Like Us
Follow @dogster
Google +1 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Contact Us
Shiba Inu » Shiba Inu Forum
GO!

New here :) and my shiba is driving me nuts!

This is a forum for bonding with your fellow Dogsters about the traits, quirks and idiosyncrasies of your favorite breed. Please remember that there are absolutely no animal sales or requests for studding or breeding allowed on our sites. All posts and interactions should be in the spirit of Dogster's Community Guidelines and should be fun, friendly and informational. Enjoy!

  
(Page 1 of 2: Viewing entries 1 to 10)  
Page Links: 1  2  
Gryphon

Ill eat- anything.- Seriously.		 
 
Barked: Wed Jan 25, '12 6:41pm PST 
Hey, my name is Danielle, and we've had Gryphon for about 5 weeks now (hes four months old). We love him to death, but he does things that leave us scratching our heads, and sometimes exasperated. However, the most current issue is aggression towards other dogs. Weve recently started bringing him to the dog park, and hes usually the youngest dog there. When dogs come around I can tell he wants to play, but when they actually start, he looks like he gets agressive. His lips pull back over his teeth, ears go back, and he snaps at them. He gets so carried away he bites me when I try to break it up, and ive taught him to have a soft mouth on skin.
My question is, is this normal? Will it work itself out, will the dogs show him who's boss and teach him how to play nice, or is this something I have to step in on?
my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Basil

It's a fox, it's- a wolf, it's- a...Shiba!		 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 26, '12 12:21pm PST 
I'm a fairly new shiba owner myself, and have a six month old puppy, so I can just offer what things I've found to work for him. It may be a good idea to get him into a puppy training class with other puppies, as he may feel less threatened if he is the same age as the other dogs. It would also be a more controlled setting where the trainer could help with any aggression issues.

I've taken Basil to the dog park and to doggie daycare, where he's done really well, but it did take him a little while to figure out how to play with the other dogs. For the most part, adult dogs will give puppies a "pass" if they play too rough because they are puppies, but they will signal when they are doing something wrong (by nipping or barking) so that the puppy learns what is and isn't acceptable. So in that sense, there is something to be said for just letting the puppy figure it out from the other dogs. However, you want to keep a close eye just in case things get too rough. It is very important for shibas to become accustomed to playing well with other dogs since they are predisposed to being aggressive and protective of their owners. You will be happy you got him socialized well later on.
my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Saya

I want to play!		 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 26, '12 2:59pm PST 
I agree a positive type trainer puppy class will help a lot with socialization do you have any friends with dogs that are friendly to puppies? Maybe having more controlled playmates might help.

It might be too much for the pup being as dog parks can have lots of dogs some not socialized enough to correct a puppy right..

Saya did good with other dogs I took her to puppy class she did start to get reactive to strange dogs after she was attacked by a dog that was on leash..

That's long story so..

She does get a long with some dogs mostly with other shiba inu and certain other breeds. She not fond of bouncy boxers even though she lives with one, but Bella is much calmer.

Saya does get used to strange dogs if she met them three or more times..

She got snarky with the male New Guinea singing dog she met, but what the owner had me do is have her meet him with the singer in the crate then on second greeting she got a long just fine. even tried to get him to play. She was being frisky..

To note shiba inu do play rough and makes a lot of noises, but there is difference though from happy playing and being defensive.

There's videos on youtube of shiba playing maybe watching them might help.
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]

Gryphon

Ill eat- anything.- Seriously.		 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 26, '12 4:09pm PST 
Yes, its definately aggression. He nips when he plays no matter what, but this time his ears went back and showed his teeth. I was already planning on enrolling him in a puppy class. I guess I better do it sooner than later.
my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Tsuki, Kit,- Kiba &- Buckley

inubakablog.com		 
 
Barked: Fri Jan 27, '12 9:37am PST 
did it look like this?
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9XwJGs5OjGXSvVnaNdGkBtM TjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

that's my girl shiba's play face. it's scary.
my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Conker

OBEY ME!		 
 
Barked: Fri Jan 27, '12 3:17pm PST 
I do take my dogs to the dog park but I do not think it is a good idea to take a pup. Pups can learn all sorts of bad things from other dogs, (plus they have no manners) and it's best to expose them to nicely behaved adult dogs who know how to play with pups than some random dog with who-knows-what types of behaviors.

Anywho, Shibas have a very dynamic play style. Lots of teeth, snarls, bites and snaps. It takes several visits and explanations for people to understand that my Shiba is not being aggressive, he's just playing in his style. A lot of dogs don't "speak" Shiba right off the bat and can react badly, which is why I say don't take a pup who doesn't know proper dog manners to a dog park, but the other dogs often get it after a short while. If they don't? I won't take Conker in when those dogs are around, or I'll take him to the other side of the park.
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Kaida

Official Shiba- Squirrel Tracker		 
 
Barked: Sun Jan 29, '12 4:06am PST 
I also agree that maybe taking such a young pup to the park might not be a good idea unless there is a puppy section or something like that you can get involved with. Kaida didn't go to the park until she was 10 or 11 months old. She was scared of the other dogs at first and then she warmed up to them. Maybe your pup was feeling overwhelmed and scared. I think his aggression was most likely rooted by fear not true aggression. More socialization and positive interactions with other dogs will probably help curb this. Puppy classes might be what he needs. If you know someone with a dog who is well mannered, maybe some playdates with it will help him boost his confidence.
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Gryphon

Ill eat- anything.- Seriously.		 
 
Barked: Sun Jan 29, '12 3:01pm PST 
Gryphon is officially enrolled in puppy kindergarden smile
my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Toshiro

Play with me?		 
 
Barked: Thu Feb 2, '12 8:34pm PST 
Having fun playing

Having fun playing. Most dramatic I can find in about two minutes of looking.

I would say, with Shiba's everything is amplified and dramatized. When it's good, it's like winning the lottery. When it's bad it's like a crescendo of the worst car alarms ever heard. There is no in between.

Same for playing, it sounds like a raccoon killing a cat and that's normal. Nothing but neck bites. When something actually does go wrong it sounds like an ambulance at six inches.

Couple of suggestions:
-I would try for one on one, or two on two. Toshi doesn't take well to being triple teamed, and will fight aggressively to escape. I wouldn't either, so be conscious of the enivroment. If the dogs start acting like bullies break them up and start them over.

-Go get some exercise before going to the park. Hyper dogs aren't received well. Go for a long walk or a jog, be calm and collected in there.

-Usually there are other warning signs. I don't have the most experience with serious fighting, but from what I have seen it only happens without an escape path. When there is no choice but to fight it turns into 1000% fight, baresark no defense only assault.

-Try to get used to the dog park off peak. Better for it to become a normal environment with 2 or 3 other dogs rather than 10 or 15.

4 months I think is probably a little young for the dog park, didn't work well for us. Tried twice and then waited.

Edited by author Thu Feb 2, '12 8:36pm PST

my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Xena

The Warrior- Princess		 
 
Barked: Tue Feb 7, '12 2:34pm PST 
I'm not sure. I've read a lot of really good advice in this thread though. I seem to have an odd ball shiba as she doesn't exhibit most of the common shiba traits...aside from her rapid shiba 500. She's friendly as heck, to everyone...dogs, people, etc., likes kids, is not independent whatsoever (she'd rather cuddle and chew a bone on your foot rather than off on her own), etc. She's one of a kind. I think she's a lab in a shiba body. Except for her energy level.
my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
  (Page 1 of 2: Viewing entries 1 to 10)  
Page Links: 1  2