Product Sample: A complimentary brush was provided to me from Chewy in exchange for this review.
I don’t know about your pet, but mine is a nightmare. Well, when it comes to grooming at least. How to groom a difficult dog like Rigby has been a challenge, and I’ve spent the past two years trying to figure it out. With many epic fails under my belt, I think I’ve finally figured most of it out. It may not be perfect, but these tips keep us both sane and, for the most part, happy, throughout the grooming process.
I felt kind of bad after I wrote 10 things you should probably know about Shiba Inus. I know most of you got that I was kind of poking fun at Rigby and his breed of weirdos, but I was also fairly serious. They’re not really for the faint of heart and I think everyone should know that, especially because I get frequent comments or emails about where one can acquire a Shibe.
BUT, with that said, I am a Shiba lover. They’re cute and quirky and way too smart. So I figured I’d follow up my last post to share why Shibas will always have my heart, despite their interesting personalities.
The 5 Best Things About Owning a Shiba Inu
1. They’re darn adorable. Whether it’s making “Airplane Ears”, howling, play bowing, or walking around the house grunting a greeting with a toy in their mouth, it’s hard from melting into a puddle from the cuteness.
They’re cute and they’re fuzzy. They kind of look like foxes, wolves, coyotes, and dingos. But they’re anything but your “average” dog. From day one, Rigby has brought about so many questions. From the “what breed is that?” to the “I want one!” responses, I thought I’d share some of what I’ve learned about the Shiba Inu temperament, and other things I think you should probably know if you’ve ever considered owning one too.
*Please note, Shiba Inus each have their own personality and just like their owners, are special and unique. These experiences reflect my own experiences with my own dog and other Shibas I have met over the years. I am not dog professional, just a passionate dog owner.
10 Things You Should Probably Know About Shiba Inus (From a Shiba Inu Owner)
If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, then you probably have figured out that it’s named after my dog, Rigby. And if you’re new here, then hi, my name is Jenn and I’m a crazy dog lady.
As much as I love Rigby, however, sometimes I think he gets deep joy out of humiliating me. I mean, I know he really can’t possibly, but I still like to think he does.
I mean, what else could explain his interesting behavior?
I know I must not be alone. At one time or another, I’m sure your furry friend has left you a “present” at an inopportune time. Or maybe he decided he forgot all of his, manners as he steals the steak off of someone’s plate at your dinner party. While these occurrence used to really embarrass and upset me, these days I try to just laugh them off. But what’s wrong with a little laughter at my expense? I thought I’d share with you 10 ways my dog embarrasses me.
1. The barking.
I mean, bless his heart. Sometimes it’s more forgivable, like when there’s some stranger on our back patio. Other times it’s just embarrassing. No, the vacuum cleaner is not going to eat you, just your “snacks” on the floor and under the couch.
2. The peeing.
Oh boy dogs… they are special aren’t they? He got the special snip, but he still thinks every pole, fire hydrant, electrical box, tree, bush, and leaf needs a squirt of his special blend.
3. …And to go along with that, the marking.
While he never does this at home, he does at doggie daycare, and it’s just so embarrassing. The worst was when I witnessed him marking the water trough. And not just the outside, but he was leaving his mark inside too. Really, dude? Gross.
4. Rigby was the class clown of his dog training classes.
And by that, I mean he was a little terror. He was the one dog that would not allow me to handle him. He was the one dog who would not walk on a loose leash. He was the one dog that didn’t care what cookie I had, he was not going to do a down stay. Sigh.
5. Rigby is also a huge drama king.
When he got the snip, he hated his cone and was irritated from the shave site so much that he refused to use the outdoor facilities for days. I thought he was ill, and called the vet totally freaked out. Needless to say, he was fine, just being extremely dramatic.
6. He also has some, um, boredom issues.
If he thinks our walk is too boring, he will spice things up inciting some ninja moves, for a lack of a better term. He’ll turn and nip my knee, bark, and jump when he feels things are getting a little stale.
7. Three words: White Coat Syndrome.
I guess he learned that one from me, because I can’t blame him, I’m the same way. But he now has to pop a Trazodone before we hit the vet’s office so we don’t get asked to leave. I guess along with being dramatic, he’s also high maintenance. ;)
8. The walks, or lack-thereof.
Most dogs get overjoyed when their owner grabs the leash and says “time to go for a walk!” Not Rigby. Oh no, he runs away and pouts when he has to wear his harness. The minute he’s outside? Totally fine and he’s loving it.
9. His selective hearing is second to none.
Taking him to large dog parks is out because he acts like he’s completely forgotten his name, has no idea who we are, and has gone deaf. We’re the idiot dog owners running around trying to corral our dog.
10. The obsession with his parts.
What is up with boy dogs and their own parts? It’s really cute when he decides to splay out in the middle of the room when we have guests over and go to town. Stay classy, Rigby. ;)
As much as I love my dog, there were definitely some days when a trip to the proverbial farm seemed like the answer. I’m so glad he’s growing out of so much of this – he just turned two last month and he’s a much better behaved little dude than he was at a year.
Does your dog or other furry friend embarrass you? I’d love to hear if you can relate to any of these in the comments!
Today, I get to be that weirdo dog mom who writes a happy birthday letter to someone who will never even be able to understand it, let alone read it. To him, I am the provider of food. The person who takes him out to his proverbial toilet, who harasses him when I’m convinced he’s got something wrong with his insert body part here. The one who comforted him when he got attacked by another dog and screamed bloody murder for a good minute, and then rushed him to the vet the next day because I was convinced his wounds were infected already. (They weren’t. Pretty sure it can’t even happen that fast.) The one who tortured him by removing his manhood, and the one who he accidentally bit when he was choking on a too-large-for-him-trachea. My bad.
