Fist Pound

Forget the too common "handshake" trick.  Our latest trick with Niko is the "fist pound."  It was the easiest trick to teach Niko. He's very dexterous with his paws. I held my fist out when he was sitting and he raised his left paw to touch mine. I don't even have to add a cue word. It's fun to say "fist pound" to him though.  

A Cub in the Den

For awhile now, we stopped crating Niko at night.  At first, he slept on the rug in the bedroom. Then I found a nice size doggie bed that fit perfectly in the closet. We cleared some space and Niko now sleeps in the closet! It sounds funny, to stick him in the closet. But we keep the door open and it makes sense because he's out of the way and we don't risk stepping on a shiba by accident in the dark.  

The bed in the closet makes for a nice cozy den for Niko. 

Interesting Niko fact: he doesn't like to jump on the human bed. Lots of dog owners have trouble getting their dogs off their beds. We have the opposite problem. 

Bird and People Watching

To Niko's dismay, the snow is gone.  The warm weather allows him to be outside a lot more often.  We tether him in the backyard with a long cord.  There's much to see and do. He has dug 3 holes so far. He likes to play catch with a ball and a frisbee.  He also likes to sit and observe everything that is going on.  Yesterday, Niko watched the neighbor's kid drive his mini hummer around the backyard.  I am pretty immune to the sounds of birds but seeing Niko's ears perk up and his head turning round and round make me aware of the birdies. Shiba Inus have a history of being a bird hunting breed.