Socializing Your Shiba Inu

It's always important to socialize your dog, whether it's a puppy or an older dog. They need the exposure to people, kids, other dogs, life, etc...

That being said, I always encourage newer members of the Toronto Shiba Inu Meetup group to start coming out to the Shiba events as soon as they can with their Shiba Inu. The Shibas get to hang out with their own kind, some are reunited with their littermates, and the owners get the chance to compare stories & concerns with other owners who are going through the same thing or have already been there done that.

The sooner you can enroll your Shiba Inu in puppy class or have it involved with other dogs, people, etc...the better. You can never do enough for your Shiba!

Some people, breeders, owners, etc...used to say that Shibas don't get along with their own kind. Well, I"m here to tell you that isn't always true. Our last Meetup event had 26 Shiba Inu attend - all different ages, colours and sizes. Everyone got along wonderfully. We do have fantastic owners who are very attentive to their Shibas.

The Toronto Shiba Inu Meetup group had a fantastic year and busy, too!!

I've put together a Year in Review Video - so many memories from just one year. Shibas rule!!


http://tinyurl.com/ywnnfv


Bonnie & Sushi

Meet my new friend

The Shiba Inu was bred to flush out small game. Well, Sushi does have a prey drive, but I wonder if really small is just too small? HUH? lol

We have 3 Dwarf Hamsters. 2 of them we were told were males, but of course, 1 was female and we ended up with 8 babies! Needless to say, we found good homes for all of them except 1. We figured after all of that, we should at least keep one! So, we kept Pepe.

For whatever reason, anytime I mention "Hey, Pepe's up!", Sushi comes running to sniff noses with his new pal. I still wouldn't trust Sushi with him for a second, but it's cute that they seem to like each other.

Bonnie & Sushi

Happy Birthday, Shiba Inu - Style!

Yesterday was my Birthday, I turned 4 yrs old! I was very spoiled. Mom took me to the park early in the morning to play with my pals, and afterwards we sent to my favourite store and my friend that works there bought me a bone! How cool is that! Mom & Dad bought me 2 fun toys - 1 for outside and 1 for inside. I love to play!

Happy Birthday to my brother, Storm, too!! Happy Birthday, buddy!

Sushi

Busy Shiba Life!

I had to drag Mom to the computer to update my blog, hmph!! I know things have been busy, but there is no excuse.

I had struvite crystals, which meant it hurt when I peed and there was some blood in my pee. I didn't like that at all!! I wanted my Mom to make it all go away. So, she took me to the vet, they gave me some medication and different food. Now, I am back to my old self. The vet things I was passing stones, though, and this may be the 2nd time this has happened. I"m not looking forward to this happening again anytime soon!

Summer has been ok. Mom went to the Agility Nationals to watch a Shiba Inu, Soshi, compete. They did SUPER!!!! Soshi and her owner, Brandi came in 5th place, and were very proud, as they should be! Mom said it was a lot of fun seeing a Shiba Inu off-leash and doing agility so well! She also bought me a stuffed duck that makes funny quacking noises, I love it!!

Mom and her pals have been busy with placing Shiba Inus in forever homes. They now have 1 Shiba Inu available, Aiko - very sweet girl! Mom's heart had gone out to a little black & tan, Kichi (means Fortunate), and Kichi has found her wonderful new family, yay!! I met Kichi a few weeks ago - we were posing for the 2008 K9 Rescue Me Calendar! Here's a picture of us.



Mom has been going a bit crazy lately. She is planning the Toronto Shiba Inu Meetup Group's 2nd Annual Fun n Games Event. She "thinks" she is nearly organized now. I saw a lot of yummy treats just waiting for me to taste test them...sluuuuurpppp!!! The event is on Saturday, Sept. 15th in Mississauga. Mom said she is expecting at least 21 Shiba Inus, and more!! We'll be sure to post a video or photo from the day.

Hey!! Guess what? My brother found me!! There was just the 2 of us in the litter. We will be turning 4 years old this month - it took us that long to find each other. Just by email, but someday maybe we'll get to play together, that would be cool. His name starts with an "S" too - Storm! That's his picture at the top of this post! Don't we look alike? And, we have a similar blanket too! He's on the left, I'm on the right.


