Please read carefully. Ziti is an incredible dog, but he is not the right fit for every home.
Ziti is absolutely a text-book Shiba. He does not respond well to negavive correction style training or feeding schedules that result in a feeling of food scarcity.
Ziti is a beautiful, neutered 5 year old adult male Shiba Inu with a lot of life and personality ahead of him. Shibas often live around 16 years, and Ziti still has many happy, playful years to give.
He loves a good game of fetch, enjoys being active, and thrives when he has someone to engage with. He is happiest when he has a person to bond with and a structured routine to follow.
Ziti is a smart, capable Shiba Inu who has already completed professional board-and-train and has a solid foundation of obedience skills. He knows commands such as sit, stay, off, place, and responds well when expectations are clear and consistent. He is completely potty trained and can be left free roaming in the home and has not chewed up things that are not his. He stays off of the furniture by default. We were told he is crate trained and e-collar trained but we have used neither in our care. He has excellent focus for a Shiba and can perform commands even in stimulating public environments like PetSmart. He walks well on leash, enjoys structure, and clearly benefits from having a handler who communicates calmly and confidently. He also loves to play fetch and genuinely enjoys engaging with his person. Ziti is not a dog who wants to be ignored in the background. He thrives when he has connection, activity, and purpose.
Ziti is affectionate, loyal, playful, and deeply capable of bonding with his person.
He enjoys:
He walks nicely on leash, and has the kind of presence that makes him feel like a true sidekick.
He is looking for a home where life is predictable, boundaries are fair, and he can build a strong bond with his person. Because of his temperament and breed traits, we are seeking an adopter with previous dog experience, ideally someone familiar with Shibas or other independent, intelligent, primitive breeds.
His best fit would likely be:
A home without young children or frequent unsupervised child visitors will set him up for success.
Ziti came to us with a history of resource guarding around food and certain high-value items. This is not uncommon in intelligent, sensitive primitive breeds, and it does not make him a bad dog. It means he was in situations where he felt like he had to protect his stuff.
In our care, Ziti has shown that with clear boundaries, zero 'food takeaway' and predictable humans, he has relaxed. He now eats comfortably with people nearby, we can touch or move his bowl or pet him while he is eating, and he will actually bring high-value toys and treats over to share and play. He has relaxed significantly, enjoys meals peacefully, accepts routine easily, and has shown that when his environment feels fair and stable, he settles beautifully.
We still want adopters who:
Because of his history and our commitment to setting him up for success, we are recommending Ziti be an only pet. This isnt because he's aggressive or mean, its because he does best when he doesn't have to compete with other animals for food, toys, or attention. While Ziti can be mostly non-reactive around other dogs in public and on leash, he would truly shine as an only pet.
That allows him to relax and simply enjoy being someone’s best friend.
Many dogs tolerate multi-pet homes. Ziti is the kind of dog who would likely be happiest not having to. He is a funny, sweet, game-of-fetch guy who really loves being your companion.
Ziti is not a beginner Shiba. He is a quality dog who needs the right match.
He will do best with someone who understands that dogs like him do not need domination or constant correction. They need leadership, fairness, consistency, and respect. Positive reinforcement training is a must, as he will simply shut down with alpha type or negative reaction correction.
In the right home, Ziti is the kind of dog people talk about for years. Smart, loving, funny, loyal, and deeply connected to his person.
He is not for everyone.
But for the right person, he may be something very special.
All Shiba Saviors adoptions require active GPS tracking.
Adopters receive a complimentary FI Mini device and six months of service. A $20 activation fee applies.
