Size
(when grown) Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less
Details
Needs experienced adopter,
Story
Ok, hold onto your hats, primitive breed lovers. Meet Kip! This handsome guy is looking for a new home through no fault of his own. Kip is a smart, loving, energetic, playful pup. He’s a cutie for sure but he is a true Shiba in his temperament. Therefore, we are looking for an adopter who has experience with Shibas or breeds with similar “attitude,” such as Akitas, malamutes, basenjis, chow chows, and other “primitive” or “natural” breeds.
Kip is a quick learner and wants to make his person happy, but … he’s definitely not a Labrador. Training the quintessential Shiba is a bit like training a cat. Kip might not be all the way to the “cat end” of the Shiba spectrum, but he’s still not likely to respond well to several boring, repetitive training sessions in your living room.
Shibas can be quite vocal, and Kip is no exception, so he should not live in an apartment or other home with shared walls or sound-sensitive human family members. He enjoys playing with his humans and does like toys, but he can be a little rough and nippy when playing, so we are looking for a home with adults only or adults and teens.
When our volunteer met Kip, he watched her approach with mild suspicion but was happy to accept tossed treats. Our volunteer did not immediately attempt to pet Kip; instead, she gave him the choice of whether to make contact. In just about one minute he was approaching her and was happy to accept pets and scritches. Kip seems quite social and friendly but, like many Shibas, he is the kind of dog who does need just a minute to be sure an unfamiliar human is not a threat. On one occasion, we’ve been told that he did lunge toward a stranger who reached out to pet him without asking. Therefore, his adopter will need to be ready to advocate for Kip and his need for space. This may diminish with time in a stable home situation and a chance to trust that his humans have his back.
Kip seems interested in interacting and playing with other dogs, though his past experience with other dogs is a bit of a mystery and he can be leash reactive. He has high prey drive and will need to be on a leash or in a securely fenced yard because he will want to chase critters. We recommend a home with no cats or small pets. A home with a very dog-friendly dog may work with a proper slow introduction, but Kip would likely also be happy as an only dog.
Kip is about 2 years old and weighs around 20 lbs. He will be neutered and brought up to date on vaccinations prior to adoption. He has no known health issues. Kip is housetrained. He does not enjoy being crated but doesn’t need to be as he is not destructive when left alone. An adopter with another dog providing a slow dog-dog intro can use baby gates and/or exercise pens rather than a crate for this boy.
Kip’s current owner recently adopted him from another family that did not have time for him. His current owner loves him very much and would love to keep him, but one of her resident dogs has made it very clear that he is not going to accept Kip. So with a heavy heart, Kip’s human is looking for the very best home for him with a Shiba-savvy adopter. We (FFOCAS) are helping her safely rehome Kip.
Interested? Please get in touch via email ([ffocas4pets@gmail.com](mailto:ffocas4pets@gmail.com)). We’ll ask you to fill out a rehoming application to keep this process as safe as possible for all involved – especially Kip!
