Shiba Inu Recall: Why It Does Not Come Back (and How to Build It)

Your Shiba is not disobeying you: it decides. Recall is not demanded — it is built, starting from the first sixty days.

The Shiba does not listen: stubbornness or functional independence?

When I read that the Shiba is stubborn or does not obey, I understand that many do not know or understand the history of the Shiba. The modern Shiba was born as an attempt to rebuild the small hunting helper that had for centuries been the companion of the Matagi, the Japanese hunters. The particular type of hunting, named after them, required the dog to move freely at a distance from the hunter and therefore to be able to make decisions autonomously. This is what was selected and valued for centuries in the ancestors of the modern Shiba. Independence is therefore not a flaw, but a trait of its nature fully expressed in its function (hunting) and unfortunately being lost. Calling it and expecting the response you would get from a retriever means misunderstanding the breed — or having chosen the wrong one.

Recall is built at 60 days

How do you build reliable recall? Simply put, it cannot be imposed: instinct will always come first, and the dog will decide whether coming back is worthwhile. So what can be done?

In our litters, recall education starts as soon as the puppies are old enough to be taken outside, immediately making human presence and interaction positive and stimulating. With patience and method, the puppy learns that coming back and staying with us is pleasant and worthwhile. Puppies, by the way, move away and come back towards you instinctively with the classic star movement: for them you are the centre, the reference — this is what we must reinforce, and at delivery we explain exactly how to do it.

Building a solid relationship right away is essential. A strong bond is structured over time and passes fundamentally through two points: affection and trust.

The Shiba is not a dog fond of gushing, but when it seeks you out you must be there and give it the time it asks for. Give it a few caresses, scratches behind the ear or on the sides of the chest (they all love them) and while you do, look it in the eyes and tell it whatever comes from your heart in a sweet, calm voice. Make your closeness interesting and pleasant, always carry treats or a small toy in your pocket, a rattle or a ball, whatever it likes most: when you call it and it comes, reward it. You need to do nothing more.

If on walks the puppy moves in circles around you, forcing frequent turns and hand changes to avoid getting tangled in the lead, do not get annoyed: it means you are its reference, and that is very positive. This behaviour is the evolution of the star, and will tend to disappear as self-confidence and maturity grow, but what you have become for them in the meantime will remain over time. In this period it is essential to be an authoritative reference, and above all to avoid traumas. On how to behave on walks we have a dedicated article I invite you to read — the natural complement to this one.

Does this guarantee it will always come back? No, but it guarantees it will look for you when the prevailing stimulus of the moment is over. This is what we do with puppies, and we teach you to do at home. Those who talk about stubbornness describe the symptom; we work on the cause.

Mistakes that ruin recall

When we call and the puppy or adult does not come back, there are mistakes to avoid — mistakes that can compromise the work done.

1. Compulsive calling — Recall is always made of two words: name - come. It must be taught that way and always used the same way until consolidated. When the dog ignores our request, obsessively repeating come, come, come… or changing the word (hey, let’s go, etc.) or mixing them devalues what is effectively a command. Ask at most 2-3 times; if there is no result, change strategy.

2. Chasing it while shouting — At best you will teach it to run away better: for the dog it is a game it always wins; at worst you may frighten it into fleeing even further, damaging your relationship.

3. Scolding on return — Shibas, like all dogs in general, live in the here and now: they do not connect a current event to behaviour from even a few minutes earlier. That is why scolding is useless and counterproductive unless done with technique and awareness (see the dedicated basic training article). Scolding will make things worse, because the dog will link coming back to punishment and next time will not return. On the contrary, even if it made you suffer, swallow your nerves and reward it as soon as it returns.

4. Poor management of the long line or retractable lead — jerking the dog on walks because it does things you dislike, or conversely letting it do whatever it wants, are both wrong and counterproductive behaviours. The walk is one of those moments when the relationship between dog and owner can most easily be assessed, and it is also one of the moments when it is built, because it is an activity to do together — and together means you must give the moment its due importance. I see many owners walking their dog without paying it any attention: they walk, but each minds their own business. There is no relationship.

Well, it may surprise you, but the lead is not a means of control or coercion: it is a means of communication. When you have the dog on lead, close your eyes and try to understand through the lead what it is doing. Pay attention to how the lead moves between your fingers, to the vibrations, to the tension it transmits. I assure you that in no time you will be able to sense the dog even without seeing it. You will understand what it is doing through the signals reaching you from the lead and will be able to naturally convey what you want it to do and how to behave. This will improve your interaction and increase mutual control and trust.

5. Dragging it towards you — if the dog does not come, do not pull it. Apart from being terrible to watch for onlookers, excessive tension may slip the collar or harness off with all possible dangers and consequences. Instead, shorten the distance by calmly moving towards it, keeping the tension. When you are close, if it still ignores you — though it should not — get its attention, call it by name and reward it as soon as it looks at you. Every ignored, unmanaged recall only teaches it to ignore you more and more.

When a trainer is needed (and which one)

If despite the guidance and your efforts you do not get the desired results, feel the relationship does not satisfy you, notice resource possessiveness, fear or lead reactivity, you can turn to us at any time.

For us, post-adoption support from professional Dog Educators and Trainers with breed-specific experience is part of our programme, not a paid extra. When needed we are here ready to help you (see our credentials).

In short

Independence to understand, recall to build from puppyhood, five mistakes to avoid, professional help when needed. If you want a puppy set up this way, see the available puppies, read the FAQ and meet the breeders.