COMING 12/15/22 - Our New Puppy!!!

Sheba at 7 weeks old, developing more Shiba characteristics and almost ready to come home to us!

Welcome to The Sheba Chronicles!  We are so excited to announce that in less than a week now we will be bringing home our new little bundle of joy, an 8-week-old Shiba Inu puppy girl!!  We have decided to name her Sheba - a play on spelling her canine heritage as a Shiba Inu (a Japanese spitz breed meaning "brushwood dog") but also a name fit for a Queen - since Shibas are known for being strong, independent-minded and sassy! :)  

Sheba at 5 weeks old - starting to look more like a dog :)

Sheba at 4 weeks old - looking like a poof with ears (or a teddy bear)!

How did we decide a Shiba Inu would be best for us?  Many of you may know that we lost our beloved Corgi, Scout, in May 2022.   Scout was my best buddy for 12.5 years - not only a best friend and companion, but also a wonderful "co-worker" of sorts, since he often was the subject of many demonstrations and photos for my articles and would meet with me with clients whose dogs needed to learn how to have a positive interaction with other dogs.  Scout was a great "teaching dog", who gave all the right signals to other dogs to indicate boundaries and respect, and he loved getting out and about with me to show the world what a well-behaved dog can look like.  Our vet used to refer to him as "the most gentlemanly Corgi" he's ever met, haha!  Scout really was the best and is missed SO much!!  ​

Our beloved corgi boy, Scout

​If you have known many Corgis in your life, you may know that Corgis can tend to be bossy (given that they're an active herding breed), independent-minded (they will give you a "run for your money" and are not great for first-time dog owners, despite their cute looks and fluffy butts!), and they act like big dogs in smaller dog bodies.  This "larger than life" personality is what attracted me to Corgis so many years ago and it is the same thing that attracts me to Shiba Inus.

Shibas are one of the oldest and most popular breeds in their native Japan, but have been lesser known in the U.S. until more recent years and especially gained popularity when they became the face of Dogecoin cryptocurrency.  Their pointy ears and big smiles may make them appear adorable and innocent (like Corgis), but don't let those cute looks fool you into thinking they are just cuddle bunnies - Shibas are bold, proud, and active!  Similar in some ways to a Corgi's tendencies as a herding breed, Shibas are hunting dogs meant to flush birds and small game - so they are smart and like having a job to do.  Without the proper outlets to provide mental and physical stimulation, they can tend to get themselves into trouble and are even notorious for not coming when called if they get loose to venture on a walkabout!  So I am looking forward to meeting these challenges with our Sheba girl (including many walks and hikes again) and chronicling her experiences for others to see and learn from!

An adult Shiba Inu - one day, Sheba will look similar to this!

Often times when I was in college and missing my dog at home, I would spend free time at the local mall where they had a pet shop.  I always felt bad for the pups in there (living in a small cage and likely having been raised in a puppy mill), so whenever it was pretty quiet at the mall the staff would let me come in and take a puppy out to play for a bit in one of their "adoption rooms."  I always chose the Corgi or Shiba Inu when there was one!  And I always knew that one day I would have these breeds as my companions because I felt we were so similar and I loved their independent and fiesty natures.  I couldn't have asked for a better match in my Corgi, Scout, when I brought him home almost 13 years ago, and now I can't wait to share my life with our Shiba, Sheba!

Stay tuned for many posts to come - and be sure to like, follow and share our page, The Sheba Chronicles, on Facebook and Instagram so you don't miss out!   Up next: some of my favorite puppy items we have gotten for Sheba and how to set up a puppy playpen in preparation for Sheba's arrival home! :)