Finally had time to answer this! There are lots of things I can tell you! I’ll condense to a short list for now, and if you have any questions/specifics just ask!
1. Very intelligent. They figure things out fast.
2. Very independent. Shibas think for themselves and are generally not velcro dogs.
3. Still affectionate! They may be a little cooler about it but they still are happiest when around you, and have various sweet ways of showing it.
4. They are quirky, curious, and active, great at making you laugh. Also love the outdoors! Smol and easy to travel with!
5. They require almost no grooming and only need a bath on rare occasions. They’re also super clean on a natural basis and housetrain ridiculously fast.
6. Most shibas I’ve met seem to have a good “indoor/outdoor” mode, where they can be very active and lively outside, but know how to switch it off inside and chill out. YMMV on this one, every sheeb is different.
1. Very intelligent. They will try to outwit you, they are escape artists, and they know when following your commands is worth it and when it isn’t.
2. Very independent. There will be times when they’ll decide what your’e saying isn’t important enough, and blow you off. Extra training is necessary to convince them that listening to you is always valuable (and even this won’t always work!).
3. Aloof with strangers and only affectionate with core family. Some people see this as a drawback, but I personally don’t.
4. They are stubborn and sometimes very single-minded. Mine doesn’t do this, but I have seen shibas sit in place on the sidewalk and refuse to budge because they know their walk is about to end.
5. They shed. Lots and lots, including 2 seasonal coat-blowings. You own a spitz breed already, so you probably know what this is like.
6. They have a tendency to become dog-aggressive and must be consistently socialized, throughout their lives from puppyhood onward.
7. Can be susceptible to hip dysplasia, luxating patella, or eye problems. Good breeders test for these things.
1. Shibas can never be off leash. I know some people say any breed can be trained to be off leash, and I have seen some shibas who have managed it, but these are hunting dogs whose purpose was to dash into the brush, and that is likely what they will do once loose. Instinct takes over and it will be hard to get them back to you. Traffic is a huge killer of shibas, and in my neighborhood alone I see at least 1 new lost shiba poster per month. IMO it’s not worth the risk. On-leash or fenced at all times.
2. Shibas cannot live with small animals. They can get along with cats if raised with them, but they are a huge risk around mice, rats, ferrets, rabbits, birds, etc. They are hunting dogs who specialize in small game. Their prey drive is very strong and they likely won’t hold back. This isn’t the case with every situation, but again it’s really not worth the risk.
3. A poorly-exercised shiba can be a constantly-exploding firecracker. They need good exercise every day or they can get destructive, and lose all inhibitions about racing through your home. They can also get bored pretty easily.
4. In general, they respond pretty terribly to aversive training methods. Prong collars and other pain-based methods usually only incite shibas to rebel harder, and they can develop bad behavioral issues from this. These methods are also a great way to break a shiba’s trust, which can be extremely difficult to earn back.
5. Shiba Scream. These guys don’t bark much, which is a big plus on their side. But they do have incredibly powerful voices that are capable of emanating a scream from the actual depths of hell. Shibas will scream to get you to stop doing horrible, abusive things such as: trimming their nails, bathing them, walking to a place they don’t want to walk, etc. This can be offset by simply continuing to do the thing despite the screaming, so they learn that their scream is an ineffective weapon. Because a shiba WILL use its scream as a weapon if it thinks it can. Some shibas scream in public because their owners are more likely to stop whatever it is they’re doing when strangers on the streets are turning their heads at a screaming dog.
It should be noted that Ginko has never screamed once in his entire life, and giving him early exposure to basically everything I could think of from the beginning onward was probably a big help.
That’s all I can think of for now! I’d be happy to help you with more specific questions if you have any. I hope that this helped you to feel more informed. I love my Shiba Inu, he is the best dog I’ve ever owned and life with him has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve also spent a lot of time working with him, training and socializing, to achieve those rewards for us both.
Again, mileage varies on basically everything I’ve said here, but I believe these are safe general statements.
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