(Ottawa Dog of the Week for December 14th/09)
“I had previously posted an entry for dog of the week with Kami the Shiba Inu, where I discussed some of the Shiba hallmarks and made reference to our Ottawa Shiba Meetup Group.
I thought maybe it would be a good time for an update on our canine situation. After much socialization and training, with Kami at 8 months, our in-laws moved out of our home in June along with their 3 small dogs. It seemed as though Kami would be left again to her own devices; alas, I had been desperately searching for a second Shiba sibling to add to our family for the benefit of everyone. I had been informed that Shiba’s do best in male-female pairs because there is less competition for Alpha and more compatible differences in behavior. With Kami’s success, I felt that I was adequately prepared and knew what to expect from a typical Shiba male. When I found a reputable breeder in Grimsby, Ontario, I did some prescreening of my own just to be sure. We decided that little “Kuma” (Bear in Japanese) was a good fit for our family and on June 10, we rented a car to make the 12 hour round trip.
At first glance, Kuma was a very spunky little fellow, who at 8 weeks was already confident to climb stairs, run freely in open fields, and respond alertly to his name. He was comfortable with children and other dogs, which was also an added bonus. We were also told that he was the runt of the litter, which was obvious when he was placed next to his littermates. What wasn’t obvious was just how different his personality would be from our dear Kami, the basis for all of our Shiba knowledge and expectations.
Upon returning home, Kuma settled in well. He was comfortable to roam freely in and out of his cage, he slept well, and he was house trained within a few days. When it came time to feed him, his unique personality became immediately apparent. He ate his food like a vacuum. Also, he seemed intently preoccupied with what Kami had, was having, or might be receiving. I thought to myself, okay, this little guy is used to having competition for food, anyway, this won’t be a problem here, since Kami is a submissive fussy eater. Despite her demeanor, Kuma still continued with his insatiable appetite, and had developed an obsessive preoccupation with hoarding food, toys, and anything which Kami showed interest in because anything she had was better, despite his large inventory of goods. I have used different teaching methods to help stifle his OCD and hoarding behaviors with mixed results.
As Kuma continued to test Kami and attempt to assert his puppy dominance over her, most of this was not a problem when we were at home to supervise and correct it. He became very vocal bearing his teeth and growling, not necessarily in an aggressive fashion, but as intimidating means to an end. Also of note, is that Kuma’s aggression, testosterone, and temperament remained unaffected following being neutered. For whatever reason, Kuma has had problems adjusting to other Shibas from our meetup group, but is completely secure around any other breed of dog, despite their size or behavior. Kuma was much more destructive than Kami as a puppy, and I had to revise their living space arrangement to a secure pen, because he chewed holes in the drywall every day for a month while we were are at work. Since then, Kuma has matured a great deal and he has become more obedient and aware of his expectations.
Interestingly, as time went on, we began to notice that despite similarities in breed behaviors/characteristics, Kami and Kuma were polar opposites in terms of their personalities. Kami adjusted well to Kuma and always played with him appropriately and tolerated his puppy antics. I often felt bad for unleashing the Akuma (demon), on Kami, rather than creating the happy playmate marriage I had envisioned. Ironically enough, despite their differences, and Kuma’s standoffish mood swings, they have actually complimented each other very well. For the most part, Kuma has been a follower from day 1, learning and copying much of Kami’s behavior (both desireable and undesireable). Because Kuma has participated in much of Kami’s activities, they have developed a sort of love-hate bond that goes beyond simple explanations. If I can say one thing it is that Kami’s strengths are Kuma’s weaknesses, and vice-versa. Kami is a leader, Kuma is a follower. Kami is reserved, Kuma is outgoing. Kami is gentle, Kuma is rough. Kami is bold, Kuma is wary. Kami is submissive, Kuma is dominant. Kami is soft, Kuma is coarse. Kami is independent, Kuma is dependant. Kami is stubborn and testy, Kuma is eager to please. Kami eats every meal like it will last, Kuma eats every meal like it is his last. Kami avoids getting her paws wet, Kuma likes the water. Kami enjoys car rides, Kuma enjoys car destinations and prefers to sleep. Kami likes to play hide and go chase, Kuma like to play find and go bite. Kami couldn’t be bothered with pointless games like catch and fetch, Kuma will play as long as you want. I could go on and on, but to sum it all up, they are the pejorative Yin and the Yang. The most important thing is that they keep each other entertained and that they have established a level of understanding and respect for their differences.
In summary, Kuma is a very social dog who loves to play with people, kids, and other animals. He is very intelligent, moody, brave, energetic, and alert. He is very food oriented, just like his Father. Kuma is Daddy’s special little boy and Mommy’s loveable Monster. Since, Daddy works with Developmentally Delayed adults and Mommy works with terminally ill patients, Kami and Kuma are being prepared for enrollment and training as Ottawa Therapy Dogs. Sometime in the near future, they will have an opportunity to show everyone how good they can really behave, and provide companionship for people who have never played with them before. Sounds like a tough task, but I think they are up for the challenge.
The Ottawa Shiba Meetup Group is thankful for your support and is looking forward to more opportunites to socialize with our pack.” – Kami and Kuma’s People, Lee and Mai
Liz Bradley is a dog lover who lives in Ottawa, Ontario with her husband,