On Sunday 6 September, I ruptured a disc in my back which rendered me useless and bedridden due to debilitating pain in my lower back. The doctor told me to stay home for a whole week. I am normally a workaholic and thrive in busy and stressful environments to keep my brain moving so you can understand that staying home isn't really an all time favourite past time for me.
Therefore, I submit my poor Shiba Inu to a game of dress ups for my amusement to pass the time. 
Enjoy!
And as sad as he looks in the photos, Sammi doesn't mind because he gets treats after each costume haha.
 
Four days into Spring and Samurai's started to blow his coat. We  noticed tiny bits of fur just hanging off which meant that his winter coat was  due to go. I furminated him on September 4 and you will see the result below! 
We try to furminate him daily to limit the amount of fur that  falls off during the day and therefore covers our house. But now he's losing his cute little fluff and his "Bert" monobrow will soon appear.  When we first looked into getting a Shiba Inu, we read horror stories that Shiba's would blow their coat noticeably and it would look like they had a skin disease.
Fortunately, this is not the case with Samurai. Generally, a Shiba's coat will blow for 2 – 4 weeks (less if you're lucky). Below I provide some more information on a Shiba Inu blowing coat and general grooming. 
 
History
Shiba Inus date back to 7,000 B.C. They were originally Japanese  mountain dogs accustomed to extremely cold temperatures. This long history of dealing with freezing temperatures has led to the breed developing a coat that
helps them stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Coat

A purebred Shiba Inu has a luscious, thick coat. While a Shiba's fur is medium in length, what really makes the coat thick and soft is the undercoat which makes the top coat stand out as thicker than it really is. This dense undercoat is characteristic in both male and female Shiba Inus and helps these small dogs regulate their body temperature.
 
Shedding
Shiba Inus will shed their undercoat twice a year. While the majority of Shibas, especially those that have more exposure to outdoor temperature fluctuations, shed in buckets full during these times, you may find that your Shiba will show minor signs of shedding during spring. During other times of the year, a Shiba who is regularly brushed may show little to no signs of shedding. Keep in mind whether your Shiba Inu sheds a lot or a little, blowing coat is a natural breed characteristic.

Blow Coat
As mentioned a Shiba Inu will blow its coat twice a year. This undercoat will loosen and work its way to the surface and stand out as patches on the fur. You can easily pluck the undercoat off without causing them pain. By the time they are done blowing coat, you will likely have collected enough fur to make a stuffed toy (I'm actually collecting all of Sammi's fur in a bag to make a toy at some stage). 
 
Grooming
You will need to brush a Shiba Inu daily in the time it is blowing coat. You should get a dog brush designed for shedding (we love the furminator) and also treats to encourage your Shiba to stay put whilst you brush off its excess coat. 
 
Happy brushing! 

To end on a funny note, Sammi hates us blowing on his ears. He gets very annoyed at us, so much so that he cries. Watch and laugh. 
 
Not only is he adorable but Sammi is one smart Shiba Inu! Within 2 weeks of having him he was able to sit and paw. Soon after that, he lay down and crawled then the tricks just kept on coming. We enrolled him in puppy socialisation class which taught basic commands and also gave him the opportunity to meet and play with other puppies. From this, it was obvious that Sammi was quite dog aggressive but also very intelligent.

Below is a list of tricks Sammi is able to do at the age of 19 months:
  • Sit
  • Paw
  • Other paw
  • Lie down
  • Crawl
  • Rollover
  • High Five
  • Spin
  • Turn (spins the other way)
  • Up Ups
  • Beg
  • Stick em up
  • Bang Bang (play dead)
  • Touch
  • Jump Jumps
Below is a video of one of our favourite tricks "stick em up". 
We found it important to train Sammi as it keeps him stimulated and occupies his incredibly intelligent mind. A dog so smart needs challenges and commands that will keep him obedient and stimulated.

Why you should train your dog?

