Positive training · From eight weeks

Shiba Inu Puppy Training Manual

From 8 Weeks

Harness, lead and reward pouch: build the Shiba Inu's voluntary cooperation alongside physical safety.

29 chapters · English / 中文

Harness, lead and reward pouch: build the Shiba Inu's voluntary cooperation alongside physical safety.

Breed profile

Training group: Sled and spitz dogs
Origin: The Shiba Inu originated in Japan as a mountain hunting dog for birds and small animals.
Shoulder height: Approximately 35–41 cm
Weight: Approximately 7–11 kg
Coat: Harsh, straight outer coat with a soft, dense undercoat
Coat care: Seasonal coat shedding needs more frequent, short cooperative brushing sessions. Introduce coat separation, paw checks and dryer sound in tiny voluntary steps, pausing before vocal or avoidance behaviour escalates.
Drive keywords: Independent decision-making · Chase · Small-animal hunting · Environmental vigilance
Handling practice: During seasonal coat shedding, use frequent but very short sessions for brushing, coat separation and dryer sound, with a non-slip surface and a clear option to pause or leave. · During the 8–16 week window, arrange people with varied appearances, movement and voices at a distance where the puppy can eat, leave and recover. Do not require approach, touch or greeting.

General reference range only; individual dogs vary considerably.

Prepare the environment first

The 48 hours before arrival: environment & equipment

A good first week begins with a small, predictable environment—not with a house full of freedom.

Overhead arrangement of dog gear including a harness, lead, bowls, brush, puzzle feeder, bed, blanket and journal — Prepare safety, rest, feeding, grooming and enrichment gear before arrival, then fit every item to the individual dog.

Divide the home into three zones

Zone 01

Safe zone

Playpen, crate, fresh water and a washable bed. This is where the puppy rests, eats calmly and succeeds without constant correction.

Zone 02

Activity zone

Open only when an adult is actively supervising. Keep the area small enough to notice sniffing, circling and unwanted chasing before it escalates.

Zone 03

Restricted zone

Stairs, balconies, the backyard pond or pool, and the garage remain physically blocked—not merely “off limits” by verbal instruction.

Breed-specific safety sweep

Audit both sides of every exit: door gaps, handles, latches, self-closing action and the route used during family handovers. Inspect the whole fence for base gaps, loose panels, climbable sections and nearby objects that could become launch points. Create two physical barriers at busy exits and store the fitted harness, short lead and long line before the first arrival day. Prepare a non-slip grooming station, double-coat tools and a quiet retreat where visitors cannot approach or reach over the puppy.

Equipment list

Use the listed AUD reference ranges where provided. Breed-specific additions without a stable reference range are marked for a current local price check; sizes, brands and prices vary. See the shopping chapter in FluffyWA Puppy Handbook for Australian retailers.

Buy by function: essential, useful, and not yet
Priority	Item and requirement	Approx. AUD reference
Essential	Airline crate or wire crate sized for the adult dog, with a puppy divider, plus a playpen	$60–220 for the crate/playpen category
Essential	Flat collar and properly fitted Y-shaped harness	$35–90 for the base lead + fitted harness category; collar separate
Essential	Short lead, 1.2–1.8 m	Included in the $35–90 base lead + harness reference
Maintains physical safety without testing recall by unclipping	Secured long line for every unfenced recall setup
Essential	Stainless-steel bowls	$12–35 for two bowls
Supports frequent, short cooperative sessions during seasonal shedding	Tools suitable for separating and brushing a dense double coat
Essential	Enzyme cleaner for toilet accidents	$15–35
Essential	Washable sleeping mat	$25–100
Essential	Soft teething toys	$20–70 for the chew + food-puzzle category
Useful	Two food puzzles	$20–70 for the chew + food-puzzle category
Do not buy yet	Retractable lead: it does not teach a loose lead and can cause cord injuries	Not recommended
A temporary barrier is not an audited escape-prevention system	Unverified exercise pen or ordinary garden gate used as the sole boundary
Do not buy yet	Any collar designed to tighten around the neck	Not recommended
Do not buy yet	Hard bones or rawhide chews; puppy teeth and digestion can be at risk, so ask your veterinarian	Ask your veterinarian before choosing a chew

Approximate 2026 Perth retail ranges; actual prices vary by store.

Watercolour front view showing checks for fitting a Y-shaped dog harness — TWO FINGERS FLAT = a snug fit without pinching; Y ON CHEST = the Y sits over the breastbone; CLEAR OF ARMPITS = straps do not rub behind the front legs.

Write the one cue word every family member will use
Skill	Agreed family cue
Sit
Down
Come
Wait
Leave it
Drop / Give
Go to mat / Place
Settle

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