Buying & living
Your first week with a Shiba Inu puppy
A Shiba comes home at about nine weeks, and the first week is all calm settling-in and escape-proofing. Here is exactly what to prepare, what to expect day by day, and how to keep health on track.
Nelson and Kim, Curious Tails · AVS licence AS24J00046
What should you expect in the first week with a Shiba Inu puppy?
A Shiba puppy goes home at about week 9, and the first week is about calm settling-in and escape-proofing. Set up a secure playpen and a quiet retreat, keep introductions gentle and short, start a consistent toilet and feeding routine, and begin positive handling early. Keep vaccinations on schedule (weeks 6, 8 and 12) and avoid overwhelming the puppy. Escape-proofing matters from day one, Shibas are natural escape artists.
Calm · secure · consistent
Before the puppy arrives
A Shiba comes home at around nine weeks, roughly a week after its second vaccination, and preparation is most of the battle. Set up a secure playpen with a bed, water and a pee tray, and puppy-proof the space, because a Shiba is curious, agile and an escape artist, so gaps, low gates and open doors are all exits waiting to be found. A quiet retreat the puppy can call its own helps it settle.
Everything you need for the first week is in the starter kit we include, and we deliver and set up the playpen for you, so the puppy walks into a ready home. The breed's temperament, which shapes all of this, is on the temperament page.
The first few days
Keep it calm. A new puppy is leaving its littermates for the first time, so short, gentle introductions beat a house full of excited visitors. Start the toilet routine immediately, take the puppy to the pee tray after every sleep, meal and play session, and reward success; Shibas are clean by nature and usually pick this up quickly. Begin gentle handling of paws, ears and mouth from day one to head off the scream at future nail trims.
Expect some night-time unsettledness for the first few nights, which is normal and passes. Keep feeding, sleeping and toileting on a predictable rhythm, because routine is what helps an independent breed feel secure.
First-week checklist
- Secure, escape-proofed playpen and a quiet retreat
- Toilet routine after every sleep, meal and play
- Gentle daily handling of paws, ears and mouth
- Calm, short introductions; not too many visitors
- Consistent feeding and sleeping rhythm
Health, vaccinations and support
Your puppy comes vet-checked, microchipped and vaccinated on the weeks 6, 8 and 12 schedule, with deworming at each visit and its records in hand; keep the remaining vaccinations on schedule with your vet, and hold off on high-risk public areas until the course is complete. Book a first vet visit early so your vet meets the puppy while it is well.
You are not on your own in that first week. Every Shiba we place comes with 5-day bring-back-if-sick support, free boarding up to a month after deposit, and care advice whenever you message. Training starts now too, gently, per how to train a stubborn Shiba.
Keep reading
Frequently asked questions
When can a Shiba Inu puppy go home?
At about nine weeks, roughly a week after its second vaccination. It goes home vet-checked, vaccinated, microchipped and licensed, with the starter kit and free delivery included.
How do I puppy-proof for a Shiba Inu?
Set up a secure playpen, block gaps and low gates, and keep doors closed, because Shibas are agile escape artists. Give the puppy a quiet retreat and remove chewable hazards.
What is the Shiba Inu vaccination schedule?
Core puppy vaccinations at weeks 6, 8 and 12, with an optional fourth at week 16 if the vet advises, and deworming at each visit. Keep the course on schedule and avoid high-risk public areas until it is complete.
How do I settle a Shiba Inu puppy in the first week?
Keep everything calm and consistent: a set toilet, feeding and sleeping routine, short gentle introductions, daily handling practice, and a secure playpen. Some unsettled nights at first are normal and pass.
Meet your Shiba Inu
Come say hello at Balestier
2 Balestier Road #01-701, Singapore 320002 · Weekdays 12pm–6pm · Weekends 10am–6pm. Or message us first: tell us about your home and whether you have researched the scream, the prey drive and the shedding, and we will tell you honestly if a Shiba fits.
Getting ready for one?
We deliver, set up the playpen and support you through the first month. Ask us anything.
See available puppies