You’ve decided to bring home an adorable Shiba Inu puppy, one that you are sure would bring joy to you and your home. But keep in mind that a puppy means endless poops and pees around the house, biting everything it sets its eyes on, and constant whining and crying. It can be quite a challenge if you are a new dog owner but knowing the essentials for Shiba Inu puppies can make life easier.
Below are some of the must-haves if you are bringing home a Shiba Inu puppy.
For a comfortable space
Crate
To properly potty train your Shiba Inu puppy, buy a crate that’s just the right size: not too big and not too small. Avoid using crates for punishments. You should teach your Shiba puppy to associate the crate with only positive and safe feelings.
There are different kinds of crates so you can purchase one based on your lifestyle. If you are the type to go on road trips with your Shiba, light and portable crates might be the best for you.
Dog Bed
With Shiba Inu puppies (or puppies, in general), it’s best to purchase cheap dog beds. Since puppies have tendencies to destroy everything they lay their mouths and claws on, younger dogs tend to go through dog beds as fast as lightning, especially when left alone.
During their pup days, buy durable but less expensive ones, and as they get older and you’ve noticed that they’ve grown out of their biting tendencies, spoil them with nicer and cozy beds.
Playpen
A playpen is a convenient accessory to keep your Shiba Inu puppy from places you don’t want them lurking on. It could also be used to temporarily contain them in a certain area. We emphasize temporarily because Shiba Inus are excellent escape artists. They cannot be contained for too long and will always look for a way to a breakout from their confinements.
For feeding
Food and water bowls
One of the first things you should purchase. You can’t just bring home a dog without food and water bowls. There are a lot of types you can find in pet stores, so you can choose depending on your preference.
Dog food
What you feed your Shiba Inu puppy plays a vital role in maintaining their healthy condition. This is why it’s important to scour the internet and the market for the best quality dog food. According to veterinarians, dog food brands including Purina, Pedigree, Royal Canin, Hill’s Science, Bil-Jac, and Merrick, are the best.
Remember that poor quality dog food can lead to allergic reactions for your dogs.
For training
Shiba Inu is a very smart dog breed. They love challenges and are very fast learners. This is why training Shiba Inu puppies is such as fun activity, for both the dog and the human.
For training, here are some basic training tools you need for your Shiba Inu puppy.
Training treats
When training a Shiba Inu puppy, you need to make sure the treats are tiny. And we mean small, grain-like tiny. Since they are just starting, they need several repetitions until they understand and learn the commands so you don’t want to fill them up on treats. So when training, give small treats.
Store-bought treats would do just fine for basic command training but for more challenging tasks, you might want to level up your simple treats to high-value treats.
High-value treats are treats that your dog would do anything for. These are extra special treats like copped boiled chicken, boiled turkey, or liver treats. Make sure these are chopped to tiny pieces too!
For grooming
The basic grooming tools you need for your Shiba Inu are shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, and brush.
Brush for double-coated dogs
Shiba Inu falls under the category of dog breeds with double-coated fur. This means that they have two layers of fur, one undercoat, and one overcoat. Shiba Inu sheds a lot so you need to frequently brush them to avoid loose hair all over the house.
Make sure to use the appropriate brushes for double-coated dogs and to brush gently.
Nail Clippers
Shiba Inu doesn’t like their paw handled so nails clipping can such as taxing task. Failure to clip the nail can lead to overgrown nails which can be dangerous. So if your Shiba refuses to have its nails clipped, better bring him to the groomers for professional help.
For playtime
Toys
Shiba Inu puppies love to play bite. This being said, they’ll bite anything they lay their eyes on and this could cause some serious damage to some house furniture. The best way to redirect their attention is by using toys.
Make sure to pick sturdy toys since playtime can turn to training sessions too!
Chew Toy
Puppies go through teething and chewing toys can greatly help them.
