Before buying any breed of dog you should do research to determine if it will fit your lifestyle. Below are answers to some of the more common questions we get concerning Shiba Inus:  
  

Q.  How big will they get?  
A.  Females usually range between 13.5 inches to 15.5 inches and weigh between 17 to 20 pounds. Males usually range between 14.5 inches to 16.5 inches and weigh between 20 to 24 pounds. We often tell people they are about “knee height” – a middle sized dog.
  
Q.  Do they bark?  
A.  Yes, Shibas will bark if there is something to bark at. People sometimes confuse Shibas with Basenjis which are known as the “barkless dog”. Even though they do bark, Shibas are not "yippy" nor do they bark just because they like the sound of their own voice. However, if someone walks by your house you will know it. I would say that they are good alarm dogs, but due to their aloofness with strangers they probably wouldn’t be good guard dogs.
  
Q.  Do they shed?  
A.  Yes, Shibas ‘blow coat’ about twice a year. They are double coated and the entire undercoat will start to shed out in clumps. Then as the undercoat is starting to grow in, the coarser outer coat will start to fall out. This takes about a month to go through the whole process, but can be sped up if groomed a lot and given baths. I’ve noticed that my shibas don’t shed a lot between the time they are blowing coat.
  
Q.  What is their personality like?  
A.  Shibas are very independent, almost cat-like. They come to you when the want to. They will do something for you if there is something in it for them. Luckily, they are usually food driven so as long as they know they will get rewarded then they can be trained. Shibas are usually very easy to housebreak because they dislike going where they live. As I mentioned, Shibas are known for being distant with strangers. Because of this it is especially important to socialize, socialize, socialize your dog while it is still a puppy! If your dog has never been around children or other dogs as it was growing up how would you expect it to be good with the unknown when you suddenly decide it’s a good day to bring it on a social outing with you? I highly recommend going to classes where your puppy will learn good behavior with other dogs and people. It also helps the dog recognize you as the ‘Alpha’ in your relationship.
  
Q.  Are they good with children?  
A.  My answer to this is typically “Do you think your children will be good with a shiba?” Shibas are known escape artists. If you think your child will run out the front door and leave it open then your shiba will be gone and you’ll likely never see it again.
  
Q.  Can I take my shiba for walks off leash?  
A.  NO! Shibas have a high prey drive. If they are outside and see something they can chase they will go after it with unbelievable focus. They are so intent on getting what they are chasing that they would run across 4 lanes of traffic without even thinking about it. They could chase something for miles and then when they catch what they are chasing, or it gets away, they will suddenly not know where they are or how to get home.
  
Q.  Do they get along with other dogs?  
A.  Again socializing when they are young is the key here. Typically if a puppy grows up with other dogs it will be fine with them as an adult. We sometimes hear from other people that their shibas are not good with dogs of the same sex. Some say that the females are worse with eachother, but from my personal experience it is usually the males that I find will not get along with other males. Our females are all fine with eachother, but our male growls at about ½ of the males he meets. Again, it is very important to have your dog always on leash and under complete control.
  
Q.  Do they need a lot of exercise?  
A.  Shibas are very good at entertaining themselves. Mine will run through the house with a toy, or chasing eachother on a daily basis. Shibas love to run so if you have a large *secure* yard for them then that is best. They definitely do like walks too though. However, unlike very high energy dogs they don’t need an extreme amount of exercise.
  
Q.  Do they chew?  
A.  Although Shibas are not known for being big chewers, I will say that all puppies chew. This is because they are teething. During the first year of their life is usually the worse. We had one that not only chewed little divots in the planks of wood on our deck, he also decided to eat a hole in the drywall one time. After they reached full adulthood though that behavior stopped. It’s important to have a lot of chew toys and chew sticks for your puppy. And remember to put your shoes away. :)
  
For more information about shibas go here or visit some of the links on our home page.