Training is essential to having a good relationship with your dog. It's not just about tricks and showing off (even though it's highly entertaining): it's about communicating with your pet so both of you are happier. Sammi and I have a great relationship because I dedicate 10 minutes a day to train him and reiterate the basic daily commands.
Sadly, many pets are blamed for their behaviour problems. These problems can usually be fixed if people would take some time to train their dog. Remember, dogs don't know how you want them to act, you have to teach them! Which is why you have to consider the time and dedication one must commit when owning a pet. If you do not have the time and patience to train and discipline your pet, then do not get a pet. It is not their fault that they are not toilet trained, chew items around the house or have bad behaviour: it is yours for not training them.

Types of training
There are two types of training:
Behavioral training prevents and or corrects bad habits that your puppy or dog may develop or already has  developed. This includes jumping, car chasing, begging and chewing just to name a few. It is imperative to be consistent during the training process. For example, do not let your puppy on  the couch unless you are planning to allow it on the couch when it is an adult. This will confuse it, causing problems. Taking the time to learn natural dog behavior and satisfying the dog's natural instincts along with proper exercise will  help you communicate to your dog and can mean the difference between success and failure.

Obedience training
is training the dog to obey certain commands such as sit, stay, come and lay down. Training  sessions should be frequent but short to prevent your dog from becoming bored; ten to fifteen minute sessions, two or three times a day will be sufficient. As a puppy, I would train Samurai twice a day for 10 minutes. Any longer, and I found that we would get bored and pay less attention. This was definitely the case when we took him for Advanced Puppy Training. Now that he is older, I train him once a day in the morning for 10 minutes.

Always stay positive during training and take the time to play with your dog during sessions as this will teach them that following commands is happy and rewarding.Training your puppy/dog is beneficial for the both owner and dog as it strengthens your relationship and keeps the mind of your dog working so it is less destructive around the home.
Happy training!
 
Most people that know me know that having children is the last thing on my mind but having a house full of puppies is my ultimate dream. It seems as though my father has accepted the fact that he won't be seeing grandchildren from his daughter anytime soon and has accepted Sammi as his grandpuppy. So much so, that he literally buys him a new toy or treat every fortnight. His toybox (yes, he has a toybox) is needless to say getting quite full. Especially because we also buy him a new toy every time we go grocery shopping which is once a week Fortunately though, the lifespan of his toys are relatively short and I either stitch them up (when they can be revived) or simply throw them out. I would tell my Dad how much Samurai loves the toy he got him and more often than not I would update him later in the week that the toy has met an early end. So in light of these events, Dad decided to start buying Sammi items that he could "use". ie. clothing. Below are some fashionable items that Sammi has been subjected to. It's also funny to note that once either the vest or jumper is placed on him, he calms down... A LOT. I think it has the same effect as a thundershirt. Either way, it makes for a great experience to make him wear them as well as watch him run around in them.
 
This dog has so much personality that it is hard to explain him
in one word let alone a sentence. Throughout the time he has been part of our
family, we have captured moments that have brought smiles and laughter in our
home. I would like to share a few....
 
Before we brought Sammi home we had reads of websites, blogs and watched numerous YouTube videos on the pros and cons of a Shiba Inu. One particular item to note was that a Shiba has two layers of fur but they don't shed; instead they blow their coat. Now this only happens once or twice a year and is apparently quite manageable. So for 8 months of a year our house was fur free... then for the 4 months including leading into summer and summer itself... we were in Shiba fur hell.

We bought a furminator because that helps a lot in brushing away the undercoat but we had NO idea the extent to which the fur would come off. Enough fur had come off to make another Shiba Inu! Below was just his first brush. After which we brushed him once a week and the same amount of fur came off.
 
