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Are Shiba Inu Good Hunting Dogs? (Answered)

Shiba Inus are brave and confident dogs. They have some excellent characteristics. Moreover, they are considered one of the cleanest breed dogs. That’s why people love to have Shiba Inus in their house.

You might have noticed that Shiba Inus are pretty active dogs. Besides, they are comparatively more aggressive than other dogs. So, you might be confused about where their aggressiveness come from.

Moreover, whether the Shiba Inus are good hunting dogs or not. This article will inform you about Shiba Inu’s hunting quality and his personality.

Are shiba inu good hunting dogs?

Shiba Inus were bred and used as hunting dogs. That’s why they have a high prey drive and aggressiveness towards other animals. Shiba Inus were used in small games because they are good at chasing small birds and animals. Many people also train the Shiba Inus as hunting dogs even these days.

Shiba Inus were originated in Japan. So, people used them as hunting dogs in the dense forest of Japan. Generally, Shiba Inus have an instinct to chase and attack other animals.

Moreover, people train them as hunting dogs. So, they became one of the most aggressive hunting breed dogs over time.

For their hunting instinct, they developed a high prey drive. Even these days, they still have the hunting qualities that you can enhance with training.

What do shiba inu hunt?

Generally, Shiba Inus are good at hunting small animals. Initially, they were trained for small games. Though they are good at hunting birds and other animals out of the bushes, they can hunt big animals also.

With good training, Shiba Inus can chase both small and large animals. Though they are house dogs these days, they still have the instinct to hunting. Let’s see what do the Shiba Inu hunt.

  • Birds
  • Wild boars
  • Rabbits
  • Hares
  • Foxes
  • Deer
  • Squirrels
  • Chipmunks
  • Rats
  • Ferrets
  • Guinea pigs
  • Mice

What were shiba inus originally bred for?

Shiba Inus were originally bred for hunting small animals. They were specially bred for flushing birds and chasing small animals in the dense forest of Japan. Moreover, they could also hunt large animals, like boars and deer.

Shiba Inus are also known for savior dogs. They protect their owners by walking in the frontline while hunting. Similarly, they are extremely loyal. So, they were bred for hunting small and large animals. Besides, they used to protect their owner while hunting.

Shiba Inus still have their breed qualities. For example, Shiba Inus are aggressive and brave. If you have a Shiba Inu, you will notice that him being aggressive towards other animals. So, these are their characteristics that they were bred for.

Do Shiba Inus have a high prey drive?

Yes, Shiba Inus have a high prey drive. Shiba Inus still have this high prey drive for their instinct of hunting. Generally, Shiba Inus hunt small animals and birds. So, it’s risky to leave the Shiba Inus with other animals, especially with small pets.

If you have a Shiba Inu, you must not leave him outside without a leash. The Shiba might attack other animals for their natural prey drive. Shiba Inus were bred as hunting dogs, so their prey drives will remain in them if you do not train them.

Though Shiba Inus have a high prey drive, you can control them by training. However, Shiba Inus have aggression towards other animals and strangers. This behavior might be a sign of their high prey drive.

When should I start training my shiba inu dog to hunt?

You should start training your Shiba Inu dog to hunt at the age of two to four months. At this age, the Shiba Inu puppies learn to follow commands.

You have to teach the Shiba Inu how to follow commands first before training to hunt. Moreover, socializing training is essential before other training.

Shiba Inus are originally hunting dogs. So, they have some hunting characteristics by born. You don’t have to work hard to train the Shiba Inu. They are easy to train. Moreover, their hunting qualities make them easier to train for hunting.

When you bring a Shiba Inu puppy into your house, you have to wait a few weeks to understand his personality. Knowing Shiba Inu’s personality, it will be easy to train him.

After giving socializing training and other basic training, you can move towards hunting training. So, you can train the Shiba Inu to hunt after two to four months.

How to train a shiba inu to hunt?

Training a Shiba Inu to hunt isn’t that difficult. Because they are naturally hunting dogs. But they are more famous for being house dogs these days.

So, they need to train to hunt from the very beginning. Here are some training tips that you can follow for training a Shiba Inu to hunt.

Teach basic commands:

When you want to train a Shiba Inu for a specific task, he might have the ability to understand your words. So, basic learning is essential before training to hunt.

