Do Shiba Inus Need a Lot of Exercise? Shiba Exercise Tips

If you’re planning to own a Shiba Inus, you might be wondering about their exercise needs. Like other dogs, Shibas need exercise to dispel excess energy.

Besides, Shibas are high-energy dogs and need exercise to keep them calm.

So, you may ask, do Shiba Inus need a lot of exercise?

Yes, Shiba Inus need a lot more exercise than other dog breeds. You should exercise him for at least an hour per day, often by walking. Walks or hikes are suitable for exercising your Shiba, especially adult Shibas. Exercise helps build a bond with your Shiba making him lovely and affectionate to you.  

Below are some tips to current and future Shiba owners about exercising their fur friends and basic handling tips you don’t want to miss.

Do Shiba Inus Need a Lot of Exercise?

Yes, Shiba Inus requires more exercise than most other dog breeds. Since Shibas have high energy and are hyper, you need to exercise them to help dispel the energy.

Exercise helps your Shiba in many ways you don’t know. In addition, they love to exercise a lot. You’ll easily notice this when you start taking your Shiba for a walk.

He’s curious and wants to go for walks every time you move outside.

Also, Shibas need a lot of exercise to burn the energy in their bodies every day. Failure to exercise your Shiba Inu can make him turn destructive.

Shibas become destructive when you leave them alone for long or fail to satisfy their exercise needs. As a result, as you think of getting a Shiba Inu, begin to prepare for two or three 20-30 minutes walks every day.

If you’re unable to meet the breed’s exercise needs, don’t bother owning one because they’ll become a bother to you. Also, Shibas aren’t the kind of dogs that you pet around the whole day; they’re unique in their ways.

Read our post on Shiba Inu running away.

How Much Exercise Does a Shiba Inu Need?

Shiba Inus need exercise for at least 45 minutes per day. Since some Shibas are more active than others, you can extend the time to 1 or 2 hours if your is more active.

Remember, Shiba Inu adults and Shiba Inu puppies have different exercise needs. Both don’t need the same amount of exercise. Daily exercise and a good diet should keep your Shiba happy and in good health.

In addition, daily exercise also helps in the mental stimulation of your Shiba Inu. Since they’re independent dogs, mental stimulation is essential. Exercise acts as an outlet for your Shiba Inu.

Through exercise, your Shiba gets a chance to challenge his mind. Your Shiba has to find something to challenge his mind without exercise, which may not be okay with you.

For example, when Shibas stay for long without going for a walk or without exercise, they become destructive. Some lousy behavior that Shibas show when you annoy them is destructive chewing.

The best way to meet your Shibas exercise needs is by doing it twice daily. It can be in the morning and evening. Do 45-minutes sessions twice a day.

How Do You Exercise a Shiba Inu?

To keep your Shiba Inus healthy and fit, exercise is essential. So, what are these ways to exercise your Shiba?

The following activities are suitable to exercise your Shiba Inus.

• Walking, Running, and Jogging
• Playing Fetch
• Tug of War
• Find The Treat
• Agility Training

See how you can use each method above to exercise your Shiba Inus;

1.      Walking, Running, and Jogging

This is the most obvious and basic way to exercise your Shiba Inus. However, before taking your Shiba Inus for a walk, slip on their harness and take him out for a walk while on a leash.

Make your Shiba friendly to the leash by associating it with a walk. That way, your Shiba always shows excitement and starts jumping because he knows it’s time for a walk, which they like.

Also, if you’re an exercising person who likes going out for a jog early or late in the evening, you can tag along your Shiba. You can do a couple of laps around the local pond for your Shiba Inus to burn off energy.

2.      Playing Fetch

Another way to keep your Shiba Inus active is playing fetch with him. Playing fetch is a means to help him release some energy as your Shiba enjoys chasing after their favorite toy or ball.

As such, playing fetch keeps your Shiba busy for hours and helps burn off energy.

Besides, you can have the toy when going for a walk and have your Shiba Inu run longer. You’ll always throw the ball some meters away and have your Shiba fetch it.

Most importantly, ensure to play in a safe area with no stray dogs or other dogs around. Shibas fall victims to destruction from other dogs easily.

3.      Tug of War

Like humans love playing tug of war, most dogs also love doing it. Shiba Inus like playing with anything, including toys, old socks, or shoes.

So, you can get a special rope toy specifically for the game.

Special rope toys suit your Shiba as the rope toy fits well between your Shibas teeth without causing injuries. Besides, the rope toy designs prevent it from falling apart in your Shibas mouth.

While playing such a game as a tug of war, ensure the game remains friendly and that your Shiba doesn’t become aggressive. Shibas like taking the law into their own hands and can quickly become aggressive when competing for something with you.

4.      Find The Treat

Find the treat is a more casual game. In this game, you hide a treat somewhere around the house and let your Shiba find it. That’s an easy way to keep your Shiba busy and promotes exercise.

