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I have a male Shiba Inu
who is one year old. He is not normally aggressive, but when
we do something he doesn't like, such as bathing or instilling ear
drops, he gets aggressive by scratching and biting. We are careful
not to hurt him. We have tried a muzzle and he will not allow it.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. I know it is probably fear
aggression, but he can get bad.
Thanks,
Ann
Newport News, VA
Dear Ann --
Unfortunately, the behavior of your
dog seems to be typical of the Shiba Inu breed. There are several
avenues to pursue to lessen the problem. First, I would advise you
to neuter him if it hasn't been done yet. The next step should be a
training regimen characterized by a step by step approach. For
instance, if you want to be able to cut his nails, it is unrealistic
to expect that he will have the patience to let you accomplish this
in its entirety. Rather, you should start by working with him to
let you simply touch his paw. Reward him as he allows you to do
this and pretty soon you will have trained him to shake "hands." As
you gain his trust -- over a number of weeks -- then, and only then,
should you attempt to cut ONE nail. Patience on your part and
providing consistent rewards for desirable behavior will enable you
to eventually do basic maintenance without each effort being a life
and death struggle. For treating his ears, start by petting him on
the head and conclude by gently massaging the ears. For bathing,
don't start by dumping him in a tub and inundating him with water;
simply go out to the yard or patio and start petting and massaging
him and subtly introduce a wet sponge to get him use to the feeling
of warm water. Remember -- do things gradually!!
Depending on how psychotic his behavior you may find the use of
tranquilizers handy for spot situations, especially when you attempt
to take a procedure to the "next level." If you cannot even get to
first base by doing the introductory actions, use of anti-anxiety
medications should be considered. These would need to be given on a
daily basis and can gradually be decreased once the desired effects
are reached.
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