Bonnie & Sushi

Putting Shiba paws to the pavement!

Well, the K9 Rescue Me Walkathon was a huge success! Over 20 dog rescues in Ontario participated, and together raised approximately $50, 000!!! Roohoo!!! Shiba Rescue GTA did very well, and there were about 10 Shibas in the walkathon. It was a beautiful day, and we found a nice park to stop at to rest, play, hang out. We had 4 rescued Shibas attend this year, so it was more special than usual.

Here is a video from the day.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bonnie & Sushi

Shiba Inus to Walk in Support of Dog Rescue!

On June 10, 2007, the Toronto Shiba Inu Meetup group will be participating in the 4th Annual K9 Rescue Me Walkathon. Shiba Rescue GTA is part of the K9 Rescue Me group which consists of nearly 20 different dog rescues across Ontario, Canada. This is Canada's largest canine rescue fundraising event!

If you would like to show your support for the Shiba Inus (and maybe another rescue, if you have several favourite breeds), donations can be accepted online. After you click on Donate Now, there is a drop down menu listing all the participating rescues.

If the link won't let you click on it, please copy and paste it into your browser.

http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=s93626


If you live in or near Toronto and want to walk with the Shibas, email me at c_and_b2002@yahoo.com and I can provide a pledge form to you.

If you donate, the Shibas thank you very much!! :)

"Until there are none, rescue one".


Bonnie & Sushi

A Perfect Shiba Inu Day

I am so proud of Sushi today. It actually started yesterday though. Sushi has had issues with fear aggression towards other dogs. He didn't always used to be that way. About a year and a half ago, he was pinned down at the park by a not-so-friendly Labradoodle. Since then, it's been a gradual change for Sushi's behaviour. He used to LOVE playing with the big dogs, now he is afraid of them. He doesn't run and hide. He has not attacked either, but he does freak out, growling, snarling, ears back and he becomes uncontrollable. For a year now, Sushi and I have been working on his behaviour with the help of his trainer.

Yesterday, I took Sushi for a walk. We now have a Boxer/Shepherd mix living across the street from us. Before Sushi could spot him, I had Sushi "settle" aka lie down and gave the command "watch me". For some reason, lately, he's been listening better to me! lol He did as I asked, but kept sneaking peeks over at Max, and barking his head off. An improvement over freaking out and growling/snarling. He eventually calmed down, and then I gave him tons of praise, a treat, and continued on our walk to the park. I was very proud of him.

I"ve been watching The Dog Whisperer, it's now my new fav show. I now make sure Sushi is calm and relaxed before approaching a situation where I think he might act up. It's working. I've also learned to relax and appear more confident. We've also been re-working on heel. So far so good!!

Today, I took Sushi to his fav park in Mississauga - Totoredaca Park. We always go very early in the morning and only in the small dog area, as nearly no one else uses it. Sushi has his usual pals that will come over and play with him though - 2 Beagles, 2 Basenjis and an older Lab. Sushi is good with all of them, including the Lab. If a bigger dog has no interest in Sushi, Sushi is ok with them.

Today it was just the Beagles and Sushi. Sushi had so much fun, doing the Shiba 500 several times and playing. He usually will growl at some of the bigger dogs on the other side of the fence, but today, it was not as intense. And, when his "nemesis" - a big hound that barks very loudly all the time entered the park (other side of the fence), Sushi listened to me when I gave the command "watch me". He took peaks at the dog, but for Sushi to listen and do as I asked in that kind of situation, was a HUGE improvement. Even I was surprized!

We stayed for about an hour, since Sushi was doing so well and having so much fun. Later in the morning, for a treat, I took him to his favourite store - Global Ryan's Pet Food store in Brampton. His fav pal, Leah works there so he got some extra treats and fussed over.

It's been a great Shiba Day!!!

PS: Sushi is one tired pooch, yay!

Shiba Inu Fun at the Park

Yesterday we had 19 Shiba Inus for our Meetup at White Spruce Park, in Brampton, Ontario. It was crazy, but so much fun!!



Bonnie & Sushi

My Shiba Inu on Video

I finally bought a new camcorder and of course, Sushi is my main subject.

Here he is doing some of his tricks.


