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Do Shiba Inus Like Water? (Do They Like to Swim)

The hot weather has got us all craving for a good swimming session. But are you worried that your Shiba Inu might not like it? Well, it is a common concern as the breed is not exactly fond of water.

Shiba Inus are not water breed dogs, they find ways to avoid water. But they do not hate water necessarily. With practice, your Shiba Inu can enjoy swim time with you.

Do Shiba Inus like water?

As natural instinct, Shiba Inus do not like water. When they see any water, their natural instinct is to avoid it. But it does not mean that the breed hates water. As the dog breed is very social, they will happily socialize over a swimming session. With time, they can even start to love swimming.

Shiba Inus tend not to jump into water on purpose. They are not instinctively not drawn towards water or water bodies, like pools, ponds and so on. The dog breed like to stay clean and can be taught to swim in order to socialize.

Do Shiba Inus like or hate water?

They don’t like water or hate it either. A Shiba Inu will not willingly go and jump in the water, because that is not how the breed naturally prefers.

But at the same time, they are not known to throw fits or resist going into the water when necessary. They do not exactly like or dislike water.

Shiba Inus like to stay clean and socialize. If you can get your Shiba Inu used to swimming and playing in the water, they might start to enjoy the water play time.

However, it was never a problem to get a Shiba Inu to take a bath or teach swimming. This is because, they might not prefer to be in water but that does not mean they avoid it.

But they are not very willing to go in the water from their instinct. So some might conclude that Shiba Inus do not like water.

Why don’t Shiba Inus like water?

Shiba Inus tend to avoid being in water and water bodies. They prefer to be away from water. It is mostly because they are naturally not instinctive towards water. Some of the reasons why a Shiba Inu might avoid or dislike water are-

They are not water breeds

Shiba Inus are not water friendly dog breeds. They were never open or eager to be in water. Even in the past, the dogs very rarely had tasks related to water. This is why by instinct, the dog breed avoids water. It is not their element.

They were not trained to be in water

If you train your Shiba Inu to play in the water from an early age, it is possible for your dog to be playful in the water. If your dog lacks training and has never been exposed to pools or water bodies, it is only natural for them to avoid the situation.

They might be afraid

It is common for pups to be afraid of the water if they have never seen it before. The fear is very common for baby Shiba Inus. And by nature, dogs tend to avoid water.

So when your dog sees a water body for the first time, they might get scared a bit and run away from it.

Any prior accident

Previous experience may shape how your dog reacts to water. A negative experience with water may make your dog resist going in the water or avoid it entirely. Shiba Inus are very brave dogs, but sometimes they get afraid too.

There might be a number of reasons why Shiba Inus avoid water. Sometimes, a god simply does not wish to get in the waters. Similarly, a Shiba Inu might enjoy water a lot. Sometimes it depends on the dogs’ personality.

Are Shiba Inus afraid of water?

Shiba Inus are avoidant when it comes to water and water bodies. But they are not necessarily afraid of water. If there were not any prior bad experiences related with water and your Shiba Inu, there is no reason for it to be afraid of water.

The nature of the Shiba Inu breed is to avoid water. This is why they’d rather not jump in the water body. But this can be a different scene with proper training. With training and proper playtime, a Shiba Inu can get used to water.

A Shiba Inu is not exactly afraid of water. The dog breed just tends to avoid water bodies by instinct.

Do Shiba Inus like or hate baths?

Shiba Inus are a very clean dog breed. They have a habit of grooming themselves. There is not much need to bathe them regularly.

The dog breed is not very fond of water so it is very obvious that they will not enjoy bath time. It is better to not force bathing unless absolutely necessary.

The dog breed avoids water by their natural instinct. This is why they may seem uninterested for bath times. But they do not hate it as much as they do not need it.

Do Shibas need baths?

Shiba inus do need baths. But it is not needed very frequently. As the breed is quite clean by nature, you need to spend less time for their bathing and grooming.

How often do Shiba Inus need a bath?

Shiba Inus groom themselves more often. Some people compare their grooming skills with the likes of a cat. This is why the breed does not require frequent baths. A bath every 6 weeks is enough for the dog breed.

You should clean your Shiba Inu when it gets muddy or too dirty to groom. Brushing regularly is also a good idea. A routine bath after six weeks is good enough for the dog breed.

How do you wash a Shiba Inu?

Shiba Inus are natural groomers.  Still a proper bath once every six weeks should keep your Shiba Inu clean and fresh. The proper way to bathe your Shiba Inu dog is given below-

  • Be gentle with your dog. As the breed is avoidant of water by nature, they will need time. Give them comfort while introducing them to the bathing session;
  • Wet their heads a little bit. Start with little water from the head;
  • Use warm water to wash their heads. Avoid the eyes and nose and be careful for the temperature;
  • Use shampoo to gently rub their neck;
  • Use a shower head to rinse or a bucket of lukewarm water;
  • Careful with the tail and undercoat. Use shampoo if necessary;
  • Make sure to rinse properly. Do not let any shampoo residue stick;
  • Use a towel to dry your fresh Shiba Inu. Some prefer to use a hair dryer, which is also okay.

Grooming comes naturally for Shiba Inus. However, for that extra cleanliness, a good bathing session is perfect from time to time.

Do Shiba Inus like to swim? 

Shiba Inus are not a big fan of water and swimming by nature. It is rather uncommon, but not impossible, to find a Shiba Inu that loves swimming on its own. But in the case of every other Shiba Inus, if they are accustomed to it, they can enjoy a swimming session.

Shiba Inus are an extremely social breed. They love to play with their surroundings. If you introduce your Shiba Inu to a fun and socializing time while swimming, they will start to love swimming as well.

Shiba Inus do try to avoid water and anything related to it. But If it involves playtime, they just might be up for a fun swim time.

How do I get my Shiba Inu to like swimming? 

It is very uncommon for a Shiba Inu to be fond of water and swimming on its own. To make your dog like swimming, you might find the given tips useful-

  • Start getting used to water and swimming at an early stage. Get them used to it;
  • Be gentle with them. Try not to scare them or overwhelm them when they resist;
  • Keeping another dog around, that likes swimming, is a very encouraging act. It will be very helpful;
  • Bring them to a calm water body and slowly let them swim;
  • Do not push them to swim a lot in one day. Keep practicing every other day so they can get used to it.

Basically, try to make the experience fun for your dog. Get your dog used to it, do not push this routine on him.

Are Shiba Inu good swimmers? 

Shiba Inus are not water dogs. They try their best to avoid swimming and any other activities that involve going in the water. But if they are used to it, they might enjoy a good swim. And as the dogs are naturally athletic, they can pick up on the swimming pretty fast.

Naturally, Shiba Inus like athletic activities and hunting. To their natural instinct, they will get the hang of swimming within a matter of a moment. It is good for you as you will not have to work too much for it.

Shiba Inus are indeed fast learners when it comes to swimming, and it can be concluded that they are good at swimming due to their natural athletic and hunting instinct.

The friendly and ever so active dog breed Shiba Inus are amazing companions. They like their playtime with you. Though the breed might not be fond of water and swimming, they can be accustomed to it with practice and patience. 

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How High Can Shiba Inus Jump?

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