09/04/2026
It’s not all about nibbling your forearm and ignoring you on walks.
This was the most difficult breed to dissect so far.
Not because Shibas are complicated, but because there isn’t one Shiba.
There are a hundred variations of the same idea: an independent, self-employed dog with very strong opinions about your expectations.
Some are social.
Some are… tolerant.
Some recall beautifully.
Some see a squirrel and enter another dimension.
What stays consistent isn’t the behaviour.
It’s the framework:
→ autonomy over compliance
→ selective engagement
→ reinforcement that makes sense to them
If you stop trying to make them a different breed, they suddenly become a very easy dog to live with.
If you don’t…you’ll be negotiating with a professional boundary tester.
Which one do you have? 👀