Shiba Inu Tricks

Bonnie

For Adoption: Dasher, 8 yr old Shiba Inu

CAN YOU PROVIDE A FOREVER HOME FOR DASHER? Dasher is a very handsome 8 yr old 28 lb male looking for a new forever home.

He is up to date on his shots, neutered, housebroken and crate-trained. He loves walks and is food motivated. As with some other dogs, he can be mildly affected by seasonal allergies. Dasher needs someone that is familiar with this breed and is willing to commit themselves to training. Dasher will also need time spent to socialize him around people. The potential adopter must have experience with dogs, patience, time, and a lot of love. Dasher needs to be in a mature, adult home preferably with another dog and an owner that will respect and understand his quirks, needs and personality. No cats or young children in the home. .

* Dasher would enjoy being the second dog in the home; he enjoys dog play time and is more comfortable not being the center of attention. .

For more information or to fill out an adoption application form, please email us at shibarescuegta@gto.net

Safety First!

Being wintertime, I'm reminded a little bit more about car safety. Not just for people, but for our furkids as well.

Two years ago, Sushi and I were in a bad car accident, after having a wonderful time at the dog park. 3 cars were involved in the accident - mine was written off. I had 7 months of physiotherapy on my knees and then my back. Sushi was scared to be in the car for about 2 months, but other than that, my little Shiba Inu boy was unharmed. Sushi was wearing his seatbelt harness, which to this day, I believe saved his life. Please, if you allow your dog to remain free in the car or even worse, allow him/her to sit up front with you - please don't do that anymore. You are putting your dog at risk, and even yourself. Find a good seatbelt harness - one that won't allow too much movement; the dog should not be able to wiggle his way out of it. With Sushi's, he can sit and lie down; it can also be used as a regular harness for walks. A crate is the best option and should be placed behind the passenger seat, in the back of course. It should be positioned in between the back of the passenger seat and the back of the backseat, so it can not budge. There are other options as well - some people install a guard or gate, depending on the vehicle they own. Do not take your pet's life for granted. An accident can happen so quickly, and there is no way for your pet to prepare himself for it.

Lots and lots of snow!

Oh boy, it snowed a lot last night. Sushi loves the snow, but this time he seems unsure whether to be excited or not about it. The snow nearly touches his belly. He leaps and hops through the snow. I had to trudge around our yard to make a path for him, which he now uses for his Shiba 500. He keeps wanting to go outside, he loves it if you take a shovelfull of light snow and throw it for him to catch. Crazy Shiba.

Shiba Rescue GTA

Shiba Rescue GTA was founded last year in the spring (2006). A 9 yr old female Shiba Inu was left at a local Toronto shelter. Her name is Yoshi, and it is because of her that Shiba Rescue GTA was born. My friend and I (also from the Toronto Shiba Inu Meetup group) realized there wasn't an active rescue dedicated to the Shiba Inu in the Greater Toronto Area. Currently, Shiba Rescue GTA is the only Shiba rescue in Canada. We do not have a shelter, we have foster homes. We conduct interviews, home visits, reference checks. Shibas are not for everyone and placing them in the right home is very important. If you would like to make a donation or learn more about Shiba Rescue GTA, please visit our website: http://www.shibarescuegta.ca

Bonnie & Sushi

The Shiba 500

For those that are owned by a Shiba Inu already, you know what I'm talking about. The infamous Shiba 500. Where your Shiba runs like s/he's psycho at warped speed and the best thing you can do is cheer them on but stay out of the way! Sushi had 2 rounds of the Shiba 500 tonight. He used to do this more often as a puppy, but I still laugh everytime he does it. I think when I laugh it encourages him to run even more! Odd things can set off the Shiba 500 - a good poop usually does it. But, tonight, it was because I furminated him outside. The Furminator is an excellent "comb" to help when they are blowing their coats. Sushi's nickname these days is "FuzzButt".

Bonnie & Sushi

6 Shiba Inus + Snow + 1 Park = FUN!

Yesterday, was our first Toronto Shiba Inu Meetup event of 2007. 6 Shiba Inus attended, it was cold and there was snow - but do you think the Shibas cared? Of course not! They were too busy, yapping away, running, chasing snowballs, playing. It was a lot of fun! Next month...maybe indoors though...

