Making the decision to adopt a dog implies a responsibility great enough to make a thorough analysis of different factors beforehand. One of them, perhaps the most important, is to know in depth the characteristics of the breed. If you intend to welcome a shiba inu into your home, you need to discover its characteristics and the care it requires.
The Shiba Inu dog is one of the most popular companion dogs in Japan today. Such is its growing popularity that its presence has also expanded to the West and other areas of the world, so it is not strange if you see copies of this breed in your country. To discover how to care for a Shiba Inu dog, its origin, the characteristics and the care it needs, in we recommend that you continue reading this article.
Origin and history of Shiba Inu
Shiba Inu dogs are the closest relative of Akita Inu. The Shiba Inu is one of the oldest Spitz-type breeds on the planet. Its country of origin is Japan and its presence dates back to the third century BC.
Its name means “small dog”, which is why it is referred to as a small version of the Akita Inu. It is a breed bred to hunt birds, wild boar and other animals from the mountains of Japan. It almost suffered its disappearance during the Second World War due to air raids and an epidemic of distemper.
You may also be interested in this article on How is the temperament of the Akita Inu.
Characteristics of Shiba Inu
The Shiba Inu is a dog of small stature, robust, with erect ears, curled tail and a thick coat. On your hair, it can be red, tan, black, sesame or white. They have a particular characteristic called Urajiro: some areas of the fur are white, in their case the cheeks, jaw, muzzle, abdomen, the inside of the legs and tail. This breed reaches a height of between 36.5 cm and 39.5 cm. On its weight, it is around 10 kilos in both males and females.
Regarding the character of the Shiba Inu, it is an affectionate, active and independent dog. It has a very strong hunting instinct and usually patrols the home being alert to any strange presence or noise. For this reason, it is usually reserved with strangers. This little furry is playful and excitable with games. It has the siba cry, that is, a distinctive feature, since it is expressed very acutely when nervous.
Shiba Inu Health
The Shiba Inu is a dog that usually enjoys good health, but can suffer from some hereditary eye defects. Therefore, in OneHowTo we recommend that you do routine tests on your little furry to avoid major problems in this regard in the future.
Another health problem related to this breed is hip dysplasia and patella luxation, as they are dogs prone to suffer from these ailments.
Here, we explain how to care for a dog with hip dysplasia.
Feeding the Shiba Inu
The diet of the shiba inu should be composed of an adequate distribution of the main nutrients. Meat is the essential source of protein and your diet should also contain foods such as rice and potatoes.
As foods to avoid for this breed, soybeans, wheat and corn are found so as not to run the risk of suffering possible allergic reactions, as well as food intolerances. You should give him food at least twice a day following these feeding guidelines and with his specific feed.
Physical activity of the Shiba Inu
The Shiba Inu needs at least one hour of daily exercise. You need to go for a walk with him about two or three times a day so he can channel his energy. If you let go, make sure he comes to your call because his strong hunting instinct can lead him to be distracted by the presence of some stimuli. Therefore, it is advisable to do physical activity with this dog in fenced and safe places.
Hygiene of the Shiba Inu
Regarding grooming, it is a very clean dog. The Shiba Inu grooms itself, just as cats usually do. Even so, it is advisable to brush your hair once a week. You should increase this frequency in periods of shedding.
You also need to bathe every two months. Keep in mind that it has a thick and internal layer of hair, which retains natural fat. An excess in grooming could remove this natural protection from your skin. Another factor to value of this little furry is that it has a tendency to accumulate lagañas. It is convenient to remove them so that a stain does not form on the tear.
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Education and socialization of Shiba Inu
It is important to start the process of socialization of the shiba inu being a puppy, since it is a dog that is usually reserved with strangers. If he socializes from his first months of life, he will relate properly with other people and dogs. If you manage to complete the socialization process correctly, it will be a dog with a balanced behavior in adulthood. Regarding their education, it is important to initiate basic obedience, betting on positive reinforcement.
Spend 10 or 15 minutes a day educating your Shiba Inu. It will be enough time, since it is an intelligent dog with a great capacity for learning. However, you must maintain consistency during the educational stage and you must be firm in setting rules such as letting him up or not to the sofa or bed, his walking and meal schedules, among others.
Now that you know how to care for a Shiba Inu dog, we explain how to socialize a puppy with adult dogs and people.
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