Phoenix has found a home!

UPDATE: Phoenix has found a home!

If you’re in the Vancouver, BC region or even on Vancouver Island and want to bring a Shiba who is definitely a Shiba into your life, take a look at Phoenix. Phoenix was adopted through Shiba Rescue GTA. (I understand that the rescue is not active, but the people involved are committed to helping Phoenix find a home.) You can fill out the form here. Email is shibarescuegta@yahoo.com.

Phoenix does have some challenges that can likely be overcome by an owner who is knowledgeable about Shibas or other high-drive, high-intensity dogs and committed to behaviour shaping and positive reinforcement.

I don’t do things halfway

FAST FACTS

  • 3 years old
  • Neutered
  • UTD on shots and vet care
  • House trained
  • Crate trained*
  • Basic obedience
  • Adoption fee: $400

SHIBA AWESOME

  • Food-motivated
  • People-friendly
  • Active
  • Playful
  • Excellent potential for solo dog sports like nosework and trick training

SHIBA ALERT

  • Food aggression around other dogs
  • Dog-reactive in close proximity
  • Resource guarding
  • *May be reactive in and around crate
  • Not a dog for kids
  • Door bolter
  • Noise-sensitive
  • Barks more than some Shibas

WORD ON THE STREET

Phoenix is a 3 year old male shiba inu. He is neutered and up to date on shots. He was an owner surrender. We have had him for almost a month and he’s not getting along with our current dog. We can provide the following observations:

– curious and intelligent
– very affectionate, loves attention
– playful, very energetic
– still has some puppy tendencies (mouthing)
– knows basic commands (sit, lay down, stay, leave it, come) and knows his new name
– for a shiba, his recall is pretty good
– loves people (considering he’s a shiba)
– house trained
– crate trained, but can be reactive when you close the gate. this is something the new owner will need to keep working with him on.

His ideal home:
– needs to be in a home as an only dog
– prefer owner who understands shiba inus
– needs an active owner who can take him on long walks or hikes
– no kids

Other observations:
– takes a few days to warm up
– walks well on leash, but gets spooked easily so need to be prepared (loud noises, certain kids on bikes/skateboards). I walk him attached to my belt just in case.
– very treat motivated
– ok with dogs on leash, but based on some reactions it’s clear he was not well socialized as a puppy
– barks more than the “typical” shiba, sensitive to noises, but we have had success with working with him on this
– has some food aggression/resource guarding – particularly when other dogs are present. new owner will need to work with him on this. we have been successful with his training so far by removing our other dog prior to feeding.
– previous owner had a cat but we have not tested cats out with him
– will bolt out the door if given the opportunity (recall will likely not work)

Training that has worked well:
– redirecting his attention when he’s anxious/worked up
– not allowing free feeding

TL;DR

Phoenix is definitely a Shiba. He will likely become his best self in a solo-dog home with an active person who practices positive reinforcement and behaviour shaping.

An owner who wants a Shiba they can work with to overcome his trigger points will likely overcome Phoenix’s challenges. Phoenix is very food-motivated and enjoys interacting with people. Using this along with a setup that rewards him for making the ‘right’ choice will give Phoenix the best chance to succeed.

Are you the right human for me?

5 Comments

  1. Hi there, I’m wondering if he would be good with cats?

    Thank you!

    • If you look in the Word On The Street section, there’s a mention that he has lived with cats, but has not been tested with cats. Usually, this means that while he may have accepted the cat he lived with, the rescue and owner don’t know if he would accept other cats. The best thing to do is to contact the rescue and see if they can get any more information. – TMS

  2. Hello,
    Who do we get in contact with to see if Phoenix is available still for adoption?
    Jules

  3. Any advice on reaching the rescue? We have filled out the form and messaged by e-mail but have not heard back or received any feedback. We also noticed he wasn’t listed as available on shibarescuegta.com

  4. Hi , my son loves dog so much and he has been asking me if he can adopt one, both my husband and I agreed to find a suitable one for him at proper time. He saw your post today and think this is the right one he is looking for. So just wonder how could we get in touch with you and see whether we are qualified to adopt it.

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