Are Shiba Inus Hard To Train? (Are Shibas That Difficult)

Training is essential for owning a good dog that obeys you and hardly shows bad behavior. So, when you’re looking to own a dog, especially a Shiba Inu, you might want to know whether the breed is easy to train.

Before making your Shiba purchase, you’ll ask yourself this:

Are Shiba Inus hard to train?

Yes. Shiba Inus are among the hardest breeds to train. It’s due to their stubborn and strong-willed nature. Also, Shiba’s often do what they want and ignore you. However, they’re intelligent and sometimes easy to train, given you’re all positive during the training. Besides, they are easy to potty train. 

In this article, we’ll cover critical information about Shiba Inus training and some reasons why they’re such a hard breed to train.

Are Shiba Inus Hard to Train?

Shiba Inus can be difficult when training due to their instincts and independence. Especially if you’re new to Shibas, training them can be a challenge because they require people who understand them and their behavior for easy training.

However, what people don’t know is that positive training is key. You need to work with your Shiba Inu, not against him. Therefore, positive training is crucial as it’s a method to work with the dog as your partner.

Besides, since Shibas are independent, put more effort and dedication into training from an early stage. Good enough, if you have your Shiba Inu as a puppy, initiate training as early as possible.

The training can go as long as your Shiba grasps the rules you want.

Therefore, train your Shiba Inu from an early age to positively impact the dog’s behavior. While most people describe Shiba’s trait as stubborn, I’d call it free thinking. This is because they act depending on what they think is right.

Bearing this in mind, Shiba Inus needs a patient and consistent person to ensure they get good training. This means you have to give your Shiba a firm hand while exercising patience during the different stages of training.

Thankfully, the good thing is that training helps your Shiba Inu improve behavior and relate well to people.

Training Shiba Inus is hard but benefits you because you get him to learn your rules before he turns dominant. If you’re reluctant in providing the rules, dos, and don’t, your Shiba quickly becomes dominant to rule the roost.

Why Are Shiba Inus Hard to Train?

You’re probably asking why Shiba Inus are hard to train? Let’s answer that question below. There are several reasons why Shiba Inus are a hard dog breed to train.

Some reasons include;

1. Shibas Often Do What They Want
2. Shibas Don’t Surrender Even When All Is Lost
3. Shibas Have the Heart of a Rebel

Let’s explore each reason above;

1.     Shiba Inus Mostly Do What They Want

Shiba Inus adhere to only instructions that make sense to them. For that reason, if you try instructing your Shiba to do something he doesn’t want, trust me, he’ll ignore you.

So, if he doesn’t want training, he’ll ignore the instructions, thus making it hard to train him. Thankfully, Shiba Inus are good at communicating what they like or want. So, you can read your Shibas body language and easily do as per his wants.

Shiba Inu owners have to observe their dogs and personalize some commands to regulate their behavior at home.

Even though they do what they want, Shiba Inus offer good company at home and are exciting to be around you.

2.     Shibas Don’t Surrender Even When All Is Lost    

That is true; Shiba Inu dog breeds don’t know how to surrender.

One thing that makes me know these dogs don’t know how to surrender is how my Shiba attempts to behave when I meet other dog breeds that are way larger than him. He doesn’t know what fight is worth engaging in.

Shiba Inu are strong-willed and never ready to let go of their agenda unless you offer them a better alternative. They’re outstanding in focusing on something. That’s why they are known to have a singular state of mind. That makes it hard to train Shibas.

In fact, for a Shiba Inu, giving up is never an option to consider. The dog is overconfident with its pride and never backs down.

3.     Shiba Inu Have the Heart of a Rebel  

I don’t mean Shiba Inus are violent and treacherous; I mean that they’re independent and aloof.

However, as much as they’re independent, they enjoy human attention, perhaps more than many other dog breeds on the market.

In addition, Shiba’s are sneaky and always want to go against you. Therefore, it’s hard to train them due to this trait. They’re escape artists.

When he sees you’re against something, he’s up to try it right away; thus, it’s hard to train.

What Are the Basic Tips for Training a Shiba Inu?

If you’re looking to train your Shiba Inu, below are some tips you don’t want to miss. Take note of the following;

1.     Start Training Early

Start training your Shiba Inu the earliest. Training also works if you got your Shiba Inus at his adult age. Only that it might be less effective, and your Shiba is likely to take a long time to grasp basic commands. Not to discourage you, it’s possible.

If you follow the following dos and don’ts, there’s no doubt your Shiba transforms in behavior for the better.

2.     Become A Friend, Not A Master

You don’t have to overrule your Shiba Inu for him to learn the training guidelines. Be his friend; this helps gain his trust.

If your Shiba Inu doesn’t trust you, you have no chance of training him successfully. If you become his friend, you eliminate any fear between you and show him the goods of trusting you.

Remember, Shiba Inus quickly gets bored. As such, offer training in short sessions.

