tail curled up over his
back. One unusual characteristic of this dog is that he sometimes
meows like a cat to communicate with his owners. In fact the Shiba is said
to be very cat-like.
The Shiba Inu has a confident, friendly, extroverted
nature that has made him the most popular pet in Japan. Only
recently seen outside his native country, the Shiba's popularity is on the
rise. Loyal and strongly intuitive, he is a family dog who needs human
companionship. This is not a dog to be left alone for long periods.
Although Shibas are fine with children, a young Shiba may shy away from
frightening situations to which he has not been exposed and so may avoid
strange noisy kids. Children must be taught to respect the dog's
boundaries. No animal likes to be pursued or harassed and Shibas do not
like to be restrained. As with any dog, training and socialization is the
key.
He may look more like a
toy stuffed animal, but beware! Small he may be, but
the Shiba Inu has a large dog personality in a small dog body! He is
fiery, independent, strong-willed, stubborn, and territorial. As an owner,
you must be in control. Training may be a challenge and should begin when he is a puppy.
However, the Shiba is highly sensitive to physical discomfort, and overly
firm or negative training methods will damage any chance of cooperation.
And a Shiba never forgets! Be patient - consistent encouragement, praise
and reward-based training are the most successful. Early
socialization will help curb same sex dog aggression. With a high activity level, the
energetic and agile Shiba Inu needs lots of exercise and should have a large,
fenced yard.
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