However, when playing this game, ensure you don’t go overboard. So, limit the treats you give your Shiba Inus. The more the treats, the more energy you’re giving your Shiba.

Also, instead of hiding a treat, you can substitute it with a toy so that your Shiba doesn’t eat a lot of goodies in the process. Shibas easily take to the game no matter what you use to play this game.

5.      Agility Training 

Agility training also creates a good room for exercise for Shiba Inus. Since I’m sure you might be looking to train your Shiba Inu, blend it with an agility course for exercise during the training.

You can use many agility tools to train your Shiba Inus; they’re cheap and readily available. Moreover, you can also use household objects for agility training, such as cans of soup instead of cones.

Also, you can use old cardboard boxes for your Shiba Inus to walk through.

Agility training is a way to exercise your Shiba Inus while benefiting in another way. You train as you exercise.

You might want to read our post on, are Shiba Inus hard to train?

How Long Should You Exercise a Shiba Inu Puppy?

Experts agree that Shiba Inu puppies need a minimum of 5 minutes of training twice every day. Besides, a 3-month-old puppy needs 15 minutes of exercise twice a day, morning and evening.

The older a Shiba Inu puppy gets, the more exercise he needs. However, when exercising Shiba puppies, remember not to do it in excess as it can cause damage to the puppies growing joints.

The impact of a permanent dent due to excess exercise is frightening and keeps you visiting the vet now and then. Therefore, do it for a few minutes since Shiba puppies don’t need intense exercise.

To exercise your Shiba Inu puppy, you don’t need to go for walks or jogging; that’s too much for a puppy. In addition, it might cause damage or hurt your pup.

Instead, walk your Shiba puppy several rounds around the block while on a leash. Of importance, keep it casual and fun.

Also, you can initiate free play in the yard using some of their favorite toys. If things get too exciting, calm your puppy since a lot of excitement leads to aggression.

How Long Should You Exercise an Older Senior Shiba Inu?

Unlike Shiba Inu puppies, older Shiba Inus 9 months and above should have 45 minutes of exercise twice a day.

Older Shiba Inus have no challenge engaging in intense exercise. For example, if you want to go jogging or for a walk, you can tag along your adult Shiba.

Adult Shibas are okay with intense exercise. So, if you want to go for a walk with your adult Shiba Inus, you should begin doing it right away.

Also, Shibas learn very fast. So, as you jog, trust me, your Shiba Inu will start to run beside you and won’t throw tantrums at you. You can jog with your Shiba for half or an hour.

On the other hand, if you decide to exercise your Shiba Inus at home, ensure to test his intelligence using such games as find the treat or find the toy.

Remember, Shibas are intelligent and need to practice it; therefore, finding the toy is a good game to exercise your Shiba.

Frequently Asked Questions  

Are Shiba Inus High Maintenance?

Shiba Inus are in the middle category when it comes to maintenance. They only require the most maintenance when shedding their undercoats. Besides, they shed twice a year.

When Shibas are shedding, maintenance helps clear the fur that drops everywhere. Besides, you can use a brush or vacuum cleaner to clear the fur mess.

Can Shibas Be Lazy?

When Shibas get bored by something, that’s when they appear lazy or disinterested. 

If you observe that your Shiba is reluctant to show interest in their favorite toy or game, it means something isn’t okay.

Do Shiba Inus Need a Lot of Training?

Shiba Inus need a lot of training. However, what’s important when training a Shiba Inu is your patience, kindness, and lots of positive reinforcements.

Thankfully, Shiba Inus are intelligent dogs and grasp commands faster than most dogs. When training your Shiba Inus, one thing to avoid is aggressive methods such as being aversive.

How Often Should You Walk a Shiba Inu?

You should walk your Shiba Inus either once a day for 45 minutes or twice a day for 45 minutes every session.

If your Shiba Inus is still a puppy, it’s not a must you take him for a walk; you can do it around the homestead. A 15-minute session is enough for a Shiba Inu puppy twice a day.

How Long Can a Shiba Inu Walk For?

An adult Shiba Inus can walk for as long as 2 hours. However, you should let your Shiba relax a bit; it’s better to do the walk in bits with relaxing sessions.

Remember, dogs generate heat from their bodies quickly, thus the need to take breaks.  

Conclusion On Do Shiba Inus Need a Lot of Exercise.

Shiba Inus need exercise often, but not a lot of exercise. Therefore, if you’re worried about getting a Shiba Inus due to the time required for exercise, worry no more.

Shiba Inus need only 45 minutes of exercise twice every day. However, you can also do it once a day if you don’t have the extra time.

Thankfully, exercising your Shiba Inus isn’t hard; you can tag your Shiba along when going for a walk or jogging. That way, you let your Shiba exercise as you exercise too.