Shiba Inu

Patellar Luxation

Legg-Perthes Disease

Hip Dysplasia

Heart murmurs

The suggested daily amount for a Shiba Inu is 1/2 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food divided into two meals. To keep your Shiba Inu well, count his food and feed him twice a day instead of tossing it out all the time. When you're not sure if he's overweight, give him the eye and hand checks.

A high-quality dog food, whether commercially made or home-prepared with your veterinarian's guidance and approval, should be fine for the Shiba Inu. Any diet should be tailored to the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some Shibas are picky eaters, while others can eat something.

The majority of the fur Shiba Inus shed is uniformly distributed during the year, but shedding ramps up during seasonal shifts, including spring and fall. This is known as ''blowing coat'' because they remove the old undercoat to make room for a new undercoat that will suit them well in the coming months. You can't avoid it because it's completely natural in double-coated breeds like Shiba Inus. Maintaining a daily grooming routine, mostly shaving, is the best line of defence against excessive shedding.

When it comes to grooming, the Shiba Inu is pretty easy. He is a dog that is naturally clean and odour-free. About a week, or more often, the Owner should brush him to remove dead hair and spread oils if he's shedding excessively. A bath is usually required from time to time, but not too often because over-bathing will dry out his skin and hair.

The Shiba Inu is bathed every three or four months by several owners. Brush the Shiba's teeth at least twice or three times a week to get rid of tartar and the bacteria that live inside it. Brushing its teeth regularly is much easier if you wish to avoid gum disease and foul breath. If your dog's nails don't break off naturally, trim them once or twice a month to prevent painful tears and other issues. They're too long if you can hear them tapping on the cement. Check his ears once a week for redness or a foul odour, which may mean an infection.

To better avoid infections, scrub out your dog's ears with a cotton ball dampened with a soft, pH-balanced ear cleaner. Do not clean the ear canal; instead, clean the outer ear.

The majority of Shibas are active and enjoy going for walks. They aren't so energetic that they'll scale the walls if they don't get enough exercise, but a Shiba owner should be committed to exercising the dog regularly, particularly if the dog doesn't have enough space to run around in. Shibas, in general, are not destructive when left alone until they reach puberty, but some do have separation anxiety and may be able to spend time in a crate even when their owners are present. Containers ensure a home's integrity.

Allergies are the most severe health problem in Shibas, as well as most other breeds and humans. Allergies in dogs cause itchiness and inflammation on the skin. While checking breeding stock is impossible, owners should not raise dogs with active allergies. Unless the allergen's cause may be determined, most dogs with allergies can enjoy everyday lives with products that treat the symptoms much like humans.

Allergies usually don't show up in a dog until he or she is at least six months old. Health conditions such as Hip Dysplasia, eye defects, and patella luxation are all checked by responsible breeders.

The Shiba Inu is a lovely family dog if he is well raised and given adequate training and socialization while he is young. He gets along well with children who are kind and respectful to him. As in every breed, teach children how to approach and contact dogs, and always supervise all encounters between dogs and young children to avoid biting or ear or tail pulling on any party's side. Teach your child never to touch a feeding or resting dog or threaten to steal the dog's food. No dog should ever be left alone with a boy, no matter how sweet it is.

One thing any Shiba owner should be aware of is that unless in an enclosed space, a Shiba can never be called reliable off lead. There is something that no amount of obedience training will ever improve. Allowing a Shiba, or any puppy, to run loose is akin to playing Russian roulette for its livelihood. An open fence, an opened gate, or a moment of inattention may be all it takes for the Shiba to vanish forever.

By the age of four weeks, the dog is attempting to eliminate as far away from his sleeping area as possible. Around the time the dog is five weeks old, he will be able to keep it all night and wait until he is brought outdoors to relieve himself. Controlling the bladder takes a bit longer and is highly dependent on direct outside access and the owner's vigilance.

Early socialization and grooming go a long way in ensuring that the Shiba Inu gets along with other dogs and animals, but it's not a guarantee. He may be aggressive against other dogs and can track down creatures that he perceives to be prey. The only way to handle the Shiba Inu with other dogs and animals is to train him and keep him on a leash.