I too have a Shiba Inu , Byakko.Emily told you alot about them.She is definatly right about the early socialization but you still must be careful.I took Byakko to the dog park and everywhere daily and as she got older she became unpredictable with dogs.She is great with people but she just doesn't like some dogs and you never know which ones.She started to start fights at the dog park and we never knew when or with who so I had to ground her from the dog park.She is a Queen Shiba with a captal Q as all the shiba people call her.She is very typical.Shibas are very intelligent and stubborn and hillarious but if you want obedience you are barking up the wrong tree allthough some do compete in obedience and agility be prepared to work,work,work for it.Don't get me wrong I do believe in obedience classes and Byakko has taken them and I plan to continue.I am not saying they are untrainable and horrible dogs.I think Byakko is wonderful but a bit unpredictable,I have heard some people who compete in obedience/agility with their shiba's say they have a border collie or some other breed for consistency because their shiba might just stop at the last thing and wait for the time and then finish or lay down then do a perfet sit ,you just have to laugh it off and those are the best trained.People that have and keep there shiba's love them.They are there furry teenagers that never grow up but some people definatly find them hard to deal with.I love Byakko.She cries in the morning if I don't lie down and cuddle with just her and it took some time but she has learned to like our last rescue,which was the one she hated the most and the one we got for her to play with because the others were big dogs,a leonberger and a lab mix and the last was this pappion/pom something little mix for her.Now they are great buddies and do the shiba 500 dash all over the yard and love to wrestle and play.She loves to play with the lab mix too.She has no idea that she is small.There are lots of good sites and message boards to get on and talk to people with shiba's.I always research so they fit my family and the good is easy to see but you have to look at both sides to decide since you get the whole package they are adorable and cute but not always cuddly sometimes a bit aloof,definatly things are on their terms but they will keep you amused.I wouldn't trade her for the world.
Laurie
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