Shiba Inu
When Bob and I first started researching this breed, we kept seeing a few key traits over and over again. Here's what we learned:
-Shibas are the smallest and oldest of Japanese dogs
-they were originally bred to hunt
-the names translates to "Little Brushwood Dog"
-they are intelligent and fiercely loyal
-Shibas are "catlike" because they are independent and groom themselves to stay clean
-not recommended for first-time dog owners because they are extremely stubborn
-Shibas are the smallest and oldest of Japanese dogs
-they were originally bred to hunt
-the names translates to "Little Brushwood Dog"
-they are intelligent and fiercely loyal
-Shibas are "catlike" because they are independent and groom themselves to stay clean
-not recommended for first-time dog owners because they are extremely stubborn
The "catlike" traits in Shibas attracted Bob to the breed since he grew up with mostly felines. I on the other hand am a dog person through and through so a Shiba Inu was the perfect fit for us. She's not a slobbery goofball like my childhood pets and she did take her time warming up to us but now she loves to cuddle and nap next to us on the couch. This picture on the left as actually Buffy climbing across the top of our couch!
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Even though most of the information we found said that Shiba Inus were difficult to train because they are so darn stubborn Bob and I had a great experience with obedience classes. We took Buffy once a week for two months and by the end of that time she was able to follow several commands including sit, wait, now, leave it, and come with ease. Treats were critical in our training process, even Buffy couldn't resist a turkey dog treat!
The ideal weight for male Shiba Inus is 23 pounds and 17 for females. When we met Buffy right away we saw that she was TINY. Her breeder said there was no reason for her small stature and her brothers and sisters were average-sized. Buffy is small enough to be considered a toy dog since she's about 12 pounds. She is full grown so we're lucky enough to have her be this cute forever. :) |
Australian Shepherd
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We are new to the Australian Shepherd breed so here are some of things we've learned so far: -Aussies were bred as herding dogs and are therefore extremely energetic. Without enough exercise, they can have behavioral problems -They are intelligent and do well with obedience training -Like Shibas, they are loyal and devoted to their "pack". Aussies aren't backyard dogs, they want to be inside with their family -Respond well to a strong, aggressive pack leaders (again, just like Shibas) Once we begin to raise and train Sophie, we will post what our personal experience is like raising a toy Aussie. :) |