Bonnie & Sushi

The Toronto Shiba Inu Meetup Group

I"m the Organizer of the Toronto Shiba Inu Meetup Group. This will be my 3rd year organizing park playdates for these crazy wonderful Shibas. I don't know who originally founded the group. I stumbled upon it the same way that most of our members have - on the internet. The Organizer at the time asked if I would like to give it a shot, I said "yes" and the rest is history.

We have over 70 members so far and we average 8-10 Shibas at each Meetup. We get together at various parks across the Greater Toronto Area once or twice a month. We've gone to parks not only in Toronto, but in Mississauga, Brampton, Guelph, Acton. We have members in those areas, but also in Ajax, Oshawa, Ottawa...all over the place!

We've participated in events to help raise money for dog rescues in Ontario, including Shiba Rescue GTA

Some of our Shibas are in the 2007 K9 Rescue Me Calendar, and one of member's puppy got the honour of being on the cover of the calendar!

We've had indoor meetups as well - the Shibas even had the chance to learn some agility!

Last year we had our 1st Annual Fun n Games Event in Mississauga - that was a lot of fun, and we had a great turnout, too. Perfect weather. We played games, had some contests, raffled some treats. It was great, I can't wait to do it again this year!

I love meeting new owners or future owners. And, of course, getting to see all the Shibas play and have so much fun (and go home tired!) is the best part. Sushi has so many Shiba pals now :)

This year will be a busy year for events too. I think we'll reach 100 members by the end of the year - exciting! There can never be enough Shiba Inus!!

Bonnie & Sushi

Sushi thinks he's a cat!

Sushi is confused. He thinks he is a cat, not a Shiba Inu!

We have 2 cats - a Torti named Tatiana, who is only a few months older than Sushi. Our other one is a black cat named Bailey.

Sushi grew up with Tatiana. Shibas are known to be very catlike and I see that quite often. When they play, Sushi will try to mimic how Tatiana plays - uses his paws and just the way he moves. It's interesting to watch them.

Sushi has a folded up comforter in our livingroom which he likes to sleep on. One afternoon, Tatiana decided she wanted to figure out if there was anything inside the folds of the comforter. She pawed at it until she could crawl inside of it. Sushi, of course, was FASCINATED. Ever since then, we notice Sushi's comforter is messed up, moved around. We saw him pawing at it a few times then would lie down on it. I realized he was copying Tatiana once again.

Tonight, I was finally able to get a good picture of him - I guess he doesn't need to be tucked into bed anymore, he takes care of that himself!



Bonnie & Sushi

SNOW!!

This morning we finally had some snow on the ground. Sushi LOVES snow. He is double coated, so the cold and snow don't bother him at all. So, out we went into the yard to play his favourite game of catch the snow (couldn't quite make snowballs). Now, all day he keeps bugging me to go outside to play some more. We'll go out in a little while, it's still snowing, and it'll be more fun with more snow. In the meantime, Sushi is ok with the compromise of letting him look out our bedroom window and watching the world go by.

First Post!

Hi,

I'm Bonnie and I"m proudly owned by a Shiba Inu named Sushi. Sushi was born on Sept. 22, 2003, he is a red sesame male from Cusona Kennels in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of having lots and lots of dogs; or maybe being a veterinarian; anyway, I just knew that someday I would have my own dog and maybe be lucky enough to be involved in the dog world somehow.

Well, it's happened. It's all Sushi's fault, lol. He stole my heart. A true Shiba Inu "mine!".

Sushi is a wonderful dog, he makes me laugh, we love going to the park, he loves to play soccer, loves to play with his toys and with our 2 cats, Tatiana & Bailey. He's a good boy!

Because of Sushi, I know and have met over approximately 50 Shibas since owning him. I was asked to become Organizer of the Toronto Shiba Inu Meetup group http://shibainu.meetup.com/4/about I started in 2004, and it has been such a fun and rewarding experience. Last year, I co-founded Shiba Rescue GTA http://www.shibarescuegta.ca It has been a challenging experience and I am learning so much, but there is no better feeling than seeing a rescue Shiba Inu going to his/her forever home :)

So, as you can see, my world is Shiba Inu 24/7 and I wouldn't have it any other way.

This is what this blog is about. My life and Sushi's life with the wonderful, quirky Shiba Inu.

Bonnie & Sushi