Does Shiba Inu Bark a Lot? Let’s Find Out

Does Shiba Inu bark a lot? Now that Shiba Inus are cat-like, you might think that they as well don’t bark, right?

Also, before buying a Shiba, you might want to know if the breed is among the noisy barker breeds. That said, does Shiba Inu bark a lot?

No, Shiba Inus don’t bark a lot; they only bark when necessary. You’ll only hear them bark when acting in protection or sending a warning. However, Shibas produce friendly sounds and screams. They bark when necessary, or there’s a threat since the breed has a quiet personality. 

It’s time we take the bull by its horns; let’s see whether Shiba Inus are barkers or not, when they bark, and what might make them bark.

Does Shiba Inu Bark a Lot?

Shiba Inus don’t bark a lot; they only do it when necessary.

If you own a Shiba, you can tell this; they hardly bark unless they want attention or to be protective. It’s a super silent breed.

Shibas use a vast range of vocalizations daily but don’t like barking. You’ll hear little screams from your Shiba, maybe when smiling or when happy.

So, when you hear your Shiba bark with madness, there must be a problem. Hardly will you see or hear your Shiba bark with madness.

When barking for attention, the bark is sharp and clear. Also, there’s always a stimulus as to why Shiba Inu barks.

What makes Shiba Inu bark often are distractions or loud noises outside. They also bark when in need of attention or when an intruder or stranger is approaching. Therefore, if you have a visitor, you might hear that long-overdue bark you’ve been longing to hear.

Instead, Shiba Inus often create head-turning utterances. Another type of noise that Shiba Inus produce is a loud yelp or a cry. That shouldn’t worry you, though. Shibas normally do it.

Check our post on, Shiba Inus with other dogs.

How Often Do Shiba Inus Bark?

Shiba Inus bark often during their active hours or parts of the day.

If your Shiba suddenly barks without any cause, pay attention and interact with him to know the reason. Sometimes they might bark for no reason.

You’ll go for days without hearing your Shiba bark once. But the screams are a must every once or twice a day. Other sounds that you’ll hear your Shiba make are grumbles, yodels, grunts, burbs, and whistles.

However, if you like playing with your Shiba Inus outside, you may be enjoying more of the barks and screams. Shibas produce more sounds when there’s stimulation.

Also, when you fail to exercise your Shiba and let his energy accumulate, you might hear a whining sound. That’s how you tell when your fur friend needs exercise.

You don’t have to go for walks; you can play other games like fetch or tug of war.

Why Don’t Shiba Inus Bark a Lot?

Reasons why Shiba Inus hardly bark include;

• Type of Breed
• Quiet Personality
• No Danger

So, how does each make them not bark a lot?

1.     Type Of Breed

Genetically, Shiba Inus don’t bark a lot. They are in the same category as Greyhound and Basenji dog breeds that bark only when necessary.

Besides, since Shibas were hunters, barking wasn’t necessary as it could alert the presence of hunters. Ever since, Shibas are still the same and hardly bark. Trust me; you only hear your Shiba bark when there’s a reason to do it.

You might want to check our post on, are Shiba Inus good apartment dogs?

2.     Quiet Personality

Shibas have one of a king funny personality. They’re naturally quiet and independent.

When the Shiba instincts to think of their own kicks in, you’ll hardly get hold of your Shiba. They know how to act on their own thoughts and quietly follow what they think is right.

While doing their things, Shibas remain quiet unless otherwise.

3.     No Danger

When there’s no danger, you’ll hardly hear your Shibas bark. This breed never bothers you with nuisance barking.

In the absence of danger or a threat, don’t expect your furry friend to bark even once. Only the normal sounds, screams, and grunts.

Why Do Shiba Inus Bark?

Several reasons can make your Shiba Inu bark including;

• Seeking Attention
• Warning The Owner
• When Startled
• When Communicating

What’s more;

1.     Seeking Attention

When your Shiba needs your attention, you might hear a friendly bark. Dogs, like humans, need attention, thus the reason.

Besides, your Shiba often becomes jealous at you and barks to get your attention for a second. When trying to greet you, Shiba Inus bark but doesn’t produce much sound.

When my Shiba needs my attention, he barks a little bit as he smiles with his eyes almost closed and ears facing backward.

2.     Warning The Owner 

Barking in Shibas is a way to send a warning. Of course, Shibas have stronger senses to hear noise or intruders from far than humans.

Therefore, you Shiba can hear people from far and warn you with a bark. When visitors or strangers pass by your gate, your Shiba hears and barks to warn you.

3.     When Startled

A good scenario is where there’s a loud sound, and your Shiba feels startling; Shibas respond with a bark. Also, when you have your in-house music loud, that’ll make your Shiba bark in distress.