3.     Learn Shiba’s Body Language

Shiba Inus often communicate using body language. They’re self-taught in this. If your Shiba needs something he can’t access, he’ll draw your attention and direct you to what he needs.

Thereby, it’s good for you to learn which body language means what. Perhaps, you can initiate a way of reacting to your Shiba’s body language.

4.     Give Rewards for Good Behavior 

During the training sessions, you must have some eateries to reward your Shiba when he gets something right. Mark you, this is a crucial part of training that Shiba owners shouldn’t overlook.

When you reward your dog, it triggers his mind to know what’s good and wrong.

You might want to see our post on, when do Shiba Inus calm down?

How Long Does It Take to Train Shiba Inus?

Training Shiba Inus requires anywhere from 1 month to 6 months. It depends on your Shibas level of cooperation since some Shibas are easier to train than others.

It all depends on your Shibas level of participation. Some Shibas quickly learn and thus are easy to train. On the contrary, some Shibas are stubborn and take longer to train completely.

Besides, Shiba Inus are a primitive dog breed that likes keeping to itself. Also, they’re known to be stubborn and thus might need a lot of training.

As a matter of fact, Shiba Inus need a lot of training before they’re in line with basic commands. The reason is they often disobey you and act in favor of their instincts.

So, if you’d like to own a Shiba Inus, you shouldn’t buy other people’s opinions. I’ve seen people confess that Shiba’s are special in a unique way. However, it’s universal that you need the proper training and patience to overcome most vices in Shiba’s.

You don’t have to write off Shibas when you hear someone give their views or opinions. Your experience might be different.

Perhaps, it’s more likely to be different; I believe Shiba’s are good dogs; we just don’t know how to handle them.

If you’re looking to own a Shiba Inus or already own one, below are some vital basics you should always have in mind during training.

How To Potty Train A Shiba Inu?

Although Shiba Inus are intelligent dogs, training them can be complex if you’re not consistent and patient. You need a routine to help you train your Shiba Inus easily.

For example, you can follow these brief steps to potty train your Shiba Inus;

Begin by creating an eating schedule. If your Shiba has his morning food at 8.00 a.m., you schedule him to potty after two hours. So, after two hours, at 10.00 a.m., you’re there to take your Shiba to go potty.

Then, don’t leave your Shiba Inu alone for too long. This will help your Shiba adhere to the schedule and prevents accidents. Make sure you help your Shiba identify the time he needs a potty break, and if he potty’s, give a reward.

Also, have a particular place where your Shiba knows is the potty zone. That means whenever you take him there; he knows it’s time to potty.

Now, if your Shiba makes a mistake and potty in the wrong place, don’t punish him. Instead, clean it quickly and do away with the odor. This helps your Shiba understand that that’s not the right place to potty.

Frequently Asked Questions

How To Train a Shiba Inu Not to Bite?

Discourage your Shiba Inu not to bite from an early age. Since they bite due to having excess pent-up energy, try to help your Shiba dispel that energy.

You can take him for daily walks or by playing with him. Also, Shiba Inus bite to attract your attention. So, try and give the attention before your Shiba repeatedly bites you.

Are Male or Female Shibas Easy to Train?

Generally, males are easier to train compared to females. This is because males are a bit friendlier and more social than females.

Male and female Shiba Inus differ in the amount of time and attention needed for training. Females are more territorial and possessive and thus are harder to train. So, males require less effort to train than females.

Why Are Shiba Inus So Stubborn?

Shiba Inus are stubborn due to their free-thinking and independent mentality. They think by themselves and like to act on what they want, not what their owner says.

So, if you notice your Shiba Inu acting ignorant, don’t go berserk. That’s their nature; they don’t like to follow instructions and have a mind of their own.

Are Shiba Inus Good for First Time Dog Owners?

No. Shiba Inus are not good for first-time dog owners. They are complex to handle for new dog owners and might disappoint you for not being anything near your expectations.

Therefore, if you don’t have previous experience with dogs, Shibas aren’t your best pick. They come with hurdles that only people with prior dog experience can handle.

Can You Let Shiba Inus Off-Leash?

Shiba Inus shouldn’t be let off leash without training and socialization. Therefore, if your Shiba has no training and socialization, have him on a leash when going out for a walk.

However, you can have him off leash if your Shiba is good with people through training and socialization.

Final Thoughts Regarding the Question, Are Shiba Inus Hard to Train?

As much as Shiba Inus are hard to train, they possess the most exciting and friendly traits. The challenge to train Shiba results from the breed’s natural instincts that kick in anytime.

If you want to train your Shiba, positive training is vital. In addition, you have to be calm and consistent when doing the training sessions. Note that Shibas are fast learners. As such, be consistent, and it’ll take your Shiba a short time of up to 1 month to grasp the basics.

Therefore, the fact that it’s a challenging breed to train doesn’t mean you can’t train your Shiba Inu. All you need is to abide by the dos and don’ts during training and have the right mindset.

As much as Shibas are hard to train, they’re exciting and have many good traits.

Feel free to comment and let us know how long it took to train your fur friend.