Try to teach the Shiba Inu puppy at an early age with specific basic words. Include the words related to the hunting training gradually.

Socialize:

Socialize the Shiba Inu before moving towards hunting training. Shiba Inus need to learn that which are their targets and which are not.

Moreover, they will learn outdoor activities with positive behaviors. Otherwise, the hunting training might make them excessively aggressive.

Teach hunting words:

With the basic training, teach him hunting-related words eventually. For example, teach different words for a specific task, like run, stop, chase, speak, etc. These words will help the Shiba to understand your target while hunting.

Familiarize with hunting:

This is a common issue while hunting. The Shiba Inu might not be accustomed to the loud sound. This sound might scare the Shiba and stop him from hunting.

Try clapping at the first. Eventually, increase the intensity of the sound and make the Shiba familiar with the hunting process.

Take him to hunting places:

You can take the Shiba Inu outside in the forest areas. These outings will make him familiar with the environment.

Introduce with animals and preys:

Introduce the Shiba Inu to different types of animals and teach him differentiating among animals. All animals are not his targets. So introduce the Shiba to the target animals and familiarize them with their scents.

Practice hunting:

Finally, practice the Shiba to chase, run, and hunt with practicing directions.

Can hunting dogs be inside dogs?

Yes, hunting dogs can be inside dogs. But a hunting dog doesn’t likely to be like an inside dog immediately. You have to consider many things before making a hunting dog an inside dog. You have to train the dog first.

Generally, hunting dogs are aggressive and have a high prey drive. But hunting dogs can also gain the qualities of inside dogs with training. You have to train a hunting dog to follow your command and getting along with other pets of the house.

Eventually, the dog will learn to behave like inside dogs. But all dogs are not suitable to be inside dogs. Pointer, English Setter, Golden Retriever, Shiba Inu, etc., hunting dogs can be inside dogs.

Are shiba inu dogs aggressive?

Yes, Shiba Inu dogs are highly aggressive. Shiba Inu dogs are considered one of the most aggressive breed dogs. They have the instinct to be aggressive towards other animals. Moreover, they have a high prey drive for the small animals.

Shiba Inus are so aggressive that you can’t leave them without a leash outside before training. Besides, when the Shiba Inus see any stranger or strange thing, they start to bark and be aggressive.

Generally, Shiba Inus are aggressive to other dogs. Especially they are aggressive towards the same-sex Shiba dogs. But you can control their aggressiveness with proper training. After getting training, they can be good house dogs.

Why are Shiba Inus so aggressive?

Shiba Inus are aggressive for their natural hunting instinct. Shiba Inus dogs were bred for hunting. So, they have some hunting qualities from the very beginning. This hunting instinct makes the Shiba Inus aggressive when they come to other animals.

Shiba Inus can be aggressive for lack of training. Every hunting dog needs the training to be a house dog. If you have a Shiba Inu in your home, you need to train him first. Otherwise, he will remain aggressive.

Shiba Inu’s aggressiveness might come from their high prey drive. Having a high prey drive, they like to chase small animals and birds. While chasing animals, they get aggressive. So, Shiba Inus are aggressive naturally.

Which dog is best for hunting?

Hunting dogs have some specific qualities. These qualities make them good at hunting. For example, hunting dogs have high prey drive, aggressiveness, chasing capacity, fast running capacity, direction sense, following command capacity, etc.

Some dogs have these qualities and are good hunting dogs. Some of the best hunting dogs are Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Beagle, American Foxhound, English Springer, Spaniel, Pointer, Shiba Inu, etc.

Shiba Inu are good hunting dogs. They are brave and aggressive. Initially, they were bred for hunting. So, the Shiba Inus have hunting characteristics.

Moreover, you can also train a Shiba Inu to hunt. Shiba Inus are easy to learn. So, if you want to train a Shiba Inu for hunting, you can get the idea from this article. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Are Shiba Inus Aggressive?

Are Shiba Inus Really That Difficult to Train?

Are Shiba Inus Good with Other Dogs?

Are Shiba Inus Mean?

Are Shiba Inus Related To Foxes, Akitas, Wolves, Huskies, etc.?

Are Shibas Affectionate?