Canine Behavioral Patterns and Training
Updated: Oct 7
Thinking about living with a Japanese Shiba Inu?
As a Japanese breeder specializing in authentic Shiba Inu puppies, we believe that understanding the breed's personality is just as important as appreciating its appearance. Every puppy is raised with careful attention to health, temperament, and early socialization before joining families around the world.
This article explores one aspect of Shiba Inu behavior and daily life to help you better understand what it is like to live with this remarkable Japanese breed.
If you are looking for an authentic Japanese Shiba Inu puppy, we invite you to explore our available puppies and learn more about our breeding program.
The behavioral patterns of dogs are often said to resemble those of wolves’ social structures.A wolf pack functions on the basis of a strict hierarchy, and as long as this order is maintained, the group remains stable.However, conflicts sometimes arise over changes in rank, and as a result, positions within the hierarchy may be reversed.
1. Hierarchical Behaviors Observed in Wolf Society
Wolves exhibit distinct behaviors that serve to reaffirm their social hierarchy.For example—
· A dominant individual forces a subordinate onto its back and stands over it.
· The dominant lightly grasps the subordinate’s muzzle.
· The dominant mounts the subordinate from behind.
All of these are acts that confirm dominance or social rank.Likewise, a subordinate individual stares at the dominant one’s eyes, while the dominant avoids eye contact or ignores the gaze—another form of hierarchical acknowledgment.Thus, the maintenance of order within the pack is supported by a variety of ritualized behaviors.
2. “Rank Awareness” in Dogs Living with Humans
Next, let us consider the relationship between Japanese dogs living with humans and their sense of hierarchy.
A puppy separated from its mother and littermates at around 50–60 days of age forms a new “pack” within its relationship with humans.
In most cases, this human side consists of a family unit. What kind of relationship, then, should ideally be established between a human family and a single dog?
The process of building this ideal relationship is called training (discipline).
Like wolves, dogs operate according to the rules of a hierarchical society.
It is not a matter of good or bad, like or dislike; rather, dogs are instinctively animals that seek to establish rank within the group.
They tend to perceive a human family itself as a “pack” in which a hierarchy must be formed.
Once the hierarchy is defined and reaffirmed through regular social signals, the dog attains psychological stability.
In other words, training is the act of creating a sense of mental calm for the dog, and it is crucial that the owner take the lead in clarifying the order of ranks.
3. Fundamental Disciplinary Actions and Key Points
It is important for humans to understand and practice behaviors that align with the dog’s social rules.
Specifically, the following actions function as leadership displays that confirm the owner’s dominance:
1. Gently hold the dog’s muzzle with your hand.
2. Turn the dog onto its back and gently stroke its abdomen (inguinal area).
3. Hold the dog from behind, lightly enclosing its body.
Each of these gestures conveys to the dog that the human occupies the higher position in the pack.
Additionally, when the dog looks into the owner’s eyes, and the human deliberately breaks eye contact or ignores the gaze, this too communicates the human’s superior rank.
These gestures must be consistent across all family members.
Not only the head of the household, but every family member, including children, should adopt the same attitude.
Through this consistency, the dog avoids confusion and comes to accept the household as a single, orderly pack.
4. Puppy Behavior and Human Response
At around 50 days of age, puppies are highly curious and show interest in everything.When allowed to roam the living room, they may begin to play by pulling at furniture, fabrics, or newspapers.
During this stage, the owner must act as a substitute for the mother, engaging in play while also providing restraint and teaching social boundaries.
For example, when a puppy places its front paws on the owner’s leg and humps—an act known as mounting—it is performing a dominance behavior for hierarchical confirmation.
A mother dog will tolerate such behavior for a time, but eventually retaliates:she flips the puppy onto its back, stands over it, growls softly, and gently holds its muzzle.
The puppy yelps submissively in response.
Through this instinctive act, the mother dog is teaching her pup the rules of canine society.
Humans, on the other hand, tend to treat puppies affectionately, as they would an infant.
However, such human expressions of affection can sometimes be interpreted as submissive gestures in canine social terms.
For instance, when a person sits on the floor at the dog’s eye level and speaks to a dog resting on the sofa, this appears to the dog as a posture of lower rank.From the standpoint of training, such behaviors should be avoided.
5. Conclusion
Dogs are instinctively animals that seek social order within the group.
Training is not about forcing obedience, but about establishing an order that allows the dog to follow peacefully and with confidence.
When humans understand the canine social structure and interact with consistent behavior, dogs can live calmly alongside them.
The true essence of good training lies in the balance between affection and order—these two elements together form the foundation of a harmonious human–dog relationship.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
At ShibainuBreeders.jp, we believe that understanding the Japanese Shiba Inu means appreciating not only its appearance, but also its history, temperament, and the culture that has shaped this remarkable breed for generations.
As breeders based in Japan, our mission is to preserve the authentic Japanese Shiba Inu through responsible breeding, careful health management, and respect for the traditional NIPPO standard. We are honored to introduce these wonderful dogs to families around the world while sharing the values and heritage behind Japan's native breed.
If you would like to continue learning about the Japanese Shiba Inu or are considering welcoming one into your family, we invite you to explore the pages below.
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Whether you are here to learn, to explore, or to begin your journey toward owning an authentic Japanese Shiba Inu, we are grateful to share our knowledge and experience with you.
Our goal is not simply to raise puppies, but to preserve the heritage of the Japanese Shiba Inu and build lifelong relationships with families around the world.
Thank you for visiting ShibainuBreeders.jp.
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