The Shiba Inu captivates with its fox-like charm and striking appearance, but beneath that adorable face lies a dominant, stubborn, intelligent, and highly mischievous personality. These traits make Shiba Inu training secrets essential for any owner. Not suited for beginners or the faint-hearted, Shibas demand patience, consistency, and smart strategies to thrive as companions. Despite warnings from experts, many fall in love at first sight—like I did with my puppy Sephy. With ample time on my hands, I underestimated the challenge of this “little devil dog.” Even seasoned trainers struggled with him, but these proven Shiba Inu training secrets transformed him from a handful into a joyful, quirky family member.
Shiba Inu Training Secrets
Shibas aren’t destined to be perfect like a Lassie, but with the right approach, they become endlessly entertaining partners who keep you laughing. Drawing from years of hands-on experience and positive reinforcement techniques endorsed by organizations like the American Kennel Club (AKC), these Shiba Inu training secrets focus on building trust, setting boundaries, and leveraging their independent nature.
Do not be fooled – A Shiba Inu can be a major pain in the ass
1. Forget Miracle Cures: Patience and Positive Reinforcement Are Key
Sephy’s early days were chaos—hand biting, wild zooming around the house, curtain chewing, vicious leash biting, jumping on everyone, and even humping legs. Desperate, I scoured books, forums, TV shows, and trainer advice, stumbling on gimmicky “10-minute Shiba words” programs promising instant obedience. Thankfully, I skipped the hype.
The truth in Shiba Inu training secrets? No quick fixes exist. Shibas require extreme patience, humor in their antics, and reward-based obedience training. Always stay firm yet fair, rewarding good behavior with treats, praise, or play. According to veterinary behaviorists, positive reinforcement strengthens the human-dog bond without eroding trust, which is crucial for this breed’s sensitive nature. Shibas may never be flawless, but they’ll reward you with their roguish charm if you commit long-term.
A Shiba Inu will never be a model citizen but he will most surely make you laugh and smile
2. Master Passive Resistance: Control Attention and Freedom
Shibas bore easily, crave independence, and thrive on human interaction, making attention and freedom their top “resources.” Direct confrontation—like alpha rolls or leash jerks—backfires, sparking fights, rough play, or aggression. Fearful reactions teach them they “win,” while over-correction shatters trust, hard to rebuild in this aloof breed.
Instead, win the mental game. For walks, grab the leash, call once, count to three, then walk away. Sephy soon learned begging and whining got ignored; compliance earned the outing. Implement Nothing in Life is Free (NILIF), a protocol recommended by shelter behaviorists: make rewards contingent on calm obedience. Prevent theft by preempting sneaky grabs with a drag lead (flat collar only, cut loop to avoid snags—never aversives unsupervised). This sets them up for success, frequent rewards, and sustained engagement.
2. Use Passive Resistance
Shibas hate isolation, so withhold attention for misbehavior—turn away, leave the room. Only engage positively.
Shiba Inus get bored easily and do not like being ignored
Only give our Shiba Inu attention when he refrains from bad Shiba behaviors
3. Establish Clear Rules Early and Enforce Consistently
Naturally dominant, Shibas seize control without firm, consistent boundaries. Start rules young to curb bad habits. Sephy’s non-negotiables:
No Biting on People: Mouthy by instinct during excitement or frustration, their sharp teeth risk injuring kids or elderly. Use “ack-ack” no-marks, then timeouts in a crate or separate room. Teach bite inhibition via puppy play, ensuring soft mouths—a staple in breed-specific training from the Parent Club for the Shiba Inu.
No Food Aggression or Resource Guarding: Reward approaches during meals/toy time to associate sharing with goodies. Practice trades; force grabs breed possessiveness and distrust.
No Rough Play with Humans: Wrestling belongs with dogs only—no tug-of-war, which fueled Sephy’s leash biting.
3. Rules, Rules, Rules
No biting on people. Shiba Inu Sephy is redirected onto a toy
No food aggression
No rough play with people
Shiba Inu Sephy only does rough play with other dogs
4. Prioritize Early and Positive Socialization
Shibas can react aggressively to novelties—objects, dogs, people, environments—exacerbated by stubbornness under force. Expose puppies to diverse stimuli positively for confident adults. Key considerations:
Match Play Styles: Their intense wrestling overwhelms small dogs; pair with sturdy larger breeds or tolerant pits at fenced parks.
Desensitize to Handling: Pair grooming/touch with top treats early—gentle, short sessions only.
Adjust Petting: They resist overhead pats (seen as dominant); reward head pets gradually, teach chest scratches.
4. Socialize Our Shiba Inu
Socialize our young Shiba Inu to many sights, sounds, and smells
Shiba Inus have an extreme play style that many dogs may not like
Shiba Inus dislike handling
Shiba Inus do not generally like people petting them from above
5. Manage Your Energy: Stay Calm to Influence Theirs
Shibas mirror owner energy intensely. Sephy’s biting worsened my fear, triggering more antics—humping, grabbing, jumping. Walker frustration sparked his infamous “Shiba scream” and rolls.
Anger fuels extremes too. Solution: Remain composed. Isolate to low-stimulus spots or timeout for misdeeds. Extreme emotions amplify issues; calm consistency prevails. Once mastering this, Sephy improved dramatically—goofy, fun, rarely troublesome.
5. Control Our Own Energy
Anger and frustration will also elicit extreme Shiba Inu behaviors
With a Shiba Inu, it is important to stay calm at all times
Once I was able to control my fear and remain calm, things improved significantly with my Shiba Inu
Shibas challenge but reward immensely with personality and laughs. I adore mine—he’s my goofy best buddy.
Gotta love a Shiba Inu
Apply these Shiba Inu training secrets with dedication for a balanced, hilarious companion. Consult a certified trainer or vet behaviorist for personalized advice. Explore more pet care tips on our site!
References
- American Kennel Club (AKC): Shiba Inu Breed Standard and Training Basics (akc.org)
- Parent Club for the Shiba Inu: Socialization Guidelines
- Shibashake.com: Original experiences with puppy biting, leash training, and NILIF (shibashake.com/dog)
