Living with a Shiba Inu: What to Expect
The day-to-day reality of sharing your home with this small breed for the next 13-16 yrs - routine, grooming, money and temperament.
โก Daily routine
This is an active dog. The Shiba Inu needs 1-2 hours of exercise daily - brisk walks, fetch or a jog - or the spare energy turns into barking and chewed furniture.
โ๏ธ Grooming & shedding
Grooming is easy: a quick brush once a week and the occasional bath. Nails every few weeks, and that's about it.
Heavy shedder. Expect hair on clothes, sofa and car, and keep a lint roller within reach in every room.
๐ฐ First-year Shiba Inu budget
Plan on $1,500-$3,500 upfront for the puppy, then roughly $1,000-$1,800 every year for food, vet care, grooming and supplies. Year one usually adds one-off costs on top: crate, leash, training classes, spay/neuter.
๐ Temperament at home
Around the house, the Shiba Inu is best described as:
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