Feeding the Shiba Inu: Weaning, Portions and Mistakes to Avoid

The Shiba does not need complicated diets: it needs quality food in the right quantities.

Our puppies are weaned by gradually moving from maternal milk to homogenised food. Offering different protein sources — beef, chicken, rabbit, fish — through the experience of different tastes and smells helps cognitive development and in our experience prevents adult food intolerances.

After weaning we move to dry food (kibble) with blue fish as the single protein source. We use blue fish because it is wild-caught, not farmed, therefore free from antibiotic and hormone residues widely used in fish farming — substances that in the long term could affect development and lead to a series of disorders and conditions.

Quantities and how to serve them are debated, but here we go against the grain of common practice, which demands food be among the resources to manage. Our Shiba puppies have their bowl available all day and can eat whenever and as much as they want. This guarantees they will not be greedy and food-aggressive, because they will not compete with siblings, and each can eat according to its needs, fully expressing its genetic potential.

The adult: weight under control?

From six months on it is possible to move to adult kibble, but the principle stays the same: measured bowl, always available. How much kibble to serve? You can refer to the daily quantities indicated by the manufacturer, adjusting for lifestyle. Guidelines say males should weigh 11 to 13 kg, females about 3 kg less, but judging a dog’s shape on weight alone can be misleading without considering structure. In any case the Shiba must not be fat, and for us the ideal point of form is being able to glimpse the ribs under the coat as the dog breathes in. Even a slight overweight of 500 g on 12 kg is more than 4%, and shows in back and breath. If the dog tends to gain or lose weight, adjust quantities gradually with a vet’s advice, then consider changing protein source. No DIY or drastic diets.

The 3 most common mistakes

1. Table scraps — you are at the table and suddenly a muzzle rubs your leg and two languid little eyes stare at you. The Shiba shark is there waiting for you to take pity and give it a piece of whatever you are eating. How to resist? Well, we are not against scraps, but always in small quantities and only as a reward or gratification, never as a meal substitute. Obviously watch out for potentially toxic foods like onion, grapes, chocolate, xylitol, and avoid particularly salty or spicy foods — but a small piece of meat, ham or cheese now and then only produces happy Shibas! Just be careful how you give these rewards. Never answer their solicitations; ignore them instead until they give up, and only then reward. The message? If you wait patiently and do not bother anyone, something arrives. You will have a happy, well-mannered dog you can calmly take to lunch at friends’ or to a restaurant.

2. Too much protein or pointless supplements — a good Shiba kibble sits at 22-24% protein content and contains vitamins, minerals and supplements making it a complete food needing nothing else. People often overdo it, especially during moulting seasons, when many owners tend to give fish-oil supplements to help. What few unfortunately know is that Omega 3-6 do benefit health, but only in the right ratio, which must be between 1:3 and 1:5. When the ratio is outside the optimal range, these saturated fats stop being beneficial and can trigger pro-inflammatory processes, with all resulting problems. So before supplementing, ask whether it is truly needed and turn to the breeder or an expert nutritionist — not a general vet.

3. Abrupt food changes — the first question is why change? Apart from intolerance or medical needs, many answer that the dog no longer eats as before and perhaps got bored of the taste, when it could simply be a transitory period in which the dog naturally eats less. In these cases pay attention mainly to two factors: how to manage the transition and the rise of opportunistic behaviours. To switch from old to new food, progressively mix new into old over 7-10 days until complete replacement, otherwise diarrhoea is almost guaranteed. The Shiba, notoriously a trickster, may figure out that leaving kibble brings a different food and take advantage. Trust me, they are masters at this, and I have seen owners change 5-6 brands in a year. Before worrying, wait a few days, and if fasting persists, consult the vet before changing. The golden rule: what works is not changed out of boredom.

Homemade vs industrial: our position

If you have the time and opportunity to devote to it, homemade or BARF diets are excellent alternatives to industrial food, but to work they must be formulated with a veterinary nutritionist — or, for BARF, you can buy pre-portioned fresh or frozen products. DIY can lead to unbalanced food lacking micronutrients, dangerous during growth and long-term.

For our Shibas we use quality industrial food, constant and verifiable, proven over the years to give excellent results — and our old-timers’ longevity proves it. We recommend the same path to owners, with any move to homemade only under professional guidance. Distrust anyone who demonises or sanctifies absolutely: what counts is balance and results, not ideology.

Water, treats and chews

Water must always be fresh and available. As for treats, prefer natural ones — for example cheese rinds or ham trimmings — and use them only as gratification, sparingly (not by the handful) or they will lose effectiveness. Natural chews are an excellent solution to satisfy the innate need to gnaw, help reduce stress, prevent boredom and improve dental hygiene by removing plaque and tartar. Among the best: beef or bull pizzle (Bully Sticks), very tough and long-lasting; trachea and tendons, with their elastic, chewy consistency, guarantee long chewing sessions; and if you have seen your Shiba loves gnawing sticks in the garden, you can give it tree roots (e.g. heather root) — never cooked bones of any kind.

In short

Weaning with homogenised food, food always available, eye on weight, scraps only as rewards, no abrupt changes, quality industrial or homemade only with a nutritionist. If you want a puppy weaned this way, see the available puppies, read the FAQ and meet the breeders.