The bark results from not knowing what to do amidst the high, loud voice. Shibas find loud sounds irritating and never fail to tell when they’re uneasy.

4.     When Communicating

Shiba Inu often barks to communicate something or send some message.

If you ever see your Shiba bark and start walking to some corner, follow by, he might be trying to show you something. So, learn to understand their actions.

Therefore, barking is the easy option when Shibas want to communicate to their owners. When your Shiba Inu needs a toy that they can’t access, he’ll bark and look at it until you help them have it.

If your Shiba has excessive barking, below are some tips that may work miracles.

How Do I Get My Shiba Inu to Stop Excessive Barking?

Two ways to stop excessive barking in Shiba Inus are;

• Training
• Socialization
• Exercise

You may be asking, how about them? Well, let’s see that below;

1.     Training

Training helps your Shiba Inus learn basic commands. So, it’s good to train your Shiba right away from when they’re a small puppy. Training helps you communicate and take charge of your Shiba.

If your Shiba has enough training, you can command him to stop barking. Although, without training, you’ll hardly communicate with your Shiba.

Any attempt to command your Shiba is likely to go unsuccessful.

Further, proper training helps your Shiba know when to bark and when to stay silent.

Training your Shiba is like bribing them when they do something good using a treat. However, it helps turn things around and make your Shiba Inu stop excessive barking.

2.     Socialization

Socializing is useful when you want to stop your Shiba from excessive barking. When socializing with your Shiba, he knows the outside world and learns to relate well to possible threats.

Possible threats can be your plumber or any guest who comes visiting. After socializing your Shiba Inu, you can tell the difference; there’s no more fear making them bark more often.

You need to socialize your Shiba Inu with both people and other dogs. That way, excessive barking won’t be an issue anymore.

You may want to include fun activities to stimulate their mind when doing the socialization.

3.     Exercise

Shiba Inus have more energy than most other dogs. With more energy accumulating daily, exercise is a necessity.

Failure to exercise your Shiba might prompt excessive barking, which you’re not ready for. To avoid it, take your Shiba Inu for exercise. Besides, it helps Shibas stop excessive barking because they get to stimulate their mind through exercise.

See our post on, do Shiba Inus need a lot of exercise?

Why Does My Shiba Inu Bark at Night?

Shiba Inu barking at night might be a means to warn you of some danger or maybe feeling hungry.

However, this isn’t a common occurrence. Shibas hardly bark at night.

Another thing that might make your Shiba bark at night is feeling hungry. When your Shiba is hungry in the middle of the night as you sleep, they might try to signal you by barking.

The loneliness and separation during the night can also trigger the bark from your fur friend. Therefore, it’s upon you to observe and interpret the exact message your Shiba is sending.

Do Shiba Inus Bark a Lot at Strangers?

Shiba Inus aren’t the best dogs with strangers. They bark at strangers for a moment but take the stand of their owner.

Shiba Inus are territorial and possessive; thus, they’re not welcoming to strangers. They don’t easily take in new people. However, with socialization, this problem ends faster.

Socializing and training your Shiba Inus improves how the dog relates with strangers. If your Shiba is aggressive and barks at strangers, you need to consider socialization and training classes.

Moreover, some Shibas are good with strangers naturally. However, I’d still emphasize universal training; it has many benefits on behavior change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Is My Shiba Inu Barking at Me?

Shiba Inu bark at their owners when alerting them, when in need of attention, or when happy.

Also, your Shiba might bark at you just for no reason. However, this hardly happens. You’ll hear your Shiba bark at nothing once in a blue moon.

Why Does My Shiba Bark So Much?  

Shiba Inu barking so much happens when they’re mentally upset due to separation anxiety, a lot of boredom or excess energy, and, lastly, in case of an illness.

Normally, Shiba Inus bark once in a while when in need of something or seek your attention, but not so much.

How Can You Discourage Excessive Barking in Shiba Inus?

Training and socialization help end excessive barking in Shiba Inus.

You can either train your Shiba against excessive barking by yourself or hire a professional. If you’re not familiar with training Shibas, you better hire a professional to do it.

Wrap Up On, Do Shiba Inus Bark A lot?

Shiba Inus don’t bark a lot; they only bark when it is necessary, like when asking for your attention.

Shiba Inus are mean with their barks. Therefore, if your Shiba often barks, you’re lucky. They’re against barking most of the time and thus don’t often bark.

So, if you notice your Shiba excessively barking, you have a reason to show concern. Besides, you can visit the vet for a checkup. A vet helps you determine when the barks aren’t normal and provides you with a way forward.

That said, although Shibas don’t like barking, it doesn’t mean they don’t do it all. It comes out when there’s a need for them to do it.