With a puppy comes destruction. Samurai certainly liked to chew. Paint has been bitten off the wall, doors have been chewed, shoes, Chanel glasses (CHANEL) and everything and anything left around the house (see below photos).
But dog owners should know this and construct ways to inhibit and preoccupy their dog. Puppies and young dogs are especially prone to chewing because  it can be painful when their teeth grow in. But even grown dogs will chew if they are distressed or bored. In some cases, chewing can even be good for your dog and keep his teeth clean.
Why do they chew?
Teething : This occurs between the ages 14-28 weeks. Chewing on objects helps sooth and loosen the gums around teeth, helping 'baby' teeth to fall out and their adult teeth to grow through.
 Exploratory Chewing: Occurs roughly from the age of 28-52 weeks as puppies use their mouths to explore.
 Calming / Stress Management: Chewing has a calming effect on your dog. Many dogs chew to relieve stress and anxiety. Most dogs are known to chew due to separation anxiety.
Picture
my Chanel's!!!!
How to stop them from chewing the things you love!
Since dogs have no sense of the value of the items they explore and chew, they can often be seen as destructive in our eyes.
  • To start with, have toys available to your dog. Make them all  different in taste, texture and shape.
  • Use these toys and play regularly with your dog. This lets them associate these toys with good things and they will more likely play with them when you are not around.
  • Invest in a kong toy. These are hollow toys which can be filled with treats. Not only are they good for their teeth but it stimulates their thinking in how to get the food out of the kong; keeping their mind active.
  • Remove valuable items or put them out of reach. It is YOUR fault for leaving them in places they can get to!
  • When you see your dog chewing the correct items, praise them. This gives  further positive reinforcement around chewing the correct objects.
  • If you catch your dog about to chew on something they are not meant to,  catch their attention with a firm "NO". Immediately give them something they can chew on and praise them when they do.
  • MOST IMPORTANTLY, keep it all positive and reward correct behaviour. As the owner it is your fault for not correctly teaching your dog those items it can or cannot chew.
 
In less than two weeks, Sammi's personality was beaming. We discovered he was a lively and funny puppy with non stop energy and stamina to run and play then run and play some more! He was surpisingly well behaved for his first bath but this grew to be more difficult as he grew older.
On his first trip to the vet for a simple check up we encountered a Great Dane that he wanted to take on. Talk about little dog syndrome. And not only did we discover the infamous Shiba smile but he also liked to bear his teeth in a cute yet angry manner. As a puppy we knew he was going to be quite mouthy but he soon grew out of it. Although it is important to note that A Shiba's teeth are quite large and strong for a dog its size and Sammi is no exception.
 
Friday, 2 March is the day my partner and I moved into our first home together. We were officially adults with a mortgage and soon to be family with the addition of our Shiba Inu puppy, Samurai. We fought for months as to what breed of puppy we wanted to buy because I loved big fluffy dogs and Aaron liked stocky muscly dogs and somehow we reached the conclusion of a Shiba - small, fluffy, muscly and very smart. That day, we were on a time schedule. We had to pick up the truck and have all big objects moved into the house by 3pm because that's when we were picking up our new little fur baby. After a few tears and tantrums and the help of a friend... we were done and racing down the freeway to bring our puppy home.

When we got to the breeders, Aaron and I couldn't contain our excitement and ran to the front door. Samurai was all ready to come home with his little folder containing his blood line and vaccinations as well as a toy to take home (which he still has to this day). He was clearly nervous in the car ride home, whining, scratching and whining some more but we got him home safe and sound.
Unfortunately for Sammi there was still much assembling of furniture and unpacking to do so  we had him in our laps whilst we were constructing furniture and even placed him in the middle of our shelving unit so we could keep an eye on him.
Our day was finally over at 8pm and we had to pick up a few things from Aaron's old house so we left Sammi in the laundry. As we were reversing out of the driveway, we could literally hear him screaming (yes, screaming). The Shiba scream is a known trait for the breed but we had no idea to what extent. Not only were we worried for the little guy but we thought our new neighbours might think we were torturing an animal. But we had chores to do and drove off constantly looking back at our new house and our screaming puppy.

Our bed had not been constructed as yet so we slept on a mattress in the lounge room along with Sammi. It was our first night together in our new house as a family. In the morning I woke and saw that he was having puppy dreams.
He was just so cute and tiny!!! From the moment I cuddled him in the car ride home, I knew I would love him forever. Although I had no idea how much of an impact he would make to my love of photography and that he would be muse.